Overview of APA 6th Edition

Overview of APA 6th Edition The American Psychological Association was hard at work over the summer publishing†¦ yes, you guessed it, the APA Publication Manual, 6th Edition, which ran its first publication in July, 2010. While the general requirements for formatting is similar and the same in many cases, there are some important changes from the 5th to the 6th editions of this publication manual that fall into one of five categories: Formatting, word usage, statistics, organization, and referencing.FormattingFormatting changes include spacing, headings, and title placement.SpacingThe 6th edition of the APA manual now requires two spaces between sentences. The main rational behind this change is to increase readability. An easy way to make sure you have two spaces between your sentences is to click your paragraph button ( ¶). This is the symbol for paragraph; however in Microsoft Word, it will also show you all the spaces using small dots everywhere you hit the space bar. You can find this button in the paragraph tool bar of MS Word.HeadingsHeadings with the 6th edition no longer use italics. Using all bold for headings has been used with other formatting styles for years and now APA has adopted this style as well. To review:Level 1 heading is centered and boldLevel 2 is left, justified, and boldLevel 3 is indented, bold, with a periodLevels 4 is indented, bold, italicized, with a periodLevels 5 is indented, italicized, with a periodImportant to note here is that the text under a level 3 heading actually begins after the period (dont forget your 2 spaces). Also, while the Reference and Abstract are technically formatted as a Level 1 heading, they are not bold.Title placementAll article titles are another heading related change, where in the 5th of the APA were required to be vertically and horizontally centered. While the 6th edition still requires article titles to be vertically centered, they must be in the top half of the page.Word usageWord usage is the next category of changes in the 6th edition of the APA and covers word counts and general usage.Word countRestrictions have always been placed on the number of words in the abstract of a research paper and with the 6th these restrictions are less stringent from a concrete 120 words or fewer in the 5th edition to a range of 150-250 words using the 6th edition.General usageRegarding general word usage begins with the plural form of Appendix that, with the 6th edition the required word is Appendices versus Appendixes that was indicated in the 5th edition of the APA.Additionally, as words like website and e-mail become more commonplace, the APA has also changed the standards from Web site being written as two words in the 5th edition to being written as one word and not capitalized in the 6th edition. Also, not included in the 5th edition, e-mail is written with a hyphen.StatisticsThe way some statistics are reported has also changed, specifically concerning p-values and figures.P-valuesChanges for p-values in clude using exact values with the 6th edition, where the 5th edition allowed a more general less than or equal to report.FiguresThe change with figure captions is minimal in that figure captions are now placed below the figure rather than on a separate page as was required in the 5th edition.OrganizationThe 6th edition of the APA manual has made two significant changes to the organization of papers: Bullets and order of sections.BulletsBullets are now allowed in order to separate lists or main points of the text. As a rule, if a list indicate an order, such as most important to lest importation, or a list of steps of a processes, numbers should be used. For all other lists simple bullet points should be used.Order of sectionsAdditionally, the 6th edition has moved the tables and figures before the appendices and now requires all footnotes are placed at the bottom of the page in which the footnotes are referenced. Therefore, the full organization, according to the 6th edition should follow:Title pageAbstractBodyReferencesTablesFiguresAppendicesReferencesReferences and in-text citations is the final major category of changes from the 5th edition to the 6th edition of the APA publication manual. Specifically, these concern reference abbreviations, and the various components of the full reference in the reference section.Abbreviation usageAccording to the APA 6th edition the following must now be spelled out when referenced in the text:ChapterEquationFigureChapterWhen referencing the location of quoted material, the abbreviation para., must be used rather than the pilcrow symbol.Reference componentsMany research articles referenced within the text will be found in databases such as EBSCO and ProQuest. While with the 5th edition it was necessary to include the database name in the reference, this is no longer the case with the 6th edition; rather the articles doi will be included.Just when you got all the periods, commas, ampersands, and parentheses, they added the doi or Digitial Object identifier. While not difficult to find for most sources, these numbers are long, so always double check them. If a doi and publisher information are both available, the reference need only include the doi.Additionally, much of the information retrieved online will not change regularly. As such, retrieval dates for websites need be included only when the information on the website is likely to change on a regular basis.Finally, publishing information for print materials such as books must include both the city and the state of publication. This was changed from needing only the city with the 5th edition.Note corrections from the first printing of the APA 6th edition. References and Abstract headings are not bold. A complete list of these corrections can be found on the American Pyschological Association website: www.apa.org.

Course Requirements for Homeschooling High School

Course Requirements for Homeschooling High School One of the most significant benefits of homeschooling is the ability to customize your student’s education, tailoring it to fit his interests and aptitudes. However, when it comes to high school, many parents feel that they need some guidance on which subjects to teach and when to teach them. Having graduated one homeschool student with two still in high school, I am a firm believer (after some trial and error) in maintaining an interest-led homeschool environment through the high school years as much as possible. After all, the benefits of a customized education don’t end in middle school. However, depending on your state’s homeschool laws and your student’s post-graduation plans, other entities (such as perspective colleges or state graduation requirements) may play a role in determining your teen’s high school course options. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the courses you may wish to have your homeschooled high school student pursue. What are the course requirements for 9th grade? Most colleges will expect that, following a typical course of study for 9th grade, students will have received one credit each in English, math, science, and social studies (or history).   English:  English for a 9th-grade student will usually include grammar, vocabulary, literature (including literary analysis), and composition. Many 9th-grade English courses will cover myths, drama, novels, short stories, and poetry. They will also include public speaking and honing composition skills, including reference and report-writing. Social studies:  It is common to cover United States history  in 9th grade. Families following a classical style of home education will likely cover ancient history as part of the four-year history cycle for high school. Other standard  options include world history, U.S. government, and geography. Math:  Algebra I is the most commonly taught mathematics course for 9th-grade students. Some student may cover pre-algebra Science:  Common courses for 9th-grade science include  physical science, general science,  or biology. Most colleges will expect a student to have 2-3 lab sciences, making biology a good choice, though students often complete it in 10th grade, rather than 9th. In keeping with customizing our teens educations, my 9th grader is taking an astronomy course this year. Other alternatives may include  marine biology, botany, animal science, Earth science, or zoology.    What are the course requirements for 10th grade? A typical course of study for 10th-grade students will include one credit each for the following: English:  A 10th grade English course will consist of the same general components as that of 9th grade (grammar, vocabulary, literature, and composition). It may also include a world, modern, or  American  literature course. If your student chooses world literature, it can be fun to tie in social studies with a world geography and/or world history  course. American literature would be an excellent tie-in to American history if your student didn’t cover it in 9th grade. Social studies:  World history is typical for 10th grade. Classical homeschooling families will likely cover the Middle Ages.  Some students prefer topical studies such as World War I and II. Math:  Algebra II or geometry are common math classes for 10th grade. The order they are taught may depend on the curriculum you’re using. Some math texts go straight into Algebra II from Algebra I. There is debate over the order the courses should be taught. Some  say  geometry should be taught  in 10th grade so that students have exposure to it for college entrance exams in 11th grade. Some say that some Algebra II concepts rely on geometry. Finally, some proponents of the Algebra I/Geometry/Algebra II sequence say it helps prepare students for pre-calculus. Science:  Biology is commonly taught in 10th grade unless it was covered in 9th grade. Alternatives include the same as those listed for 9th grade. What are the course requirements for 11th grade? An 11th-grade typical course of study includes the following core classes: English:  Grammar, vocabulary, and composition continue to be reinforced and built upon in 11th grade. Additionally, 11th-grade students may also begin learning the mechanics of a research paper. (Sometimes this is covered in 12th grade). Literature options include American and British literature. Social studies:  History for 11th grade may include modern or European history. It might also include civics, U.S. Government, or economics (micro- or macro-). For classical homeschoolers, high school juniors will typically cover the Renaissance and Reformation. Math:   Algebra II or geometry are typically covered in 11th grade  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ whichever the student didn’t study in 10th. Other alternatives may include accounting, consumer math, or business math. These alternatives are typically not for college-bound students. Students may also be taking dual-enrollment courses. Science:  High school juniors generally take chemistry or physics in 11th grade since the necessary math pre-requisites have been met. What are the course requirements for 12th grade? Finally, the typical course of study for 12th grade includes: English:  Again, the basics are the same  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ covering age-appropriate grammar, mechanics, vocabulary, literature, and composition. Students in 12th   grade will hone their  skills  writing research papers. Literature will likely be British Lit, including Shakespeare. Social studies:  Many high school seniors will have completed all the required courses for social studies. Additional courses may be taken as electives and could include psychology,  sociology, or philosophy. Classical homeschoolers will likely finish their high school years with  modern history. Math:  Senior math may include options such as pre-calculus, calculus, trigonometry, or statistics. Students may also be taking dual-enrollment courses. Science:  Many high school seniors will have completed all the required course for science. Some may choose to take courses such as physics,  advanced biology, or advanced chemistry. Others may choose to take non-traditional courses such as marine biology. Addition Courses of Study for 9th  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 12th Grade In addition to the core classes, your high school student will need to take some miscellaneous required courses (as determined by potential colleges, your state’s homeschool requirements, or your own graduation requirements), along with some electives.Other required classes may include: HealthPhysical educationForeign language (typically two years of the same language)Government and/or civicsEconomicsPersonal financeElectives (6 or more credits are usually expected.) Electives can be almost anything, which makes them an excellent option for continuing interest-led learning. My teens have completed courses such as art, photography, computer programming, drama, speech, writing, and home economics. These course requirements are intended as a guideline only. Your chosen curriculum may follow a different course outline, your state’s requirements may vary, or your student’s post-graduation plans may dictate a different course of study.

Analysis of the personal computers market from the microeconomics` Essay

Analysis of the personal computers market from the microeconomics` perspective - Essay Example A great number of competing producers There are many competing producers waiting for their chance towards competitive advantage, leading to the exploitation of price that could offer more significant customers’ advantage. This is based on the idea of Porter that the overall cost leadership could lead to competitive advantage because its bottom line is about the ability of each producer to set a competitive price for their actual product or service offering (Porter, 1998). As the competition increases, more producers are capable of offering their products or services at a remarkably lower price just to ensure their competitive edge and to guarantee a fundamental market share. This significantly happens in the market for personal computers. To cite an instance, it is not only Apple Incorporated that has the potential to produce personal computer products, but there are other companies around the world of the same industry, both local and international that are also capable of pr oducing the same offerings and present them at lower prices. Based on the concept of the law of demand, a lower price is enticing from the point of view of customers. Thus, it is a natural market response to increase their demand especially for products that are of greater value for them and set at lower prices. According to law of demand, customers tend to find substitute products just to enjoy the benefit of acquring low prices. On the other hand, the price should therefore be obviously lower in the case of products with high volume of supply. This idea is relevant to the associated concept of the law of supply. In other words, the market for personal computer because of a healthy... This paper primarily focuses on the process of price formation in the personal computers industry under the condition of free market. Both laws of demand and supply are under consideration. In this paper, there is an critical analysis of the important factors that are actually contributing to the downward fall of the market price for personal computers even in the midst of increasing demand for them. The dynamic changes in today’s economy leads to the increasing demand for various technologies. This connects us to the prevailing requirement for personal computers. The business for making personal computers would therefore make sense and this is the reason why many producers try to surface from time to time and even create vibrant improvements. The law of supply states that when there is a higher price involved, producers are more willing to produce more, and less if the associated price is low The law of demand on the other hand states that the demand for a product or service offering is higher if people could afford it through a lower price, which means they are not more likely to buy something with a higher price, provided nothing changes As the demand for personal computers increases, the market price decreases because this could be clearly due to the increase of supply linked up with the great number of competing producers that are capable of adjusting the final price of their actual product offerings, leaving the advantage to the target customers. The laws of demand and supply effects on the computer prices are illustrated in the figures in the article.