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20 Suggestions for Flawless Academic Writing (APA Version)

by Andy Wood on January 23, 2012

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Tucked away in dozens of archived folders on my computer are literally thousands of works of art or horror stories – all in the form of academic papers.  I have been blessed to teach some of the most extraordinary researchers and writers on the planet.  I have also had that fingernails-on-the-chalkboard experience of reading some really bad stuff.  I thought I would go off the reservation a little today to share with you what I have learned from the best of the best and the worst of the worst.

Regardless of whether you are just starting to college or about to graduate with an advanced degree, you will not succeed in online education (or classroom either, for that matter) beyond your ability to write effectively.  Moreover, there is a massive difference between speaking English and writing it in a formal setting.  If a professor ever tells you that you write like you talk, they aren’t giving you a compliment.  Academic writing is a formal setting.  (This post is not.)  I make my living doing both.  If I spoke the same way I write in formal settings, I’d be stuffy and boring.  If I wrote the same way I talk conversationally or when I preach, I would butcher the King’s English and my paper would be filled with colloquialisms, contractions, sweeping statements that had little or no support, and at times poor grammar.

Here are some specific suggestions for writing success with any academic writing that uses the APA style manual (no, “APA” does not stand for “American Psycho Association,” though sometimes you may wonder).  You may need to adjust this for different formats (or different teachers with different hot buttons). [click to continue…]

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Satisfaction, Surprises, and Celebrations in 2011

by Andy Wood on January 1, 2012

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A year ago at this time I found myself reading and hearing a lot of people emotionally drop-kicking 2010 to the curb.  “Good riddance!” they all said.  “What a sorry year!  Here’s hoping 2011 will be better.”

I haven’t checked yet this year.  Who knows?  Maybe that’s what you’re supposed to say so that the first of January feels even more exciting and hopeful.  I just found myself really surprised by all that for some reason.

Don’t get me wrong.  I saw plenty of reasons to howl at the moon about how awful things were.  But I also plenty of other reasons to look back with gratitude and – dare I say it? – satisfaction.

I decided to be more proactive this year.  Believing that 2012 is going to be an extraordinary year, I spent a little time looking back at the past 12 months and sharing a few lists of things that helped shape my heart and my world.

But first, let me tell you a very quick story that captures the essence of this year for me.  A few months ago I was out driving in the middle of nowhere on a fall West Texas day.  It was about 4:30 in the afternoon. Just off the highway, to the right, I saw three does feeding.  I was surprised to see them out this early, but enjoyed the scene.

A couple of miles ahead, this time on the left, a saw a deer’s backside pointed at me as it was grazing beside the road.  “Oh,” I thought, “another doe.”  Raising its head, this is what I saw: [click to continue…]

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What Did You Say Was That Baby’s Name?

by Andy Wood on December 23, 2011

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Our family came back to the pick-a-name zone recently.  And that always comes with a reminder.  Despite our best intentions and denials, we here in the West look at names for the most part as that – names.  Something to holler to pick your kid out in a crowd. Something of a heritage to carry along to the next generation.  Something to give meaning when we want it to.

Otherwise, it’s pretty much just a name.

Not so in the place where Jesus was born.  A person’s name was a reflection of his or her character, calling, and destiny.  And when their character, calling and destiny changed, so did their name.

That brings me to the first Christmas.  When the coming of Jesus was prophesied and announced, God was doing more than sending heavenly birth announcements.  He was declaring identity and revealing character.  And what Jesus was born to be, He still is.

In twelve different ways before and during the birth of that baby, God was saying to the world, “I love you.” And this Christmas, He’s still declaring it. [click to continue…]

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Lessons from the Rooftop

by Andy Wood on October 26, 2011

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Perspective is important, and it’s very helpful to change it every once in a while.  Just remember, a different perspective doesn’t always mean a better one.

People in certain parts of the world have their own built-in (literally) perspective changers – they live in houses with flat roofs.  That includes people in the Bible.

I’m just thinking how cool it would have been to hear my mother say, “Go to your roof!”  She had her own ways of changing my perspective, though.  Whew!

Anyway, you can find a lot of action on the rooftops of certain biblical houses.  And some lessons along the way.  Here are some quick idea generators for you to learn from the perspective and example of others. [click to continue…]

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Let it Go

by Andy Wood on October 24, 2011

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My friend Cindy Hughlett wrote the following song, based on a true story, about a sensitive but timely issue.  The folks at Studio 84 Productions here in Lubbock produced the video.

You or someone you know is faced with the issue of bullying or abuse.  Please help me pass this important message along.

Meanwhile, I’m including the lyrics below.  And if you’d like to see more about Cindy’s latest album “Stories, Hope and Lullabies,” click here.  Cindy was the 2010 CGC Choice Award winner for Female Vocal Artist of the Year.

Make sure you watch all the way to the end… [click to continue…]

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Merry Christmas From the iBand

by Andy Wood on December 18, 2010

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Just because…

The North Point Folks have done it again, using just iPads and iPhones. Enjoy and share!

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The Squirrel Who Walked on Water

by Andy Wood on November 3, 2010

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The audio is a bit thin, but worth it…

Me: One day Jesus’ disciples got into a big boat.  And they began to go across the… water.  Can you say “water?”

Laura Kate:  Water

Me: When all of a sudden, the wind began to blow… whooohhhhhh.

LK: What’s that?

Me: It’s the wind blowing.  And the rain began to fall… whishhhhhhhhhhh.  And the thunder started to roll… plwwwwwwww. And the boat began to rock!  And the disciples were so…

(I’ll let LK take it from here…) [click to continue…]

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God Doesn’t Give Snakes When You Ask for Fish

by Andy Wood on October 22, 2010

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“He who is powerless before God is powerless before men” (Watchman Nee). 

On September 16, 2001, an amazing phenomenon took place in churches across the United States.  Civilians came out of their foxholes in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11.

And they were talking about God. 

On that day, in churches everywhere, they came looking for answers. 

Within a matter of weeks, however, things had settled down to business as usual.  Not long after, The Washington Times had a story that predicted that within a decade Americans would “invent” a religion of their own that met their needs.  The article said that when they revisited the places that had once nourished them, they didn’t find what they were looking for. 

Ouch.

To be fair, maybe they were looking for a place that let them have a god of their own making.  And the fact that people may try to invent a religion of their own doesn’t bother me – we’ve been doing that since Adam and Eve were escorted out of the Garden. 

What bothers me was that when they came to our house – the church – looking for answers, evidently something was missing.

What if they came to our house looking for answers, and we were just as confused as they were?

What if they came looking for life, and we were just as dead?  

What if they came looking for supernatural power – some evidence that God is still on the throne, still works miracles, and still has the power to change lives – and all they found was platitudes, programs, and politics? [click to continue…]

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The Royal Priests of Balkum

by Andy Wood on October 20, 2010

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On a county road in rural Alabama, in the heart of peanut country a long time ago, a unique, once-in-a-lifetime gathering of people took place.  It was about this time of year.  And I happened to be there.

It was a meeting of the Royal Priests of Balkum.  And I had been asked to address them.

Let me hasten to say that there wasn’t much about those in attendance that day that looked particularly royal.  Priestly either, for that matter.  There were some farmers, a few teachers, lots of retirees, some pastors, some homemakers, a missionary or two.

The program actually said “Henry County Baptist Association.”  The sign outside said, “Balkum Baptist Church.”  And I had been asked to speak on an assigned subject:  the priesthood of the believer.

They didn’t hear me groan.  But groan I did.  The “doctrinal sermon” they called it.  And this year’s doctrinal theme had become a denominational hot potato.

But duty called, and the Baptists of Henry County awaited.

And so did the Lord.

He was waiting on me to learn a priceless lesson. [click to continue…]

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Demands and Desires

by Andy Wood on October 6, 2010

in Uncategorized

(The Squeeze, Part 2)

In the previous post I introduced the idea of the squeeze – that when life comes calling or the world comes knocking and we get squeezed, whatever is on the inside comes flying out.  Specifically, when life or the world squeezes, two things quickly become evident – what’s in your character (your decisions) and what’s in your heart (your desires). 

That why Peter addresses this encouragement to a group of Christ followers who were living life in The Squeeze:

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good (1 Peter 2:1-3, NIV).

When Our Flesh Demands Relief

People who are hurting instinctively crave relief. 

NOW! 

Like Job, the tendency is to move from “Lord I’m trusting you for deliverance” to “Lord stop it now or explain yourself!

When we stubbornly hold onto the demand for God to change things, five kinds of behavior emerge. [click to continue…]

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