Abstract
College is a rite of passage for many Americans. Every college student can reliably share a good-natured story about producing a research paper under tight deadlines. The humanities field is the study of human society and culture and therefore demands the composition of many research papers. Students in this field are required to produce APA, or American Psychological Association, style papers. “The APA Style originated in 1929, when a group of psychologists, anthropologists, and business managers convened and sought to establish a simple set of procedures, or style rules, that would codify the many components of scientific writing to increase the ease of reading comprehension (American Psychological Association [APA], n.d.). College students are required to adhere to rules and guidelines of academic integrity when producing these types of papers.
Keywords: academic integrity, APA style, plagiarism
Academic Writing for Humanities
Students who major in social sciences are required to follow a standard format of writing that is governed by the APA. This writing style allows for uniformity and creates a clear outline for faculties to easily reference essential elements of the paper. The basic elements include the title, abstract, introduction, body and reference. Using the correct tone in an APA paper is a crucial factor as it defines the writer’s personality. Students should avoid biases, slang, broad generalizations and inflammatory language as it does not reflect scientific writing. Proper citation is another important rule to follow when writing an APA paper. Not referencing a paraphrase or an in-text citation are some of the common pitfalls for students. Proper citation is critical and acknowledges original work. It also allows students to support their viewpoints by referencing existing data. Referencing allows the editor to verify the original source of the quote or data and plays an important role in academic honesty.
Academic Honesty
Plagiarism has always been a major problem in the world of academia. Higher educational institutions instill a zero-tolerance policy for academic dishonesty. Students can avoid academic dishonesty by producing original work, properly acknowledging the work of the original author and by checking their work for possible plagiarism using an online assessment tool. Producing original work helps students refine their writing skills which can be a valuable tool in any field. Citing sources properly shows respect to the author and allows for a reliable method to reference data. Using an online plagiarism assessment tool ensures the paper meets the minimal requirements for academic quality and integrity.
Conclusion
APA writing plays a critical role in the humanities field. Students learn to implement college-level writing by streamlining citations, ensuring adequate credit to prior work and encouraging direct prose. Academic honesty is equally important as it teaches students that cheating can undermine their learning, diminish credibility and detract from the academic community. The educational community flourishes when the collective student body incorporates integrity in their original work.
Works Cited
- American Psychological Association. (n.d.). What is APA style? Retrieved from https://www.apastyle.org/learn/faqs/what-is-apa-style
