3. Conventions…
…Where grammar examples are given
• Subjects are underlined once
• Verbs are underlined with a dotted line
• Correct sentences are in white
• Incorrect Sentences are in orange
4. Point ofView andVoice
▪ Use active voice rather than passive voice
– Active voice is the subject doing the action (verb)
– Passive voice is when the subject receives the action (verb)
Incorrect: The participants have been asked….
Correct:The participants responded…
(American Psychological Association [APA], 2009; Paiz, Angeli, Wagner, Lawrick, Moore, Anderson,
Soderlund, Brizee, & Keck, 2011; and Perrin, 2012)
5. Point of View and Voice
▪ Do not anthropomorphize.
– Do not give action to inanimate objects
Incorrect: The short-term study about machine
graded writing will show a statistically significant
correlation….
Correct:We studied machine graded writing and saw
a statistically significant correlation …
(APA, 2009; Paiz, et al., 2011; and Perrin, 2012)
6. Point of View and Voice
▪ If you have to use personal pronouns in order to avoid passive
voice, do so.
▪ If you are the only one who did the research and wrote the
report, use “I,” not “we.”
– “We” should only be used if you were a part of a team
(APA, 2009, p. 69).
Incorrect:The relationship between preferred learning style
and writing competency was researched.
Correct: I researched the relationship between preferred
learning style and writing competency.
(APA, 2009; Paiz, et al., 2011; and Perrin, 2012)
7. Point ofView andVoice
▪ However, make the research or work the central idea, not the
researchers (Paiz, et al., 2011).
– You can use first person judiciously, but not for every sentence
when describing your work.
Incorrect:We show the necessity of human interaction in addition
to machine-graded writing
Correct:There was a statistically significant positive correlation in
the group who got regular conferences in addition to written
feedback from peers and the instructor.
(APA, 2009; Paiz, et al., 2011; and Perrin, 2012)
8. WritingTips
▪ Your writing should be easy to read and
follow
▪ Your pronouns should have clear antecedents
– To which word does the pronoun refer?
▪ Use transitions
– These words move readers from one idea to the
next
▪ APA Manual, p. 65
▪ Perrin, pp. 52-53
9. References
American PsychologicalAssociation. (2009.) Publication manual of the
American Psychological Association (6th ed.).Washington, DC:
Author.
Paiz, J.M.,Angeli, E.,Wagner, J., Lawrick, E., Moore, K.,Anderson, M.,
Soderlund, L., Brizee, A., & Keck, R. (2011). APA stylistics: Basics.
Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/15/
Perrin, R. (2012). Pocket guide to APA style (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.