The document provides an orientation to academic writing services and workshops offered by the Centre for Teaching and Learning at Massey University. It covers the principles of SLT style writing, self-appraisal, basics of APA citation and referencing. Examples of effective and ineffective academic writing are included, along with tips on how to improve writing by making it more precise, person-first, concise, objective and evidence-based. Guidance is also given on citations, references and referencing software.

1. BSLT
Academic Writing Orientation
• Introduction to services and
workshops provided by the Centre for
Teaching and Learning
• Principles of SLT style
• Self-appraisal
• (extra notes: some basics of APA
citation and referencing)

2. CENTRE FOR TEACHING
AND LEARNING SERVICES
http://owll.massey.ac.nz
Online Writing and Learning Link
http://tinyurl.com/albanyworkshops2014 Workshops
ONE-TO-ONE OR SMALL GROUP CONSULTATIONS
Book on 09 441-8143 or slc-alb@massey.ac.nz
OR in person at the library (LEVEL 3)

3. An example of effective SLT writing
Research studies have found that the prevalence of
CONDITION X varies according to type, age group, and
gender, although the progression and course of CONDITION
also differs significantly among individuals from the same
demographic group (Brown, 2005; Smith & Howell, 2008). Y
is the most common variant of CONDITION X affecting around
90% of all individuals with the disorder (Singh, 2005).
CONDITION X is considered to be a rare disease affecting an
estimated 40,000 Americans with two thirds of the total
affected population thought to be female (Colenso & Schmitt,
2007). While CONDITION X can develop at any stage, the
most common age of emergence is 46 (Wang et al., 2011).
The onset of CONDITION X can be either sudden or gradual
with the severity of symptoms peaking to an unknown
intensity within months or increasing years after onset (Faleolo
et al., 2006). This study also indicates that CONDITION X is
most prevalent among females over the age of 40 with no
accurate prognosis able to be made regarding the progression
and severity of its symptoms.

4. SLT style is:
precise
CONDITION X is most prevalent among females over
the age of 40
person-first
all individuals with the disorder
concise, objective and evidence-based
Research studies have found that prevalence of
CONDITION varies according to type, age group, and
gender, although the progression and course of
CONDITION also differs significantly among individuals
from the same demographic group (Brown, 2005;
Smith & Howell, 2008)

5. How could this example of ineffective
SLT writing be improved?
Stroke is the most common cause of aphasia in New
Zealand and head injury is the second most common
cause. This heart-wrenching condition can also result
from brain tumours or infections. It is very common
and roughly 16,000 New Zealanders suffer from
aphasia. Even though it is so common in New Zealand,
not a lot of people know about it. Up until, a family
member has acquired it (Aphasia Blog NZ, 2011).
Some concepts of aphasia that will be explored in this
report include, what Broca’s aphasia is, what causes
Broca’s aphasia, the diagnosis, and associated
disorders. As well as, its impact on stroke survivors’
language and lifestyle. I’ll conclude with an overview
of treatment available for stroke victims.

6. How could this example of ineffective
SLT writing be improved?
Stroke is the most common cause of aphasia
in New Zealand and head injury is the
second most common cause. This heartwrenching condition can also result from
brain tumours or infections. It is very
common and roughly 16,000 New
Zealanders suffer from aphasia. Even
though it is so common in New Zealand, not
a lot of people know about it. Up until, a
family member has acquired it (Aphasia
Blog NZ, 2011). Some concepts of aphasia
that will be explored in this report include,
what Broca’s aphasia is, what causes
Broca’s aphasia, the diagnosis, and
associated disorders. As well as, its impact
on stroke survivors’ language and lifestyle.
I’ll conclude with an overview of treatment
available for stroke victims.
cut out
repetition and
irrelevant
information

7. How could this example of ineffective
SLT writing be improved?
Stroke is the most common cause of aphasia
in New Zealand and head injury is the
second most common cause. This heartwrenching condition can also result from
brain tumours or infections. It is very
common and roughly 16,000 New
Zealanders suffer from aphasia. Even
though it is so common in New Zealand, not
a lot of people know about it. Up until, a
family member has acquired it (Aphasia
Blog NZ, 2011). Some concepts of aphasia
that will be explored in this report include,
what Broca’s aphasia is, what causes
Broca’s aphasia, the diagnosis, and
associated disorders. As well as, its impact
on stroke survivors’ language and lifestyle.
I’ll conclude with an overview of treatment
available for stroke victims.
cut out vague,
colloquial,
personal or
emotional
language
and support
your claims
with evidence
from peerreviewed
journals, not
blogs or hot air

8. How could this example of ineffective
SLT writing be improved?
Stroke is the most common cause of aphasia
in New Zealand and head injury is the
second most common cause. This heartwrenching condition can also result from
brain tumours or infections. It is very
common and roughly 16,000 New
Zealanders suffer from aphasia. Even
though it is so common in New Zealand, not
a lot of people know about it. Up until, a
family member has acquired it (Aphasia
Blog NZ, 2011). Some concepts of aphasia
that will be explored in this report include,
what Broca’s aphasia is, what causes
Broca’s aphasia, the diagnosis, and
associated disorders. As well as, its impact
on stroke survivors’ language and lifestyle.
I’ll conclude with an overview of treatment
available for stroke victims.
Person-first
language is a
must
So is correct
sentence
structure and
punctuation

9. CITATIONS AND
REFERENCES
Citations are a short way of indicating the source of your
theories, models, concepts, examples or facts
In APA style, all you need to do is to put the author and
date of publication of the book, article or website you used
The most common way to do this is to put these in
brackets AFTER you’ve used the information
Cognitive behavioural therapy is
increasingly preferred to more traditional
medical interventions in such cases
(Dunbar & Holmes, 2003).

10. As an alternative you can use ‘according to’
and include the author(s) in your sentence
According to Dunbar and Holmes (2003),
cognitive behavioural therapy is increasingly
preferred …..
Or make the author(s) the subject of your
sentence, choosing an appropriate reporting
verb, for example:
claim
argue
explain
suggest point out
find / found
Dunbar and Holmes (2003) claim that
cognitive behavioural therapy is
increasingly preferred …..

11. Your citations need to match up with complete
references to sources in a list at the end
References
Breen, C. R., Paulin, K. M., & Singh, T. L. (2008). The consequences of condition x
on communication-related quality of life: A qualitative study of the insider’s
experiences. Journal of Communication Disorders, 63, 104-213.
Breen, C. R., Paulin, K. M., Singh, T. L., Reilly, R. M., & Ghosh, D. (2009).
Developing the communication item bank: Rasch analysis results from a condition x
sample. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 68, 1209-1221.
Collins, B. K., Haughey, M. P., Mallory, T., & Williams, G. E. (2010). Speech
intelligibility in severe condition x. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing
Research, 59, 31-38.
Davison, M. F., Jolly, A., & Seligson, M. (2009). Disorders of the larynx. In A. Bennett,
A. Jolly, & P. Stern (Eds.), Neurologic speech and language disorders (2nd ed.) (pp.
216-318). New York, NY: Heinemann Medical.

12. In academic writing, most references are to
books and journal articles
surname,
initial
(year)
title of book
Smith, P., & Davidoff, R. (2003). Equal opportunities: From policy to
practice. Central Islip, NY: Progressive Press.
city
surname,
initial
(year)
publisher
title of article
page numbers
Brown, P. (2012). Equal opportunities in New Zealand: Myth or
reality? Australasian Journal of Human Resources, 41(3), 46-68.
doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.24.2.225
volume / issue number
doi number
name of journal

13. CHAPTER IN
EDITED BOOK
Author of chapter
and year of
publication
Title of chapter – not
in italics
Editors’ names – initial
goes before and (Eds.),
goes after!
Biggins, G. (2009). Why I became a social worker. In P. Te Ara & T. Rogers (Eds.),
Social work and social workers in New Zealand/Aotearoa (pp.102-120).
Auckland, New Zealand: Insight Press.
City &
Publisher
Title of book –
in italics
Page numbers of chapter – in
brackets with pp. before

14. CITY OF PUBLICATION
UK, NZ etc
USA
Australia
city,
country
city, state
initials
Either
state OR
country
Harmondsworth, England:
Penguin.
Palmerston North, New
Zealand: Dunmore Press.
Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates.
Milton, Qld: McGraw-Hill.
Milton, Australia:
McGraw-Hill.
Check title of book in library catalogue and/or Google if
city of publication is not clear from the book itself

15. WEB PAGE REFERENCE
Year
author’s name
(if it’s missing put (n.d.)
(or organisation that owns the web site)
Title of page
(in italics)
Statistics New Zealand. (2009).
Mapping trends in the Auckland
region. Retrieved from
http://www.stats.govt.nz/Publication
s/PopulationStatistics/mappingtrends-in-the-auckland-region.aspx.
Retrieved from
followed by full internet address
Only use the internet, rarely, as the source for data from
Government Ministries etc.

16. REFERENCING
SOFTWARE
Microsoft Word 2007 +
Use the references tab in the toolbar
Click ‘insert citation’ + add new source
Take care with names (Hamel, Gary) and type of source
Endnote ($36 from library – and make sure you go to a
tutorial)
http://tinyurl.com/endnoteguide
Free Programmes to download (but you’ll need to learn
how to use them, through online tutorials etc)
http://www.zotero.org/
http://www.mendeley.com