Frequently asked questions about writing papers in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences.
How do I cite a reference from the Internet?
Students can get sound, incontrovertible advice on electronic referencing formats from, where else, the Internet's APA site.
How do I cite material from lectures?
Because readers cannot retrieve unpublished communications like lectures, you should handle them as "personal communications." You may cite them in the body of a paper according to APA instructions, but they do not appear in the list of references.
When should I cite page numbers?
In citing references, students should help their readers locate the cited material. If the material comes from a relatively brief article, the reader can find the information without arduous searching. However, if the material come from a lengthy article or book, the reader may need help.
The APA offers the following advice on page 97:
"When paraphrasing or referring to an idea contained in another work, authors are not required to provide a page number. Nevertheless, authors are encouraged to do so, especially when it would help an interested reader locate the relevant passage in a long or complex text" (American Psychological Association [APA], 1994, p. 97).
The APA Publications Manual explains (APA, 1994, p. 173) when and how to provide a page, chapter, or table number to inform the reader of the source of information.
Many students are unsure how to signal to the reader that the source they cite covers several sentences. If they cite their source within the last sentence in the relevant passage, does the citation's position imply that it pertains only to that sentence? Although I know this question causes confusion, I can't find guidance in the APA manual.
Is it possible to plagiarize if I am careful about citing my sources?
Yes. Consider the information on plagiarism contained in the Division Writing Guidelines.
The University of Northern British Columbiaoffers sage advice on avoiding unwitting plagiarism.
What rules govern the typing of my reference list?
According to the APA Publications Manual (pp. 176, 194), the reference list is double-spaced, and each entry begins with a five space (or paragraph) indent.
The Publications Manual (p. 176) lists cities that are so famous for publishing that authors can identify them in references without a state abbreviation or country. THE APA MANUAL OFFERS THIS AS AN OPTION, NOT A RULE. Therefore, students are not penalize whey they don't use the option.
How do I know when to underline and when to use italics?
The Publications Manual states that "words underlined in a manuscript appear in italics when typeset" (APA, p. 80). Since their papers will not be typeset, they should use their word processors' italicized fonts. However, they may underline if they wish.
How can I clearly and briefly describe movements at joints?
Writers can describe simply a human motion by coupling a joint name with a motion, for instance, "the shoulder abducted and the elbow extended." A statement like "the arm abducted at the shoulder" is reduncant; "arm" is superflous, adding no detail or clarity. Although we might speak that way, we try to communicate economically on paper.
"The shoulder is held in abduction" is a passive voice construction since the subject associated with the verb "to hold" is not explicit.
However, "the shoulder is abducted" is not passive voice. In this sentence, "abducted" is not a verb at all but an adjective which defines "shoulder." The sentence's verb is plain old "is" and its subject is explicit.
Students need not fret over whether "the shoulder abducts" is logical, given that the neuromotor system must act in order to produce this motion. We don't hesitate to say that "the car turned to the left" even though we understand that the car cannot do so without both an engine and a driver. In grammatical terms, the verbs that describe motion -- verbs like flex, extend, or abduct-- can be intransitive; they need not have objects. "The car turned to the left" and "the shoulder abducted" are equally acceptable statements in which the verbs describe action, but do not imply that the actions have objects.
Do I capitalize the names of anatomical structures like muscles?
Students need not capitalize the names of anatomic structures like muscles or nerves. The APA is not explicit on this point, but comes close; refer to Sect. 3.14 (American Psychological Association, 1994, pp. 76-77).