Post on 29-Dec-2015
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Agenda
First person or personal pronouns: I, me, my
• Appropriate uses
• Inappropriate uses
Bias
• Objectivity
• Ways to avoid bias
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Use of First Person: Background
Allowed by both Walden and APA
Section 3.09 in APA Manual
Walden Handbook, p. 176, 178
Only when appropriate
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When to Use the First Person
Avoid “the author” and “the researcher”
• The author talked to the principal.
→ I talked to the principal.
• The researcher will develop a management plan.
→ I will develop a management plan.
• The author sent the surveys to the participants.
→ I sent the surveys to the participants.
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After-school programs can be essential to students’ physical fitness, as well as their education. Gortmaker (2012) found that when physical fitness was integrated with after-school programs, students’ activity levels increased by 10 minutes. The researcher will use this model to implement a similar program in the researcher’s school district. By continuing the author’s focus on physical fitness in educational after-school programs, the author will show the effectiveness of integrating the two focuses.
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After-school programs can be essential to students’ physical fitness, as well as their education. Gortmaker (2012) found that when physical fitness was integrated with after-school programs, students’ activity levels increased by 10 minutes. I will use this model to implement a similar program in my own school district. By continuing Gortmaker’s focus on physical fitness in educational after-school programs, I will show the effectiveness of integrating the two focuses.
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When to Use the First Person
• This paper will examine…
→ In this paper, I will examine…
• This section will explore…
→ In this section, I will explore…
Avoid Anthropomorphism:
Attributing human actions to nonhuman things.
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When to Use the First Person
→ I will do this…
→ I will show that…
→ I will summarize this…
→ I will conclude with…
To explain what you will do or show in a paper.
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When to Use the First Person
• A healthcare initiative will be suggested.
→ I will suggest a healthcare initiative.
• Three education theories will be analyzed.
→ I will analyze three education theories.
• Ways that time will be managed will be
explained by me.
→ I will explain ways that I will manage my
time.
Avoid
Passive
voice:
Emphasis
on the
object, not
subject, of a
sentence.
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This section explores the theories of positivism, functionalism, and social construction, after which their applicability to national health care will be analyzed. The author also compares these theories to her hospital, illustrating that functionalism is most appropriate for this organization.
Putting It All Together What parts of this paragraph would you revise? (Choose all that apply!)
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Putting It All Together
In this section I explore the theories of positivism, functionalism, and social construction, after which I analyze their applicability to national health care. I also compare these theories to my hospital, illustrating that functionalism is most appropriate for my organization.
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Inappropriate Use of First Person
Instead, ground your statements in logic and
evidence.
Opinions: Using “I think”, “I believe,” or “I feel”
statements and failing to use evidence to support ideas.
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I feel that public policymakers’ reluctance to
tackle global warming shows how beholden
they are to the corporate interests.
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The public should analyze policymakers’
motivations regarding global warming. As Walker
(2012) found, U.S. public policymakers who
oppose efforts to limit global warming tended to
receive significantly more in campaign
contributions from energy companies than their
peers.
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I found several studies (Marks, 2011; Isaac,
2005; Stuart, 2012) that pointed to the
consumption of white bread as a possible
cause of certain cancers.
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Results of several recent studies (Marks,
2011; Isaac, 2005; Stuart, 2012) suggested
a link between white bread consumption and
certain cancers.
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Objectivity and Avoiding Bias
Objectivity is
• The standard for social science publication
• Different from non-academic sources
Objectivity is not
• Passionless or robotic
• Missing your voice
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Objectivity and Avoiding Bias
Maintain objectivity by
Using the first person appropriately
Avoiding bias in your writing
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Bias: Working Definition
Bias: According to APA (2010), “scientific writing must
be free of implied or irrelevant evaluation of the
group or groups being studied” (p. 233).
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Avoiding Bias
• People from Tennessee are obsessed with football.
→ Many Tennesseans are avid fans of football (Manning, 2009).
Generalizations: Statements that oversimplify a
situation or ignore outliers, sometimes called “blanket
statements”.
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Avoiding Bias• Third-grade boys are chronically
disruptive, while the girls are always eager to please.
→ In Clooney’s (2008) study of Kansas City third-graders, 35% of the boys and 68% of the girls were able to complete instructions for a tedious assignment without showing signs of agitation.
Using
Evidence:
Answer the
question Says
who? or
According to
who? for your
reader.
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Avoiding Bias
• Assumptions about professions
• Beliefs about specific populations
• Preference for familiar people/situations
• Over sympathizing
Awareness of Background: Know what biases you
bring to the discussion. Ask what influences your
perception of ideas and situations.
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Why Avoid Bias?
• Don’t want to offend your reader
• Want your reader to see you as an authority
• Want to be, and appear to be, open-minded
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Further Suggestions
Use preferred labels
Avoid objectification and slurs
Use people-first language
• Autistic person
→ Person with autism
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Resources Detailed APA guidelines:
– Point of view (APA 3.09)
– Gender (APA 3.12)– Racial and Ethnic
Identity (APA 3.14)– Disabilities (APA 3.15)– Age (APA 3.16)– Guidelines for
Unbiased Language at www.apastyle.org
Point of view Passive voice Scholarly voice Anthropomorphism
and expression Academic writing blog
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