Resource: Paraphrasing — Write Less, Say More
This is an article advocating for writing more succinctly with long-winded examples transformed into shorter, more straightforward sentences. You can find this article here.
General Writing Tips
Activity: What’s Wrong with This Paragraph?
This activity includes a highly plagiarized paragraph along with the original source material to allow students to identify problem areas. There is an answer key for instructors as well as a “solution” paragraph without plagiarism. Click here for a link to the assignment
Write with Purpose: What Do You Want Your Paragraph To Do?
Students often have the greatest anxiety about writing the Introduction and Discussion sections of an APA style paper. Part of the problem is that they struggle with writing properly constructed paragraphs. This guide from the University of Newcastle not only describes several types of paragraphs, but outlines what the topic, supporting, and concluding sentences should …
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Activity: The Power of Paraphrasing
This activity provides students with several examples of paraphrasing from a single passage from an article, then gives them the opportunity to practice. Click here for a link to the assignment.
Creating an Outline for an APA Style Introduction
This resource provides a template to help students plan and organize the structure of an APA style Introduction. It includes an example for students to reference Please click here for the file.
Practice Creating an Outline for an APA Style Introduction Based on Notes
This resource helps students practice the process of outlining an APA style Introduction based on notes taken on research articles. It provides note sheets from 8 research articles and a template to help students plan and organize the structure of an APA style Introduction. Please click here for the file.
Writing Quantitative Empirical Manuscripts With Rigor and Flair (Yes, It’s Possible)
This article, authored by Marianne Fallon (Central Connecticut State University) in the Psi Chi Journal of Undergraduate Research, addresses the myth that APA style writing needs to be boring. The article features lots of great advice for students (and for more senior researchers). Students could read this before starting their paper to give them a …
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Simple Rules for Concise Scientific Writing
A central feature of scientific writing is clear and concise prose. This paper by Scott Hotaling (follow him on Twitter) provides a set of easy to follow rules to follow when writing research papers. Though this isn’t specifically for psychology or APA style papers, his suggestions are fantastic general tips for becoming a better writer. …
Link: 25 Insights on Becoming a Better Writer
This is an easy to read list of advice from writers, much of it focusing on the writing process (getting down to actually doing it). Topics include getting through the first draft, importance of outlines, getting a routine, unplugging, the importance of feedback, and getting stuck. This is great advice for everyone (students and professors). …