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1 Critical Reading and Writing for Graduate School School of Social Work Graduate Writing Workshop Troy Hicks Steve Tuckey Beginning Words We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion. Aristotle 1

2 Presentation Overview The Writing Center Critical Reading and Writing in Graduate School APA Style and the Genre of Social Science Writing The MSU Writing Center Locations: 300 Bessey Hall 9-5, Monday Thursday 9-2, Friday Main Library 3-10, Sunday Thursday

3 Writing Center Services One-on on-one one Consulting Grad Writing Groups Digital Writing Grammar Hotline Reference Library Citation and style manuals Free Coffee! Reading with Purpose Reading upon text Understand the context of the piece, who the author is, and with what authority he/she has to speak about the topic. Reading within text Follow the logical of the argument and the evidence that the author uses to make claims does the logic hold up? Reading beyond text Extend the text by asking questions and comparing to what others have said do the claims made hold up? Reading against text Push against the text by asking questions and contrasting it to what others have said do you agree or disagree with the claims that the author is making? Why? This may likely require multiple readings! 3

4 Analyzing the Assignment Understand the purpose and goals of the assignment (and the instructor) Approach this as part of your long- term goals, not just one paper Look for connections to other courses and readings in starting your research Question the assignment and get a clear picture before you begin MAPS for Writing in Graduate School Mode Essay, case study, research paper, thesis, client records, exam Audience Professor, classmates, publication, other professionals and clinicians Purpose Persuade, inform, summarize, diagnose, critically analyze Situationituation What you bring to the writing task Specific requirements for the writing task 4

5 Sample Assignment 1. Using the readings and material discussed in class (Take-home midterm, 2 pages): A. Briefly state your definition of social work and discuss the value assumptions inherent in your definition. B. Given the definition stated in Part A., what knowledge is assumed necessary to prepare for competent practice and how is this knowledge base related to a systems perspective? We thank Professor Sally Rypkema for this example. Strategies to Begin Writing Find relevant quotations in the reading and create summaries as you go Save them! Keep a researcher s notebook/document Pre-write Respond to the reading with the task of the assignment in mind Analyze the author s argument Question the author s assumptions Connect to other ideas Use Endnote to organize your sources and relevant summaries, quotes and ideas 5

6 Why Make Citations? Give credit where credit is due Citation is not a uniform practice across cultures Position yourself within certain theoretical perspectives Share and connect your knowledge of the field Create rhetorical moves to make claims and strengthen your argument Scientific writing has adopted this as a means for standard way to communicate research Convince with Evidence The science we practice is a historically recent phenomenon: Use of validity and generalizability Mathematical modeling and statistics Logical argumentation (analytic) coupled with empirical evidence Even so, scientific communities are dependent on human communication 6

7 A Quick Note about the P Word 1.00 PROTECTION OF SCHOLARSHIP AND GRADES The principles of truth and honesty are fundamental to the educational process and the academic integrity of the University; therefore, no student shall: 1.01 claim or submit the academic work of another as one's own fabricate or falsify data or results. MSU Student Regulations ( Some Differences Between APA and Other Styles Emphasis on date of publication as a means of building on scientific knowledge Author s first initial as a means to avoid gender bias Other differences Photo from apastyle.org 7

8 In-Text Citations Use signaling words and phrases As Smith states; According to Jones Direct quotes Uses quotations marks and exact words Paraphrasing/Summarizing Uses author s idea and your own words Block quotes Large sections of text from author Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing Paraphrasing is generally defined as capturing what an author has said using your own words. In contrast to summarizing many ideas into a smaller chunk of text, use paraphrasing to capture each idea in an author s work in your own words. Generally, it is easier and more effective to paraphrase an entire paragraph or a concept than it is to paraphrase a single sentence or a few words. 8

9 Ways to Cite Direct Quotes As Smith (1997, p. 2) states, The original intent of the bill was to limit criminal sentences. Paraphrasing Smith (1997, p. 2) believes that the bill s purpose started out as a way to limit terms of incarceration. Ways to Cite Block Quotes 40 words or more Freestanding block of text Tab indentation No quotation marks Citation after end punctuation 9

10 Citation Style - Print Book Last, First Initial. (Date) Title of book: Subtitle of book.. City: Publisher. Journal Last, First Initial. (Date) Title of article. Title of journal, Volume, Page(s). Citation Style - Online Regardless of format, however, authors using and citing Internet sources should observe the following two guidelines: 1. Direct readers as closely as possible to the information being cited; whenever possible, reference specific documents rather than home or menu pages. 2. Provide addresses that work. These are the guidelines from APA, 2003, Electronic media and URLs 10

11 Citation Style - Online Web Site Last, First Initial. (Date) Title of site.. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from Internet Periodical Last, First Initial. (Date) Title of article. Title of journal, Volume, Page(s). Retrieved Month Date, Year, from Handout Resources APA Style Research and Documentation Online Using APA Format Purdue OWL A Guide for Writing Research Papers USM APA Style Guide Duke Library Citing Sources Guide 11

12 Conclusions and Questions Reading and writing APA Style The Writing Center Critical Reading and Writing for Graduate School Troy Hicks Steve Tuckey 12