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PDF Interactive Approach To Writing Essays and Research Reports in Psychology 4Th Ed 4Th Edition Lorelle J Burton Ebook Full Chapter
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An interactive approach to
writing essays and research
reports in psychology
FOURTH EDITION | LORELLE BURTON
An interactive
approach to
writing essays and
research reports
in psychology
4TH EDITION
Lorelle J. Burton
Fourth edition published 2018 by
John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
42 McDougall Street, Milton Qld 4064
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
CONTENTS
About the author vi Sentence and paragraph length 37
Acknowledgements vii Using non‐discriminatory language 38
Checklist 40
CHAPTER 1 Key terms 40
Review questions 41
Where to begin 1 Applied activity 42
1.1 Introduction to APA style 2 Acknowledgements 42
Why research is reported 2
1.2 Essays versus research reports 3 CHAPTER 3
Structure of an essay 3
Sections of a research report 3 Critical thinking 43
1.3 Finding the right information 4 3.1 Critical thinking 44
Searching the literature 4 Scepticism 44
Using the library 5 Objectivity 44
Using the internet 6 Open‐mindedness 44
Evaluating the quality of information 3.2 Critically evaluating research 44
on the internet 8 Interpret and evaluate the research
1.4 Reviewing the literature 9 evidence 45
Reading articles 9 3.3 General tips on how to write
Note taking 9 critically 50
1.5 Academic integrity 10 Develop a balanced argument 50
Plagiarism 10 Logical flow of argument 51
Collusion 12 Checklist 53
Checklist 13 Key terms 53
Key terms 13 Applied activity 54
Internet activity 14 Internet activity 58
Applied activity 14 Acknowledgements 58
Acknowledgements 14
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 2
Essays 59
Writing in APA style 15 4.1 Basic steps in essay writing 60
2.1 Learning the mechanics of 4.2 Identifying the essay topic 61
APA editorial style 16 4.3 Sections of the essay 61
Punctuation 16 Title page 61
Spelling 21 Abstract 63
Capitalisation 22 Introduction 63
Abbreviations and acronyms 22 The essay body 64
Headings 23 Conclusion 66
2.2 Point form or seriation 25 Reference list 67
Anchors on a scale 27 Word limit 67
2.3 Numbers 27 Checklist 68
Footnotes 29 Key terms 69
2.4 Writing clearly and concisely 30 Applied activity 69
Grammar 30 Acknowledgements 69
2.5 Choosing your words carefully 36 Bad essay 70
Avoiding jargon 36 Good essay 74
Wordiness 36
CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 7
iv CONTENTS
8.4 Ordering the reference list 203 Starting on a new page 213
Special cases for ordering references 204 Ordering the pages 213
Checklist 205 Length 213
Key terms 205 9.3 Submitting your work 214
Internet activities 206 Cover sheets 214
Applied activities 206 Late assignments 214
Acknowledgements 207
Backup copies 214
CHAPTER 9 9.4 Constructive feedback 214
Checklist 216
How to end 208 Acknowledgements 216
9.1 Polishing your work 209
Revise and rewrite 209 Appendix 1 217
Proofread 211 Answers to questions and activities
9.2 General tips for presentation 212
Appendix 2 222
Typed or handwritten? 212
Key to errors in bad essay
Font 212
Appendix 3 231
Margins 212
Borders 212 Key to good essay
Spacing 213 Appendix 4 242
Paragraph indents 213 Key to Good Qualitative Research Report
Justification 213 References 257
CONTENTS v
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lorelle Burton
Lorelle Burton is Professor of Psychology in the School of Psychology and Counselling at the University
of Southern Queensland (USQ) and Associate Dean (Students) in the Faculty of Health, Engineering
and Sciences at USQ. She currently leads the Community Futures research program in the Institute
for Resilient Regions at USQ and has extensive experience as principal supervisor of higher degree
research and Honours students. Lorelle has received multiple teaching excellence awards, including the
2001 USQ Award for Teaching Excellence; the 2004 Pearson Education and APS Early Career Teaching
Award; an inaugural 2006 Carrick Citation for “delivering nationally recognised teaching practices and
resources that inspire first-year students to actively engage in learning processes and develop critical
thinking skills”; and an individual Carrick Australian Award for Teaching Excellence in Social Sciences.
More recently, she was bestowed the prestigious 2016 APS Distinguished Contribution to Psychological
Education Award. Lorelle has led national research projects in learning and teaching, has served on
national committees and boards, and has been an invited assessor for the national awards and grants.
Lorelle has authored multiple psychology textbooks, including the market-leading first-year Australian
psychology textbook. She also recently co-edited a book on the elements of applied psychological prac-
tice to help psychology graduates prepare for the National Psychology Exam. Lorelle’s current research
extends beyond academia to promote community-based learning and well-being. She works collabora-
tively with marginalised groups, including youth and older people, and her team has recently developed
an Indigenous cultural heritage trail in partnership with Aboriginal communities in south-west Queens-
land. The Community Futures research seeks people’s own stories as a powerful way to strengthen com-
munities and find new paths to support them into the future.
Many thanks also to the following colleagues who generously shared their essays and research reports
so that they can be used as exemplars in the book: Jan Silcock (Good Essay), Dr Nancy Hoare (Good
Report), Melissa Collins (Qualitative Research Report 1), and Dr Tanya Machin (Qualitative Research
Report 2). All the students who use this book will forever be grateful for your willingness to share your
work as a guide. I thank you again for providing such excellent essays and reports to include in this 4th
edition.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vii
CHAPTER 1
Where to begin
LEA RNIN G OBJE CTIVE S
Structure of an essay
The aim of an essay is to examine the literature on a particular topic, critically evaluate the findings, and
reach some conclusions. You may argue a particular point of view based on the evidence that you have
considered in the available research. An essay does not require you to carry out any original research or
studies of your own. It is similar to the review articles you will see published in psychology journals.
An essay is not normally divided into separate sections; the text simply flows from start to finish
without headings or subheadings to separate different sections. However, this does not mean that essays
do not contain a number of different elements. A standard essay pattern includes an introduction, a body,
and a conclusion. The introduction, one or two paragraphs long, sets the scene for what will follow; the
body is where past research is reviewed and critically examined; and the conclusion is where a particular
argument is advanced.
An essay also requires a title page, an abstract, and a reference list. (The exact content and format-
ting requirements for an essay are outlined in more detail in Chapter 4.)
Reading articles
When you read through an article or book chapter as part of your research, there are two main questions
you should ask yourself: what are the key points the author is making, and how do those findings relate
to your research questions? It is often difficult to answer these questions after reading through the work
only once. A good practice is to read through articles at least twice. The first read will help you identify
the main points the author is making and decide whether they are useful to your own research. During
your second read you should start taking notes on those key findings.
Note taking
Taking clear and concise notes is essential in academic research. Effective note‐taking practices can
make writing an essay or report much quicker and easier than if it is done in a disorganised way. This
section provides tips on how to improve your note‐taking procedures.
•• Take detailed but selective notes. You should note only the key findings and arguments in an article
rather than trying to summarise everything the author has said.
•• Keep photocopies of important articles. Resist the temptation to photocopy every article, essay, or
book chapter that has a remote connection to your research topic. That could result in mountains of
paper that will be of little use to you.
•• When you find a relevant work, make sure you photocopy or record the full referencing details—the
names of the authors, the title of the publication, the place and date of publication, and the page
numbers. This will avoid the need for a lot of rechecking when you come to cite texts in your work
or reference list.
•• Take comprehensive notes to help you avoid plagiarism. It will ensure that you give credit to other
authors where necessary, and not accidentally reproduce their words or ideas as your own.
•• Use a system. Do not take notes haphazardly; rather, work to a system that ensures you record all the
details needed for each work you read. This means not only recording the key ideas, and the page
numbers they appeared on, but also capturing all the reference details previously mentioned. Some
Plagiarism
If you include someone else’s published words or ideas in your own work without acknowledging their
source, you are guilty of plagiarism. Whether you copy another author’s words exactly or simply paraphrase
his or her ideas, you must acknowledge the original source of those words or ideas, or you are plagiarising.
When you attempt to copy another author’s work and pass it off as your own, you commit plagiarism.
It is considered an extremely serious offence in the academic world. Authors work extremely hard
imagery ability and spatial ability becomes evident when spatial shapes are
(Burton, 1998).
It is not sufficient merely to change a few words and put a citation at the end of the sentence. You need
to summarise the material in your own words and acknowledge the author. For example:
Burton (1998) found that the nature of the stimuli imagined is an impor-
tant factor when examining the relationship between objective and sub-
were shown to correlate when abstract, spatial shapes were included as the
Collusion
When two or more students present essentially the same material in a written assignment for assessment,
they are guilty of collusion. Unless specifically instructed otherwise, you are expected to submit an
assignment that is your own work. You are not permitted to collaborate with other students so that you
all submit the same or a similar finished product.
As a student, you are often encouraged to work in collaboration with others, since this can be an
extremely useful way to discuss issues and address questions relating to assignments. There is nothing
wrong with this type of discussion or sharing of ideas. Collaboration crosses the line into collusion when
you start sharing written material and incorporating work produced by other students in your own essay
or report. Lecturers want to assess your own, individual work; they do not want to see the combined
work of several students submitted by each of the contributors.
The bottom line is that although you may collaborate with other students in the planning and research
stages of an essay or report, when it comes to drawing conclusions and writing up the final product, you
must produce your own work.
Markers find it easy to spot cases of collusion, and those found guilty of the practice will normally
face a severe academic penalty.
More information on how to cite research and produce a reference list in APA format is provided in
Chapters 7 and 8. You will learn how to polish your work and prepare the final copy for submission by
reading Chapter 9.
KEY TERMS
abstract A concise overview of the contents of an essay or report.
accuracy The information provides a true and comprehensive view of the subject matter.
APA style The format and editorial style requirements outlined in the Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association.
collusion Collaborating with others to produce written material that is not your own, individual work.
credibility The information is reliable and worthy of belief because it comes from a trustworthy
source.
essay Critically examines the literature on a particular topic and draws conclusions on the basis of the
available evidence.
peer‐reviewed articles Scholarly articles that undergo a rigorous review process by experts in the field
before publication.
plagiarism Using someone else’s ideas or published words in your own work without acknowledging
their source.
qualitative research Involves exploring a research topic through methods such as interviews,
observation, and case studies to gain a richer understanding of the relevant phenomena.
quantitative research Involves using experiments or surveys that provide data that can be quantified,
tabulated, summarised, and analysed.
reasonableness The information is fair, objective, moderate and consistent.
reference list The full publication details of the information sources you have cited in your text.
INTERNET ACTIVITY
The following activity is designed to help you to practise finding the right information on a particular
research topic.
Consider the research question “How does culture shape your thoughts, feelings and behaviours?”
This topic is often examined by cultural psychologists who study the ways in which people are affected
by the culture in which they live. Cultural psychologists examine how individual psychological pro-
cesses are shaped by cultural context. Culture refers to the shared rules that govern our thoughts and
behaviour; it is a filter through which we see and understand our current reality. You should be able to
cite many authors in support of this definition of cultural psychology; the author of your introductory
psychology textbook is probably one example. However, this activity requires you to delve deeper into
this research question by conducting a thorough search of the literature.
1 Use the internet to explore the topic. See if you can access any or all of the subject directories and
psychology sites listed in this chapter, and practise searching online for material on the topic. To help
focus your search, consult the section on tips for searching the internet more effectively.
2 Find at least two reputable online articles to help answer the research question.
APPLIED ACTIVITY
This activity follows on from the internet activity, requiring you to locate additional material on the
topic.
1 Visit your nearest academic library and take the time to become familiar with its layout. Find where
the psychology books and journals are located on the shelves by looking them up on the library’s
catalogue system. There will be many sources devoted to understanding cultural psychology. Intro-
duce yourself to the librarian and ask what psychology databases are available for you to access.
2 Find two journal articles and two books or book chapters to help you better understand the research
topic.
3 Put all of the sources together and read through the material. Does the information enable you to
better answer the original research question, “How does culture shape your thoughts, feelings and
behaviours?”
No set answers are provided for these activities, because you will discover different sources of infor-
mation on the research topic using different online and library resources. Consult Chapter 3 for more
information on how to critically evaluate research evidence. Chapters 4, 5 and 6 provide information on
how to write essays and research reports. Chapters 2, 7 and 8 outline the key elements for citing research
in APA style and producing a complete reference list. Finally, Chapter 9 provides a checklist on how to
polish the writing of your essay or report.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Image: © ESB Professional / Shutterstock.com
Image: © alvarez / Getty Images
Image: © Juice Images RF / Getty Images
Punctuation
Punctuation marks provide signposts that guide the reader through your work. They tell the reader when
to stop, when to pause, and when to take a different path. They turn what would otherwise be a long,
confusing string of words into a form that gives them meaning. Without correct punctuation, your work
can become difficult to read and even harder to understand.
Punctuation marks have distinct purposes, and it is important to use the right one at the right time. The
way you punctuate sets up the rhythm of your sentences and helps the reader to interpret your words. As
with many aspects of the English language, the use of punctuation often requires good judgement rather
than the application of rigid rules. Some punctuation marks have many uses, while others are used more
restrictively. The following section provides a brief description of the most common punctuation marks
and how they should be used.
Full stop (period)
Use a full stop to end a sentence and space twice after the full stop (include one space after a comma, semi‐
colon, and colon). Single full stops also denote missing letters in abbreviations (a.m., 2nd ed., Vol. 3, vs.,
e.g., etc.) and name initials (W. C. Fields). Do not use full stops in capital letter abbreviations (APA, IQ,
PC, TV) or acronyms (ASIO, CSIRO, TAFE), or in most measurement abbreviations (cm, g, km, mm, ml).
Comma
Commas, the most common form of punctuation, have many uses. Generally, they indicate a pause in the
flow of a sentence. The main ways the comma can be used include:
•• to link different elements of a sentence. For example:
After the votes had been counted, the winner was announced.
•• to separate elements in a series of three or more items. For example:
The experience was rewarding for many of the children, who were extremely
The conclusions were presented clearly and concisely, and the student
(Fielder, 2009)
Semicolon
Use a semicolon when you want to indicate a more definite pause than if you used a comma, but a
stronger link than if you used a full stop. The most common uses of the semicolon include:
•• to separate independent clauses that are not joined by a conjunction (e.g., and, or, or but). For
example:
The people on the first bus arrived on time; those on the second bus were two
hours late.
•• to separate elements in a list or series that already contain commas. For example:
Their colour choices were red, white, and blue; green and gold; or blue and
white.
Colon
A colon is used to indicate the start of a series of points. For example:
Essays have three main elements: the introduction, the main body, and the
conclusion.
or
Three states border New South Wales: South Australia, Queensland, and
Victoria.
The shopping list contained a variety of items: carrots, bananas, milk, bread,
and cereal.
Note that an initial capital is used for the first word after the colon if what follows the colon makes a
full sentence.
Colons are also used in ratios (3:7), in times (7:30 a.m.), and in reference lists to separate the place of
publication from the publisher (Brisbane, Australia: John Wiley & Sons).
Em dash
Em dashes may be used in place of a colon when introducing an amplification, as in the previous
examples, to indicate a sudden interruption in the continuity of a sentence, or instead of parentheses
when incidental information is inserted in a sentence. For example:
Note that there is no space between the dash and the word on either side of it. Dashes should be used
sparingly to maintain their dramatic impact.
En dash
The en dash is used in place of to (e.g., pp. 23–36, May–June) and between words of equal weight in
compound adjectives (e.g., “the Sydney–Hobart yacht race”, “cost–benefit ratio”). In APA style you may
use a hyphen instead of an en dash if the en dash is not available on your computer.
Hyphenation
Hyphens are commonly used to link most compound adjectives. For example:
Quotation marks
Quotation marks have a number of uses. Use double quotation marks:
•• to indicate that you are quoting directly what somebody else has written or said. For example:
The trophy was the “holy grail” for all the teams in the tournament.
136 Berlin. Klin. Wochensch., 1874. I have described one such temporary case in the article
already quoted. These cases seem about as frequent in adults. (See Frey, loc. cit.; also case
of Miles, etc. etc.)
137 As of the case of complete recovery, the only one the author had seen, related by Dally,
Journal de Thérap., 1880, 1, vii.
Miss N. D——, æt. 15, paresis in both legs, first at age of nine, increased
at age of twelve, when weakness of vision first noted. At fourteen both
feet in rigid pes equinus, and both tendons achilleis cut, without benefit.
Hands became tremulous, without paresis. On examination at age of
fifteen found moderate atrophy of muscles of both legs. Tendo Achillis
united on both sides, and equinus persists. Voluntary movement exists,
both in anterior tibial and in gastrocnemius muscles, but diminished in
anterior tibial. Faradic contractility diminished in both sets of muscles;
examination difficult from extreme sensibility of patient. In both hands
interossei, muscles of thumb, and little finger show tremors and fibrillary
contractions. Thenar eminences small, abductor pollicis nearly absent,
not reacting to faradic current. Optic nerves slightly atrophied. Mind
enfeebled, memory poor; articulation not affected. Five years later the
motor paralysis and mental enfeeblement had still further progressed, but
no exact notes exist of this period.
139 Loc. cit. (ed. 1877).
Erb140 relates a case that he considers unique at the time in a girl of six.
The paralysis began insidiously in the right foot in July; a fortnight later
had extended to the left foot; complete motor paralysis existed in August,
without any lesion of sensibility: after electrical treatment, then instituted,
first return to motility to peroneal muscles in November; by January child
able to walk again and electrical reactions nearly normal.141
140 Brain, 1883.
141 In the same number of Brain, A. Hughes Bennett quotes cases of so-called chronic
paralysis in very young children which are evidently cases of general paresis from congenital
cerebral atrophy. The children were defective in intelligence, could not sit up nor hold up the
head; the electrical reactions were preserved. I have seen a great many such cases: they
are indeed not at all uncommon. Much more so is Bennett's diagnosis.
143 It seems to me that Seguin's case, above quoted, might be an example of such
complication(?). But I have not seen the patient myself, and describe the case according to
the views of the author.
It seems probable that at the present moment sufficient data do not exist
for formulating a fair prognosis; nor will they until a much larger number of
cases than hitherto have been submitted to all the resources of a complex
and persevering system of therapeutics from the earliest period of the
disease.
Ballet148 has recently called attention to the fact that in certain cases
persons who had been attacked with an anterior poliomyelitis in childhood
became predisposed to different forms of spinal disease. Four have been
observed: (1) transitory congestion of the cord, causing paralysis of a day
or two's duration; (2) an acute spinal paralysis of the form usually seen in
adults; (3) subacute spinal paralysis; (4) progressive muscular atrophy.
The author relates cases under each of these heads, and further quotes
one related by Dejerine in 1882.149 The patient, a carpenter aged fifty-five
and with an atrophic deformity of the foot, became suddenly paralyzed in
the four limbs, trunk, and abdomen. The paralysis was complete in a
month, was stationary for three months, then began to improve, and at
the end of six months from the onset of the disease recovery was
complete.
148 Revue de Médecine, 1884.
The prognosis cannot be the same for cases where everything is done to
avert malpositions and for those where all precautions are neglected.
Thus, prolonged rest in bed favors pes equinus; the use of crutches
necessitates flexion of the thigh and forced extension of the foot;
locomotion without support tends to displace articulations by
superincumbent weight, causing pes calcaneus, genu-recurvatum. Finally,
compensatory deformities must be averted from sound parts, as scoliosis
from shortening of the atrophied leg, equinus from passive shortening of
the gastrocnemii through flexion of the leg, etc.
152 P. 357.
ANTERIOR
TRANSVERSE MYELITIS.
POLIOMYELITIS.
Fever brief or absent. Persistent fever.
Sensibility intact. Hyperæsthesia, then anæsthesia.
Decubitus absent. Presence decubitus.
Reflexes lost. Reflexes increased.
Atrophy of muscles. Atrophy of muscles sometimes as intense.
Electrical muscular Loss of electrical contractility, but not proportioned to sensory and motor
contractility lost. disturbance; less rapidly completed.
Caries of the calcaneum, leading the child to walk on the anterior part of
the foot to avoid pressure on the heel, may leave after recovery such a
retraction of the plantar fascia as to cause a degree of equinus and varus,
with apparent paralysis of the peroneal muscles. I have seen one such
case.
These two periods are not, however, rigidly separated from each other in
chronological order. From the very outset it is important to take certain
precautions to prevent deformities, and while palliating these with
orthopædic apparatus it is important for years to continue treatment of the
paralyzed muscles in the hope that at least a remnant of them may be
saved. To abandon the case to the orthopædic instrument-maker, or to
neglect the problem of dynamic mechanics while applying electricity and
studying the progress of fatty degeneration, are errors greatly to be
condemned.
The treatment of the initial stage is necessarily purely symptomatic for the
fever and convulsions, since the diagnosis cannot be made out until these
have subsided.
167 Binz explains the local action of iodine by an exudation of leucocytes which follows the
dilatation of blood-vessels. These elements break down the exudation into which they are
poured, and thus facilitate its absorption.
Electrical treatment may be begun by the end of the first week after the
paralysis. At this stage Erb recommends central galvanization as an
antiphlogistic remedy for the myelitis. For this purpose a large anode
must be placed over the spine at the presumed seat of the lesion, while
the cathode is applied over the abdomen. By a slight modification of the
method the cathode is placed over the paralyzed muscles. The
application is stabile, and, according to Erb, should last from three to ten
minutes; according to Bouchut, several hours daily. Erb's method is
intended exclusively as a sedative to the local inflammation. When the
cathode is placed on the muscles it is hoped that the descending current,
replacing the lost nervous impulses, may avert the threatening
degeneration of the muscle and nerve.
For the same purpose, muscles inexcitable to the faradic current should
be, when this is possible, made to contract by the interrupted galvanic
current. After this treatment has been prolonged during several months,
the faradic contractility often returns, and the current then should be
changed (Seguin).
The value of electrical treatment has been very differently estimated. Erb
remarks that “its results are not precisely brilliant.” Roth, whose testimony
perhaps is not above suspicion, since evidently prejudiced, insists that
numerous cases fall into his hands which have submitted for months to
electrical treatment without the slightest benefit. On the other hand,
Duchenne, as is well known, has expressed almost unbounded
confidence in the therapeutic efficacy of faradization, declaring that it was
capable of “creating entire muscles out of a few fibres.”
It is very probable that some of the failures of electrical treatment are due
to the attempt to rely upon it exclusively, instead of suitably combining
both electrical methods with each other and with other remedial
measures. With our present knowledge it is safe to assert the desirability
of persistent electrical treatment during at least the first two years
following the paralysis. The currents must never be too strong—the
faradic, at least, never applied for longer than ten minutes at a time. The
muscles should be relaxed by the position of the limbs (Sayre). If the
muscles continue to waste, and especially if they become fatty, the
electrical response will grow less and less, and finally cease altogether.168
In the contrary case the galvanic contraction will become normal in
quality, and the faradic contractility will return and increase, while the
atrophy is arrested and the muscle regains its bulk and voluntary powers.
Sometimes, as already stated, the latter is regained, while faradic
contractility remains greatly diminished.169
168 Passing through three stages: faradic contractility diminished, galvanic contraction
increased; faradic response lost, galvanic degenerative; absence of contraction to either
current.
169 Sayre (loc. cit.) has noticed cases in which the muscle would contract several times
under faradism, then refuse to do so for a day or two. This observation, if valid and not due
to unequal working of the battery, is a most curious one.
171 Duchenne relates a case of a paralysis general at the outset and remaining so for six
months. It was then treated by strychnine for five or six months, and at the end of that time
had become limited to the lower extremities (Elect. local., ed. 1861, p. 278).
Among these the external application of heat, either dry or in the form of
hot douches, alternating with cold, is an adjuvant remedy of real
importance. Beard has suggested tubing, malleable to the limbs, for the
conduction of hot water. It is desirable to employ massage immediately
after cessation of the hot applications.
It is the retracted tendo Achillis and plantar fascia which most frequently
require this manipulation. In the paralytic club-foot of young children all
authorities agree in the value of repeated manipulations and restorations
of the foot as nearly as possible to a position where it may be retained by
simple bandaging. While turning the foot out it becomes perfectly white,
but on releasing hold of it the circulation is restored, after which the
manœuvre may be repeated (Sayre).
Though the edges of the cut tendon have been kept apart until the
intervening space is filled by new tissue, union is finally effected by the
latter, and retraction through elasticity is again imminent. Often, therefore,
the deformity is repeated in spite of repeated operations; when it is not,
the happy issue is due to the fact that, with increased freedom of
locomotion immediately after the tenotomy, the patient has been enabled
to bring the influence of weight to bear in such a manner as to fix the limb
in a new and more convenient position. Thus, after section of the tendo
Achillis for pes equinus, if the patient begins at once to walk on the
paralyzed foot, the weight of the body, pressing down the heel, may keep
the tendon stretched. So walking immediately after section of the
hamstring muscles will have a tendency to produce genu-recurvation by
the same mechanism which produces it in total paralysis, and the original
deformity will not recur.
Besides the tendo Achillis, the parts which may be occasionally submitted
to tenotomy are the plantar fascia, the peroneal muscles, very rarely the
anterior tibial and extensors, the hamstrings, the thigh adductors. Section
of the external rotators of the thigh or of the tensors of the fascia lata
could hardly ever be required, and among these operations Hueter173
rejects that on the plantar aponeurosis as inadequate. The excavation in
the foot it is designed to remedy depends upon alteration in the form of
the tarsal bones, and can only be cured by means of forcible pressure
exerted on their dorsal surface. Section of the peroneal muscles, often
recommended by Sayre, is considered by Hueter to be superfluous after
section of the tendon achilleis. Paralytic contraction of the hamstrings or
of the hip flexors is rarely sufficiently severe to demand tenotomy.
173 Loc. cit., p. 416.
In children able to walk a sole splint of thin metal, to which the foot had
been previously attached by a flannel band, should be inserted in a stout
leather boot. On the outer side of this boot should run a metallic splint,
jointed at the ankle and extending to a leather band surrounding the leg
just below the knee. A broad leather band, attached to the outer edge of
the sole anterior to the talo-tarsal articulation, also passes up on the
outside of the foot, gradually narrowing until, opposite the ankle, it passes
through a slit in the side of the shoe, to be attached to the leg-splint. This
band tends to draw the point of the foot outward, and thus correct the
varus (Volkmann). Sayre174 has improved on this shoe by dividing the sole
at the medio-tarsal articulation, in which lateral deviation takes place, and
uniting the anterior and posterior parts by a ball-and-socket joint,
permitting movement in every direction.
174 Loc. cit., p. 88.
In equinus it is necessary to bind the heel of the foot down firmly in the
heel of the shoe; and this is accomplished by means of two chamois-
leather flaps which are attached to the inside walls of the shoe and lace
firmly across the foot.179
179 “The aim of the dressing or instrument is simply to imitate the action of the surgeon's
hand; accordingly, any apparatus combining elastic force is far superior to any fixed
appliance; and, moreover, that is to be preferred which is the most readily removable.
Shoes, therefore, are better than bandages or splints. A proper shoe must have joints
opposite the ankle and the medio-tarsal articulation; it must permit the ready application of
elastic power; and it must not so girdle the limb as to interfere with the circulation” (Sayre,
loc. cit., p. 91).