271.150 WRITING WORKSHOP

Professional writing style

Assignment requirements and structure

Part A suggestions for sections

APA References

APA Referencing quiz

This presentation can be viewed online at: http://tinyurl.com/271150workshop2017

PROFESSIONAL WRITING STYLE

Sadly, the impact of xx is not limited to sufferers’ communicative abilities. It can have a devastating impact on their social lives, and personal relationships can fall apart (Brown, 2002).

What’s wrong with example 1?

The effects of Syndrome A are not limited to communicative abilities, but impact significantly on every area of an individual’s social life, and in particular, their ability to maintain personal relationships (Brown, 2002).

Improved version

An embolism happens when a detached fragment of plaque blocks an artery, this prohibits blood from flowing, this is one of the most common causes of strokes (Twyford, 2006).

What’s wrong with example 2?

An embolism occurs when a detached fragment of plaque blocks an artery, preventing blood flow. Embolisms are one of the most common causes of strokes (Twyford, 2006).

Improved version

Key features of professional writing

Concise

Objective

Precise

Evidence-based

ASSIGNMENTS

ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS AND STRUCTURE

ASSIGNMENT – RESEARCH TIPS

• Identify key points from the video and find out more about these (as well as other basic information about the disorder) by reading your textbook and other library books.

• Use keywords from your overview to search databases – e.g. Discover, MedLine, EBSCO Host Health Database search etc.

• Use the titles and abstracts of articles to decide if the article is worth reading.

• If you find a good recent article, look in the reference list and search within the same journal for others.

• Select articles which are easier to understand and more relevant to parts of this assignment and aim for a balance between review articles and research reports.

PART A: SUGGESTIONS FOR SECTIONS

INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH

Aim to start as you mean to go on – clear, concise and evidence-based writing.

The reader will want to know:

• Basic facts about the communication disorder.• The purpose, focus and structure of the report.

INTRODUCTION: EXAMPLE

Madeupia is one of the most common acquired communication disorders, affecting up to 20% of people who have had a traumatic brain injury. The disorder occurs as a result of injury to xxx, affecting the individual’s ability to xx (Smith & Jones, 2008; Singh, 2009). Physical manifestations range from xx to xx. Nearly half of the people who develop madeupia recover most of their communication skills within six months, but for others, the effects are persistent (Briggs & Florey, 2014). This report summarises the key features of the disorder, its impact on individuals and major approaches to speech-language therapy interventions.

BODY PARAGRAPHS

• As with the introduction, focus strongly on clarity and conciseness.

• Explain the key point or points, supporting this where possible with references to research evidence.

• No need to keep referring to the videos or the people in them.

BODY PARAGRAPHS: EXAMPLE 1

SLTs can also provide individuals with madeupia with physical cues to help them to shape the oral articulators during speech (Blade & Runner, 2013). These TKP (tactilekinesthetic-proprioceptive) cues physically guide the speech movements of the individual during speech. They also provide the individual with ongoing feedback on their control of the oral articulators. The frequency of prompting is gradually reduced to allow the individual to develop confidence in their ability to sense and control the articulators independently (Lock, Stock, & Barrel, 2013). It is recommended that individuals practise at home in order to stabilise and generalise their skills (Blade & Runner, 2013).

BODY PARAGRAPHS: EXAMPLE 2

Madeupia is a complex condition which requires individualised programmes of intervention. As it is prevalent among Maori and Pasifika populations, I will need to develop my cultural understanding and practice, particularly as several interventions involve touching the articulators, which is not traditionally regarded as culturally safe within Maori culture (Bright, 2016). I will need to communicate clearly with clients and ensure they are comfortable before beginning any assessment or treatment. This practice is essential in order to uphold the first ethical principle which guides SLT practice in New Zealand/Aotearoa (NZSTA, 2015). Individualised interventions are based on accurate assessment and interpretation of evidence, which are especially challenging in relation to madeupia (Taylor, 2011), so these are key competencies (NZSTA, 2015), which I will need to develop in order to plan and deliver effective treatment for these clients.

CONCLUSION

As with the introduction, focus strongly on clarity and conciseness.

Aim to summarise the key facts about the condition, its impacts and the effectiveness of SLT in about five sentences.

CONCLUSION: EXAMPLE

Madeupia is one of the most prevalent communication disorders in young adults. The disorder affects the individual’s …. and therefore impairs their participation in …. While there is no cure, a number of treatments and therapies are available which can alleviate the symptoms and allow an individual to xx. Speech-language interventions focus on bb and have been shown to be effective in cc.

APA REFERENCES

BOOK

Hamel, G. (2000). Leading the revolution. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

surname, initial

(year) title city publisher

For more than one author, include all names with initials (followed by . and ,)

Hubbard, J., Thomas, C., & Varnham, S. (2001). Principles of law for New Zealand business students (2nd ed.). Auckland, New Zealand: Pearson Education.

CITY OF PUBLICATION

UK, NZ etc city, countryHarmondsworth, England: Penguin.Palmerston North, New Zealand: Dunmore Press.

USAcity, state initials

Upper Saddle River, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Check title of book in library catalogue and/or Google if city of publication is not clear from the book itself

AustraliaEither state OR country

Milton, Qld: McGraw-Hill.Milton, Australia: McGraw-Hill.

CHAPTER INEDITED BOOK

Biggins, G. (2009). Why I became a social worker. In P. Te Ara & T. Rogers (Eds.), Social work and social workers in New Zealand/Aotearoa (pp.102-120). Auckland, New Zealand: Insight Press.

Title of chapter – not in italics

Editors’ names – initial goes before and (Eds.), goes after!

Title of book – in italics

Page numbers of chapter – in brackets with pp. before

Author of chapter and year of publication

City & Publisher

JOURNAL REFERENCE

Silverblatt, A. (2004). Media as a social institution. American Behavioral Scientist, 48(1), 35-42.

author’s nameyear Title (no italics)

journal name (italics)

volume & issue number

page numbers

doi:10.1080/09585190802707433

doi number (if the article has one)

WEB PAGE REFERENCE

Statistics New Zealand. (2009). Mapping trends in the Auckland region. Retrieved from http://www.stats.govt.nz/Publications/PopulationStatistics/mapping-trends-in-the-auckland-region.aspx.

author’s name (or organisation that owns the web site)

Year (if it’s missing put (n.d.)

Retrieved from followed by full internet address

Title of page

Write the list normally – with each reference ‘left-aligned’ like this:

Silverblatt, A. (2004). Media as a social institution. American Behavioral Scientist, 48(1), 35-42.

Select the whole list.

Click on the ‘paragraph’ tab and on ‘special’.

Select ‘hanging’.

Click on ‘OK’. The references change to this:

Silverblatt, A. (2004). Media as a social institution. American Behavioral Scientist, 48(1), 35-42.

Smile – it’s over!

How to indent a reference list (PC)

Article Title: Rethinking aphasia therapy: A neuroscience perspectiveAuthor: Rosemary VarleyJournal: International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (Vol. 13, Issue 1)DOI: 10.3109/17549507.2010.497561Page numbers: 11-20Year: 2011

A holistic and concrete approach to therapy for aphasia uses sensory-perceptual tasks to reconnect functional and non-functional components of processing systems ( ___________________).

__________. (2011). Rethinking aphasia therapy: A neuroscience perspective. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, ______________.

doi: 10.3109/17549507.2010.497561

Complete the citation and end-of-text reference for this article.

A holistic and concrete approach to therapy for aphasia uses sensory-perceptual tasks to reconnect functional and non-functional components of processing systems (Varley, 2011).

Varley, R. (2011). Rethinking aphasia therapy: A neuroscience perspective. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 13(1), 11-20.

doi: 10.3109/17549507.2010.497561

CITATION

END-OF-TEXT REFERENCE

Which of these is the correct in-text citation for the video about Michael, which you’ll be looking at to prepare for assignment part A?

• … blah, blah, blah (RALLI, 2013).

• … blah, blah, blah (YouTube, n.d.).

• … blah, blah, blah (retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpdjP0zHeBc).

Which of these is a correct end-of-text reference for the video about Michael?

RALLI. (2013). Speech and language therapy: Helping Michael. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpdjP0zHeBc

RALLI. (2013, March 27). Speech and Language Therapy: Helping Michael. Mountain View, CA: Google Inc.

Raising Awareness of Language Learning Impairments. (2013). Speech and Language Therapy: Helping Michael. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpdjP0zHeBc. Accessed March 11, 2016.

REFERENCING QUIZ

Use APA interactive (at http://owll.massey.ac.nz) and the Handy Guide to APA Referencing (which is included in the essential documents section of the Stream site).

Considering attending a library workshop on Endnote.

Log on to take part in the Study Up session on APA referencing on March 23rd (7.30 am / 12.00 pm or 7.00 pm). See tinyurl.com/studyup2017.

Between March 27th and April 4th , you are welcome to email me your draft reference list for part A (m.s.mcmorrow@massey.ac.nz).

I’ll give you feedback on the format and style (but don’t expect me to correct each mistake!).

To learn more about referencing …

© 2017

This PowerPoint Presentation and the accompanying handouts are copyrighted by Centre for Teaching and Learning,

Massey University and may not be used, except for personal study, without written permission from the copyright owner.

Please note that examples are provided for illustration of writing principles only and no reliance should be placed on

any of the ideas referred to in the texts.

Martin McMorrow, Centre for Teaching and Learning

09 441 8143 ctlalb@massey.ac.nz

This presentation can be viewed online at: http://tinyurl.com/271150workshop2017