Formatting refers to the presentation and appearance of an essay. Formatting an essay results in a uniform layout that creates an appealing appearance to the entire essay. As a student, you might be concerned about how to format your work uniformly. However, you need not worry since several clearly outlined formatting guidelines dictate the layout and presentation of an essay.
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For instance, in a discussion post that requires you to format in APA, you should know how to do a discussion post in APA 7th Edition. A guideline on how to do a discussion post in APA 7th Edition will determine the layout of the start of the essay, the paragraphs, citations, and that the bibliographic references.
APA referencing style is a formatting technique for academic documentation and assignments that are commonly used in social and behavioral sciences. The APA referencing style provides guidelines to the writing style of the American Psychological Association (APA) which has been utilized by several academic publications. There have been several modifications to the writing guide which gives forth the edition, with the most recent edition being the 7th Edition. The 7th Edition has been numerously used in the presentation of journals, reports, essays, and discussion posts. Hence, this article intends to provide more insight on how to do a discussion post in APA format.
Table of Contents
What is a Discussion Post?
A discussion post refers to a piece that highlights opinions and ideas from a general point of view to more specific ideologies. Discussion posts form an integral part of online courses sine they help students transfer knowledge by articulating issues and networking. The documentation of a discussion post requires that you link your ideas to existing literature, examples, and practical work that exhibit solutions to the problem statement.
Similarly, a discussion post in an online class requires that you provide your findings on the prompt provided in the discussion board post by the instructor. The instructions dictate the layout and presentation of the discussion post. For instance, if it is required in APA format, you should know how to do a discussion post in APA 7th Edition. This article gives a clear description of how to write a discussion response in APA format.
How do you Reply to a Discussion Post in APA 7?
Most students are often inquiring on how to write a discussion post response. The best way to respond to a discussion board post is by understanding the requirements of the prompt provided by the instructor. Once you understand the prompt, you should conduct intensive research on the topic of discussion and provide relevant findings, analysis, and conclusions. All discussion posts must be provided using a layout dictated by the instructor. For this reason, mycoursebay.com provides guidelines on how to utilize different formatting techniques. This article solely aims at giving directives on how to do a discussion post in APA 7th Edition.
How to Write a Discussion Post in APA 7th Edition
Now that we clearly understand the essence of a discussion post , we can delve into how to do a discussion post in APA 7th Edition. This section aims at answering the most common question by online students, “How do you write a discussion post in APA format?” Most students often turn to the APA citation generator for assistance. However, you need to worry no more! Expert writers at mycoursebay.com have provided a cheat sheet on how to do a discussion post in APA 7th Edition. Below is a guide on how to write the APA format for discussion questions.
How to Cite A Class Discussion APA
a) In-Text Citations
The 7th edition of the APA referencing style is in the (author/date) system, meaning all in-text citations should consist of the author’s surname and year of publication.
The general format of the APA 7TH Edition includes:
- The surname of the author(s)
- Year of publication
- Details enclosed in round brackets
For example:
(Jack & Jill, 2019)
As seen above, the surnames of the authors have been separated from the year of publication by a comma, with all information enclosed in round brackets.
b) Referencing List
As an academic rule, you must provide full information of all the in-text citations provided in your essay. The primary goal of the referencing list is to acknowledge the sources of information and assist the reader to easily access the source. This way, the reader can easily follow up the sources for additional data on the subject matter. Consequently, it is always important to organize the referencing list systematically.
The 7th Edition Referencing list requires that you:
- Provide the references on a separate new page
- Include a centered heading that readers: References
- Ensure that all references are alphabetically listed (from A to Z) by the name of the author(s)
- List all sources with no author’s name under the first weighty word of its title
- Ensure that you indent the 2nd and subsequent lines of each item provided in the list
- Double-space the referencing list
- Ensure to include a full stop on all entries except when the entry ends with a DOI of URL.
Referencing a Book in APA 7th Edition
As mentioned earlier, it is important to include acknowledgment for the sources of information used to compile your work. When providing a referencing list in APA format, you should include the following:
- The name of the author(s): Start with the surname and follow with initials of the first names
- The year of publication (provided in brackets)
- The title of the book
- Edition number provided in brackets (if the edition is other than the first edition)
- The publisher of the book
- In case there is a DOI, ensure to include it
- Ensure to indent the second and subsequent line of each entry (indent of 5-7 spaces)
For example Curtis, B. N. (2016). The Awakening Light (2nd ed.).
Referencing a Journal Article in APA 7th Edition
According to the 7th Edition of the APA referencing styles, all entries of journal articles in the referencing list should be provided in the following format:
- The name of the author(s): Start with the surname and follow with initials of the first names
- Year of publication (provided in brackets)
- Title of the article
- Title of the journal (provided in italics)
- The volume of the journal (provided in italics)
- The issue of the journal (WITHOUT the italics)
- Provide the pages of the article within the journal
- In case there is a DOI, ensure to include it in form of a hyperlink
- Ensure to indent the second and subsequent line of each entry (ident of 5-7 spaces)
For example:
Curtis, D. (2018). Fiscal Measures: An Adjustment of the Economic Trends. Measures introduced by the government to stabilize the economy, 35(7), 23-27.
How do you Paraphrase in APA 7th Edition?
The 7th Edition of the APA referencing provides a guideline on how to effectively and correctly cite paraphrases.
Paraphrasing refers to the process of presenting ideas or information by another author using your own words. As an academic rule, you must acknowledge the source of the information, otherwise, the act might be considered plagiarism. Therefore, to ensure that you provide credits to the original source of the information, including the author’s surname and the year of publication. This could be done in two ways;
Indicating the author’s surname and the year of publication together in round brackets i.e., (Curtis, 2018)
OR
In case the author’s surname has been mentioned in the sentence, the year of publication is indicated in round brackets next to the surname of the author i.e., Curtis (2018) …
It is important to note that citing paraphrased work in a discussion post can be done in different ways as described below:
Citations at the Beginning of a Sentence:
Curtis (2018) highlights the main factors affecting economic stability by presenting and analyzing the results obtained from the 2017 EcoPoll.
Citations in the Middle of a Sentence:
The main factors affecting economic stability (Curtis, 2018) as presented by the 2017 EcoPoll has had a huge impact on the country’s current economic trends.
Citations At The End Of A Sentence:
The main factors affecting economic stability as presented by the 2017 EcoPoll have had a huge impact on the country’s current economic trends (Curtis, 2018).
In other instances, citations can be provided in a way that emphasizes either the author or the information provided by the author. This can be done as follows:
Citations that Emphasized the Author:
In his analysis, Curtis (2018) highlights the main factors affecting economic stability by presenting and analyzing the results obtained from the 2017 EcoPoll.
Citations that Emphasize the Ideas of the Author:
The main factors affecting economic stability as presented by the 2017 EcoPoll have had a huge impact on the country’s current economic trends (Curtis, 2018).
Addition of Page Numbers in the Paraphrased Work:
Even though the 7th Edition of APA referencing style does not necessitate the use of page numbers, you can decide to include the page numbers in complex and lengthy papers.
According to the 2017 EcoPoll, several factors have led to the economic stability experienced in the country during the last three years (Curtis,2018, p 33).
In case you have provided a direct quote, ensure that you include the paragraph or page number in the in-text citation. See the example below:
(Jack & Jill, 2019, pp 87-99)
Referencing Direct Quotes In APA 7th Edition
According to academic guidelines, it is okay to quote an author directly with not more than 40 words as long as you acknowledge the original source of the information. For example:
- Narrative quote
A narrative quote occurs where the surname of the author is mentioned in the sentence.
Curtis (2018) uses the 2017 EcoPoll to present and analyze how “different factors have led to the economic and political instability witnessed in the country for the last two years” (p. 34).
- Parenthetical quote
A parenthetical quote occurs where the citation details are included in the parenthesis after the quote.
For example:
Different factors have led to the economic and political instability witnessed in the country for the last two years” (Curtis, 2018, p 34).
In case you are using more than 40 words to directly quote the original source of information; ensure you start the quote on a new line with an indent of 1 cm from the left. In this case, you must double-space the work and may not need to use the quotation marks.
For example:
Economic instability has been mainly caused by bank panics that hit the country:
“An analysis of the 2017 EcoPoll highlights how different factors have led to the state of economic instability witnessed in the country for the last two years. Among the major factors that have contributed to the great depression is the banking panic that led to bank customers withdrawing money from banks. As a result, the situation led to failures on the existent banks which translated to decreased business investment and consumer spending.” (Curtis, 2018, p 34)
N.B. You could opt to use the number of the paragraph if the page number is not available.
Referencing Quotes and Ellipses ‘…’
Sometimes, you could decide to use ellipses when indicating that some words by the author have been omitted. However, according to the APA guidelines, the use of ellipses is not permitted. You can only include the ellipses if and only if the original sources present ellipses.
Guidelines for Citing Figures and Tables
Tables refer to the representation of texts and numerical values in columns and rows.
Figures refer to the visual representation of information such as photographs, drawings, maps, and charts.
In case your discussion post requires that you add tables and graphs, ensure that you:
- Provide an explanation for all tables and figures in the body of your text
- Number all visual presentation of information in the order in which they appear in the body of the text
- Refer to the visual representations according to how you have numbered them
- All tables and figures must be accompanied by a brief title that provided a concise explanation of the aim of the representation. The title is written Title Case and italicized.
- In case you ae using a visual representation obtained from a different source, ensure that you acknowledge the source of the original item. This acknowledgment/attribution should be provided just below the representation and presented in Note.
- In case you have more explanations on the representation, ensure that you provide them before the attribution or acknowledgment.
Example:
The attribution or citation for a figure produced from an Open Access journal article with a Creative Commons license should include the following:
- ‘Adapted from’ in case you are adapting and ‘From’ in case you are reprinting
- The title of the original article is provided in the Title Case and enclosed with double quotation marks.
- By author(s). the initial of the author is provided first and followed by the surname
- Year of publication
- The title of the journal, provided in Title Case and italicized
- The page number of the representation as provided on the original source (in case there are no page numbers, add the paragraph number and the section headings)
- Include the URL and DOI and enclose them in round brackets
- Include the Creative Commons license
N.B.: If the visual representation is not Common Creatives or Open Access, you might need to seek permission from the owner of the information (copyright holder) before you adopt or reproduce a table or a figure. If permission is granted, the copyright permission statement should be included at the end of the Note.
Similarly, you must ensure that you include the figure in your referencing list as shown below.
Bien, Q. W., & Robbin, T. (2017). Fiscal Measures: An Adjustment of the Economic Trends. Measures introduced by the government to stabilize the economy. PLoS ONE, 17(6), Article e0238190.
Discussion Post of a Figure in a Different Source
A class discussion may need you to discuss a figure obtained from a different source (a figure that has not been reproduced). In this case, you must know how well to provide a citation without any violation of academic integrity. Ensure that you provide a figure number as it appears in the original source and makes an entry of the source in the referencing list.
The results of the 2017 EcoPoll results as outlined by Bien and Robbin (2017, Analysis section, Figure 2) highlights that…
Bien, Q. W., & Robbin, T. (2017). Fiscal Measures: An Adjustment of the Economic Trends. Measures introduced by the government to stabilize the economy. PLoS ONE, 17(6), Article e0238190.
How do you Cite a Secondary Source in APA 7th Edition?
In-Text Citation:
Ensure you identify the primary source and include “as cited in” then proceed to write the secondary source.
In case the year of publication is available, include it in the intext citation.
Referencing List
Ensure that you provide an entry of the secondary source in the referencing list.
How to Cite a Blog in APA 7th Edition?
When citing a blog post, it is important to include the author’s surname, the title of the post, and the URL. In case you are wondering how to cite a blog with no author – APA, then you can opt to use the screen name instead of the surname.
For in-text citations:
(Screen name or Author Surname, year of publication)
Referencing list:
Author’s Surname, Initials of given names. OR Author’s screen name {as provided by the blog}. (Date of publication). Title of the specific post. Site’s name. URL of the post.
The easiest way of citing a blog would be to use an APA blog citation generator or use the guidelines provided by mycoursebay.com.
N.B: Do not italicize the titles of online reading materials
FAQs on How to do a Discussion Post in APA 7th Edition
Q. How do you Write a Discussion Post?
The best way to respond to a discussion board post is by understanding the requirements of the prompt provided by the instructor. Once you understand the prompt, you should conduct intensive research on the topic of discussion and provide relevant findings, analysis, and conclusions. All discussion posts must be provided using a layout dictated by the instructor. For this reason,mycoursebay.com provides guidelines on how to utilize different formatting techniques. Our article provides guidelines on how to do a discussion post in APA 7th Edition.
Q. How do you Cite a Paragraph in APA 7th Edition?
The APA 7th Edition dictates the use of the author’s surname and the year of publication. mycoursebay.com provides detailed explanations on how to do a discussion post in APA 7th Edition. The explanations can work well with paragraphs of assignments of any kind.
Q. What is Different About APA 7th Edition?
The APA 7th Edition provides several updates that make the APA formatting style more reliable. The new edition recommends a different title page and the use of DOI in the referencing list. It is also worth noting that the “Running head” label in the 6th Edition is no longer in use.
Q. How Do You Cite a Post?
The above article by mycoursebay.com provides students with highlights on how to do a discussion post in APA 7th Edition. The best approach is to understand the prompt and conduct research for logical findings and discussions.
Q. What is a Good Discussion Question?
A good discussion question to a post highlights a discussion area that subjects students to critical thinking. Consequently, the respondent should demonstrate their understanding of the subject matter by correlating the concepts with real-life situations.
Sample Discussion Post in APA 7
Chrysler chose merger as a strategy in 1998 when it merged with Daimler, a German automobile
manufacturer. This merger was not successful. Why, in your view, did this merger fail?
Sample Initial Post
Class,
The merger between Chrysler and Daimler failed due to differences in organizational
culture. Within a merger of equals, the success hinges on combining the cultures involved,
integrating them, and generating a new, shared corporate culture (Kumar, 2019). Right from the
very first day, cultural differences made the post-merger-integration process harder.
The decision making at Daimler-Benz was methodical. On the other hand, creativity in
decision making at Chrysler was highly encouraged. Hollmann (2010) highlights that Chryslers
values were empowerment of employees, efficiency, and equal rights among all staff.
Conversely, Daimler-Benz’s culture was based on authority, centralized decision making, and
bureaucracy.
Moreover, compensation structures differed significantly. The American managers
received generous packages that were disapproved by their German counterparts (Hollmann,
2010). This created problems when an American manager was transferred to Germany and
gained twice as much as his new supervisor (Hollmann, 2010). Daimler-Chrysler’s management
addressed this challenge by fixing low base salaries and complementing them with high
performance-based incentives. The German and American working methods also created
problems in the merger—a lot of red tapes versus no red tapes. Americans preferred the trial-and-error method, while the Germans favored detailed plans and precise implementation of the
plans (Hollmann, 2010).
Finally, the organizational structures between the two countries varied significantly. Chrysler management was for the flat hierarchies, whereas the German favored the top-down
management. These differences resulted in the merger failure.
-Brittany
References
Hollmann, J., de Moura Carpes, A., & Beuron, T. A. (2010). The DaimlerChrysler merger–a cultural mismatch?. Revista de Administração da UFSM, 3(3), 431-440.
Kumar, B. R. (2019). Daimler–Chrysler Merger. In Wealth Creation in the World’s Largest Mergers and Acquisitions (pp. 349-354). Springer, Cham.
Sample Response
Brittany,
Thanks for sharing! You have great detail in your post about why the merge did not succeed.
Being that both companies were from different cultures caused a lot of conflict from the start.
Like you said Germany saw plans and precise implementation, whereas America was trial-and-
error method. To me before you sign a deal you should have these plans made and agreed before
you sign such a big deal.
Great post.
-Cindy
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