Writing for Psychology (with InfoTrac)

by Mitchell, Mark L.; Jolley, Janina M.; O’Shea, Robert P.

• ISBN13: 9780155085541
• ISBN10: 0155085549
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-05-20
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

WRITING FOR PSYCHOLOGY û A STUDENT'S GUIDE offers concise assistance for students writing their research analyses using APA Style. By providing concrete examples of common errors, the authors are able to show--rather than merely tell--students what to do and what to avoid. This student friendly manual will help students adhere to the basics of American Psychological Association (APA) style; refine critical thinking skills, library search skills, revising skills, editing skills, and proofing skills; and avoid plagiarism. This text is an adaptation of an earlier text published by Robert O'Shea.Checklists for students, which have been praised by reviewers, precede the summary at the end of every chapter, giving students the chance to make sure they have been thorough in their reports.

Table of Contents

To the Student	xi
To the Professor	xv
Acknowledgments	xv
CHAPTER 1 What Every Student Should Know About Writing Psychology Papers	1	(22)
1.1 Understanding Your Assignment	1	(2)
1.2 Understanding Academic Values	3	(3)
1.2.1 Be Informed	3	(1)
1.2.2 Make a Claim	3	(1)
1.2.3 Defend Your Claim	3	(1)
1.2.4 Be Honest	4	(2)
1.2.5 Use Your Own Words	6	(1)
1.3 Understanding APA Style	6	(5)
1.3.1 Ideals	7	(1)
1.3.2 Appropriately Personal Prose	7	(2)
1.3.3 Simple Language	9	(1)
1.3.4 Respectful Language	9	(2)
1.4 Writing and Revising	11	(9)
1.4.1 Plan to Finish Early	11	(1)
1.4.2 Think, Search, Read, and Get Organized	12	(1)
1.4.3 Write Your First Draft	13	(1)
1.4.4 Revise Your First Draft: Reorganize, Rethink, Read, and Rewrite	14	(1)
1.4.5 Help The Reader Navigate Through Your Paper	15	(2)
1.4.6 Address Readers' Objections	17	(1)
1.4.7 Polish Your Writing	17	(1)
1.4.8 Proof Language, Grammar, Spelling, Usage, and Punctuation	18	(1)
1.4.9 Final Formatting	19	(1)
1.4.10 Five Final Checks	19	(1)
1.5 Submitting the Finished Product	20	(1)
1.6 Avoiding Common Problems: A Checklist	20	(2)
1.7 Summary	22	(1)
CHAPTER 2 Writing Term Papers	23	(24)
2.1 Thesis Statement	24	(1)
2.2 Basic Sections, Headings	25	(1)
2.3 Title Page	25	(1)
2.4 Abstract	26	(1)
2.5 Introduction	27	(2)
2.5.1 Introduce Generally and Gently	27	(1)
2.5.2 Introduce Key Issues	27	(1)
2.5.3 Introduce Key Definitions	28	(1)
2.5.4 Introduce and Present Your Thesis Statement	28	(1)
2.5.5 Invite Inquiry	28	(1)
2.6 Body	29	(1)
2.6.1 Integrate Material	29	(1)
2.6.2 Be Both Concise and Precise	30	(1)
2.7 Conclusion	30	(1)
2.7.1 Conclude	30	(1)
2.7.2 Follow the Body's Logic to Your Conclusion	30	(1)
2.8 References	31	(1)
2.9 Author Note	31	(1)
2.10 Tense	31	(1)
2.11 Sample Term Paper	32	(12)
2.12 Checklist for Evaluating Your Term Paper	44	(1)
2.13 Summary	45	(2)
CHAPTER 3 Writing Research Reports and Proposals	47	(42)
3.1 Basic Sections, Headings	47	(3)
3.2 Title Page	50	(1)
3.3 Abstract	51	(1)
3.4 Introduction	52	(1)
3.4.1 Introduce the Broader Issue	52	(1)
3.4.2 Introduce the Hypothesis	53	(1)
3.5 Method	53	(4)
3.5.1 Participants or Subjects	54	(1)
3.5.2 Apparatus	55	(1)
3.5.3 Materials	55	(1)
3.5.4 Design and Other Optional Subsections	56	(1)
3.5.5 Procedure	56	(1)
3.6 Results	57	(11)
3.6.1 Statistical Significance	58	(1)
3.6.2 Formatting Statistical Information	59	(1)
3.6.3 Deciding Whether You Need Either a Figure or a Table	60	(1)
3.6.4 Best Times for Tables	60	(1)
3.6.5 Making Tables	60	(2)
3.6.6 Best Times for Figures	62	(1)
3.6.7 Making Figures	62	(6)
3.6.8 Units	68	(1)
3.7 Discussion	68	(4)
3.7.1 Briefly Restate the Results	70	(1)
3.7.2 State Qualifications and Reservations	70	(1)
3.7.3 State the Theoretical Importance	71	(1)
3.7.4 Conclude	71	(1)
3.8 References	72	(1)
3.9 Appendixes	72	(1)
3.10 Author Note	73	(1)
3.11 Tense	73	(1)
3.12 Sample Research Report	74	(10)
3.13 Report and Proposal Content Checklist	84	(3)
3.14 Summary	87	(2)
CHAPTER 4 Finding, Reading, Citing, and Referencing Sources	89	(42)
4.1 Finding Information	90	(7)
4.1.1 Starting Your Search	90	(1)
4.1.2 Using One Reference to Find More References	91	(2)
4.1.3 Reading the Right Stuff	93	(4)
4.2 Reading	97	(2)
4.2.1 Read Purposefully	97	(1)
4.2.2 Take Notes	97	(2)
4.2.3 Reread	99	(1)
4.2.4 Revise Your Notes	99	(1)
4.3 Citing	99	(5)
4.3.1 Choosing a Citation Type	102	(1)
4.3.2 Citing from Secondary Sources	103	(1)
4.3.3 Citing Personal Communications	104	(1)
4.3.4 Citing Information Obtained from the Internet	104	(1)
4.4 Formatting Individual Citations	104	(3)
4.4.1 Work by One Author	105	(1)
4.4.2 Work by Two Authors	105	(1)
4.4.3 Work by Three, Four, or Five Authors	106	(1)
4.4.4 Work by Six or More Authors	106	(1)
4.4.5 Work by Author Sharing Same Last Name as Another Cited Author	107	(1)
4.4.6 Work with No Author	107	(1)
4.5 Formatting Multiple Citations	107	(1)
4.5.1 More Than Two Works by Different Authors	107	(1)
4.5.2 More Than Two Works by the Same Author	108	(1)
4.6 Paraphrasing	108	(1)
4.7 Quoting	109	(2)
4.7.1 Embedded Quotations	109	(2)
4.7.2 Block Quotations	111	(1)
4.8 Deciding What to Reference	111	(1)
4.8.1 Referencing Nonstandard Sources	112	(1)
4.8.2 Referencing Secondary Sources	112	(1)
4.9 Formatting References	112	(13)
4.9.1 Starting the Reference Page	112	(1)
4.9.2 Form of Each Reference	113	(1)
4.9.3 Order	114	(1)
4.9.4 Author Names	115	(1)
4.9.5 Date of Publication	116	(1)
4.9.6 Title	117	(1)
4.9.7 Abbreviations	117	(1)
4.9.8 Book Reference	117	(2)
4.9.9 Book-chapter Reference	119	(1)
4.9.10 Journal-Article Reference	119	(2)
4.9.11 Journal-Article-Abstract Reference	121	(1)
4.9.12 Referencing Internet Sources	122	(3)
4.10 Checklists	125	(3)
4.10.1 Academic Honesty Checklist	125	(1)
4.10.2 Formatting Citations Checklist	125	(2)
4.10.3 Finding and Using Sources Checklist	127	(1)
4.10.4 Reference Page Checklist	127	(1)
4.11 Summary	128	(3)
CHAPTER 5 Making Your Case: A Guide to Skeptical Reading and Logical Writing	131	(18)
5.1 Theses	132	(1)
5.2 Inductive Arguments	133	(1)
5.3 Deductive Arguments	134	(2)
5.4 Hypotheses	136	(1)
5.5 Problems in Making Arguments	137	(1)
5.6 Stating an Unarguable Thesis	137	(1)
5.7 Substituting Appeals for Reasoning: Nonobjective Thinking	138	(1)
5.7.1 Appeal to Emotion	138	(1)
5.7.2 Appeal to Faith	138	(1)
5.7.3 Appeal to Authority	138	(1)
5.8 Unfair Arguments	139	(1)
5.8.1 Ad Hominem Arguments	139	(1)
5.8.2 Ignoring Contradictory Evidence	139	(1)
5.8.3 Straw Man Arguments	139	(1)
5.9 General Errors in Reasoning from Evidence	140	(6)
5.9.1 Inferring Causation from Correlation	140	(3)
5.9.2 Making Something Out of Nothing: Misinterpreting Null Results	143	(1)
5.9.3 Adding Meaning to Significance: Misinterpreting Significant Results	143	(1)
5.9.4 Trusting Labels Too Much: Not Questioning Construct Validity	144	(1)
5.9.5 Faulty Generalizations	145	(1)
5.10 Critical Thinking Checklist	146	(1)
5.11 Summary	146	(3)
CHAPTER 6 Writing the Wrongs: How to Avoid Gruesome Grammar, Putrid Punctuation, and Saggy Style	149	(30)
6.1 Elements of Grammar	150	(10)
6.1.1 Nouns	150	(1)
6.1.2 Personal and Impersonal Pronouns	151	(2)
6.1.3 Verbs	153	(1)
6.1.4 Articles	154	(1)
6.1.5 Adjectives	155	(1)
6.1.6 Adverbs	155	(1)
6.1.7 Prepositions	156	(1)
6.1.8 Conjunctions	157	(1)
6.1.9 Relative Pronouns	157	(1)
6.1.10 Phrases	158	(1)
6.1.11 Clauses	158	(1)
6.1.12 Sentences	159	(1)
6.1.13 Paragraphs	160	(1)
6.2 Punctuation	160	(3)
6.2.1 End Marks (Periods, Question Marks, Exclamation Points)	160	(1)
6.2.2 Commas	160	(1)
6.2.3 Semicolons	161	(1)
6.2.4 Colons	161	(1)
6.2.5 Apostrophes	162	(1)
6.2.6 Parentheses	162	(1)
6.2.7 Dashes	162	(1)
6.2.8 Hyphens	162	(1)
6.2.9 Quotation Marks	163	(1)
6.3 Usage	163	(6)
6.3.1 Know What You Mean	163	(1)
6.3.2 Complete Comparisons	164	(1)
6.3.3 Distinguish Comparatives from Superlatives	164	(4)
6.3.4 Divide Run-On Sentences	168	(1)
6.3.5 Specify Nonspecific Referents	168	(1)
6.3.6 Attribute Humanity Only to Humans	169	(1)
6.4 Writing with Style	169	(5)
6.4.1 Accentuate the Positive	169	(1)
6.4.2 Point the Way Within and Between Paragraphs	169	(1)
6.4.3 Use Parallel Construction	170	(1)
6.4.4 Use a Consistent, Formal Tone	171	(1)
6.4.5 Use Small Words and Short Sentences	171	(1)
6.4.6 Be Precise	172	(1)
6.4.7 Be Concise	172	(1)
6.4.8 Be Cautious	173	(1)
6.5 Your Own Style	174	(1)
6.6 Checklists	174	(3)
6.6.1 Parts of Speech	174	(1)
6.6.2 Punctuation	175	(1)
6.6.3 Style	176	(1)
6.7 Summary	177	(2)
CHAPTER 7 Preparing the Final Draft	179	(10)
7.1 Presentation	179	(1)
7.1.1 Paper, Margins, Spacing	179	(1)
7.1.2 Word Processing Versus Typing	180	(1)
7.2 APA Formats	180	(5)
7.2.1 Running Head Versus Short Title	181	(1)
7.2.2 Paragraphs	181	(1)
7.2.3 Headings	182	(1)
7.2.4 Italics or Underlining	182	(1)
7.2.5 Abbreviations	183	(2)
7.2.6 Numbers	185	(1)
7.2.7 Tables and Figures	185	(1)
7.3 Conclusions	185	(1)
7.4 Format Checklists	186	(2)
7.4.1 General Appearance Checklist	186	(1)
7.4.2 Headings and Headers Checklist	186	(1)
7.4.3 Number, Tables, and Figures Checklist	187	(1)
7.4.4 Citations and References Checklist	187	(1)
7.4.5 Abbreviations Checklist	187	(1)
7.4.6 Title Page Checklist	187	(1)
7.5 Summary	188	(1)
References	189	(2)
Appendix A APA Copy Style Versus APA Final-Form Style	191	(2)
Appendix B Problem Plurals	193	(2)
Index	195