StyleEase Partners with WorldCat

We’re happy to announce a new partnership with WorldCat, the world’s largest online library catalog. StyleEase users can now search WorldCat, download citations for sources found in the catalog, and link directly to libraries and bookstores through which the source material is available.

StyleEase users can search and download citations from within their StyleEase document (in Word), or they can use our online search web application from any browser. Web app users can store citations in the StyleEase cloud database, and then later download those citations into their StyleEase papers.

Our customers can now enjoy the ease of finding and citing source material in a way that’s conveniently integrated with StyleEase!

Currently available for our APA and MLA users on PCs and Macs. Coming soon for Chicago/Turabian users.

And look for our new WorldCat-enabled mobile apps in January!

How To Beat Writer’s Block

Often, the hardest thing about writing an academic paper is the blank page staring at you.  The course has been so rich, and the instructor demands some innovative ideas – you know you have a great paper in you somewhere, but where do you begin?

We live in a time when inspiration is coming at us from all angles, but most of those angles start with “www.”  Rather than resist the twenty-first century student’s birthright, embrace the jumble of words and images that is the Web and dive right in as you seek initial inspiration.

Here’s your “day in the life of starting a paper” guide with some step by step hints to get you from “I have no idea what to write” to “awesome, the outline is done!”

Morning

Procrastination with a Purpose

Search online, follow links down unlikely paths, and allow the peer-reviewed research to mix with the crazy stuff of conspiracy theorists.  Bookmark freely.  Share the really weird stuff on your Facebook page to make it fun.

Begin To Be Discerning

Copy and paste some of the more compelling passages that will either be included in your paper or serves as sources of inspiration.  Just remember, you are copying this information (as well as the source) so that you can later quote it correctly and attribute the words and ideas to the original writer.  For help setting up that work cited section, look to StyleEase’s paper formatting software.

Lunchtime

Inspiration, Unplugged

Once you’ve cast your net wide and pulled in a lot of tin cans and old tires as well as a few real keepers, it’s time to walk away from the screen for a while.  Talk to your classmates about their assignments and ask your roommates about their work in unrelated fields – you never know how one idea will trigger something new in you.

Scribble Your Way To A Thesis Statement

Sit down with a sandwich and a notebook and just let yourself fill a few pages with thoughts related to your essay.  Jot down the general topic for your paper at the top of the sheet and then let yourself fill the page with ideas for at least five minutes.  You may churn out almost as many random and irrelevant ideas as you found when you were web surfing, but a few perfect bits may float to the surface and begin to come together.

Afternoon

More Disciplined Research

Your next stop is the library.  There, you have the opportunity to browse the stacks and surround yourself with another treasure trove of ideas, but these are much more likely to be credible than those which you found online.  With a nice stack of books under your arm, go visit one of the reference or research librarians for some guidance on trustworthy web resources.  They will most likely be able to show you lists of databases specific to your field of study that can help you really hone your search.

Create a Working Bibliography

Set yourself up in a quiet corner where you can pour through the books you pulled and also check out the recommended databases for relevant articles.   Before you know it, you have a working bibliography.  As you get deeper into your research some ideas and sources will be tossed aside, and a few more will certainly need to be added, but it’s a lot more useful than the funny cat videos you were finding during the morning’s random search.  If you have your laptop with you, and have installed your StyleEase Software product for the style you need (APA, MLA, Chicago styles), you can capture and store all of these valuable bibliography entries into a database for easy retrieval later on.

Imagine an Outline

Depending on the scope of your paper, it may be possible to put together a pretty comprehensive outline after a couple of hours with some good sources.  At the very least, you will have a path to follow when you come back to your work the next day.

Dinnertime

Celebrate – A Little

Enjoy yourself, you’ve earned a nice meal with friends and a relaxing evening – you conquered writer’s block in less than a day!

Citation By the Numbers: How to Refer to Numbers In Your Text

Image by Sarej

Finally!  You’re in college and you have declared a major in the humanities.  This means that you can study what you are passionate about.  It also means that you never have to take another math class (maybe).  You don’t have to think about any numbers ever again except for birthdays, your ATM pin, and your social security number, right?  Think again.

Even English majors are going to come to the day when they worry about whether they say that Hemingway published 21 novels or twenty-one novels or whether there were 13 or thirteen original American colonies.   But, never fear, there are guidelines to follow, so you can be sure you are getting it right.

The first source of information when it comes to writing papers in the humanities: the MLA Handbook.

Our friends at the MLA give literature students a nice general rule to follow: if you are using numbers infrequently within your paper “you may spell out numbers written in one or two words and represent other numbers by numerals.”  Some examples:

• six, seventeen, thirty-three, two hundred, eight thousand, seven billion
• 1 ½, 187, 617, 1,024

But what if you are trying to dodge the lab work and fulfill your science requirement by taking a class on the history of science? In a situation where you have to write about specific scientific studies that mention a lot of numbers, the MLA tells you to “use numerals for all numbers that precede technical units of measurement.”  Some examples:

• 17 hertz, 39 millimeters

In the rest of your paper, stick to the rule that you only spell out numbers if they can be expressed in one or two words.

Other Instances When You Can Use Digits In the Body of Your Paper

You can include numbers in the text of your paper in the following instances:

• with abbreviations or symbols:
• 17 lbs.
• 6:17 p.m.
• 1.9%
• $4
• 3”

• in addresses:
• 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

• in dates:
• October 24, 2009 or 24 October 2009

• in decimal fractions:
• 3.14

•  with large numbers
• Planet earth is 4.5 billion years old.

 

On Percentages and Money

No, we’re not talking about the royalties your going to make off of your first book contract.  We’re trying to help you figure out how to refer to percentages and amounts of money in your work.  Again, stick to that “if you can say it in one or two words” rule.  The thing to remember: do not combine symbols and words when it comes to percentages and money.

CORRECT:

• twelve dollars
• one million dollars
• twenty-two cents
• fifty-one percent
• 54.67%

INCORRECT:

• 12 dollars
• twelve $
• 1 million dollars
• 3 percent
• three %
• 54.67 percent

And remember, regardless of whether you are writing a paper that is heavy on numbers or not, never ­begin a sentence with a numeral. That means: “Two thousand eight saw the election of Barack Obama.”  (If you don’t like the way that looks, you can always start the sentence with the current president’s name.)

After you have made sure that your numbers are properly formatted, it is time to make sure that your entire paper is formatted correctly.  StyleEase can offer you the simplest paper formatting software for your MLA, APA, or Chicago Style papers.  Download a trial copy today!

Your Best Paper: Take Time for the Revision Process

Image by Petro Feketa

re·vise verb \ri-ˈvīz\ : to look over again in order to correct or improve

The birds are starting to chirp.  Your bed is covered with open books and crumpled scraps of paper.  The coffee you grabbed as they closed the dining hall is long gone and you have moved on to your roommate’s Red Bull.

You plan on running the spell check one last time and will consider your essay done.  What a relief!  You have about three hours to spare until the deadline.  If your caffeine buzz fades a bit, you might even catch a nap before class.

Maybe you thrive under pressure and pride yourself on pulling your assignments together at the last minute.  What some people call procrastination may be what you consider a reliable strategy for getting things done because, even if it requires an all-nighter or two, you still manage to pass in your work on time.

Thing is, your paper isn’t really finished if you are asking Microsoft Word to be your final proofreader.  Revising is about more than making sure that you’ve caught all the incomplete sentences.  It is also about more than a couple of quick edits that involve changing some words around so that sentences flow more smoothly.  Revision involves even more than making certain that your paper is formatted correctly.

A revision process undertaken with the goal of achieving a true final draft that is as perfect as possible is every bit as important as assembling a first draft.  You need to remember that revision can be an involved process.  It generally requires more than just a final read-through in the computer lab before you print out your paper.

Revision is about determining whether:

• your argument is coherent throughout the entire essay
• the examples your provide support your initial thesis statement
• all details are relevant and essential
• your facts are correct and you do not mislead your readers in an attempt to prove your point

Some helpful tips for the revision process

• Time heals most (but not all) papers.  Step away from your paper for at least a few hours before you start the revision process.  A day or two is even better.  Looking at your work with fresh eyes will make all the difference.
• Let the ending determine the beginning.  If you find that your paper does not manage to support your initial thesis statement or the title that you gave your paper, consider changing the introductory information rather than rewriting your entire paper.   Maybe you intended to write about how Salman Rushdie wanted to wreak havoc when he published The Satanic Verses, but upon closer examination you realize your research points in the opposite direction.  It’s ok to change your title and initial paragraphs if your research caused you to rethink your hypothesis.
• Don’t “get married” to any parts of your work.  You may spend hours on a particular section of your paper, but on second glance realize that it is a tangential argument that does not strengthen your overriding thesis statement.  You have to be willing to click “delete” or “cut” and clear away the superfluous ideas that dim the brilliance of the rest of your work.  Create a folder of paragraphs and concepts that were left at the altar – you never know whether they may be the perfect match for your next assignment.

You put so much time into the research and the writing of your paper, make sure that your ideas shine through clear, well organized prose in the final product.  Give yourself time to revise your work and keep an open mind as you review it. And don’t forget to be sure that you have formatted your paper correctly according to the APA, MLA or Chicago Styles as assigned by your professor, and make the process simple by using StyleEase Software.”

 

Citation Tips: E-mails, Lectures, and Interviews

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There are many potentially credible sources of information that you can cite in a research paper.  The obvious include books and journals both in print and in electronic formats.  Then there are other potential sources that you may not think of immediately.  Use the tips below to get comfortable with how to cite these “alternative sources” – direct e-mail correspondence, lecture notes, and interview content.

Going straight to the source of information is not really all that unusual; good reporters do it all the time.  Your paper can be wonderfully enhanced by the inclusion of “primary sources” – quotes straight from the original writer or interview subject that has not been filtered by an intermediary writer’s perspective.

You’ll probably be able to find interviews with your favorite contemporary writers in magazines and literary publications.  Writers from previous eras usually left a wealth of letters that can provide some great context for their work.

If you really want to go the extra mile, however, and seek an answer to a question no one else seems to have asked, why don’t you try to engage your favorite writer in an email exchange?  With some research and determination you just might be able to ask Toni Morrison about whether she meant Beloved to be a ghost story or not.

If you are lucky enough to get a response, here’s how to cite an e-mail message according to the MLA Handbook.

To cite e-mail, give the name of the writer; the title of the message (if any), taken from the subject line and enclosed in quotation marks; a description of the message that includes the recipient (e.g., Message to the author); the date of the message; and the medium of delivery.

EXAMPLE: Smith, John D. “Re: Your Amazing Novel.” Message to Jane Q. Student. 28 February 2011. E-mail.

Of course, popular writers may be difficult to get in touch with, especially those who only provide contact information through their publishers.  But, remember, one of the best things about living on a residential campus is that there are always lectures and readings happening.  Keep an eye on the campus calendar and also ask your professor about any speakers that the English department may be hosting in the coming semester.  You just might be surprised to learn that the very writers on your syllabus are coming to a lecture hall near you.  Your professors do tend to have a method to their madness when they assemble the semester’s texts after all!  Go to the reading armed with your best unique questions.  Get a good seat and bring a long a recording device so you can get some exact quotes.

You can include both the speaker’s general remarks and their answer to your question in your paper.  Again, we turn to the MLA Handbook for tips on how to cite this information.

Give the speaker’s name; the title of the presentation (if known), in quotation marks; the meeting and the sponsoring organization (if applicable); the location; and the date. Use an appropriate descriptive label (Address, Lecture, Keynote speech, Reading), neither italicized nor enclosed in quotation marks, to indicate the form of delivery.

EXAMPLE:  Great-Writer, Suizie.  “The Secrets of My Novels Revealed.”  Your College, Collegetown, Your State.  17 March 2011. Lecture.

If you really get lucky, you might be able to invite that speaker to sit down with you for a few minutes for a one-on-one conversation.  In that case, follow these rules from the MLA Handbook when you quote the speaker in your research paper:

To cite an interview that you conducted, give the name of the person interviewed, the kind of interview (Personal interview, Telephone interview), and the date.

EXAMPLE: Novelist, T. Best.  Personal interview. 19 April 2011.

And remember, these guidelines do not only apply to famous writers.  If, for example, you are doing a paper for a sociology class you will want to cite the interviews you conduct in a similar manner.  Do be aware of whether you should use another editorial style, however.  Many of the social sciences tend to require you use the APA style.  For help with formatting all your references, whether it is APA Style, MLA Style, and Chicago Style, you can trust StyleEase Software to do it for you easily, completely and most importantly correctly.

Commencement Speeches that Inspire Grads and Current Students Alike

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For so many students, the race through the last round of exams and papers combined with those final celebrations may result in a graduation day that is a bit of a blur.   The commencement speaker may be incredibly accomplished and articulate, but a lot of the people wearing those caps and gowns may just be looking forward to a well-deserved nap.

Those graduation addresses are partially intended for those receiving their diplomas that day, but they are also for the parents that footed the bill and the faculty whose institutions’ prestige are partially measured by the reputation of the speaker.  Generally, the speeches are directed at young people about to step into the “real world” for the first time, but those words of wisdom can apply to those who will be sitting in the classroom once again come September.

The team at StyleEase offers some of our own advice for current students with a little sampling of some memorable commencement speeches to back us up.

• Be courageous and find your own voice in your academic writing, (just remember to avoid bias in your work)

Apple CEO Steve Jobs speaking at Stanford in 2005: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition…  Stay hungry.  Stay foolish.”

• Focus and determination are often your best asset when you are studying or writing papers – or fighting the forces of tyranny.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill speaking at Harrow in 1941: “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

• Fight procrastination and set your goals and then take action to make the best of your college experience.

The West Wing Actor Bradley Whitford speaking at the University of Wisconsin in 2006: “Take action. Every story you’ve ever connected with, every leader you’ve ever admired, every puny little thing that you’ve ever accomplished is the result of taking action. You have a choice. You can either be a passive victim of circumstance or you can be the active hero of your own life. Action is the antidote to apathy and cynicism and despair. You will inevitably make mistakes. Learn what you can and move on. At the end of your days, you will be judged by your gallop, not by your stumble.”

• Focus on success, but remember that you can also learn from those times when success eludes you.

Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling at Harvard in 2008: “You might never fail on the scale I did. But some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all. In which case, you fail by default.”

• Remember that you are in charge of your own achievements, so avoid some simple mistakes that might jeopardize your otherwise exemplary academic career.

Former Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes speaking at Ohio State in 1986: “In football we always said that the other team couldn’t beat us. We had to be sure that we didn’t beat ourselves. And that’s what people have to do, too–make sure they don’t beat themselves.”

Thanks to CNBC, Time Magazine, and GradSpot.com for the speech excerpts!

Build On Your Previous Academic Work Without Self-Plagiarism

Nobody likes to hear someone say, “I told you so.”  Well, almost nobody.

In academic circles, it is important to tell your audience whether you are presenting ideas that you have already used before.  If you do not mention that your research or theories have appeared in your previous work, you might be accused of self-plagiarism.

You are actually required to cite your own material, and attribute this information as you would any other source.  If you are building off of research or hypotheses that you have established in another paper, you must include yourself in your works cited section.  This is especially important when you are publishing an article.

The point, of course, is not to recycle the same old ideas in paper after paper, but to continue to grow as a student and a scholar and expand your overall knowledge.  As you look for paper topics, sometimes you may find great ideas in previous assignments that could be expanded in new directions.

In a given semester, you may be taking four or five different courses.  At first, each class may seem to have nothing to do with the others.  Look a little closer.  Granted, it may be difficult to find a lot of common ground between your calculus class and your Shakespeare seminar, but when it comes to writing papers in the humanities and social sciences, you might find that the material overlaps in some surprising ways.

For example, the concepts that you are learning in psychology or sociology could be applied to your analysis of any piece of literature.  Studies in the functioning of group dynamics could really illuminate the way one reads George Orwell’s 1984. You might be able to find a new approach to topics in history as well.  Could you apply the theories of psychoanalysis to Napoleon’s obsession with conquering other countries, perhaps?

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Society offers guidance to those who want to avoid self-plagiarism when referring to their own previous work.  “The general view is that the core of the new document must constitute an original contribution to knowledge, and only the amount of previously published material necessary to understand that contribution should be included, primarily in the discussion of theory and methodology.”

The APA gives a little practical advice on how to best cite yourself:  “When feasible, all of the author’s own words that are cited should be located in a single paragraph or a few paragraphs, with a citation at the end of each.  Opening such paragraphs with a phrase like ‘as I have previously discussed’ will also alert readers to the status of the upcoming material.”

So, even though you may be writing assignments for a class and are not yet ready to jump into the academic publishing game just yet, this advice from the APA is very important.  The point is to glean inspiration from other courses and disciplines, not to simply reuse assignments from previous semesters.

Ask yourself, “Is this new perspective on a topic I have written about before ‘an original contribution to knowledge?’”  When you are able to answer “yes” to that question you will be able to confidently mention your previous work in the body of your paper and in your works cited section.  You’ll feel just fine if your professor asks you some questions about your prior research.  Who knows, maybe your instructor will learn something new from you!

For pointers on how to construct citations in proper APA format, you can check out this free APA Style course.  If you are looking for a program that can take the headache out of formatting your papers, especially your citations, StyleEase has the solution for you.

Abbreviations: Rules and Uses In Your Academic Papers

Image by Mary Gober

You may be well on your way to earning your bachelor’s degree, but would you bet your cap and gown on whether you are about to earn your BA or your B.A.?

We’re all in a hurry and we are more likely than ever to use abbreviations (especially when we are typing with our thumbs on our phones), but do you feel confident about the way that you use abbreviations in your academic work?

Let’s put your mind at ease right away about the correct abbreviation for a Bachelor of Arts degree.  The MLA (that’s the commonly used abbreviation for the Modern Language Association) would say that you will be rewarded for your hard work as an undergrad with a BA.  The MLA would also tell you that the current trend in abbreviations dictates that you do not need to include periods or spaces between capitalized letters.

Before we jump into the rules of abbreviations, a word of caution about using them in your research papers.  Academic writing really should not have anything much in common with the casual language you use in text messages or on Twitter.  You will want to use abbreviations cautiously and sparingly.  It is generally considered appropriate to use abbreviations in tables and in your list of works cited, but be careful about using them in the body of your paper.

Acronyms Comprised of Capital Letters

As mentioned in the examples above with BA and MLA, you do not need periods or spaces between abbreviations composed exclusively of capital letters.

Thinking about the abbreviations associated with academic degrees, that means you can move on from your BA to your MA, but get ready for an exception when you hit the doctoral level.  The degree of doctor of philosophy (that’s Philosophiae Doctor in Latin) is abbreviated PhD.  In this particular case you don’t need to include any periods even though there is a lower case “h” thrown into the mix.

Personal Initials

Initials that stand in for personal names have their own set of rules.  The correct way to name the writer of the Lord of the Rings trilogy is J. R. R. Tolkien.  A period and a space follow each letter of an individual’s name.

Words Beginning With Lower Case Letters

If you are creating an abbreviation out of two or more words starting with lower case letters you will need to use periods.  For example:

• a.m. (for ante meridian, a.k.a. “morning”)
• a.k.a. (for also known as)
• i.e. (for the Latin id est, which means “that is”)
• e.g. (for the Latin exempli gratia, which means “for example”)

Words Ending in Lowercase Letters

You will also need to include the periods when you are including abbreviations that end in lower case letters.  For example:

• fig. (for figure)
• Fr. (for French)
• govt. (for government)

Abbreviations Related to Time

• AD (for “anno Domini,” which means “in the year of our Lord”)
• BC (for “before Christ”)
• Apr. (for April)
• yr. (for year)

Abbreviations Related to Geography

Use the United States Postal Service’s abbreviations for the states (that’s MA rather than Mass. for Massachusetts).  But remember, within the body of your paper spell out the state’s entire name (even if it is a long one!).

You’ll need to check out the MLA Handbook for a helpful list of examples of how to abbreviate time designations and geographic names.  Generally, the same rules apply as described above.

As we said, abbreviations don’t necessarily have a place throughout most of your academic papers except in your works cited section and as descriptive fields related to figures.  But, when you do need to shorten up a word or phrase here and there, do make sure to use them properly!

When it comes to constructing that works cited page, take the guesswork out of the process and rely on StyleEase’s paper formatting software to do it for you.  Have a look at this video tutorial to get a feel for how the program works.

Healthy Habits That Enhance Academic Performance

Image by Kathy Burns

You may feel like you are still recovering from spring break, but here is it, the beautiful month of May, and with it, the challenges of final exam season.

As you focus completely on the world of the mind, you may be inclined to throw any healthy habits you may have out the window, but paying attention to your physical needs can greatly enhance your intellectual performance.

Here are some tips for healthier living that will help you prepare for those tests and survive the next couple of weeks.

Sleeping Can Be More Important Than Studying

You wouldn’t stay up all night running on a treadmill if you were going to run a marathon the next morning, so why would you pull an all-nighter cramming for a 9 a.m. test? The American Academy of Sleep Medicine sees a direct correlation between grades and sleep.

According to Daniel S. Lewin, PhD, of the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C, “Adequate sleep will lead to improved memory. Do not stay up late cramming for the test the next day because there is a good probability that the loss of sleep will erode your performance, and last-minute bits of information will not help much. There is some good news. If you sleep for an adequate period of time, then rehearsing or practicing your test material at bedtime will be very likely to improve your recall.”

Eat and Drink Your Way To Better Grades

Some universities are offering nutritional support to their students since they recognize that eating well and being properly hydrated have a direct effect on academic success.  While everyone else is grabbing coffee and candy bars, think about a nice glass of water and a piece of fruit instead.

At the UK’s Bradford College Healthy College Manager, Jane Marshall says, “Drink plenty of water. For your brain to function at optimum level, it needs to be fully hydrated as it acts as a transport system, delivering nutrients to the brain and eliminating toxins. It is essential for concentration and mental alertness.” According to this article published by Bradford College, “Studies have show that most people are permanently partially dehydrated. This means that their brain is working considerably below its capacity and potential.”

Scientific studies have proven that there is a link between the quality of a student’s diet and his academic achievements.  Looking for some smart study snack ideas?  Try apple slices with peanut butter or a few handfuls of grapes.

The Race To the A

Think the gym will be empty while everyone is packed into the library?  It shouldn’t be.  A number of researchers link physical activity to better scholarly performance.

So, improve your mental clarity by making time for aerobics class or a short workout on the elliptical trainer. Some physical activity will help you feel better and help your brain work a little better while you are writing all those term papers and sitting all those exams.

These healthy habits alone may not guarantee academic success, but making healthier choices can give you the support you need to power yourself across the semester’s finish line.

Tips For Reducing Bias In Your Academic Writing

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Sometimes you are asked to turn in a paper written in the first person about your perspective on a certain issue.  You may decide to discuss a controversial topic about which you feel strongly.  The risk takers amongst you will take a stand on a subject even though you suspect that your professor will not agree with your views.  If the paper is well-written and argued effectively, a good teacher will not detract from your grade just because the two of you might sit on opposite sides of the aisle if you were members of the US Congress.

Most of the time, however, you will be writing research papers that demand you express your views through the lens of empirical evidence rooted in credible research.  Because APA Style is generally used in the social sciences, as you might expect, their style guide has a lot to say about the importance of reducing bias in your language as you discuss groups of people.

The APA’s philosophy seems like a good one to adopt regardless of what discipline you are writing about or which editorial style you employ:

As an organization, APA is committed both to science and to the fair treatment of individuals and groups, and this policy requires authors of APA publications to avoid perpetuating demeaning attitudes and biased assumptions about people in their writing. Constrictions that might imply bias against persons on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, racial or ethnic group, disability, or age should be avoided. Scientific writing should be free of implied or irrelevant evaluation of the group or groups being studied.

The APA Handbook offers some more specific examples about what to do and what not to do as you express yourself in your academic writing.

Be Specific

Be as specific as possible and avoid generalizations.

-       Do not say “man” when you mean human beings in general.

-       Provide definite age brackets if you can.  Say “65 to 85 years of age” rather than “over 65” or “the elderly.”

-       Rather than simply saying “Asian American,” try to distinguish people by their nation of origin (e.g. “Chinese American”).

That said, you only want to include details relevant to your research.  Does the subject’s race, marital status, or sexual orientation have a bearing on your topic?

Be Respectful

Work to be aware of what people like to be called.  This can be tricky, of course, since groups’ preferred titles may change over time and may vary across regions and populations.  If you are doing research in the field or are interviewing your subjects, try to ask them about what designation they prefer.

Be careful not to use labels in a way that might be considered offensive.  For example, saying “the demented” would not be acceptable.  Instead, use language like “persons with dementia.”

Bringing us back to the importance of being specific, avoid using broad labels whenever possible.  As you try to talk about large groups of people, you risk making indiscriminate generalizations.  “The gays,” “the orphans,” and “the displaced” can be problematic sweeping statements.  The APA offers a couple of suggestions that helps you keep an eye on the individuals you are writing about.

-       Use the term as an adjective: “gay men,” “orphaned children,” or “displaced persons.”

-       Put the person first by saying “people with schizophrenia” rather than “the schizophrenics.”

As the APA Handbook reminds us, “precision is essential in scientific writing.”  Take the time and attention to utilize language that is accurate, clear, and free from bias in order to let your well-researched arguments shine through.  And, remember to format your paper correctly using APA Style software you can rely on.