5 Chapter 5: Higher Cognitive Skills in APA Writing and Formatting

Higher Cognitive Skills in APA Writing

Let’s face it, quoting is just legal copying and pasting. It really doesn’t show that content is understood. There is room for quotes in APA writing and formatting, and it should be done responsibly. However, when an author can paraphrase, corroborate, or synthesize, they should. Those are skills that demonstrate a good understanding of the content and give the reader confidence that what is being written is from an expert. Take a look at how to perform each one of these skills and how to incorporate them into your writing.

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing in APA writing involves rephrasing someone else’s ideas or information in your own words while maintaining the original meaning. This is an important skill in academic writing, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding of the source material and integrate it smoothly into their work. Here’s how to effectively paraphrase and cite in APA format:

Steps to Paraphrase Effectively:

1. Read and Understand the Original Text:
   • Ensure you fully understand the meaning of the original text. Identify the key points or main ideas that you need to convey.
2. Take Notes:
   • Write down the main ideas without looking at the original text to avoid copying it word-for-word.
3. Rephrase in Your Own Words:
   • Write the idea in your own words and sentence structure. Avoid using the same phrases or wording as the original text.
4. Compare with the Original:
   • After writing your paraphrase, compare it with the original text to ensure you haven’t accidentally used the same phrasing and that the meaning is still accurate.
5. Incorporate the Paraphrase into Your Work:
   • Integrate the paraphrase smoothly into your paragraph, ensuring it flows naturally with your own writing.
6. Cite the Source:
   • Even though you’ve put the idea into your own words, you must still give credit to the original source. Include an in-text citation in APA format right after the paraphrase.

Synthesizing

Synthesizing in academic writing involves combining information from multiple sources to create a cohesive understanding or argument. It’s a higher-level skill that goes beyond simply summarizing individual sources, requiring the writer to identify connections, contrasts, and trends among the sources. Here’s how a student can effectively synthesize information when writing in APA format:

Steps to Synthesize Effectively:

1. Understand Your Sources:
   • Before you can synthesize, ensure you thoroughly understand each source’s key points, arguments, and evidence. Take notes on the main ideas, and identify areas of agreement, disagreement, or complementary information between sources.
2. Identify Common Themes:
   • Look for recurring themes, concepts, or arguments across different sources. These commonalities can form the basis for your synthesis.
   • Group sources based on these themes rather than discussing them one by one.
3. Organize Your Synthesis:
   • Decide on a logical structure for your synthesis. You might organize it thematically, by contrasting different perspectives, or by showing how understanding has evolved over time.
   • Use topic sentences to introduce the theme or point you’re synthesizing, and then weave in the information from various sources.
4. Combine Information:
   • Instead of simply summarizing each source, blend information from multiple sources to provide a more comprehensive view.
   • Show how different sources relate to each other—how they agree, differ, or build on each other.

   Example:

   • Recent studies suggested that social media use is linked to both positive and negative mental health outcomes. For instance, while Smith (2021) and Johnson (2022) found that moderate social media use can enhance social connectivity and support, Williams (2020) and Brown (2021) highlight the risks of increased anxiety and depression associated with excessive use.
5. Analyze and Interpret:
   • Go beyond stating the similarities and differences between sources. Analyze why these similarities or differences exist and what they mean in the context of your research or argument.
   • Discuss the implications of the synthesized information, showing how it supports your thesis or contributes to a deeper understanding of the topic.
6. Use Proper Citations:
   • Ensure that every idea or piece of information drawn from a source is properly cited in APA format. This typically involves including the author’s last name and the year of publication in parentheses.

   Example:

   • Multiple studies (Smith, 2021; Johnson, 2022; Williams, 2020; Brown, 2021) demonstrated the dual effects of social media on mental health, suggesting a nuanced relationship influenced by usage patterns.
7. Discuss Contradictory Evidence:
   • If different sources provide conflicting information, acknowledge these differences. Discuss possible reasons for the discrepancies and explain which evidence you find more convincing or relevant, and why.

   Example:

   • While Smith (2021) argued that social media fosters community building, Brown (2021) presented evidence that it may also lead to social isolation, particularly among heavy users. This contradiction highlights the importance of considering individual differences and usage contexts in assessing social media’s impact.
8. Conclude with a Synthesis:
   • Summarize how the synthesized information contributes to your overall argument or understanding. This conclusion should tie together the various threads of your synthesis, showing how they collectively support your thesis.

   Example:

   • Overall, the literature suggested that the impact of social media on mental health is complex, with potential for both positive and negative outcomes depending on the extent and nature of its use. This synthesis underscores the need for more nuanced research that considers individual and contextual factors.

Tips for Effective Synthesis:

• Use Synthesis as a Tool: Synthesis isn’t just about combining sources—it’s about creating a new understanding or argument that is informed by the sources.
• Stay Focused on Your Thesis: Every synthesized point should relate back to your central argument or research question. Avoid straying into tangential topics.
• Be Critical: Evaluate the sources critically, assessing their reliability, relevance, and how they contribute to your synthesis.
• Practice: Synthesis can be challenging, but it improves with practice. Start with simpler exercises, like summarizing and comparing two sources, and gradually move on to more complex syntheses involving multiple sources.

By following these steps, a college student can effectively synthesize information in APA format, resulting in a well-supported, coherent argument that integrates multiple sources seamlessly.

Corroboration

Corroborating in academic writing involves supporting your arguments or claims with evidence from reliable sources. In APA format, this is done through the effective use of citations, ensuring that your work is well-supported and credible. Here’s how a student can effectively corroborate their writing in APA format:

Steps to Corroborate Effectively:

1. Identify Credible Sources:
   • Use scholarly sources such as peer-reviewed journal articles, academic books, and check with your instructor for other resources.
   • Avoid unreliable sources like unverified websites, blogs, or opinion pieces.
2. Integrate Evidence Smoothly:
   • Introduce the evidence in a way that connects it to your argument. Use phrases like According to… Research has shown…, or As demonstrated by… to lead into the evidence.
   • Make sure the evidence supports the point you are making, rather than just adding information.
3. Cite Sources Correctly:
   • In-Text Citations: Include the author’s last name, publication year, and page number (if applicable) immediately after the evidence.
   • Paraphrasing: If you paraphrase, still provide an in-text citation, but you don’t need to include the page number unless required.
   • Quotations: For direct quotes, use quotation marks and include the page number in the citation.

   Example of In-Text Citations:

   • Paraphrase: (Smith, 2022)
   • Direct Quote: (Smith, 2022, p. 123)
4. Use Multiple Sources to Strengthen Arguments:
   • When making a key point, it’s often useful to reference multiple sources that support your claim. This shows that the evidence is well-established and widely recognized.

   Example:

   • Several studies have demonstrated the positive impact of regular exercise on mental health, including improvements in mood, anxiety reduction, and enhanced cognitive function (Smith, 2022; Johnson, 2020; Williams, 2019).
5. Synthesize Information:
   • Instead of listing evidence from sources one by one, try to synthesize the information by showing how different sources agree or provide different perspectives on the same topic.
   • This can make your argument more coherent and show a deeper understanding of the subject.

   Example:

   • While Smith (2022) emphasized the role of exercise in reducing anxiety, Johnson (2020) and Williams (2019) highlighted its cognitive benefits, suggesting a multifaceted impact on mental health.
6. Discuss the Evidence:
   • After presenting evidence, explain its relevance to your argument. Don’t just drop in a citation—show how it supports your point or connects to your thesis.
7. Reference List:
   • Include a complete reference list at the end of your paper with full citations for every source you cited in the text. Follow APA guidelines for formatting each type of source.

   Example Reference Entry:

   • Smith, J. A. (2022). The effects of exercise on mental health. Journal of Health Psychology, 15(3), 234-245. https://doi.org/10.1037/health0000134

Additional Tips:

• Stay Consistent: Make sure all in-text citations have corresponding entries in the reference list, and that both are correctly formatted according to APA guidelines.
• Use Signal Phrases: Introducing sources with phrases like According to Smith (2022)… helps integrate the evidence more naturally into your writing.
• Critically Evaluate Sources: Don’t just include evidence—critically analyze its reliability, relevance, and contribution to your argument.

By following these steps, a student can effectively corroborate their writing in APA format, strengthening their arguments with credible evidence and adhering to academic standards.