Running head: 21 SKILLS I LEARNED IN WRITING IN A DIGITAL WORLD

Zearious Miller
21 Skills I Learned in Writing in a Digital World
Winston-Salem State University

21 SKILLS I LEARNED IN WRITING IN A DIGITAL WORLD

21 Skills I Learned in Writing in a Digital World

Throughout the first semester of class I can honestly say that I have learned a substantial
amount. From APA to photo editing, my class was taught the correct and efficient way to
execute writing tasks that will benefit us in the future. The knowledge I have learned from
Writing in a Digital World will transfer in to my other classes. I major in business administration
and I know that I am bound to write an APA format paper in my future classes. Knowing how to
construct one will definitely pay off. Video editing will help me in my future marketing classes.
1. What APA is used for
2. Title page etiquette
3. Running header
4. What not to do in APA
5. What to do
6. 6word memoirs
7. ICE
8. How to use hanging quotes
9. How to use ellipsis
10. How to use square brackets
11. How to use Snipping Tool
12. Licensing
13. Referencing
14. Core Grammar
15. Introduction
16. How to commas
17. Photo editing skills
18. Elements for design
19. Hanging quotes
20. Ordering
21. Using resources

21 SKILLS I LEARNED IN WRITING IN A DIGITAL WORLD

APA
APA stands for American Psychological Association and is commonly used in
psychology, education, and the social sciences (Cherry, 2011). Writing in a Digital World
requires us to learn both what to do and what not to do when writing in APA format. APA is
different from what most high school students are used to, it is a formal paper, and is typically
being introduced in college. It is a strict writing style that comes with rules and regulations that
limits creativity.
What to Do in APA
APA requires one to become disciplined and abide by the laws of APA style writing.
The guidelines consist of making sure that it is double spaced, consist of 12 point Times New
Roman font, and one should always include a title page. It should also include a separate page
for references; all references must be listed in alphabetical order, and in hanging indent. While
in Ms. Priest's class, I have had to do two essays using APA Format, which I scored fairly well
on, and yet, I still do not feel comfortable writing in APA. I have always written in Modern
Language Association style or MLA format, therefore APA format writing is foreign to me. I
still feel as though I have trouble with certain aspects of APA, such as grammar skills and
punctuation.
Disclaimer. One should always make sure that the paper is readable. The typical
audience for APA usually consists of scholars. One should be fluent and have acceptable word
choice. The writers voice is important as well, the audience should not only understand, but
actually want to listen to the reader. Organization is also key when writing a paper, the reader
should not be able to read and become confused due to disorganization.

21 SKILLS I LEARNED IN WRITING IN A DIGITAL WORLD

What Not To Do In APA

A formal paper such as APA, demands that one should not write in second person. The
last two papers I have written were in third person point of view. One should never use
conjunctions; I myself often make that mistake. I often used conjunctions when using MLA, it is
a habit that I must abandon. When writing a APA formatted paper it is important to stay
consistent, I have to make sure I keep the same amount of spacing throughout my essays. Once,
on my "The Rise of Graphene" essay, I put too much spacing in between two of my paragraphs;
Ms. Priest saw my mistake and told me to correct it. I try to learn from that
Experience and continue to watch my spacing.
Proof read. Writers often make the mistake of not having someone proof their paper.
"Four eyes are better than two and two heads are better than one," is a saying that I have always
said. That saying pertains to about everything I do, especially writing. Even if I feel as though I
have written the best paper in the world, I still feel that it is necessary to get someone else to
proof read over my paper. One should find someone with writing credentials to proof read over
their paper. There has been many time where I thought that I did not need to have my paper
proof read and ended up with many mistakes.
Picture and Video Editing
In Writing in a Digital World we did a few corresponding assignments revolving around
picture editing. We first had to create ten six word memoirs and create three images with one of
the six word memoirs within them. Then, we had to create images for all ten of the six word
memoirs. I worked hard on the assignment and got a good grade. After we created all ten images,
we had to produce a video using the images and music that correlates with the images in some

21 SKILLS I LEARNED IN WRITING IN A DIGITAL WORLD

way. I enjoyed that assignment most of all, it was a pleasure being able to express myself using
creativity.
Grammar
Before I was admitted in Writing in a Digital World, I was sure that my grammar skills
were excellent. I was soon proved wrong when we had to complete Core Grammar assignments.
Core Grammar taught me how to use brackets, colons, semicolons, and other punctuations I
rarely used during my high school career. Grammar is important in any professional
environment. No professional business man can become successful without knowing and using
proper grammar. I still have problems with my punctuations and other aspects of my grammar. I
plan on learning how to improve my grammar to the point where one can say that my writing is
exceptional.
Hill Hall Writing Center
Hill Hall, otherwise known as the student success center, is an environment for tutoring.
Whether it may be science, math, or writing; Hill Hall holds tutoring for all subjects. The writing
center is where I spend majority of my time; I often need help with my essays. Writing in a
Digital World introduced me to the Hill Hall writing center; it is where I attended a seminar on
how to use the writing center. I informed on what to do and what not to do in the writing center.
The writing center has tutor who can help anyone with their papers, power points, and just about
any project they may have a issue with.
Copy Right
Forgery is forbidden and is considered a crime; therefore I take precautions and cite my sources.
Copy Right laws require one to give credit to their sources. APA requires one to create a separate
page devoted to references. MLA does the same, but APA requires a different format when

21 SKILLS I LEARNED IN WRITING IN A DIGITAL WORLD

citing sources. Copy Right law pertains to everything including images. In Writing in a Digital
World we learned how to cite our sources for in APA format for images, books, articles, and
websites. The strict formatting requires one to write citations and references in a certain way.

21 SKILLS I LEARNED IN WRITING IN A DIGITAL WORLD

Reference
Cherry, (2011) " General Rules for APA Format: A Guide to APA Format and Style." Retrieved
from http://psychology.about.com/od/apastyle/a/apageneral.htm