Teacher Process
Teachers
Your students will use this WebQuest to study, practice, and implement APA formatting into their writing works. The overall goal of the WebQuest is to allow students to find information, which is easily misunderstood in the APA Manual, on the web. Since the majority of students will look to use electronic resources over the APA Manual this lesson provides quality resources with detailed examples and explanations for both student and instructor use.
Students will begin their journey by researching the varying components to the APA model. This is step 1 and can be completed either in class with a computer for each student or as a pre-lesson assignment. Step 1 is intended to expose students to APA formatting and allow them to find their favorite resources as well as to collect information and notes for the following activities. This activity should take between 30 and 45 minutes for students.
Step 2 first asks students to complete 2 tutorials lasting approximately 25 minutes. This is an ideal pre-lesson assignment but can be completed in class if all students have access to a computer. Next, step 2 takes students into a group setting. Classrooms will either need to be set up where 3 to 4 students can easily work together or used as a take home assignment. The group environment will allow each student to play a role and develop skills for APA formatting. Each group will need a computer or the assignment must be modified to paper. If using a modified paper version it may be best to supply blank copy paper for student use. If you wish to cover the APA formatting principals prior to or following step 2 would be ideal times to have an interactive discussion regarding this topic. Where prior to step 2 may eliminate errors on the assignment it may also force students to abandon the materials they gathered. If holding a discussion post step 2 this would prepare students for making corrections and moving on to step 3. This activity should take 20 to 25 minutes for beginner level students.
Step 3 can be an in class or take home assignment. This step is essentially an evaluation step to reiterate some of the key learning which should have taken place through this WebQuest. This step should take 15 to 20 minutes.
The evaluatiuon included in this WebQuest is for the group activity. Although it is suggested that points also be awarded for successful group work the evluation criteria are based on the end result of the activity.
Special Notes Regarding Student Materials
Step 1 Gathering Your Observation Materials
Prior to this step, students should know how to write a quality outline for a research-type paper. Additionally, students should be aware of the existence of the APA Manual, how it will be used in their course of study, and how to find the school/institution’s guidelines regarding APA usage. Students must also be aware of the definition of a “quality” website and/or how to find and use good reference sources.
Step 2 Your Training ~
Using the Materials You Have Reviewed and Collected
Training Activities 1 and 2 are the tutorials which students will need a computer to complete either from home or in class. The information for the graph has been kept basic in order to serve as a template for future student work.
For Training Activity 3 you will need to split the class into groups of 3 to 4 students each. With less than 3 students the task will take longer and may not require enough input, with more than 5 people the group may become too large and not allow students enough hands on work. If you have a difficult time with groups in class or you need to cover this step faster you may use this assignment as a group discussion ideally using an overhead connected to a computer with MS Word. Students will gain more hands on experience in the groups however use as a class activity will shorten the exercise quite a bit.
Training Activity 1
Take this interactive Tutorial, to begin click here.
Training Activity 2
Now that you have developed the basic skills to use APA references and citation formats complete this tutorial on graphs and figures, to begin open an Excel worksheet and click here to begin the tutorial.
Here is a list of sample data for you to use for this exercise:
Control Group Girls 15
Experimental Group Girls 9
Control Group Boys 18
Experimental Group Boys 7
Training Activity 3
This is a group activity. Break apart into groups of 3-4 people, use the same group for both phases.
For Phase 1 these are the group roles and instructions:
Outliner – this person will be responsible for constructing an outline to be used by the team. All of the team members should contribute but ultimately this person should lead the discussion and format the outline. The outline should be about any appropriate subject which has no less than 3 headings and 2 sub-headings for each heading. Example: Choosing a College.
Formatter – this person should take the information from the outline and place the information into the APA paper format in a Microsoft Word Document. Include: Title page, headings, and sub-headings. All of the team members should help with this task but the formatter should be responsible for typing and leading this discussion.
Phase 2 these are the group roles and instructions:
Writer – this person should write a sentence for each heading and sub-heading with information that must be cited and referenced. All of the team members should assist in this process. The sentences should be typed in the formatted document under their appropriate heading(s); sentences should coincide with the heading/sub-heading. Source materials must include one of each of the following: book, electronic source, journal article, interview, and section/work referenced in a book by another author. Also include a graph or figure taken from a resource.
Referencer – this person will now add the citations and appropriate references to the written material. The entire team should assist in this process. Add the citations to the written text in the Microsoft Word document and add the references to the appropriate section.
Phase 3 instructions:
Editors – all of the team members should review the document to ensure that the paper is formatted correctly and that all citations and references are appropriate.
Step 3 – Applying Your New “Ninja” APA Skills
Step 3 asks students to complete an evaluation. The answers to this evaluation are listed below. It is recommended that if this is not used as a quiz/test that students be asked to correct the answers for a limited amount of points. For instance, award up to 23 points for the initial responses (1 point per correct answer) followed by a total of up to 10 points for corrections. For students who correctly answer all of the questions on the first attempt award 36 points (recommended as a reward).
Exercise 4.1
Unscramble these references and write in correct APA format for both an (1) in text citation and (2) a reference.
1.
Billbob, J. (2007). Finding Faith in APA. New York: Critical Thinking Publications.
Extra word: Manhattan
2.
Doe-Smith, J. (2004). Whispers from Attica. Raleigh, NC: Harper-Row
3.
M. Matlock, P. Mason, S. Holmes, & M. Watson. (1996). Finding your inner detective. The Psychology of Crime Investigation Quarterly, 10(4), 11-17.
4.
Simpson, B. (2005). Graphic Art and Animation 101. Retrieved May 1, 2007 from www.thesimpsons.univillinois-springfield.edu.
Extra Information:
University of Illinois – Springfield
Webmaster: thesimpsonfan@univillinois-springfield.edu
5.
Hargadon, A. & Sutton, R.I. (1997). Technology brokering and innovation in a product development firm. In Managing Strategic Innovation and Change: A Collection of Readings. (pp.480-505). New York, NY: Oxford university Press.
6.
Blackboard.com. (n.d.). Blackboard Inc completes merger with WebCT, Inc. Retrieved April 9, 2006 from http://www.blackboard.com/company/press/release.aspx?id=822607
7.
Educational Marketer. (2002). Financial Briefs. Educational Marketer, 25 (33).
8.
Fixitall, M. (2007). [Interview with Dr. Greogory House, doctor at Princeton Plains Hospital]. Doctor May Fixitall Show: Getting More Bang for Your Healthcare Buck.
9.
Hicks, J. (2004). City under fire. Retrieved January 11, 2004 from www.nytimes.com.
10.
Bowpeep, L. (2003). Sheepherding in the 21st Century. Sheepherding Annual, 12(3), 99-118.
Exercise 4.2
Unscramble and format this title page information correctly.
1.
The Boston Tea Party: A Review
Team B
Mary K. Whinesalot, Cherrytree Chopper, & Betty Crocker
University of Massachusetts- Amherst
Laura Minuteman
December 10, 2005
2.
What I learned In Prison and Other Home Decorating Techniques
Martha Stewart
University of Hard Knocks
February 12, 2007
3.
W. Shakespeare & M. Knightshamalan
Old Villages and Their Playhouses: Building Characters
April 13, 2004
Exercise 4.3
Answer the following questions.
1. How many spaces are between the header title and the page number?
5 spaces
2. Does the page number appear at the top or the bottom of the page?
Top of the page
3. For pre-publication reviews and college assignments does the abstract have its’ own page?
Yes.
4. Is the first line indented for a reference?
No the second line is.
5. How many words in a direct quote are required before a body of cited text is offset from the rest of the text?
40 Words before a quote is offset. Once it is offset quotation marks are not used.
6. When writing a paper with other authors how do you decide what order to place the names in for the title page?
In the order of contribution from most to least, if it is equal then in alphabetical order
7. If you are writing a paper for a college/high school level course should the instructor’s credentials be placed after his/her name (i.e. PhD, MAED, MBA)?
No, do not include the instructors credentials.
8. When a source does not have a publication date how do you note this in the citation and reference?
(n.d.) n.d. stands for no date
9. Identify the following heading types:
I want to be a Beach-bum – Body header
How to Surf – Body sub-heading
HOW TO ACT RETIRED AT THIRTY – Running head
10. What is the difference between a reference and a citation?
Citation is in the test letting the reader know whose work is being referred to and a reference is the compete information referring to the in-text citation. References are on a separate page at the end of the document.