Apa

What’s the deal with instructors and APA? Did they get together at a secret meeting and go, hey lets really mess with our students. We will each require some secret way we want it done and when they learn that way and move on the next class we tell that that is all wrong. I just lost 15 point because of lack of proper APA formatting. The sad thing is I use an APA program. It updates itself and stays current on all matters APA. I did it the same way I did at Clovis, where my Sociology Professor told me my use of APA was flawless. I got hit big for not having an abstract, it was my understanding that was optional and at the instructors request. So if she does not state she wants an abstract then how the heck am I supposed to know. I was doing them and was told two different times to stop at AIU and Clovis.

 

I can't speak to the issue you mentioned, but I would love to know the name of that APA program you are using. That could come in handy.

 

I had an APA occurrence at Ashford a couple of months ago in regards how I listed citations. The APA website, The Little Brown Book, and the Ashford Guide for Academic and Career Success all state that there are two preferred ways to accomplish this. The one that I had been using for the past two years was fine in every class except one particular one with an extremely anal instructor. He even started deducting points on my weekly discussion topic answers due to the style of citation listed. I finally scanned the page showing that either way of listing citations was correct. He did not remove the previous deducted points, but he did lay off any future answers and paper in regards to how citations were listed.

 

Is APA more difficult than MLA? I've never heard the kind of complaints about MLA that I hear about APA.

 

APA and MLA Format and Style Software by PERRLA, LLC - PERRLA.com

 

ROFLMAO...............How many Pecks are there?

 

A shitload!

 

APA is pure garbage. I spend more time worrying myself about APA than I do about content. I can write circles around most topics, but APA always costs me points. I read the little book, use a program, etc. and still always end up with APA point subtractions...so let me say state it again...I HATE APA/MLA and the rest of them.

 

I typically only deduct points in APA for issues with quotations, citations, and references. I could care less about one space or two after a period or some of the other inane APA details.

Mistakes on quotations, citations, and references can lead to potential academic integrity violations. Certain deficiencies in these areas can also produce some of the more visible signs of plagiarism and cheating.

 

If you send a POLITE email or respectfully talk to the instructor and indicate in the APA manual where the abstract is optional and how the instructor has provided no specific guidance, you may get some relief. If you are a dick about it, you probably won't get any relief.

 

I agree with this. Besides the reference/citation issue, the only other points I normally deduct have to do with the title page. Our school provides them a very clear example of a title page, showing where every item goes. I clearly tell them to add nothing extra, but to look exactly like the example, etc. Then half of them add photos, or huge fonts for titles, etc. I do count off for that, but that is really a lack of following directions, and has little to do with APA...

 

I just lost seven points the other night, funny this thread came back from the dead. I was cussing the APA crap. The instructor makes no comment about the content of my paper, the only comments were about APA. I was like, what? Is there some APA checking program they run papers through?

 

If you think APA is annoying, try Chicago Manual of Style.

BRUUUUUUUUUUTAL. I am loving being able to use APA.

 

I've had many instructors that required APA format for posts in the message boards. You were even required to tack on an APA formatted reference section at the end of each post.

I've become trained to mechanically do everything school-related in APA. I just do it without thinking now.

 

Most of my instructors at LU have required this.

I even had one that required double-spacing, which Blackboard does not allow, so we had to write [double-spaced] at the beginning of our posts.

Ridiculous.

 

I really don't like APA either. I love Chicago Style though!

I sometimes feel like some schools focus so much on APA, they could care less about the content. Perhaps that's just my personal opinion, but I think it's true!

On a side note, I had a prof at WNMU for two courses one semester. I had him again in the summer immediately following. I turned in an assignment, which he graded and deducted points because I didn't have an abstract. When I questioned him about it, politely of course, he said he just decided to start requiring them. Thanks for telling us in advance. Geez.

Personally, I think an abstract of a 2 page paper is just stupid. I also think a title page for a two page paper is stupid. So one third of your paper is the title page? Stupid stupid stupid. My undergrad profs always told me that title pages were meant for things going to publication and since our little essays weren't, we could just tack our name in the upper left hand corner. That worked then, and that's what I have my kids do.

-Matt

 

I think requiring abstracts on anything not submitted for publication is stupid.


I agree with you on the title page. It's appropriate for a term paper, but a short essay? Nah.

 

I've had APA ingrained into me and I still screw up every week. The only time I get agitated is when a straight answer regarding preference cannot be obtained.