academic-writing-aba

# Academic Writing for Behavior Analysis Writing for behavior analytic journals requires precise behavioral language, rigorous adherence to APA formatting, and specific conventions for reporting single-subject research. This skill covers manuscript preparation for JABA, BAP, and related journals. ## APA 7th Edition Essentials for ABA Papers ### General Formatting - **Font**: 12-point Times New Roman, Calibri 11pt, or Arial 11pt. - **Margins**: 1 inch on all sides. - **Spacing**: Double-spaced throughout, including references and figure captions. - **Page numbers**: Top right corner on every page. - **Running head**: Shortened title (50 characters max) at top left of every page. ### Heading Levels - **Level 1**: Centered, Bold, Title Case (e.g., Method) - **Level 2**: Left-aligned, Bold, Title Case (e.g., Participants and Setting) - **Level 3**: Left-aligned, Bold Italic, Title Case (e.g., Interobserver Agreement) - Most ABA papers use Levels 1–3. Deeper nesting is rarely needed. ### In-Text Citations - One author: (Smith, 2020) - Two authors: (Smith & Jones, 2020) - Three or more: (Smith et al., 2020) — from the first citation onward in APA 7th. - Narrative: Smith et al. (2020) demonstrated that... ### Reference List - Alphabetical by first author's last name. - Hanging indent (0.5 inch). - Include DOI as a hyperlink when available: https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx ## JABA Manuscript Structure ### Title Page - Full title: concise, informative, includes the IV and DV. - Author names and institutional affiliations. - Author note with ORCID, correspondence address, and disclosures. - Example title: "Effects of Functional Communication Training on Aggression During Academic Tasks for Children With Autism" ### Abstract - 150–250 words (check journal-specific limits). - Structured or unstructured depending on journal requirements. - Include: purpose, participants, design, primary findings, and implications. - Keywords: 3–5 terms below the abstract. ### Introduction - Opening paragraph: Establish the clinical or applied significance of the topic. - Literature review: Concise synthesis of relevant prior research. - Rationale: Identify the gap and explain how this study addresses it. - Purpose statement: Clear statement of what this study will examine. - Do not over-review—JABA introductions are typically 3–5 pages. ### Method #### Participants and Setting - Describe each participant: age, gender, diagnosis, relevant skills, relevant history. - Describe the setting: physical environment, materials, staffing. - Use pseudonyms. Never use real names or identifiable information. #### Materials - Assessment tools, intervention materials, data collection systems. #### Response Measurement and IOA - Operational definitions of all dependent variables. - Measurement procedures. - IOA method, percentage of sessions assessed, mean and range. #### Experimental Design - Name and describe the specific single-subject design. - Justify design selection briefly. #### Procedure - **Baseline**: Describe exactly what occurred during baseline. - **Intervention**: Describe each component with replication precision. - **Additional phases**: Maintenance, generalization, follow-up. #### Treatment Integrity - Describe the integrity checklist. - Report percentage of sessions assessed, mean integrity, and range. ### Results - Organize by dependent variable or by participant, depending on the design. - Describe the visual analysis systematically: - Within-condition: level, trend, variability for each phase. - Between-condition: change in level, change in trend, immediacy, overlap. - Report specific data: "During baseline, aggression occurred at a mean rate of 4.2 responses per minute (range: 2.8–5.6). Following introduction of FCT, aggression decreased to a mean of 0.3 responses per minute (range: 0–0.8)." - Reference figures: "Figure 1 displays the frequency of aggression across all phases for each participant." - Report effect sizes if calculated. - Report social validity data. ### Discussion - **Summary of findings**: Brief restatement of primary results. - **Relation to prior literature**: How do findings compare to existing studies? - **Clinical implications**: What do results mean for practitioners? - **Limitations**: Be honest and specific. Every study has limitations. - **Future directions**: What should be studied next? - Keep discussion proportional to results—typically 3–5 pages. ## Writing Style for Behavior Analysis ### Use Precise Behavioral Language - Say "reinforcement" not "reward." - Say "contingency" not "consequence system." - Say "discriminative stimulus" not "cue" or "trigger" (unless defining for a lay audience). - Say "establishing operation" or "motivating operation" not "drive" or "need." - Say "response" or "behavior" not "action" or "choice" (when describing operant behavior). ### Avoid Mentalistic Explanations Behavior analysts describe behavior in terms of environmental variables, not internal states. | Avoid | Use Instead | |-------|-------------| | "The child wanted attention" | "Aggression was maintained by social positive reinforcement (attention)" | | "She felt frustrated" | "Problem behavior increased during high-demand conditions" | | "He chose to cooperate" | "Compliance occurred on 90% of trials" | | "The student was motivated" | "The establishing operation for the reinforcer was in effect" | ### Be Specific, Not Vague | Vague | Specific | |-------|---------| | "The intervention was effective" | "Aggression decreased from a mean of 5.2 to 0.4 per session" | | "Participants made progress" | "All three participants met the mastery criterion within 15 sessions" | | "Results were mixed" | "Two of three participants showed decreases greater than 80%; the third showed a 40% decrease" | ## Reporting Single-Subject Results ### Describing Visual Analysis in Text Follow a systematic format for each participant: 1. Baseline description: level, trend, variability. 2. Intervention introduction: immediacy of change, direction of change. 3. Intervention data: level, trend, variability. 4. Replications: describe the pattern across reversals or tiers. 5. Summary statement about functional relationship. ### Presenting Graphs - **Line graphs** are standard for single-subject data. - Each participant or tier gets a separate panel (stacked vertically for multiple baseline). - Phase change lines: solid vertical lines. - Data paths: connected within phases, not across phase lines. - Axis labels: clear, with units of measurement. - Legends: only if multiple data series are on one panel. - Follow JABA graph formatting guidelines precisely. ### Reporting IOA and Integrity Present in the Method section with specific numbers: "Interobserver agreement was assessed during 33% of sessions across all conditions. Agreement was calculated using trial-by-trial IOA. Mean agreement was 96% (range: 90%–100%). Treatment integrity was assessed on 30% of sessions. Mean integrity was 94% (range: 88%–100%)." ## Common Reviewer Concerns | Concern | How to Address | |---------|---------------| | Insufficient replication | Ensure 3+ demonstrations of effect at 3+ time points | | Baseline instability | Extend baseline until stable or counter-therapeutic trend | | Missing IOA or integrity data | Assess on 20–33% of sessions across all conditions | | Generalizability | Include generalization probes; discuss limitations honestly | | Social validity not assessed | Include consumer satisfaction or clinical significance measures | | Unclear operational definitions | Provide examples/non-examples; test with IOA | | Magnitude of effect unclear | Report quantitative effect sizes alongside visual analysis | ## Writing for BAP BAP emphasizes practitioner relevance with a shorter format: - Total manuscript: 15–25 pages including references. - More emphasis on clinical implications and how-to guidance. - Still requires rigorous methodology if presenting data. - Practice-focused reviews, tutorials, and clinical demonstrations are welcomed. ## Submitting to Journals ### Cover Letter - Address the editor by name. - State the manuscript title and that it is being submitted for consideration. - Briefly describe the study's significance and fit with the journal. - Confirm that the manuscript is original, not under review elsewhere, and all authors approved submission. ### Responding to Reviews - Respond to every comment, even if you disagree. - Organize your response point-by-point, mirroring the reviewer's structure. - When you agree: describe what you changed and where. - When you disagree: provide a respectful, evidence-based rationale. - Make it easy for the editor: be clear, concise, and specific. ## Key References - American Psychological Association. (2020). *Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association* (7th ed.). - Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. (n.d.). *Author guidelines*. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19383703 - Bailey, J. S., & Burch, M. R. (2017). *Research Methods in Applied Behavior Analysis* (2nd ed.). Routledge.