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Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a question for the Writing Center? E-mail your questions to writingcenter@usm.maine.edu for a direct response. Frequently asked questions will be posted to this webpage.

What's all this emphasis on writing about? Every time I sign up for a class, whether it's psychology, history, or even biology, I'm being asked to write yet another paper... why not just give tests?

I'm worried about plagiarism. My professor says that if I do it, I'll get an F on my paper. How do I know if I've done it?

My instructor told me to write a paper using APA. What exactly does that mean?

I'm supposed to use MLA for my paper. What's that?

Q. What's all this emphasis on writing about? Every time I sign up for a class, whether it's psychology, history, or even biology, I'm being asked to write yet another paper... why not just give tests?
A. Good writing is good thinking. When you are asked to write a paper, you are actually being asked to process information, form educated opinions on that information, and communicate those opinions to an audience (your reader). This process helps you develop better critical thinking skills. Additionally, every professional career path requires some degree of skill in writing, whether compiling annual reports, case studies, or even simple correspondence. Your instructors want to ensure that you leave college with the skills you will need to be successful. Practice makes perfect.

Q. I'm worried about plagiarism. My professor says that if I do it, I'll get an F on my paper. How do I know if I've done it?
A. Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional use of another's work without proper documentation (here at LAC we most frequently use the APA style of documentation--see next question). The most extreme form of plagiarism involves handing in (or publishing) a paper that you didn't write and claiming it is yours. Most students run into plagiarism trouble when they fail to document quotations, paraphrases, or data. For a more detailed description, check Plagiarism under Research in the Writing Help Guides section of this web page.

Q. My instructor told me to write a paper using APA. What exactly does that mean?
A. APA is a style for documenting sources used by the American Psychological Association. This type of documentation is commonly used in the sciences and social sciences. APA format combines in-text parenthetical citation (Holmes, 1999, p. 10) listing the author's name, date of publication, and page from which you've taken a quote or paraphrase and a related entry in a works cited page at the end of your paper (Example: Holmes, G. (1999). The last woman across the trail. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.) APA eliminates the need for footnotes other than informative text notes. The system is fairly complex, with specific format rules for each type of source. For instance, a book is cited differently from a journal article, and a web site is cited differently from an on-line database. For more information, check the Research section under Writing Help Guides on this web page.

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