Apa Paper – 2

Running head: CREATING SUCCESS Running head goes in the paper header on the same line as the page number. The words “Running head:” go only on the title page. 1 Creating Success: APA Sample Ima Student Chamberlain College of Nursing NR 351: Transitions in Professional Nursing Fall B, 2011 CREATING SUCCESS Running head is the short title with no more than 50 letters 2 Creating Success: APA Sample The full title goes here, centered, but not bold. Paragraph one is the introduction to the paper. It should begin with something that will grab the reader’s attention and provide a citation to support your opening sentence (Norwood, 2002).

Next, support that opening sentence with discussion or explanation with one or multiple sentences which will make up the body of the introductory paragraph. The last sentence of the introduction should highlight areas to be covered in the paper. APA success requires knowledge of the format and skill in concise, clear written communication. Use an ampersand (&) to connect two authors from the same source in parentheses Preparing to Write A Level 1 heading is centered and bold A key to quality construction of a systematic approach to writing is developing an outline that includes all assignment criteria (Hacker & Jones, 2009).Once the outline is created, one can build support by identifying resources that are applicable to the outline topics.

The outline with sources identified and evaluated provides a framework which should make writing the paper easy. Preparing an outline is an essential step in writing. It will help with organization of the paper and suggest logical headings and subheadings. However, the outline is not typed into the paper. It is merely an organizational tool that results in a more focused paper. The word “and” separates two authors from the same source in the text.

Successful WritingIf the author(s) are part of the sentence, then only the date is in ( ) after the authors’ name(s). According to McGuinness and McElroy (2010), writers inhibit the writing process by procrastination and self criticism. Allow adequate time to not only write, but also edit. The best writing requires multiple drafts, each one improving on its predecessor by increasing its clarity, improving organization and making it more concise. The writer systematically provides the discussion, pros and cons, comparisons, or other evidence in the body of the paper to convince or persuade the reader of that the author has goodCREATING SUCCESS knowledge of the topic.

The body should be filled with citations to various sources to support ideas and thoughts. Without citations, the paper becomes an opinion piece and not a scholarly presentation. However, not all citations add credibility to the writing. The resource must be evaluated to assure that it is valid and credible (Hacker & Jones, 2009).

The body of the paper must have multiple paragraphs. Every paragraph needs at least three sentences, and every 3 paragraph needs a transition sentence to the next (Norwood, 2009). These writing basics promote an excellent paper.In text citation at the end of a sentence is in parentheses and includes the author and date separated by a comma. Professional writing is not conversational writing.

Posing questions, using improper word forms, or spelling errors should be avoided. Professional writing is done in third person. Personal opinion is only appropriate in scholarly work when specifically requested in the guidelines for that assignment. The course instructor will determine if opinion and example should be written in first or third person. If only third person is allowed for opinion and example, follow the example in this next sentence.

This author (or nurse) believes that the findings support the best practice of scholarly writing. While it presents a challenge to beginning writers, using third person conveys the use of evidence and expert opinion. It is perfectly acceptable to use first person (I, me) in an autobiography or a personal essay, but third person is the required voice for professional or technical writing. To better understand professional writing style, read journal articles and other professional writing. “There is no better teacher of writing than the act of reading good writers” (Cox, 2009, p.

44). If a quote is used, add the page numberAPA format basics include margins of one inch on all four sides, font in Times New Romans size 12, double-spaced throughout, references with a 0. 5” hanging indent, and use of headings (APA, 2010). Citations provide the reader with a link to the reference page and a way to obtain more detailed information about a point made by the writer. APA has standard format CREATING SUCCESS 4 for citations and the reference page (APA, 2010). When in doubt, use the Manual.

Be sure to use the sixth edition. Every college student should possess a copy of the most current APA manual and have access to tutorials as resources when writing.Chamberlain also offers a link to “Smarthinking” (click on Tutor Source under Course Home) to assist with writing style and basic APA format. A self-directed student will access resources to assist in acquiring expertise in APA format and professional writing. Revisions Submitting a well developed draft of the paper is highly recommended if the guidelines and instructor allow this.

After writing the paper, let the paper rest for a day and then re-read it for clarity (Norwood, 2009). Run spell check and make sure grammar and punctuation are correct.It helps to read the paper out loud when doing the final edit, as the spell check and grammar check functions of the Microsoft WORD® program will not catch everything. However, if something is underlined in red or green, use the mouse and right click over the underlined area to see recommendations for either spelling or grammar changes. When in doubt, ask questions in Smarthinking.

Conclusion Scholarly professional writing is a skill that requires knowledge and practice (Norwood, 2009). A writer can begin to gain this skill by locating resources and understanding the basic APA format.Writing is a skill that improves with revision. The learner can improve by using the suggestions in this paper.

CREATING SUCCESS References The word “Reference” is centered, but not bold. 5 American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.

). Washington, DC: Author. Example of a book Cox, R. W.

(2009). Writing for professional development and for the profession. Information Management, 43(1), 42-45. Example of a journal Hacker, D. & Jones, F. (2009).

Research and documentation online. Retrieved from Use an”&” to connect authors in References ttp://www. dianahacker. com/resdoc/ Example of a general website McGuinness, T.

, & McElroy, E. (2010). 7 habits of highly effective psychiatric nurse authors. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing & Mental Health Services, 48(1), 33-38. doi:10. 3928/02793695-20091204-05 Example of a journal with a DOI Norwood, R.

(2009). Professional writing for the graduate nurse. Professional Writers Journal, 2(4), 14-17. http://www. professionalwritersjournal. com .

Note: References are alphabetized by author (Hacker & Jones, 2009). Example of a journal obtained from the publisher’s website: use home page URL.