1. Academic Writing and
Referencing
ICPPD Workshop 14th
March 2014
Dr. James Goulding D.Couns.Psych.
MSc. Applied Psychology,
BA. Psychology.
Dip Counselling & Psychotherapy.
FIITD MIACP
2. What Is 'Academic Writing'?
Academic Writing vs Simple Description
In academic writing, the author covers the
selected topic from an authoritative point
of view.
What influence did Rogers have on Counselling
What significance was his work to
psychotherapy?
Why was the influence this great
Why was it not greater?
3. What Is 'Academic Writing'?
academic papers distinguish between different
things.
what is known about a topic (via the review of
existing sources on the topic)
what new ideas may emerge, or be thought or
questioned about the topic, (via the explication
of the question to be answered)
Using the author's logically-developed, factually-
based 'argumentation'.
4. Reading an academic text
Reading critically involves evaluating the
attempts of others to communicate with and
convince their target audience through the
development of their argument
Writing critically involves developing your own
strong clear argument, in order to communicate
with and convince your target audience.
(Wallace and Wray, 2006)
5. Reading an academic text
Use the sections of the text: abstract, contents,
index, sub-headings, graphs, tables, introduction
and conclusion
Skim to get the gist of the argument
Read with questions in mind
Make notes/mind map/ use highlighter
Write a summary in your own words
Write a brief critical response
Keep note of details for citing/referencing
6. Stylistic Conventions of Academic
Writing
Avoid abbreviations and slang.
Don’t use Colloquial English
Unless it is appropriate to do so
Writing in the third person.
Academic writing must be objective;
the focus is not on the writer, but on the topic and
ideas of the paper;
7. Stylistic Conventions of Academic
Writing
Don’t make outlandish or unsubstantiated claims
‘Freud proved the existence of the unconscious beyond all
doubt’.
Use of relatively cautious or 'qualified' language,
especially when documenting claims of new knowledge.
The evidence of your paper can only be based on what is
currently known about the topic, this evidence may well
change as new knowledge emerges
It is useful therefore to consider opposing viewpoints. Or
account for contradictory research.
9. Why Reference?
There are four main reasons why referencing is important in academic
writing:
1. To support your arguments and give credibility to the information you
present in assignments;
2. To enable your tutors to check the accuracy and validity of the
evidence presented;
3. To enable your tutors and other interested readers to trace the
sources you cite and to use the same evidence for their own
purposes;
4. To avoid the accusation of plagiarism.
10. Plagiarism!!!
Plagiarism tends to be viewed as a form of academic dishonesty
It can be defined as stealing or borrowing from the writings or ideas of
others and passing them off as your own.
A failure to acknowledge other people’s ideas and statements in an
project can therefore be seen as academic fraud.
For this reason it is regarded as a major offence that the all academic
institutions take very seriously and has the possibility of a student
being disciplined or even expelled from their course.
It is important to understand that not having the intention to cheat
or not understanding what constituted plagiarism is generally not
accepted accepted as a defense.
It is the action and not the intention that constitutes plagiarism.
11. A Few More Reasons
Remember referencing is also a way of acknowledging the hard work
that goes into the research, preparation, writing and revision of
academic texts.
Accurate referencing is also one way of giving indirect thanks to this
invisible and invaluable effort and achievement.
More pragmatically, it also shows a tutor you have, at least, read some
of the sources listed on a reading list!
Lastly, but probably not least from a student perspective, accurate and
Intelligent referencing will enhance a good essay and can contribute to
Maximizing your marks .
12. Referencing Styles
MHRA Modern Humanities Research Association
Footnotes
OSCOLA Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal
Authorities
Legal
APA American Psychological Association
Modified Harvard Style, Social Sciences, Psychology
Harvard Referencing Style
(AKA Author-Date or Parenthetical Style)
13. Harvard Referencing Style
The "author-date" or Harvard method of
parenthetical referencing was first used in a
paper entitled "the embryogenesis of the
garden slug" published by Edward Laurens
Mark (1847–1946), in which Mark included the
first author-date citation in parentheses on page
194.
It is named after Harvard, though it never
became officially affiliated with that university.
14. Characteristics of the Harvard
Referencing Style
The Harvard style involves two distinct
tasks in the referencing process:
How you refer to other authors in the body of
your text (called in text citation).
How you compile a list of reference sources at
the end of your text (called the Reference List).
15. Bibliography or Reference List?
Bibliography
Is a list of all works
that you have read in
developing your
essay or project,
whether or not they
are eventually cited in
your text.
Reference List
Is a list only of the
works that you have
cited in the text of
your project.
16. In Text Citation- The Basics
It was also observed that therapists learnt from
ending with their clients (Lewis, 2007).
Martin and Schurtman (1985) propose that
where a therapist has failed to achieve
separation from their own mother, it can result in
that therapist being particularly predisposed to
experiencing separation anxiety in all separation
events including ending therapy with their
clients.
17. In Text Citation- The Basics
This is a position which is not entirely
incompatible with the premise that endings
activate unresolved issues of attachment
and loss (Joyce et al, 2007).
Curtis (2002) suggests a valid indicator
that ending in psychodynamic therapy is
appropriate when the client is able to
‘‘tolerate feeling without acting’’ (p.352)
18. Writing the Reference List
Book
Author’s last name, First and Second Initial.
(Year). Title italic. Publication location:
Publishing company
Example
Smith, J. (2003). Qualitative psychology: A
practical guide to research methods. London:
Sage
19. Writing the Reference List
Journal Article
AUTHOR’S LAST NAME, First and Second Initial.
(Year) 'Article title'. Journal title, Volume number (Part):
page numbers.
Example
Aldwin, C., & Revenson, T. (1987). Does coping help? A
re-examination of the relationship between coping and
mental health. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 53, 337–348.
20. Writing the Reference List
Electronic article
AUTHOR’S LAST NAME, First and Second Initial. (Year) Article
title. Journal title, Date of publication, Volume(issue), page
numbers. Available from: <internet address> [Accessed date].
Example
Aldwin, C., & Revenson, T. (1987). Does coping help? A re-
examination of the relationship between coping and mental
health. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 337–
348. Available from http://psychology.about.com/od/loveand
attraction/a/attachment01.htm [Accessed: 14 March 2014].
22. Digital Object Identifier-DOI
Doi:10.1037/033-3204.40.1/2.94
A method of easily identifying an online source.
Used by APA and others instead of available at,
and accessed on…
Not Currently used in the Harvard System
23. Interesting Claims
38% of those receiving grief counselling were
worse off after therapy
grief therapy is effective, producing clinically
meaningful gains in grief and depression
symptoms that are maintained over time.
In planned endings therapists have the
opportunity to work through their emotional
response to ending alongside clients
24. Interesting Claims
38% of those receiving grief counselling were
worse off after therapy (Neimeyer, 2000)
grief therapy is effective, producing clinically
meaningful gains in grief and depression
symptoms that are maintained over time. (Hoyt,
Del Re, & Larson, 2013).
In planned endings therapists have the
opportunity to work through their emotional
response to ending alongside clients (Goulding,
2012)
