Running head: HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

Help Guide to Giving Feedback on Student Writing Theresa Bell, Writing Centre Coordinator

Royal Roads University Writing Centre, October 2014

This guide is a tool for instructors who would like information and examples to assist them with giving feedback on student writing. The items are presented in alphabetical order within

the categories, and the document should be used as a reference guide for instructors versus an instructional tool. If students need information on any of the issues addressed within the

document, please invite them to contact the Writing Centre via WriteAnswers or direct them to the Writing Centre website. This guide is not intended to be a comprehensive overview of

all elements of writing that could be addressed in feedback; rather, it presents information on common mistakes made by students. Please note that the information provided may not

reflect professor- or program-specific expectations; instructors should check with their respective program offices to determine if there are program-specific requirements for student

writing.

Please feel welcome to contact the Writing Centre if you have any questions on the contents of this guide.

© Royal Roads University

2HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

Table of contents

Grammar.........................................................................................................................................4

Capitalization................................................................................................................................4

Personal versus objective pronouns..............................................................................................4

Pronoun agreement.......................................................................................................................4

Pronoun point-of-view..................................................................................................................4

Vague pronouns............................................................................................................................5

Sentences..........................................................................................................................................5

Active versus passive voice..........................................................................................................5

Incomplete sentence/sentence fragment.......................................................................................6

Sentence length.............................................................................................................................6

Subject-verb agreement................................................................................................................6

Run-on sentences..........................................................................................................................7

Punctuation......................................................................................................................................7

Dash..............................................................................................................................................7

Semicolons....................................................................................................................................7

Serial comma................................................................................................................................8

Spacing after sentences.................................................................................................................8

Structure..........................................................................................................................................8

Paragraph conclusion sentences....................................................................................................8

Paragraph topic sentences.............................................................................................................8

Thesis statement............................................................................................................................8

Readability.......................................................................................................................................9

Abbreviations................................................................................................................................9

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Consistent logic and direction throughout the paper....................................................................9

Transitions.....................................................................................................................................9

Use of the first person point-of-view (e.g., I, my)......................................................................10

APA: Formatting..........................................................................................................................10

Alignment...................................................................................................................................10

Introduction heading...................................................................................................................10

Fonts............................................................................................................................................11

Line-spacing................................................................................................................................11

Margins.......................................................................................................................................11

Page numbers..............................................................................................................................11

Running head..............................................................................................................................12

Section headings.........................................................................................................................12

APA: In-text citations...................................................................................................................13

Anonymous as author.................................................................................................................13

Corporate author.........................................................................................................................14

No date available.........................................................................................................................14

No listed author...........................................................................................................................14

Paraphrased text..........................................................................................................................14

Past or present perfect tense when quoting or paraphrasing material.........................................15

Personal communication.............................................................................................................15

Placement of citation...................................................................................................................15

Quotations...................................................................................................................................16

Resources with the same author and publication years in in-text citations and references........16

Secondary source citations..........................................................................................................17

Year of publication.....................................................................................................................17

4HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

APA: References...........................................................................................................................17

Alphabetical order.......................................................................................................................18

Anonymous author......................................................................................................................18

Distinguishing between resources with the same author and publication years.........................18

Hanging indent............................................................................................................................19

No listed author...........................................................................................................................19

No publication or copyright date available.................................................................................19

Ordering multiple resources with same author, published in different year...............................20

Ordering resources with the same author and publication years................................................20

Organizational names..................................................................................................................20

References line-spacing..............................................................................................................20

References page title...................................................................................................................21

APA: Reference examples............................................................................................................21

Blog posting................................................................................................................................21

Ebook chapter.............................................................................................................................21

Ebook (no DOI)..........................................................................................................................22

Ebook with DOI..........................................................................................................................22

Journal article, retrieved from an electronic database (no DOI).................................................22

Journal article, retrieved from an electronic database, with DOI...............................................23

Online newspaper article.............................................................................................................23

Online video (e.g., YouTube video)...........................................................................................24

Print book....................................................................................................................................24

Print book chapter.......................................................................................................................24

Report from a private organization, retrieved from the organization’s website.........................24

Specific section of a website.......................................................................................................24

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References...................................................................................................................................25

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Item Rule Example Sample feedback More information

Grammar

CapitalizationCapitalize: I Proper nouns (specific

people, places, or things) Titles that precede a

person’s name The first word of a

sentence

Example: I learned about the presidents of the United States in school today.

Example: I learned about President Barack Obama, who is the president of the United States, in school today.

Incorrect capitalization

http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/grammar/capitalization

Personal versus objective pronouns

Use the personal pronoun “who” to refer to people; use the relative pronoun “that” to refer to objects or animals.

Incorrect: I interviewed the scientist that conducted the research.

Correct: I interviewed the scientist who conducted the research.

Missing personal pronoun

http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/grammar/parts-speech/pronouns/who-or-whom-or-which

Pronoun agreementA singular pronoun must be used to replace/refer back to a singular noun; similarly, a plural pronoun must be used for a plural noun.

Example: The student will submit their paper by the due date.

Problem: “Student” is singular, so the singular “his or her” pronoun is necessary to have number agreement and avoid any sexist bias in the language by using only “his” or “her”. “Their” is a plural pronoun, not a neutral singular pronoun.

Solution: The student will submit his or her paper by the due date, or the students will submit their papers by the due date.

“Students”, “their” and “papers” are all plural, maintaining the plural form of the subject, verb, and object within the sentence.

Pronoun number disagreement

http://library.royalroads.ca/ grammar/number-agreement

http://library.royalroads.ca/writing- centre/writing-tips/noun-and-pronoun-consistency

Pronoun point-of-view

There are three possible points-of-view, and the points-of-view should be kept consistent

Example: When planning a response to an emergency, people should plan to be without food or water for three days. You can expect that there may also be power

Pronoun point-of-view disagreement

http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/grammar/parts-speech/pronouns/agreement-person-point-view

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within sentences: First person: I, me Second person: you Third person: he, she, they.

outages. They may also need to leave their homes.

Problem: “They” is the third-person pronoun that refers to “people”. “You” uses the second-person voice.

Solution: When planning a response to an emergency, people should plan to be without food or water for three days. They can expect that there may also be power outages. People may also need to leave their homes.

Vague pronounsA pronoun takes the place of a noun (person, place, or thing) or refers back to a noun. A vague pronoun is ambiguous as to which noun it refers.

Example: Scientists determined that the three primary factors that influenced development were age, intelligence, and location. This was a surprise as no one had previously connected it to the problem.

Problem: It isn’t clear what is referred to by “this”, or which factor is referred to by “it”.

Solution: Scientists determined that the three primary factors that influenced development were age, intelligence, and location. Location was a surprise as no one had previously connected it to the problem.

Vague pronoun http://library.royalroads.ca/writing- centre/writing/grammar/parts-speech/pronouns/avoid-vague-pronouns

http://library.royalroads.ca/writing- centre/writing-tips/avoid-vague-pronouns

Sentences

Active versus passive voice

In the active voice, the noun does the action described by the verb to the subject of the sentence. In passive voice, the subject of the sentence is acted upon, and usually the agent of the action isn’t named. Active voice tends to be clearer, less wordy, and has the action of the sentence expressed at the beginning of the sentence. According to the American

Example: The paper was submitted, graded, and then returned.

Problem: The sentence is in passive voice and doesn’t name who did the submitting, grading, and returning.

Solution in active voice: The student submitted the paper, and then the professor graded it and returned it.

Passive voice http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/grammar/parts-speech/verbs/passive-versus-active-verbs

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Psychological Association (APA) (2010) authors should use the active voice whenever possible (p. 77).

Incomplete sentence/sentence fragment

The sentence has a subject and a verb, but is missing the rest of the sentence in order to make sense. Usually authors created sentence fragments by placing a period where a comma is actually required.

Incorrect: Making up her mind quickly. Sarah decided to buy the red car.

Correct: Making up her mind quickly, Sarah decided to buy the red car.

Sentence fragmentIncomplete sentence

http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/grammar/sentences/sentence-errors/sentence-fragment

Sentence lengthA general guideline for sentence length is that one sentence shouldn’t exceed 25 words. Sentences that are longer than 25 words tend to be hard to follow because there are too many subjects for one sentence.

Example: When you write a sentence, it is important to keep in mind that your reader must be able to remember what you said at the beginning of the sentence or else they won’t be able to remember what you wanted them to be thinking about from the beginning through to the end of the sentence, which means that they probably won’t be able understand the key message of the sentence (71 words).

Problem: The sentence, though punctuated correctly, is too long.

Solution: If a sentence is too long, readers will not remember the point of the message (15 words).

Watch sentence length – keep to approx. 25 words max.

http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/grammar/sentences/sentence-errors/run-sentences

9HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

Subject-verb agreement

If the subject of the sentence is singular/plural, the verb must match in number. Therefore, a plural subject needs to be matched with a plural verb.

Incorrect: The results (plural) demonstrates (singular) the effectiveness of the study.

Correct: The results (plural) demonstrate (plural) the effectiveness of the study.

Incorrect: Everyone (singular because it’s a group noun) are (plural) leaving now.

Correct: Everyone (singular) is (singular) leaving now.

Subject-verb disagreement

http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/grammar/sentences/sentence-errors/subject-verb-agreement

Run-on sentencesA run-on sentence isn’t just a sentence that has gone on for too long. The term refers to a specific grammatical mistake. A run-on sentence is a sentence created by incorrectly joining two independent clauses.

Run-on sentence: My dog is a Golden Retriever, she is friendly.Correct versions:

My dog is a Golden Retriever, and she is friendly. My dog is a Golden Retriever; she is friendly. My dog is a Golden Retriever. She is friendly.

Run-on sentence http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/grammar/sentences/sentence-errors/run-sentences

Punctuation

Dash“Use a dash to indicate only a sudden interruption in the continuity of a sentence. Over-use weakens the flow of material” (American Psychological Association (APA), 2010, p. 90).

Authors most often use dashes when they are unsure of the correct wording or punctuation. In general, dashes should be avoided in formal academic writing because they’re usually used incorrectly.

Incorrect: The researchers contacted 100 participants – 30 of whom were in British Columbia – but only 20 replied.

Correct: The researchers contacted 100 participants, 30 of whom were in British Columbia, but only 20 replied.

Avoid dashes in formal writing

See “Punctuating sentences: Commas, semicolons, and colons” (Available at http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/grammar/punctuation).

10HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

SemicolonsSemicolons have two functions:1. To join 2 independent

clauses without using a conjunction (APA, 2010, p. 89).

2. To separate list items when the items have commas within them (p. 90).

Incorrect: The researchers presented their paper at the conference; and the paper was also published in a book.

Correct: The researchers presented their paper at a conference; the paper was also published in a book.

Incorrect: Some cities in Canada are Victoria, British Columbia, Calgary, Alberta, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Montreal, Quebec.

Correct: Some of the provincial capital cities in Canada are Victoria, British Columbia; Edmonton, Alberta; Winnipeg, Manitoba; and Toronto, Ontario.

Incorrect semi-colon See “Punctuating sentences: Commas, semicolons, and colons” (Available at http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/grammar/punctuation).

Serial commaAs per APA rules, “use a comma . . . between elements (including before and and or) in a series of three or more items” (APA, 2010, p. 88).

Incorrect: The study measured participants’ ability to recognize colours, sounds and shapes.

Correct: The study measured participants’ ability to recognize colours, sounds, and shapes.

Missing serial comma See “Punctuating sentences: Commas, semicolons, and colons” (Available at http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/grammar/punctuation).

Spacing after sentences

Either one or two spaces. Spacing between sentences

http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing-tips/spaces-after-period .

Structure

Paragraph conclusion sentences

Each paragraph should have a conclusion that wraps up the contents of the paragraph and reminds the reader of how the paragraph topic connects to the thesis statement.

Example: Therefore, considering that leaders are responsible for promoting excellence in their employees, it is important that they are first able to address their own strengths and challenges before they provide guidance to others in an effort to improve productivity and the effectiveness of the unit.

Missing/unclear conclusion

See “Writing an academic paragraph” (Available from http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/structure/paragraphs).

11HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

Paragraph topic sentences

Since each paragraph focuses on one topic, every paragraph should have a topic sentence that identifies the focus for the rest of the paragraph. A common error in academic writing is that the topic sentence doesn’t reflect the rest of the paragraph.

Example: Self-awareness is essential to skilled leadership because a self-aware individual can identify his or her strengths and challenges and address them appropriately.

The rest of the paragraph should define self-awareness and explain why being able to identify and address strengths and challenges is important in the development of a skilled leader.

Missing/unclear topic sentence

See “Writing an academic paragraph” (Available from http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/structure/paragraphs).

Thesis statementThe thesis statement, which appears in the introduction, should be one or two sentences that present an overview of the topic to be addressed within the paper. For novice authors, an easy way to start a thesis statement is “In this paper, I will…”.

Poor: After reading the introduction, the reader can’t identify the focus of the paper.

Better: In this paper, I will examine the three primary qualities required for good leadership.

Better still: To increase the efficiency and efficacy of their organizations, leaders within the field of health care management must possess self-awareness, empathy, and excellent communication skills.

Missing/weak thesis statement

http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/structure/thesis-statements

Readability

AbbreviationsAuthors should "use abbreviations sparingly. Although abbreviations are sometimes useful for long, technical terms in scientific writing, communication is usually garbled rather than clarified if, for example, an abbreviation is unfamiliar to the reader" (APA, 2010, p. 106).

Abbreviations should be used because they make understanding the text easier

Unnecessary abbreviation

Search WriteAnswers for “abbreviation” or see pages 106-107 in the APA manual.

12HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

for the reader, versus to save the author from having to type out the full text every time:

Consistent logic and direction throughout the paper

The information in the paper should connect easily from one focus to the next. If the reader has to stop at any point to try to figure out what the author is saying, the flow of the paper will be broken. Usually, problems with flow and logic are a result of the author not planning the direction and details of the paper before starting to write.

Break in flow For more information on planning a document: http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/structure/planning-paper

Also, see “Improving logic”.

TransitionsTransitions serve to connect sentences and paragraphs so that it’s easy for the reader to understand how the author is moving from one to the next. When an author doesn’t use transitions, the logic and/or flow of the essay suffers and usually results in a choppy reading experience.

Poor: Apples are a versatile fruit. Applesauce can be a low-fat alternative in baking. Apples complement the flavour of pork. A popular use for the fruit is in apple pie, which is a delicious dessert.

Better: Apples are a versatile fruit. Not only are they a healthy and delicious snack, they can be used in a variety of other ways. For example, applesauce can be used as a low-fat alternative to butter in baking. Also, cooked apples complement the flavour of pork. Finally, a popular use for the fruit is in apple pie, which is a delicious dessert.

Missing transitional expression. How do these sentences/ideas connect?

Missing transitional sentence. What is the connection between this paragraph and the following paragraph?

Please see the resources on transitional expressions in Paragraphs (http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/structure/paragraphs ).

Please see “Writing an academic paragraph” (http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/structure/paragraphs ) for information on writing transitional sentences.

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Use of the first person point-of-view (e.g., I, my)

Unless directed otherwise by the professor/program, the APA encourages authors to use the first person singular pronoun “I”, rather than a third person construction (APA, 2010, p. 69).

Incorrect: The researcher (referring to the author) completed the study.

Correct: I completed the study.

Use the first-person voice

See http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2009/09/use-of-first-person-in-apa-style.html and/or page 69 in the APA manual.

APA: FormattingSee:

2:55-10:14 in the “Introduction to APA” Collaborate recording Pages 7-11 in the APA Help Guide APA formatting rules on the Writing Centre website Search WriteAnswers by keyword

AlignmentAll body text should be left-aligned, including block quotations and references, with a ragged right edge (APA, 2010, p. 229).

Incorrect:Centred

Justified text that spreads equally across the lineRight-aligned

Correct: Left-aligned

Incorrect alignment Search WriteAnswers for “alignment” or see page 7 in the APA Help Guide.

Introduction heading

The introduction isn’t labelled because it’s assumed that the first paragraph/section of a paper is the introduction (APA, 2010, p. 27).

APA style doesn’t label the introduction because it’s assumed that the first paragraph/section of a paper is the introduction.

Search WriteAnswers for “introduction” or see page 27 in the APA manual.

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FontsUnless permitted to do otherwise by the instructor, authors should use serif fonts, and the preferred APA typeface is Times New Roman, 12 pt. (APA, 2010, p. 228). All text should be in black and the same typeface should be used throughout the document.

Incorrect: Arial, Verdana, CalibriCorrect: Times New Roman, 12 pt.

Font Search WriteAnswers for “font” or see page 7 in the APA Help Guide.

Line-spacingAll text, including block quotations and the references, should be double-spaced (APA, 2010, p. 229). Only the table of contents and any table/figure text are single-spaced (p. 229).

Exception: Students in the MALEAD programs should single-space block quotations and references.

Incorrect line-spacing Search WriteAnswers for “line spacing” or see page 9 in the APA Help Guide.

MarginsAt least 1”/2.5 cm margins on all sides (APA, 2010, p. 229). The academic convention at RRU is that margins should be 1”/2.5 cms on all sides unless otherwise stated by the instructor.

Incorrect margins Search WriteAnswers for “margins” or see page 9 in the APA Help Guide.

Page numbersPage number appears in the top right corner of each page of the text (see examples on p. 41 of the APA manual). The academic convention is that the title page is included in the overall page count but doesn’t show a page number.

Incorrect: page numbers appearing anywhere other than the top right corner. The page number should be just the number, versus “Page 2”, “Page 2 of 8”, etc.

Correct: Top right corner: 2

Page numbering Search WriteAnswers for “page numbers” or see page 9 in the APA Help Guide.

Running head“The running head is an abbreviated title that is printed at the top of the pages of a manuscript or published article

Example of running head on title page:

Running head: TITLE OF DOCUMENT

Incorrect running head format

Search WriteAnswers for “running head” or see pages 9-10 in the APA Help Guide.

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to identify the article for the readers” (APA, 2010, p. 229).

The running head appears in the heading in the top left corner of every page, must not exceed 50 characters (including spaces), and appears in all capital letters.

See page 1 in http://supp.apa.org/style/PM6E-Corrected-Sample-Papers.pdf to see how the running head should appear on the title page and then on subsequent pages. Also see the title page and subsequent pages of this document and of the APA Help Guide.

* “Running head” must appear as the identifier of the text on the title page

Example of running head on second and subsequent pages:

TITLE OF DOCUMENT

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Section headingsHeading 1 formatting (usually used for section headings): Centred, bolded, uppercase and lowercase heading (APA, 2010, p. 62).

Heading 2 formatting (usually used for subsections): Left-aligned, bolded, uppercase and lowercase heading (p. 62)

Heading 3 formatting (usually used for a paragraph-level heading): Indented 1 tab space, boldface, lowercase paragraph heading ending in a period. The text that follows the paragraph heading should start on the same line after the period that ends the heading (p. 62).

Headings should not be numbered (p. 63).

Examples:

Heading 1 Formatting

Heading 2 Formatting

Heading 3 formatting. The paragraph text continues on the same line as the heading.

Incorrect section heading formatting

Search WriteAnswers for “section headings” or see pages 8-9 in the APA Help Guide.

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APA: In-text citations

A citation must be provided for each instance of quoted material (i.e., authors can’t cite an entire paragraph) (APA, 2010, pp. 15).

Example: The researchers demonstrated that, “quoted material” (Johnson, 2010, p. 4). Furthermore, Johnson (2010) noted that, “quoted material” (p. 4).

See: 13:16-26:27 in the “Introduction to APA” Collaborate recording Pages 14-18 in the APA Help Guide Search WriteAnswers by keyword Creating in-text citations/reference list entries on the Writing Centre website Pages 174-179 in the APA manual

Anonymous as author

Use the usual format for an in-text citation but use “Anonymous” instead of a last name (APA, 2010, p. 177).

Example: (Anonymous, 2010, p. X) Use Anonymous as the author

Search WriteAnswers for “anonymous” or see pages 17-18 in the APA Help Guide.

Corporate authorWhen referring to a corporate resource, the corporate owner of the copyright can be considered the author if an individual isn’t named in the resource.

Example: (Royal Roads University, n.d., para. X). Name corporate author

Search WriteAnswers for “corporate author” or see page 15 in the APA Help Guide.

No date availableIf there isn’t a publication/copyright date available for the resource, “n.d.” (no date) can be used (APA, 2010, p. 185).

Example: People who are considering a career in emergency response might be interested to know that, “the MA in Disaster and Emergency Management program is a two-year interdisciplinary degree dedicated to educating both aspiring and existing disaster and emergency management professionals” (Royal Roads University, n.d., para. 1). According to Royal Roads University (n.d.), “in the second year of studies students conduct an applied research project on a topic of personal interest” (para. 1).

Use n.d. for “no date” Search WriteAnswers for “no date” or see page 185 in the APA manual.

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No listed authorIf the work the student has referenced does not name an author, the student can instead use the first few words of the title in the citation (APA, 2010, p. 176). Enclose the title of an article or chapter in double quotation marks, and italicize the title of all other resource types (p. 176).

Example: For example, “the current reservoir capacity is insufficient for the water use needs of the community” (Raise the Dam, 1988, p. 12).

Use the title instead of the author’s last name for a resource that doesn’t have a listed author.

Search WriteAnswers for “no author” or see pages 17-18 in the APA Help Guide.

Paraphrased textParaphrased text is information from another source expressed in the author’s own words. Since the paraphrased text isn’t a direct quotation, quotation marks aren’t necessary. Paraphrased text should be notably different than the original. The APA (2010) doesn’t require a page number in citations to paraphrased text; however, authors “are encouraged to provide a page or paragraph number, especially when it would help an interested reader locate the relevant passage in a long or complex text” (p. 171).

Example: Quotation: The APA (2010) doesn’t require a page number in citations to paraphrased text; however, authors “are encouraged to provide a page or paragraph number, especially when it would help an interested reader locate the relevant passage in a long or complex text” (p. 171).

Paraphrase: When citing paraphrased text, include a page or paragraph number in the citation to help the reader find the information in the original text (APA, 2010, p. 171).

Check paraphrasing rules

Search WriteAnswers for “paraphrase”, see page 13 in the APA Help Guide , and refer to http://libguides.royalroads.ca/sumpara.

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Past or present perfect tense when quoting or paraphrasing material

When referring to another author’s published ideas, the student should use the past tense (e.g., Johnson (2010) noted) or the present perfect tense (e.g., researchers have shown) (APA, 2010, pp. 65-66).

Incorrect: In her research, Smith (2010) demonstrates that apples are better than oranges (p. 4).

Correct: In her research, Smith (2010) demonstrated that apples are better than oranges (p. 4).

Incorrect tense Search WriteAnswers for “verb tense” or see pages 65-66 in the APA manual.

Personal communication

Personal communication (e.g., a phone call, conversation, interview, email, lecture, non-archived discussion group posting) does not provide recoverable data; therefore, the resource is only cited within the text but not in the reference list (APA, 2010, p. 179).

Example: An important factor to consider is that, “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing” (J. Greenwood, personal communication, January 15, 2004).

Example: J. Greenwood (personal communication, January 15, 2004) noted that lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing.

Personal communication

Search WriteAnswers for “personal communication” or see page 18 in the APA Help Guide.

Placement of citation

The necessary citation information can be presented in brackets following the quoted/paraphrased text, or in combination with information provided within the sentence text.

Example: The researchers demonstrated that, “quoted material” (Johnson, 2010, p. 4). Furthermore, Johnson (2010) noted that, “quoted material” (p. 4).

Incorrect citation format

Search WriteAnswers for “citation placement” or see page 14 in the APA Help Guide.

QuotationsQuotations of 39 words or fewer should be presented inline with double quotation marks around the quoted text and the citation coming before the closing punctuation (APA, 2010, p. 170).

Quotations of 40+ words should start on a new line, no

Inline quotation: For example, “I quoted this text” (Author, year, p. 4).

Block quotation:If the quotation comprises 40 or more words,

display it in a freestanding block of text and omit

the quotation marks. Start such a block quotation

Quotation is 39 words or less and should run inline with the rest of the text.

Quotation is 40+ words so should be formatted as a block quotation.

Search WriteAnswers for “block quotation” or see page 12 in the APA Help Guide , and http://libguides.royalroads.ca/Blockquote.

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quotation marks are necessary, all text is left-aligned (not justified) but the text begins 1 tab space from the left margin, and the citation appears after the closing punctuation (APA, 2010, p. 171).

All quotations must have the page number included in the citation for the text (APA, 2010, p. 170).

on a new line and indent the block about a half

inch from the left margin (in the same position as

a new paragraph. . . .Double space the entire

quotation. At the end of a block quotation, cite the

quoted source and the page or paraphraph number

in parentheses after the final punctuation mark.

(APA, 2010, p. 171)

Resources with the same author and publication years in in-text citations and references.

If the paper contains citations to two or more resources by the same author published in the same year, lower-case alphabetical letters should be added after the year to distinguish between the resources (e.g., 2001a, 2001b) (APA, 2010, p. 182). This formatting should be matched in the in-text citations and references in order for the reader to find the source in the references.

Incorrect:(Johnson, 2010, p. X) and (Johnson, 2010, p. X), referring to two different resources.

Correct:(Johnson, 2010a, p. X) and (Johnson, 2010b, p. X)

Distinguish between resources by the same author and published in the same year with lower-case alphabetical letters after the year of publication/copyright.

Search WriteAnswers for “same author” or see page 16 in the APA Help Guide.

Secondary source citations

Whenever possible, authors should use primary sources as research. However, if the primary source isn’t available, an author should name the text where he or she found the information (APA, 2010, p.

Example: Souper (as cited in Green, 2010) noted that… (p. X).

Reference:

Green, A. (2010). Name of resource. Retrieved from

Use primary sources

Incorrect citation format for a secondary source citation.

Search WriteAnswers for “secondary source” or see page 17 in the APA Help Guide.

21HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

178). For example, if an author quoted Souper from of Green’s book, the author should reference Green’s book because that’s the book the author read.

URL

Year of publicationWhen the author is named in the sentence, the year of publication must immediately follow in parentheses (APA, 2010, p. 174).

Incorrect: Johnson noted that, “quoted material” (2010, p.4).

Correct: Johnson (2010) noted that, “quoted material” (p. 4).

Year placement Search WriteAnswers for “publication year” or see page 14 in the APA Help Guide.

APA: References

The references should only include resources from which the author has quoted or paraphrased material in the paper (APA, 2010, p. 180).

See page 19 in http://supp.apa.org/style/PM6E-Corrected-Sample-Papers.pdf for a sample references page, as well as: 38:00-1:06:24 in the “Introduction to APA” Collaborate recording Pages 19-21 in the APA Help Guide Search WriteAnswers by keyword Pages 180-183 in the APA manual

22HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

Alphabetical orderReferences should be listed alphabetically according to the first listed author’s last name (APA, 2010, p. 181).

Example:

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication

manual of the American Psychological Association

(6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Lee, C. (2009, September 15). APA style blog: How do I

cite a Kindle? Retrieved from

http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2009/09/how-do-i-

cite-a-kindle.html

Incorrect ordering Search WriteAnswers for “reference order” or see page 20 in the APA Help Guide.

Anonymous authorIf the resource is “signed ‘Anonymous,’ begin the entry with the word Anonymous spelled out, and alphabetize the entry as if Anonymous were a true name” (APA, 2010, p. 183).

Example:

Anonymous. (year). Title of resource. City, State

abbreviation: Publisher.

Use Anonymous as the author’s name

Search WriteAnswers for “anonymous” or see page 183 in the APA manual.

Distinguishing between resources with the same author and publication years

If the paper contains citations to two or more resources by the same author published in the same year, lower-case alphabetical letters should be added after the year to distinguish between the resources (e.g., 2001a, 2001b) (APA, 2010, p. 182). This formatting should be used and matched in the in-text citations

Example:

George, B. (2002a). Go for it! Toronto, Canada: Gherkin

Press.

George, B. (2002b). Power-lunch your way to the top.

Toronto, Canada: Gherkin Press.

In-text citations: (George, 2002a, p. X) and (George,

Distinguish between resources published by the same author in the same year using lower-case alphabetical letters

Search WriteAnswers for “same author” or see page 16 in the APA Help Guide.

23HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

and references in order for the reader to find the source in the references.

See “Ordering resources with the same author and publication years” for how to order the references with the same author and year of publication. Then, assign the first reference in the grouping “a”, the second resource in the group is “b”, etc.

2002b, p. X)

Hanging indentThe second and subsequent lines of every reference should have a .5”/1.25 cm hanging indent (APA, 2010, p. 180).

Example:

Cuddy, C. (2002). Demystifying APA style. Orthopaedic

Nursing, 21(5), 35-42. Retrieved from the Academic

Search Premier database.

Missing hanging indent

Search WriteAnswers for “indent” or see page 19 in the APA Help Guide.

No listed author“If there is no author, move the title to the author position, and alphabetize the entry by the first significant word of the title” (APA, 2010, p. 183).

Example:

Heuristic. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary

(11th ed.). Retrieved from

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/heuristic

Use name of resource if author’s name isn’t available

Search WriteAnswers for “no author” or see page 183 in the APA manual.

No publication or copyright date available

If there is no publication/copyright date available, use (n.d.) (APA, 2010, p. 185).

Example:

Royal Roads University. (n.d.). Strategic research

themes. Retrieved from

Use n.d. when date isn’t available

Search WriteAnswers for “no date” or see page 185 in the APA manual.

24HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

http://research.royalroads.ca/strategic-research-

themes

Ordering multiple resources with same author, published in different year

Multiple resources by the same author but published in different years should be ordered by the year of publication with the earliest publication first (APA, 2010, p. 182).

Example:

Johnson, J. (2003). …

Johnson, J. (2005). …

Incorrect ordering See page 182 in the APA manual.

Ordering resources with the same author and publication years

Resources by the same author and published in the same year should be ordered alphabetically by title (excluding “a” or “the”) (APA, 2010, p. 182).

Example:

Johnson, J. (2003). First I wrote a book. New York, NY:

Publisher.

Johnson, J. (2003). Next came the journal article. New

York, NY: Publisher.

Incorrect ordering Search WriteAnswers for “same author same year” or see page 182 in the APA manual.

Organizational names

Organizational names should be spelled out in full in the references (APA, 2010, p. 183).

Incorrect: RRUCorrect: Royal Roads University

Spell out organizational names in full in the references

See page 183 in the APA manual.

References line-spacing

References should be double-spaced (APA, 2010, p. 180). Exception: References in MALEAD papers should be single-spaced with one line of space between each reference (see the MALEAD exceptions to APA).

Double-spaced:

Cuddy, C. (2002). Demystifying APA style. Orthopaedic

Nursing, 21(5), 35-42. Retrieved from the

Academic Search Premier database.

Line-spacing Search WriteAnswers for “format references” or see page 9 in the APA Help Guide.

25HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

References page title

The references should begin on a new page with the title References capitalized and centred (no bolding) (APA, 2010, p. 37).

Example:References

References should start on a separate page

Centred title should be References (no additional formatting)

Search WriteAnswers for “format references” or see page 37 in the APA manual.

APA: Reference examples

See: 38:00-1:06:24 in the “Introduction to APA” Collaborate recording Pages 23-30 in the APA Help Guide Search WriteAnswers by keyword (e.g., ebook, journal article) for reference examples. Pages 193-215 in the APA manual

Blog postingBort, J. (2012, November 26). How companies are managing the explosion of mobile

devices [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/how-

companies-are-managing-the-explosion-of-mobile-devices

In-text citation: (Bort, 2012, para. X)

See page 215, example 76, in the APA manual or http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2010/11/how-to-cite-something-you-found-on-a-website-in-apa-style.html.

Ebook chapterAuthor, A. A., & Author, B. B. (year). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, &

C. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. xxx-xxx). Location: Publisher. doi:xxxxxxx OR

database name.

In-text citation: (Author & Author, year, p. X).

If the ebook doesn’t have page numbers, please see http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2011/06/how-do-you-cite-an-e-book.html for how to cite an ebook.

Search WriteAnswers for “ebook chapter” or see page 26 in the APA Help Guide . See http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2011/06/how-do-you-cite-an-e-book.html for how to cite an ebook.

26HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

Ebook (no DOI)Rozakis, L. (2000). The complete idiot’s guide to writing well. Retrieved from the ebrary

database.

In-text citation: See information in the “Ebook with DOI” entry re: formatting in-text

citations.

Search WriteAnswers for “ebook” or see pages 25-26 in the APA Help Guide. See http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2011/06/how-do-you-cite-an-e-book.html for how to cite an ebook.

Ebook with DOIAuthor, A. A., & Author, B. B. (year). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, &

C. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. xxx-xxx). Location: Publisher. doi:xxxxxxx OR

http://dx.doi.org/xxxxx

In-text citations for ebooks:

For in-text citations of paraphrased material, provide the author and date, as for any APA Style reference. To cite a direct quotation, also provide page numbers if the e-book has page numbers. If there are no page numbers, you can include any of the following in the text to cite the quotation (see section 6.05 of the Publication Manual, pp. 171–172): a paragraph number, if provided; alternatively, you can count paragraphs down from

the beginning of the document; an overarching heading plus a paragraph number within that section; or an abbreviated heading (or the first few words of the heading) in quotation marks, in

cases in which the heading is too unwieldy to cite in full. (Lee, 2009, In-text citations, para. 1)

Search WriteAnswers for “ebook”, or see pages 25-26 in the APA Help Guide. See http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2011/06/how-do-you-cite-an-e-book.html for how to cite an ebook.

27HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

Journal article, retrieved from an electronic database (no DOI)

The APA rules instruct authors to provide the home page URL of the electronic database (APA, 2010, p. 191); however, the APA rules also permit authors to name the database where the material was retrieved (APA, 2009, p. 1). RRU students usually access an online subscription-based database via the RRU Library’s subscription, rather than directly from that database’s home page, and they have to log in with their username and password to gain that access. The requirement to log in means providing the database’s home page URL isn’t a useful step for students, and providing a direct URL to the resource isn’t useful to anyone outside the RRU community. Therefore, as is recommended in the APA’s (2009) DOI and URL flowchart, RRU students are encouraged to provide the database name instead of a URL.

References to materials retrieved from an electronic database should never give the URL for the resource because the RRU Library’s databases are password-protected, which means that the URL won’t work for anyone outside the RRU community. By providing the name of the database, the student is giving the reader sufficient information to find his/her own way to the appropriate database and then locate the resource.

Cuddy, C. (2002). Demystifying APA style. Orthopaedic Nursing, 21(5), 35-42. Retrieved

from the Academic Search Premier database.

In-text citation: (Cuddy, 2002, p. X)

Search WriteAnswers for “journal article” or see page 23 in the APA Help Guide.

Journal article, retrieved from an electronic database, with DOI

Godfrey, D. (2005). Adapting historical citations to APA style. Journal of Broadcasting &

Electronic Media, 49(4), 544-547. doi: 10.1207/s15506878jobem4904_15

In-text citation: (Godfrey, 2005, p. X)

Search WriteAnswers for “journal article DOI” or see page 23 in the APA Help Guide.

Online newspaper article

Brody, J. E. (2007, December 11). Mental reserves keep brain agile. The New York Times.

Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com

In-text citation: (Brody, 2007, para. X)

Search WriteAnswers for “online newspaper” or see page 24 in APA Help Guide.

28HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

Online video (e.g., YouTube video)

Author, A. A. [Screen name]. (year, month day). Title of video [Video file]. Retrieved from http://xxxxx

See http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2011/10/how-to-create-a-reference-for-a-youtube-video.html for information on formatting the in-text citation.

Search WriteAnswers for “online video”, page 28 in the APA Help Guide , or see http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2011/10/how-to-create-a-reference-for-a-youtube-video.html.

Print bookAmerican Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American

Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

In-text citation: (American Psychological Association, 2010, p. X).

Search WriteAnswers for “book” or see page 24 in the APA Help Guide for general formatting for citing books and page 25 for an example of a reference to a print book.

Print book chapterMaasing, X. (1982). Foreign affairs in Canada. In J. D. Sampson & M.M. Millstone (Eds.),

International trade Canada (pp. 1009-1020). Boston, MA: Oxford University Press.

In-text citation: (Maasing, 1982, p. X)

Search WriteAnswers for “book chapter” or see page 25 in the APA Help Guide.

Report from a private organization, retrieved from the organization’s website

Imperial Oil Limited. (2006). Energy leadership: Yesterday, today and tomorrow. Retrieved

from http://www.esso.ca/Canada-English/Files/Investors/2006_AR.pdf

In-text citation: (Imperial Oil Limited, 2006, para. X)

Search WriteAnswers for “report” or see page 27 in the APA Help Guide.

Specific section of a website

Royal Roads University. (n.d.). Strategic research themes. Retrieved from

http://research.royalroads.ca/strategic-research-themes

In-text citation: (Royal Roads University, n.d., para. X)

Search WriteAnswers for “website” or see page 28 in the APA Help Guide.

29HELP GUIDE TO GIVING WRITING FEEDBACK

References

American Psychological Association. (2009). DOI and URL flowchart. Retrieved from http://blog.apastyle.org/files/doi-and-url-flowchart-8.pdf

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Lee, C. (2011, June 3). How do you cite an e-book (e.g., Kindle Book)? [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2011/06/how-do-you-cite-an-e-book.html

Royal Roads University. (2012). APA help guide. Retrieved from http://library.royalroads.ca/writing-centre/writing/citing-resources/apa-style-6th-edition/introduction-apa-style/apa-help-

guide