writing module

Sharon Link, Ph.D. 2016. For Concordia University, Nebraska.

Announcements:

The purpose for this module is to:

1. Examine best writing practice

2. Understand APA citation

3. Evaluate the Grammarly Writing Tool

4. Critique Citation Machine

Content Browser Course Outline

This interactive PPT will enable you to:

1. Explore and examine factors leading to effective writing

2. Compare, contrast, and critique the various writing software tools

Essential Questions:

1. What are components of graduate level writing?

2. What are ways to incorporate additional citations into my writing?

3. What are examples of excellent APA based papers?

Writing Module

Click to Start


Components of

Graduate Level Writing

1. Explores a topic or research

questions in an original way

2. Demonstrates extensive research

3. Incorporates a minimum of 5

supporting citations from relevant

text

4. Demonstrates evidence to a

professional audience

5. Mechanically excellent

6. Concise and nuanced

7. Engaging, stylish, and interesting,

8. Speaks with your own voice

9. Strong organizational framework and

includes sections

10. With revision should be publishable

in a professional journal or

presentable at a good conference

Papers written at the graduate level should demonstrate

excellence and quality. Written papers should encapsulate

a growing knowledge of both the topics explored in the

course through the various texts, but also should include an

applied framework to a given research topic or area of

study. Papers should be technically and mechanically

exceptional.

Papers should be written in APA format with appropriate

citations. Example papers will be included in this module to

provide you with illustrative data.

Moreover, it should be observable that students are reading

the assigned texts which are then cited properly in the

papers that are being written.

Best Writing Practice


“Communication is the ever-present activity by

which people relate to one another and combine

their efforts, and is necessary to perpetuate the

health of the organization” (Newstrom, 2015, p.

53). “The primary focus of a leader ought to be

developing relationships in order to cultivate

collective leadership and a build a shared vision,

which allows for opportunities for change in the

organization and increase its competitive

advantage” (Kuhlmann, 2011). According to Katz

(Northouse, 2006), the human skill is knowledge

about and ability to work with people. Effective

writing is demonstrated evidence of this type of

workplace communication.

Sound graduate level writing is central to being able to communicate effectively and skillfully. Good writing is

often the determining factor in whether master’s graduates get work in their selected field.

Why does effective writing matter?


Now that you know

something about why

professional and research-

based writing is important

and can help you get a job,

let’s identify ways to boost

our APA citations.

1) Helps you build a professional brand

2) Ensures that you think cohesively

3) Demonstrates strong organizational skills

4) Creates a unique identity

5) Adds to a body of research

6) Writing about a specific subject area helps you

develop expertise that employers are looking for

7) Ensures that you are staying current. If you are

writing about a subject; you are likely reading

about that subject and continuing to learn about

the topic.

8) Writing demonstrates evidence of mastery and

skill.

How does writing well help you get a job?


Understanding APA

APA (American Psychological

Association) style is most

commonly used to cite sources

within the social sciences. This

resource, revised according to

the 6th edition, second printing

of the APA manual, offers

examples for the general format

of APA research papers, in-text

citations, endnotes/footnotes,

and the reference page.

They should include the following:

A) Appropriate title page

B) Author’s note – especially if the paper is being

submitted for publication

C) Abstract

D) Keywords

E) Secondary title

F) Headings

G) References cited using APA citations

Included herein is a helpful template for you to work with.

Save this template to your hard drive. Then for each paper,

you can retitle and save this template for future use.

APA papers include unique features.

APA Research Template.docx


In addition to the template that is available on the previous slide,

here are a couple of additional, published documents for you to

look at. As a published author of 29 articles written for Ebsco

Publishing, the process outlined above should help you as you

tackle graduate-level writing.

• Please download this paper on Self-Determinism.

• Review the structure.

• Evaluate the number of resources used.

• Consider ways to include additional resources in your own

writing.

What are steps you could utilize to add additional

citations in your current piece?

Self Determination Theory.pdf

../MBA466 Organizational Resource Development/Content/Self Determination Theory.pdf


Notice one easy way to add

relevance and additional

citations is through a

bulleted list like you see

from the paper that you just

downloaded.

In addition to synthesizing

key ideas, this process

demonstrates that you are

reading assigned text,

layering this text into your

thinking, demonstrating

these ideas in your writing,

and citing the ideas properly.


Remember:

Graduate level writing demonstrates that you are learning about

and incorporating key ideas from the scholars in your field.

The flow of thoughts around the paper could go as follows:

An idea is

born.

You love the

idea and want

to learn as

much as

possible about

the idea.

You research

a minimum of

5 articles that

support your

idea.

You identify

several concepts

from the papers

that support your

assertion.

Hold onto these

ideas. I typically

copy and paste

them into a Word

Document.

Frame your

paper. Organize

the structure

ahead of time.

The template

should help you.

Write your

paper.

Check your

paper using

Grammarly.

What is

Grammarly

anyway?

Click on

the URL

https://www.grammarly.com/1


We are all struggling with time.

Simply, Grammarly allows you to check your work and edit your work ahead of

the due date prior to submission.

Grammarly statistically analyzes your paper for mechanical defects, grammar

problems, spelling errors, and even plagiarism.

Once, Grammarly checks your work, the software edits your paper, and you can

export the document as an edited document.

It is beautiful! Seamless. Enterprising. And, it is extremely efficient.

Now it won’t do all of the work for you. You still have to proofread, and you still

need to ensure that your citations are properly cited. However, Grammarly is one

tool that will make your writing much better.


Now that you know something about Grammarly and have checked it out, there is

another tool that you should learn about to help you make APA brilliance. It is

called:

Citation Machine!

It is so simple and easy to use!

Choose your style.

In this case, you should

select APA

Search

Make your selection

from the list of search

results.

Edit and Create

Edit information and

create a citation for your

works cited page.

1 2 3

Here is a simple Job Aide to help you learn more.

http://www.citationmachine.net/

Job Aide for Citation Machine.pdf


As you complete this interactive PPT, consider ways that you will improve your

writing. ALL of us need to continually work on our writing, by writing more!

Research-based writing, especially, can be a struggle for the novice. Just like

learning a foreign language or programming code; academic writing has its ticks

and tricks.

Let’s review some of the best practice we have learned here:

1. Practice, practice, practice

2. Read a lot of academic articles

3. Dissect the style in which these papers are written

4. Follow the processes outlined in this module

5. Use the suggested software to help your paper stand-out

6. Seek feedback from your instructors to learn ways to continually improve

7. Make sure that you follow the assignment guidelines and frame your paper

properly

8. Incorporate rubric-based standards

9. Read the assigned text for each course that you are taking.


References:

Kuhlmann, D. (2011). Developing leadership. Unpublished doctoral research. Concordia

University, Chicago.

Newstrom, J. (2015). Organizational behavior: Human behavior at work (14th ed.). New

York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Northouse, P.G. (2006). Leadership: Theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that

they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in

heaven.

Verse:

writing module

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