Assignment 8: Organizing a summary using APA format.

EngC 1011 University Writing and Critical Reading

Kevin L. Callahan

EngC Writing Instructor

call0031@tc.umn.edu

(612) 623-7685

Educational Goals:

Students will learn the component parts of an APA formatted paper including the Cover Sheet, Abstract, Body of the Text, References, and Appendix (e.g. Illustrations). They will analyze the organization and format of an academic journal article and summarize the important parts of the article.

Instructions:

1. Check out and read Ronald Siegel's classic 1977 article from Scientific American vol. 237, pp. 132-140 entitled "Hallucinations." A copy is available to be checked out from the Reserve Periodicals Desk at Wilson Library.

2. Following the APA format (see the Longman Handbook for an example) prepare and write a Cover Sheet, Abstract (2 sentences and less than 100 words), a 2 page summary of the article, References, and an Appendix of at least one illustration (This can be a photocopy of an illustration or illustrations from the article). In most cases the 2 page summary should consistently use the past tense since this is a completed study and can include direct quotations (citing to pages) and should include, at a minimum, the following information:

The title of the article being summarized.

The author and his or her affiliation or institution.

When the article was published and the publication.

What the article was about.

Definitions used by the researcher, e.g. a precise definition of "hallucination."

Examples given of everyday occurrences of the phenomena being investigated.

The research question - in one sentence.

The thesis or results of the experiments (the main idea of the article) - in one sentence.

A brief summary of the literature review that was done.

A brief description of the design of the experiments conducted and the researcher's methods.

The significant results, if any, of the experiments.

Other contemporary researchers' work that was described.

Any cross-cultural comments or conclusions that were made by the author.

Different theories that might explain the phenomena.

Any explanatory metaphors used by the author to explain the phenomena.

Conclusions.

Assigned: Thursday, October 12.

Course points: 40 points

First Draft Due: Tuesday October 17 with copies for the Editing Practice/Peer Review Workshop on that day.

Final Draft Due: Thursday October 19.