APA Writing Style, Social Media vs. Society, and Q&A with Dave Sholler

APA Format Video

In the video APA Style and Literature Searches, Tom Kluxen describes how to properly use APA format when writing a paper. Through the video he illustrates the layout of APA format which is, title page, abstract, body, and references.  Your title page should include, your title, name, school, and author note centered in the page. Next is your abstract page which is a broad summary of about 300 words describing what your entire paper is about. Followed by your body paragraphs which is where your core content will be that includes your research on the specific topic. The last page will be the references page, which will consist of all the sources you used to gather information put in alphabetical order.  A rule that applies to your whole paper is that your entire paper should be in serif font, size 12, and double spaced. Kluxen also explains the importance of intent citations and how to use them properly to avoid any and all plagiarism scandals. Personally I have never had to use APA format because I have used MLA all throughout my academic career. All this information is new to me and I intend to use my resources such as this video and the tutor center to ensure that I completely understand APA format, which in return will lead me to great success in my future assignments.

"The Social Dilemma"

Social media has become an everyday factor in majority of peoples lives. In the film "The Social Dilemma" it shows that social media may have a greater impact on peoples live than originally intended and argues that it is negatively effecting today and future society. The movie consists of interviews with social media employers who quit their jobs due to ethical reasons and they talk about the issues that come with social media. They explain that social media tracks everything you do such as, what posts like, how long you look at a post, how long you are on the app, and the list goes on and on. With all this information they gather on you, they are able to create and algorithm that can predict content that they think will interest you which will increase the time spent on that app. The more you engage on a specific social media platform, the more money they make. The former employers explain that the main goal of social media companies is to make a profit, despite the negative effects social media has been causing in society. Some negative effects that have come from social media are addiction, increase in suicide rates, and spreading of fake news. In the film it says that fake news spreads six times faster on Twitter than actual news on a news station. Fake news can propose a big threat to society that allows for people to misinformed and turn against each other. After watching this film it made me realize that social media does have positives to it, but it also poses as a big threat to society if it continues on the path its on now. It made me realize that social media is breaking away from being a helpful tool to connect with others and is now more manipulative and being used for the wrong reasons. With this knowledge I have now, it can better prepare me for my journey of becoming a teacher as I will use it for the way it was intended to be used for and not as what it has evolved to be. 

Q&A With Dave Sholler

My class was given the opportunity to engage in a Q&A with Stockton Alumni Dave Sholler who is Vice President for the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team.  Sholler came from an addiction household and knew that he wanted to strive and overcome this challenge and make his life better. Throughout the Q&A Sholler explained how interactions and networking played a big part in his career success and how it can effect the outcome of career reputations. Sholler argued that social media is a loaded gun that can hurt you if used incorrectly, but when its used for the greater good it can result in positive outcomes. Some of the damage that social media can do if used incorrectly he mentioned where tearing down your reputation and losing possible job opportunities. Two pieces of advice Sholler gave to avoid any social media scandals are don't post under the influence and don't post anything that can be interpreted as offensive. Some of the positives he touched on were it ables you to connect with people which allows you to build a network, job opportunities, and you are able to build a reputation that distinguishes you from others. Building off of the distinction of others, Sholler also mentioned how important first impressions are during the interview process. He stresses that its important to do your research about the company before interviewing and you have to offer something that no other candidate can offer. Taking all this information I learned from this Q&A with Dave Sholler, I will definitely use this as I enter the process of applying for teaching positions after college. I will also keep in mind his advice on how to stay away from any social media mishaps as I wish to keep a positive reputation as I enter the career field.

Final Thoughts

Overall, when it comes to writing a paper using APA format it is important to take note of the layout and how to properly cite to ensure you have done the paper correctly and have avoided plagiarism. Referring to handbooks or the tutoring center can help ensure success in this area. Social media has both positive and negative effects depending on how it's used. But we as a society have to come together at some point and ask ourselves, when do the negatives out way the positives?