Hi everyone! My name is Sean Diana, and I have been at Grand Canyon University for 10 years. For the past seven years, I’ve had the privilege of teaching UNV 104. If you need to reach me, feel free to connect through the Individual Forum, send me an email at sean.diana@gcu.edu, or give me a call at 602-639-7144. I’m here to support you, so if you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out. Your success is my success, and I’m excited to work with you for these seven weeks. Everyone is getting an A, just watch my videos!
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) can enhance the learning process but requires ongoing human discernment. Tools like ChatGPT can help generate ideas, provide insights, and increase efficiency on repetitive or tedious tasks. However, AI should be viewed as providing a useful starting point, not a final product, and as an enhancement tool under human guidance, not as a replacement for human judgment. The AI Resource Center serves to be a hub for information and guidance to consider before using generative artificial intelligence. You are encouraged to educate yourself on the following to avoid potentially negative consequences that could result from uninformed use of AI.
APA formatting is a set of rules for structuring your Word document when writing research papers to make them easy to read and understand. It ensures consistency in everything, from citing sources to organizing the paper. When writing for peer-reviewed journals, using APA helps ensure that research is clear, reliable, and gives proper credit to other scholars. It acts as a universal guide, making it easy to share and build on ideas in a straightforward way.
A reference page in APA 7th edition style is the section at the end of a research paper where all the sources you cited throughout the text are listed in detail. This allows readers to find and verify the original sources. The reference page must follow specific formatting guidelines to maintain consistency.
A hanging indent is used in APA 7th edition for reference list entries to create a clear visual distinction between the beginning of each citation and its continuation. This format helps readers quickly identify the authors and locate specific sources, making the reference list more organized and easy to navigate.
In-text citations are brief references in the body of a paper that direct readers to the full citation in the reference list. You should have a full citation for each intext citation that your have in your Reference page. They give credit to the original sources of information, ideas, or quotes that you're using. In APA style, in-text citations are used for both direct quotes and paraphrasing.
In this course, you will be required to write a five-paragraph expository essay due in Week 6. Don't worry, each week I will provide you with the resources you will need to build your paper. This week's assignment is foundational to the course.
You will choose a topic question from the Brainstorming Assignment and identify three subtopics that answer your chosen topic question. You will use the GCU library to do a Boolean search for peer-reviewed sources on these subtopics. You will always format your writing using APA 7th Edition. (see videos below) If you watch my videos and download my resources each week you will get an A! Everyone is getting an A!
This assignment is the foundation of the course and you will use the sources that you find in this assignment to revise each week and finally write a final paper in week 6. Please watch this video to guide you step by step to finding the best sources and how to get an A.
Please refer to these resources to get an A!
This week, you will use the three sources that you found in Week 1 to write a summary of each, and explain how your subtopics/keywords correlate to your topic question. Don't forget to include your APA reference see the video above.
Please refer to these resources to get an A!
Annotated Reference List Worksheet (docx)
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This week, you will begin outlining your rough draft. Be sure to include a hook, a thesis statement, and supporting details, that you found in your sources, and make sure to paraphrase your sources, adding in-text citations.
Hint: Keep your thesis statement clear and concise. For example: "Three impacts of bullying on children are increased suicide risk, lower academic achievement, and a higher likelihood of school shootings.
For your essay, you will need to paraphrase information from your sources. Paraphrasing is the act of rewording or rephrasing a text or passage in your own words while maintaining the original meaning. It's useful for simplifying complex information, avoiding plagiarism, and showing that you understand the content. Unlike summarizing, which condenses the text, paraphrasing retains the same level of detail but with different wording. You should have only one source in your final essay.
This week, you will be writing your first draft. Be sure to include an introductory paragraph with your thesis statement as the last sentence. Write three body paragraphs that support your three subtopics and address your topic question, including in-text citations in each paragraph. Conclude with a paragraph that summarizes your thesis statement, and finally, include a reference page with your sources correctly formatted in APA style, using a hanging indent. Make sure to look at the example.
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