Using Direct Quotes, Essay Example

Abstract

The aim of activity 1 is to learn the basics of APA formatting and citing sources. The paper will use a peer-reviewed journal article related to organizational behavior to provide three direct quotes and three paraphrases according to the APA Style Manual. The paper will provide the evaluation of the resources and of the steps taken to research correct citation formats.

Activity 1

Correct citation is one of the basic elements of successful writing. It would be fair to say that no work can be considered successful, unless all external resources are properly cited and referenced in and after the text. APA is fairly regarded as one of the principal and the most popular citation styles, and it is the writer’s primary obligation to monitor the ongoing changes in APA requirements to various types of written assignments.

Using Direct Quotes

Direct Quote # 1

According to Mulki, Jaramillo and Locander (2009), the prevalence of business scandals has increased our focus on corporate ethical policies and especially on the practices of leaders. […] The demonstrated lack of ethical business conduct at the top of many corporations has seriously undermined the expectations that senior corporate officers take the lead in instituting ethical standards for the company. (p. 125)

Direct Quote # 2

Mulki, Jaramillo and Locander (2009) write that there is a general sentiment that organizational leaders can create an ethical climate by setting clear standards and holding employees accountable for following these standards. […] This has ample managerial implications because it taps into the specific actions that sales leaders can undertake to help develop an ethical climate where salespeople are happier with their jobs and willing to put forth the amount of effort needed to achieve higher performance. (p. 126)

Direct Quote # 3

“The nature of the job puts salespeople in situations rife with ethical dilemmas making them wish for clear corporate ethical standards to guide their behavior” (Mulki, Jaramillo & Locander, 2009, p. 128).

Paraphrases

Paraphrase # 1

Mulki, Jaramillo and Locander (2009) hypothesize that instrumental leadership will be positive related to ethical climate. The authors discuss instrumental leaders as those, who initiate organizational and ethical structures and provide specific directions to employees through task allocation, establishment of procedures, expectation setting, and effective rewards (Mulki, Jaramillo & Locander, 2009).

Paraphrase # 2

Mulki, Jaramillo and Locander (2009) created a sample of salespeople of a large pharmaceutical company in North America, who fulfilled a mission of persuading physicians to prescribe their company drugs. Corporate sponsorship significantly facilitated the process of data collection, and the survey package with a questionnaire, a postage paid return envelope and a letter signed by the researchers was sent to 572 salespeople (Mulki, Jaramillo & Locander, 2009).

Paraphrase # 3

Mulki, Jaramillo and Locander (2009) have proved ethical guidelines, open adherence to formal guidelines, and zero tolerance to unethical activities to be effective in influencing salespersons’ ethical behaviors in organizations. The authors found out instrumental leadership to be crucial for the implementation of an ethical climate in organizations, because the former sets clear boundaries of ethical behavior and helps salespeople avoid the feeling of skating on the thin ice when resolving complex ethical dilemmas (Mulki, Jaramillo & Locander, 2009).

Evaluation of the Resources

That correct citation is critically important for the success of any writing process is difficult to deny. The process of researching the principles of APA citation and referencing led me to believe that in any citation and in any referencing, the emphasis is usually made on details. Even a comma or a semi-column can predetermine the destiny of each particular reference or quote. In my research of APA Style, I had to apply to the resources available in our NCU Library. The guide to APA for electronic references and a video presentation altogether created a general vision of what it means to follow proper APA Style. Citing and paraphrasing peer-reviewed journal articles is not difficult because they contain all information necessary to make a citation/ quote/ paraphrase/ reference correct. Moreover, the PDF format in which they are presented make them look closer to a printed format, with page numbers, headings, and references included. Although NCU Library provides an extensive list of resources that can be useful in learning the basics of APA formatting and citing sources, I think that this is only the starting point on our way to perfect understanding of APA reference style.

References

APA. (2007). APA style guide to electronic references. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from http://www.ncu.edu.proxy1.ncu.edu/public_images/elrc/apa_manual/style_reference_2008.pdf

Harvard Graduate School of Education. (2010). APA exposed. Harvard Graduate School of Education. Presented by Wendy K. Mages. Retrieved from http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=apa_exposed

Mulki, J.P., Jaramillo, J.F. & Locander, W.B. (2009). Critical role of leadership on ethical climate and salesperson behaviors. Journal of Business Ethics, 86, 125-141. doi: 10.1007/s10551-008-9839-4