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paperhanger

Definition of paperhanger

Examples of paperhanger in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'paperhanger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Dictionary Entries Near paperhanger

paper guide

paperhanging

Cite this Entry

“Paperhanger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paperhanger. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.

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paperhanger

[ pey -per-hang-er ]

• a person whose job is covering walls with wallpaper.
• Slang. a person who passes worthless checks.

/ ˈpeɪpəˌhæŋə /

• a person who hangs wallpaper as an occupation
• slang. a counterfeiter

Derived Forms

• ˈpaperˌhanging , noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of paperhanger 1

Example Sentences

Since ancient times, proud craftspeople have signed their work, from masons who chiseled cryptic runes into stone to paperhangers who penciled details on bare plaster.

As soon as the puppies were bestowed on the porch, in the sunshine, for their morning nap, he telephoned to the local paperhanger.

And it was the same at the little paperhanger's shop where Theophilus had ordered some pieces of Morris wall-paper for his room.

Just now, he was, as he himself put it, "as busy as a one-armed paperhanger with the hives."

By the time the attic was cleared and the paperhanger at work, she had forgotten the matter.

You can 'ave a pair of paperhanger's tressels and boards for that matter.'

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pa·per·hang·er

Pa•per•hang•er.

• counterfeiter
• Paper stainer
• Paper stock
• paper tiger
• paper towel
• paper toweling
• paper trail
• Paper weight
• paper white
• paperback book
• paper-back book
• paperback edition
• paperbacked
• paperbark birch
• paper-cutter
• paperhanging
• paper-mache
• papermaking
• paper-pusher
• paper-shredder
• paper-train
• paperweight
• Paphiopedilum
• Paphlagonia
• papered it over
• papered over
• papered over the cracks
• Paperhangers
• Paperi-Insinöörit
• papering it over
• papering over
• papering over the cracks
• paperknives
• paperlaying
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Paper Hanger Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Paper Hanger , written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Paper Hanger?

It is a slang term for a person who commits fraud by issuing checks on accounts that does not exist or have no funds or forges currency or bank notes.

History and Meaning of Paper Hanger

The term "paper hanger" dates back to the late 19th century when the primary form of currency was paper money. The term was primarily used to describe someone who would counterfeit currency or checks by printing them themselves. Nowadays, it is commonly used to refer to anyone who is issuing fraudulent checks on accounts with nonexistent or insufficient funds.

Examples of Paper Hanger

The suspect was caught by the police for being a notorious paper hanger in the area.

The bank suffered a loss of millions of dollars because of multiple paper hangers.

The court sentenced the paper hanger to a jail term of two years.

Legal Terms Similar to Paper Hanger

Forger: A person who makes a false document, check, or signature with the intent to defraud.

Embezzler: A person who fraudulently takes money or property entrusted to them by an employer or client.

Counterfeiter: A person who makes false money or copies of official documents with the intention to deceive.

paper hanger - Meaning in Law and Legal Documents, Examples and FAQs

A 'paper hanger' or 'process server' is someone who legally delivers official court documents, such as summons or subpoenas, to the parties involved in a legal case.

In normal language you would also say " process server " instead of " paper hanger "

Need help understanding your legal documents?

What does "paper hanger" mean in legal documents?

Imagine you're at the bank, trying to cash a check, but the teller tells you there's not enough money in the account to cover it. That's what a "paper hanger" is - someone who writes a check knowing there's not enough money in their account to cover it.

In legal terms, a "paper hanger" is a person who commits a type of check fraud called "paper hanging." They take advantage of the time it takes for a check to clear, called the "float," to try and get away with the fraud.

It's different from another type of check fraud called "check kiting," where the person deposits a bad check into their account, then withdraws the money before the check bounces. With paper hanging, the person just writes a bad check, hoping to use the float to their advantage.

Paper hanging is usually prosecuted under state laws, but it can also be a federal offense in some cases. The penalties can be serious, including fines and even jail time. It's considered a form of theft, and the law takes it very seriously.

So, in simple terms, a "paper hanger" is someone who writes bad checks, knowing they don't have the money to cover them. It's a type of fraud that can get them in a lot of legal trouble.

What are some examples of "paper hanger" in legal contracts?

Here are some examples of how the term "paper hanger" might be used in different legal contracts:

Loan Agreement: "The lender reserves the right to refuse any checks from the borrower if they suspect the borrower is acting as a 'paper hanger' and writing bad checks."

Rental Agreement: "The landlord may terminate the lease immediately if the tenant is found to be a 'paper hanger' and writing bad checks to pay rent."

Employment Contract: "Any employee found to be a 'paper hanger' and writing bad checks will be subject to immediate termination and potential legal action."

Business Partnership Agreement: "The partners agree to monitor each other's financial activities closely to ensure none of them are acting as 'paper hangers' and writing bad checks on behalf of the business."

Real Estate Purchase Contract: "The buyer's offer is contingent on the seller providing proof they are not a 'paper hanger' and have sufficient funds to complete the transaction."

Vendor Contract: "The vendor reserves the right to suspend services if the client is discovered to be a 'paper hanger' and paying with bad checks."

FAQs about "Paper Hanger"

What is a "paper hanger".

A "paper hanger" is a legal term used to describe someone who writes or issues bad checks or other fraudulent financial documents. They create these fake documents, often with the intent to deceive and defraud others.

How does a "paper hanger" operate?

A "paper hanger" will typically write checks or create other financial documents, like promissory notes or money orders, without having the funds to back them up. They may use these fake documents to make purchases, pay bills, or even try to cash them at a bank or other financial institution.

What are the consequences of being a "paper hanger"?

Being a "paper hanger" is considered a form of fraud and can have serious legal consequences. Depending on the amount of money involved and the specific circumstances, a "paper hanger" may face charges such as check fraud, forgery, or even theft. The penalties can include fines, probation, or even jail time.

How can you spot a "paper hanger"?

Some signs that someone may be a "paper hanger" include:

• Checks or financial documents that bounce or are returned for insufficient funds
• Attempts to use multiple checks or financial documents in a short period of time
• Reluctance to provide proof of identity or financial stability
• Pressure to complete a transaction quickly or under suspicious circumstances

What should you do if you suspect someone is a "paper hanger"?

If you suspect someone is a "paper hanger," it's important to take action. You should:

• Refuse to accept any checks or financial documents from the individual
• Contact the appropriate authorities, such as the police or your bank, to report the suspected fraud
• Keep any evidence, such as the bounced checks or financial documents, that could help with the investigation

Who can be a "paper hanger"?

Anyone can potentially become a "paper hanger," regardless of their background or financial status. However, individuals who are experiencing financial difficulties or who have a history of fraud-related offenses may be more likely to engage in this type of illegal activity.

How can you protect yourself from "paper hangers"?

To protect yourself from "paper hangers," it's important to be cautious when accepting checks or other financial documents. You should always verify the validity of the documents and the individual's identity before completing any transactions. Additionally, it's a good idea to keep detailed records of any interactions with suspected "paper hangers" in case you need to provide evidence to the authorities.

What is the legal definition of a "paper hanger"?

The legal definition of a "paper hanger" is someone who creates or uses fraudulent financial documents, such as bad checks or counterfeit money orders, with the intent to deceive and defraud others. This type of activity is considered a form of fraud and can result in criminal charges.

How can law enforcement identify and stop "paper hangers"?

Law enforcement agencies use a variety of techniques to identify and stop "paper hangers," including:

• Monitoring financial transactions and reports of suspicious activity
• Investigating reports of bounced checks or other fraudulent financial documents
• Collaborating with banks and other financial institutions to share information and identify patterns of fraud
• Conducting undercover operations to catch "paper hangers" in the act

What are the common tactics used by "paper hangers"?

Some common tactics used by "paper hangers" include:

• Writing checks or creating financial documents with insufficient funds
• Forging signatures or using stolen identities to create fake documents
• Targeting vulnerable individuals or businesses who may be more likely to accept the fraudulent documents
• Quickly moving from one location to another to avoid detection

These legal terms could also be helpful

par-value stock

Par-value stock, also known as face-value shares, refers to stocks that have a predetermined price printed on the stock certificate, representing the minimum amount investors must pay to purchase each share.

Par value, also known as face value, is the initial dollar amount assigned to a company's stock or bond at the time of issuance, representing its minimum worth.

In legal terms, 'par' refers to something being equal or at the same level, often used when discussing the value or status of securities or investments.

parade permits

Parade permits, also known as parade permissions, are official documents required by local authorities to legally organize and hold public marches, parades, or processions on streets or public spaces.

paper hanger

Primary tabs.

Slang term for someone who writes bad checks.

Paper hanging is a kind of check fraud whereby someone tenders a check knowing that there are insufficient funds in the account. In paper hanging, the paper hanger takes advantage of the “float” (that is, the amount of time between when the check is written and the funds actually move from the check writer’s account).

Paper hanging is distinct from another form of check fraud known as “ check kiting ,” whereby the check writer tenders a check knowing that there are insufficient funds in the account but deposits money into the account before the end of the float to cover the fraud.

In the United States, paper hanging is usually prosecuted under state law, but it is sometimes prosecuted as a federal offense (See 18 U.S. Code § 1344 ).

[Last updated in August of 2020 by the Wex Definitions Team ]

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paperhanger

• 1.1 Etymology
• 1.2 Pronunciation
• 1.3.1 Related terms
• 1.3.2 Translations

paper +‎ hanger

Pronunciation

• ( Received Pronunciation ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈpeɪpəhæŋə/
• ( General American ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈpeɪpɚhæŋɚ/

• Hyphenation: pa‧per‧hang‧er

paperhanger ( plural paperhangers )

• 1942 , Elliot Paul, The Last Time I Saw Paris , Sickle Moon, published 2001 , page 61 : No one in the street was aware than an Austrian paperhanger named Shickelgruber, and calling himself Hitler, had been arrested in Munich and thrown into jail.
• ( slang ) A con man who passes bad cheques or counterfeit paper money ; a forger , a con artist .

Related terms

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word histories

“ad fontes!”

‘as busy as a one-armed paperhanger’: meaning and early occurrences

The colloquial American-English phrase as busy as , or busier than , a one-armed paperhanger , and variants, mean exceedingly busy . —Cf. also ‘as busy as a one-armed taxi-driver with crabs’ and other colourful phrases .

Remark : An earlier British-English phrase, as busy as the devil in a high wind , was recorded by the English antiquary and lexicographer Francis Grose (1731-1791) in A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (London: Printed for S. Hooper, 1788):

Busy. As busy as the devil in a high wind; as busy as a hen with one chick.

The English author and political reformer William Cobbett (1763-1835) used this phrase in To the People of Dover. On the triumph of the Queen and the People over persecution, carried on by the means of conspiracy, subornation and perjury , published in Cobbett’s Weekly Political Register (London, England) of Saturday 18 th November 1820:

In the mean while the Queen’s law advisers are, I dare say, as busy as the Devil in a high wind.

These are, in chronological order, the earliest occurrences that I have found of the phrase as busy as , or busier than , a one-armed paperhanger , and variants:

1 -: From the following advertisement, published in The Pacific Commercial Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) of Tuesday 19 th June 1906:

THE FAVORITE GROTTO. Our chef is kept as busy as a one-armed man engaged in the exercise of bean-bag. The reason is easily found. Today’s lunch menu, which follows, explains it: SOUP—SCOTCH BROTH, BARLEY CURRIED LAMB A LA BOMBAY , BOILED RICE GERMAN POT ROAST, POTATO PANCAKE MASHED POTATO      SPINACH METROPOLE SALAD 25c. With Beer , Wine, Tea or Coffee. Open all night. F. J. KILEY, Prop., Cor. Hotel and Bethel Streets.

2 -: The phrase as busy as a one-armed man engaged in the exercise of bean-bag occurs again in an advertisement for the same restaurant, published the following day in The Pacific Commercial Advertiser .

3 -: From The Ethics of Pig , by the U.S. short-story writer O. Henry (William Sydney Porter – 1862-1910), published in Munsey’s Magazine (New York—London: The Frank A. Munsey Company, Publishers) of October 1906:

I got as busy as a one-armed man with the nettle-rash pasting on wall-paper .

4 -: From Sunday Prizefight in Little Old New York. The Kind of “Sport” Indulged in Because Country Legislators Will Not Allow Legitimate Boxing in the Big Cities , by ‘Tad’, published in The Buffalo Enquirer (Buffalo, New York) of Monday 15 th October 1906:

New York, Oct. 15.—Jeff O’Connell, an English featherweight, fought Charley Lucas, a New York lad, yesterday afternoon on a west side pier and battered him up in a fifteen round fight. It was at 3 o’clock when the meeting was to take place. We all met in a bum saloon over on 8 th Avanue [sic], somewhere near 37 th Street, and waited for the mitt artists. There was a restaurant upstairs. A man with red grogans was the chef and he was as busy as a one-armed paper hanger with the hives.

5 -: From Novices at Kicking. Americans Are Not the Champion Grumblers. Europeans Are Experts , by Clarence L. Cullen, published in The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) of Saturday 20 th October 1906—the author described:

a Russian grand duke, a young man said to be worth some few hundreds of millions of dollars , a spender from away back, a man who on his tour of this country was as busy as a one-armed paper-hanger with the hives just tossing away money.

6 -: From Letters From An Old Sport To His Son In College , by Jim Nasium, published in the Chattanooga Daily Times (Chattanooga, Tennessee) of Sunday 28 th October 1906:

Dear Son—The bats in your garret must be flapping their wings again. If you hoop up with that gang of pikers to play professional football it’s bye-bye to the knowledge factory and back to the wheat belt for you. There’s something better ahead of you, and you just stay right where you are and keep busier than a one-armed philosopher with the itch working in a high wind.

7 -: From Split Finney Wonders Why They Do It. Will Some One Please Explain Why Men With Money Try to Break Their Necks? , published in The Sun ( New York City , N.Y.) of Sunday 4 th November 1906:

“Bo, as long as I’ve got a two piastre shinplaster in the kick or in sight I’m going to be as busy ducking trouble as a one-armed paperhanger with the hives.”

8 -: From Letters From an Old Sport To His Son in College , by Jim Nasium, published in the  Chattanooga Daily Times  (Chattanooga, Tennessee) of Sunday 28 th  April 1907:

If you would succeed in baseball when you get on the field you want to keep busier than a one-armed paper-hanger with the hives.

9 -: From Letters From An Old Sport To His Son In College , by Jim Nasium, published in the  Chattanooga Daily Times  (Chattanooga, Tennessee) of Sunday 16 th  June 1907:

There are no sleeping cars on the limited express to fame; it’s a work train from one end of the line to the other. The sooner you get wise to this the sooner you’ll get out of your slump and into the sporting page. So you stick right on the job, son, and keep busier than a one-armed bill-poster with the itch, working in a high wind. When you’re in baseball as a business you’ve got to treat it like a business and not go at it like yyou [sic] would a game of drop the hankerchief [sic] at a Sunday school picnic.

10 -: From a letter to the Editor, published in The Chattanooga News  (Chattanooga, Tennessee) of Saturday 14 th  September 1907:

Mr. Hale and Sanders have been as busy as a one-armed bill poster on a wintry day with the seven-year itch.

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one-armed paper-hanger noun

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What does the noun one-armed paper-hanger mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun one-armed paper-hanger . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

This word is used in U.S. English.

Where does the noun one-armed paper-hanger come from?

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun one-armed paper-hanger is in the 1910s.

OED's earliest evidence for one-armed paper-hanger is from 1918, in the writing of R. J. Casey.

one-armed paper-hanger is formed within English, by compounding.

Etymons: one-armed adj. , paper n. & adj. , hanger n. 2

Nearby entries

• -one, suffix
• one-act, adj. & n. 1801–
• one-acter, n. 1895–
• one-and-thirty, n. c1557–1825
• one and twenty, n. 1704
• one-argument, adj. 1941–
• one-arm, adj. & n. 1906–
• one-arm bandit, n. 1937–
• one-armed, adj. 1809–
• one-armed bandit, n. 1936–
• one-armed paper-hanger, n. 1918–
• one-arm joint, n. 1915–
• one-arm lunch, n. 1922–
• one-arm lunch room, n. 1912–
• one-back, adj. & n. 1978–
• one-bar, adj. 1962–
• one-base, adj. 1874–
• one-baser, n. 1880–
• one-begotten, adj. c1384–1571
• one-berry, n. 1548–
• one-blade, n. 1578–

Meaning & use

And then I got as busy as a one-armed man with the nettle-rash pasting on wall-paper.

Still working like a one-armed paper-hanger for one division or another.

‘We'll be as busy as one-armed paperhangers ,’ says Lind.

Above all, like the one-armed paper-hanger of old, he rushes around attempting to deal with exceptions to his general theory.

• bee 1535– Often used as the type of busy workers.
• worker 1624– In emphatic use: a person who works hard. Frequently opposed to idler , dreamer , etc.
• one of the world's workers 1851– colloquial . one of the world's workers : an industrious person; (also) spec. an employee. Sometimes in negative contexts.
• grafter 1900– One who works; a (hard) worker.
• one-armed paper-hanger 1918– As a type of a very busy person; esp. in busy as a one-armed paper-hanger .
• eager beaver 1942– A keen and enthusiastic person (originally, a cadet) who works very hard.

Entry history for one-armed paper-hanger, n.

Originally published as part of the entry for one-armed, adj.

one-armed paper-hanger, n. was first published in 2002.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

• further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations.

Please submit your feedback for one-armed paper-hanger, n.

Please include your email address if you are happy to be contacted about your feedback. OUP will not use this email address for any other purpose.

Citation details

Factsheet for one-armed paper-hanger, n., browse entry.

How to Become a Paperhanger

Step 1: Understand the job description and responsibilities of a Paperhanger

What does a paperhanger do.

A Paperhanger manually covers interior walls and ceilings of rooms with wallpaper or fabric. Requires a high school diploma or its equivalent and 0-2 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Being a Paperhanger has knowledge of commonly-used concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field. Relies on instructions and pre-established guidelines to perform the functions of the job. Additionally, Paperhanger works under immediate supervision. Primary job functions do not typically require exercising independent judgment. Typically reports to a supervisor/manager.

Other names for this job might include Bill Board Poster, Bill Poster, Billboard Poster, Hanger, Interior Decorator, Paperhanging, Paper Hanger, Paperhanger, Paperhanger and Painter, Paperhanger Apprentice, Vinyl Hanger.

In this job description guide, you will find out what do Paperhangers do and what is their typical work day like.

After reading this, you will have a much better idea on whether you will like working as a Paperhanger or not.

Paperhangers cover interior walls or ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, or attach advertising posters on surfaces such as walls and billboards.

We asked Paperhangers how satisfied they are with their job.

Step 2: Learn best tips to become a Paperhanger

Best tips for those who want to become a paperhanger.

Here are some tips to become a Paperhanger.

Basic 15 Interview Questions that Test Communication Skills As Painter and Paperhanger Apprentice.

Top 11 Questions to Verify Experience and Credentials As Painter and Paperhanger Apprentice.

Bonds, Insurance, and Liens (13%).

Contract Requirements and Execution  (15%).

Step 3: View best colleges and universities for Paperhanger

Best colleges and universities for paperhanger.

• High Point University
• Bradley University
• College of New Jersey
• St. Edward's University
• Florida Southern College
• Marist College

Step 4: Think about whether is it worth to be a Paperhanger

Is being a paperhanger worth it.

An apprentice has lifted the Paperhanger of the Year trophy at a prestigious event in Harrogate.

The term "paperhanger" has declined in popularity, while "wallcovering installer" has become the preferred term for professionals in the industry.

The following top skills are often required or desired to land a Paperhanger position.

Step 5: Prepare relevant skills for being a Paperhanger

What skills do you need to be a paperhanger.

Paperhangers and painters were in great demand as building construction developed on a large scale in the early part of the 20th century.

To qualify as a skilled painter or paperhanger, a person must complete either an apprenticeship or an on-the-job training program.

Basic skills requirements are the same for both painters and paperhangers.

Successful completion of one of the two types of train­ing programs is necessary before individuals can become qualified, skilled painters or paperhangers.

Some painters and paperhangers, once they have acquired enough capital and business experience, go into business for themselves as painting and decorat­ing contractors.

Step 6: View average salary for Paperhanger

How much does a paperhanger make.

The average salary range for a Paperhanger is from $37,093 to $57,105. The salary will change depending on your location, job level, experience, education, and skills.

Average salary for Paperhanger jobs

Step 7: find relevant paperhanger jobs, and apply., looking for paperhanger jobs, step 8: explore career path of paperhanger.

English Guide

Help center

Busy as a one-armed paper hanger: Learn what the means through example!

What does “busy as a one-armed paper hanger” mean.

"Busy as a one-armed paper hanger" means being extremely busy.

What context can I use the in?

I've been busy as a one-armed paper hanger trying to meet all my deadlines.

The office was busy as a one-armed paper hanger during the holiday season.

She's been busy as a one-armed paper hanger organizing the event

Is “Busy as a one-armed paper hanger” an expression, an idiom, or a proverb?

“Busy as a one-armed paper hanger” is a proverb. A proverb is a short saying that teaches us something important or gives us advice. Unlike an idiom, it’s easy to understand even if it uses figurative language.

How would I use “Busy as a one-armed paper hanger” effectively in context?

You can use "Busy as a one-armed paper hanger" to describe someone who is extremely busy and overwhelmed with tasks. It emphasizes the level of busyness and the difficulty of managing multiple responsibilities. For example, if a friend asks how you've been, you might say, 'I've been busy as a one-armed paper hanger trying to meet all my deadlines.'

She's been busy as a one-armed paper hanger organizing the event.

With work, family, and social commitments, she's been busy as a one-armed paper hanger lately.

Similar phrases to “Busy as a one-armed paper hanger”:

To be overwhelmed with work or tasks

I've been swamped with assignments this week.

Buried in work

To have a lot of work to do and feel overwhelmed by it

I'm buried in work and don't have time for anything else.

Snowed under

To have so much work or tasks that it feels like being buried under a pile of snow

I'm snowed under with projects and deadlines.

Good things to know:

Where does the phrase “busy as a one-armed paper hanger” come from.

The origin of the phrase "Busy as a one-armed paper hanger" is unknown.

Is “Busy as a one-armed paper hanger” common in everyday conversation?

The phrase "Busy as a one-armed paper hanger" is not very common in everyday conversation. It may be more commonly used in certain regions or among specific groups of people.

What tone does “Busy as a one-armed paper hanger” have?

"Busy as a one-armed paper hanger" conveys a tone of being overwhelmed and stressed due to excessive busyness. It suggests that the person has a heavy workload and is struggling to keep up with their responsibilities.

Can “Busy as a one-armed paper hanger” be used in informal and formal settings?

The phrase "Busy as a one-armed paper hanger" is informal and is typically used in casual conversations rather than formal settings.

Can it be used by itself, or is it usually part of a sentence?

It is commonly used as part of a sentence to convey its full meaning. For example, 'I've been busy as a one-armed paper hanger trying to meet all my deadlines.' However, in informal conversations, people might understand the phrase even if used alone, like saying 'I'm "busy as a one-armed paper hanger"!' to imply being extremely busy.

Synonyms & Antonyms

• overwhelmed
• bogged down
• drowning in work

This content was generated with the assistance of AI technology based on RedKiwi's unique learning data. By utilizing automated AI content, we can quickly deliver a wide range of highly accurate content to users. Experience the benefits of AI by having your questions answered and receiving reliable information!

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Busier Than a One-Armed Paper Hanger and Other Busy Sayings

Jocelyn in Richmond, Virginia, is curious about the expression busier than a one-armed paper hanger , meaning extremely busy. Perhaps the earliest version of this phrase comes from a 1908 short story by O. Henry: as busy as a one-armed man with the nettle rash pasting on wallpaper , which would be very busy indeed. In other versions, the embattled paper hanger is battling hives, the itch, the crabs, or the seven-year-itch. Other picturesque English phrases for such bustling activity include busy as a beaver , busy as a bee , busier than a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest , busier than flies in a tarpit , busier than a bee in a tar bucket , busier than a bee on a buzzsaw , busier than a cranberry merchant , and busier than a one-eyed cat watching three mice holes . Similar phrases mean not busy, such as busier than a pickpocket in a nudist camp , busy as a hen with one chick , busy as a puppy , and busy as a hibernating bear . This is part of a complete episode .

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One Armed Paper Hanger – Meaning, Origin and Usage

Would you like to describe a busy situation, or say that you (or someone else) is going to be extremely busy with something for a while? The phrase 'busier than a one armed paper hanger' is a common saying that can be used to mean this. This post unpacks the meaning, origin, and common use of the saying.

The phrase 'one armed paper hanger' is a less common figurative expression that is sometimes used in the English language.

'One armed paper hanger' is a sentence which implies that someone is going to be extremely busy, or as busy as a wallpaper hanger with only one arm.

The phrase implies that someone is extremely busy, but also has implications of chaos or confusion.

'One armed paper hanger' is a phrase that is more common in some forms of English than others, and it is seen more in America and the Unted Kingdom than it is found in Australia.

A similar phrase is to say that someone or something is 'all over the place'.

The sentence can also be used in the negative form to imply that someone is 'not a one armed paper hanger' or that they are not as busy as one.

There are several ways to spell the phrase, including to say 'one-armed' or 'one armed' – both are correct, but it will depend on the style of where the phrase is being printed.

The phrase is unrelated to the English expression 'one-armed (or one armed) bandit'.

Example Usage

“With only one employee left at the office this time of the year, I'm going to get busier than a one-armed paper hanger.”

“If you don't hire three more people to do your job, you're going to have to do everything and it's going to keep you busier than a one armed paper hanger.

“Heck, you're going to have more things to do at work next week than a one-armed paper hanger if you go on taking new contracts at this pace.”

“The man is busier than a one armed paper hanger. He's written five books this year, and rumor has it that he's about to start work on number six.”

According to most online language resources, the origin of the expression 'one armed paper hanger' comes from a short story by O. Henry that was published in the early 1900s.

In the story by William Sydney Porter (also called O. Henry), a one armed paper hanger is introduced as part of the plot – and the man is implied to be extremely busy due to the combination of his career and the discomfort he experiences due to apparent hives.

The phrase would soon take off, with the popularity of O. Henry's writing and retelling thereof.

The website Urban Dictionary lists the phrase from the year 2005, even though use of the phrase at the beginning of the 20 th century is apparent.

Phrases Similar to One Armed Paper Hanger

• Busier than a cucumber in a convent

Phrases Opposite to One Armed Paper Hanger

What is the correct saying.

• [busier than a] one armed paper hanger

Ways People May Say One Armed Paper Hanger Incorrectly

There are several ways in which someone can use the phrase 'one armed paper hanger' in the wrong way, or misunderstand the meaning of the phrase.

The phrase 'one armed paper hanger' is used to mean that someone is busy, and has no relation in origin or meaning to the English saying 'one armed bandit' – but the two can be easily confused by a speaker with no knowledge of the expression.

Acceptable Ways to Phrase One Armed Paper Hanger

The correct way to use the phrase 'one armed paper hanger' is to say that someone is 'busier than a one armed paper hanger'.

The phrase implies that someone is busy, but also often implies chaos or confusion at the same time.

The phrase can be spelled as either 'one armed' or 'one-armed' depending on the style of the publication it is being printed in.

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As busy as a one-armed paperhanger

What's the meaning of the phrase 'as busy as a one-armed paperhanger', what's the origin of the phrase 'as busy as a one-armed paperhanger'.

The next man up at the cashier’s window was a Russian grand duke, a spender from way back, a man who on his tour of this country was as busy as a one-armed paper-hanger with the hives just tossing away money.

The expression stayed within the USA for most of the 20th century and is only recently being used worldwide. Other English-speaking countries having stuck with the earlier ‘ as busy as a bee ‘.

Related phrases and meanings

Browse more phrases, about the author, gary martin, phrases & meanings, how did we do.

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paper hanging son-of-a-bitch Hitler

• Thread starter In-Su
• Start date Dec 12, 2012

• Dec 12, 2012

And when we get to Berlin, I am personally going to shoot that paper hanging son-of-a-bitch Hitler. Click to expand...

Keith Bradford

Senior member.

Hitler was in his youth a painter. Whether that was an interior decorator or an artist I don't know; clearly Patton thought the former.  

From 1905, Hitler lived a bohemian life in Vienna , financed by orphan's benefits and support from his mother. He worked as a casual labourer and eventually as a painter, selling watercolours. Click to expand...

Adolf Hitler was a painter [1] [2] and was deeply interested in art. [1] He produced hundreds of works and sold his paintings and postcards to earn a living during his Vienna years (1908–1913). However, he was not successful. A number of his paintings were recovered after World War II and have sold at auction for tens of thousands of dollars. Others were seized by the U.S. Army and are still held by the U.S. government. Click to expand...

It is often said that Hitler was a paperhanger (a person who applies wallpaper to the interior walls of houses) as a young man. At least one person is on record as saying he knew Hitler at the time. Cardinal George Mundelein of Chicago referred to Hitler as an "Austrian paperhanger" in a 1937 speech. There is no evidence that he ever actually worked at that trade.  

The paper hanger term was nonetheless pejorative, suggesting a laborer performing a task which required more hand–eye coordination than intellect, and one who offered ersatz art rather than original art. This was an ad hominem attack on Hitler's ideas, for he was a published author, [5] and a watercolorist, having produced 500–1000 paintings. [6] Accordingly, the term became popular among those who opposed Hitler's ideas rather than among those who endorsed them. Click to expand...

• Dec 13, 2012

Great, thank you all for your help.  

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Project 2025: A wish list for a Trump presidency, explained

It is billed as a policy "wish list" for the next Republican president that would vastly expand presidential powers and impose an ultra-conservative social vision on the US.

Donald Trump has disavowed the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 document, though many of its authors worked for his previous administration.

Links between the Trump campaign and Project 2025 have been highlighted by the former president's critics, and this attack line will likely continue at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this month.

Here's your guide to what the document contains.

Who wrote Project 2025?

It is common for Washington think tanks of all political stripes to propose policy wish lists for potential governments-in-waiting.

The conservative Heritage Foundation first produced policy plans for future Republican administrations in 1981, when Ronald Reagan was about to take office.

It has produced similar documents in connection with subsequent presidential elections, including in 2016, when Trump won the presidency.

A year into his term, the think tank boasted that the Trump White House had adopted nearly two-thirds of its proposals.

The Project 2025 report was unveiled in April 2023, but liberal opposition to the document has ramped up now that Trump has extended his polling lead.

The Republican nominee himself has distanced himself from the proposal.

"I know nothing about Project 2025," he posted on his social media website, Truth Social. "I have no idea who is behind it.

"I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal."

But the team that created the project is chock-full of former Trump advisers, including director Paul Dans, who was chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management while Trump was president.

Mr Dans left the project in late July, clearing the way for Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts to take over. He said he was leaving during the presidential election season in order to "direct all my efforts to winning, bigly".

Russell Vought, another former Trump administration official, wrote a key chapter in the document and also serves as the Republican National Committee’s 2024 platform policy director.

More than 100 conservative organisations contributed to the document, Heritage says, including many that would be hugely influential in Washington if Republicans took back the White House.

The Project 2025 document sets out four main policy aims: restore the family as the centrepiece of American life; dismantle the administrative state; defend the nation's sovereignty and borders; and secure God-given individual rights to live freely.

Here's an outline of several of its key proposals.

Project 2025 proposes that the entire federal bureaucracy, including independent agencies such as the Department of Justice, be placed under direct presidential control - a controversial idea known as "unitary executive theory".

In practice, that would streamline decision-making, allowing the president to directly implement policies in a number of areas.

The proposals also call for eliminating job protections for thousands of government employees, who could then be replaced by political appointees.

The document labels the FBI a "bloated, arrogant, increasingly lawless organization". It calls for drastic overhauls of this and several other federal agencies, as well as the complete elimination of the Department of Education.

What does the Republican party platform say?

The party platform includes a proposal to "declassify government records, root out wrongdoers, and fire corrupt employees", pledges to slash regulation and government spending. But it stops short of proposing a sweeping overhaul of federal agencies as outlined in Project 2025.

Immigration

Increased funding for a wall on the US-Mexico border - one of Trump's signature proposals in 2016 - is proposed in the document.

Project 2025 also proposes dismantling the Department of Homeland Security and combining it with other immigration enforcement units in other agencies, creating a much larger and more powerful border policing operation.

Other proposals include eliminating visa categories for crime and human trafficking victims, increasing fees on immigrants and allowing fast-tracked applications for migrants who pay a premium.

Not all of those details are repeated in the party platform, but the overall headlines are similar - the party is promising to implement the "largest deportation programme in American history".

What a Trump second term would look like

Climate and economy.

The document proposes slashing federal money for research and investment in renewable energy, and calls for the next president to "stop the war on oil and natural gas".

Carbon-reduction goals would be replaced by efforts to increase energy production and energy security.

The paper sets out two competing visions on tariffs, and is divided on whether the next president should try to boost free trade or raise barriers to imports.

But the economic advisers suggest that a second Trump administration should slash corporate and income taxes, abolish the Federal Reserve and even consider a return to gold-backed currency.

The party platform does not go as far as Project 2025 in these policy areas. The platform instead talks of bringing down inflation and drilling for oil to reduce energy costs, but is thin on specific policy proposals.

Abortion and family

Project 2025 does not call outright for a nationwide abortion ban.

However, it proposes withdrawing the abortion pill mifepristone from the market, and using existing but little-enforced laws to stop the drug being sent through the post.

The document suggests that the department of Health and Human Services should "maintain a biblically based, social science-reinforced definition of marriage and family".

On this issue at least, the document differs fairly substantially from the Republican platform, which only mentions the word "abortion" once. The platform says abortion laws should be left to individual states and that late-term abortions (which it does not define) should be banned.

It adds that that access to prenatal care, birth control and in-vitro fertilisation should be protected. The party platform makes no mention of cracking down on the distribution of mifepristone.

Tech and education

Under the proposals, pornography would be banned, and tech and telecoms companies that allow access would be shut down.

The document calls for school choice and parental control over schools, and takes aim at what it calls "woke propaganda".

It proposes to eliminate a long list of terms from all laws and federal regulations, including "sexual orientation", "gender equality", "abortion" and "reproductive rights".

Project 2025 aims to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools and government departments as part of what it describes as a wider crackdown on "woke" ideology.

Project 2025's proposals in this policy area are broadly reflected in the Republican platform, which in addition to calling for the abolishing the Department of Education, aims to boost school choice and parental control over education and criticises what the party calls the "inappropriate political indoctrination of our children".

Social Security

Although Heritage has long supported reforming the country's public pension plan, Project 2025 barely touches this third rail of American politics.

The platform says Social Security is a "lifeline" for millions of retired Americans and Republicans will "restore Economic Stability to ensure the long-term sustainability" of the programme.

The plan's future

Project 2025 is backed by a $22m (£17m) budget and includes strategies for implementing policies immediately after the presidential inauguration in January 2025.

Heritage is also creating a database of conservative loyalists to fill government positions, and a programme to train those new workers.

Democrats led by Jared Huffman, a congressman from California, have launched a Stop Project 2025 Task Force.

And many of the proposals would likely face immediate legal challenges from Trump's opponents if implemented.

Four surprises that could upend the 2024 US election

Where biden and trump stand on key issues, four things that could decide who wins us election.

Sara Swann, PolitiFact Sara Swann, PolitiFact

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• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-attacks-on-walzs-military-record-by-vance-and-other-republicans

Fact-checking attacks on Walz’s military record by Vance and other Republicans

This fact check originally appeared on PolitiFact .

Republican vice presidential nominee and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance sought to negatively frame the 24-year military career of newly minted Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, Minnesota’s current governor.

“When the United States Marine Corps, when the United States of America, asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it,” Vance  said  Aug. 7 at the Shelby, Michigan, police department. Vance  served  as a combat correspondent for the U.S. Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007 and deployed to Iraq for six months in 2005 but  did not experience combat .

Vance continued, “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, do you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him. … I think it’s shameful.” At a different event, Vance used the phrase “ stolen valor ” to describe his accusations against Walz.

On X, Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, made a  claim similar to Vance’s,  writing, “Tim Walz TURNED HIS BACK on the soldiers in his unit because he was TOO afraid to deploy to Iraq!!”

READ MORE: Democrats defend Walz’s military record as Vance, GOP begin attacks

Walz retired from the Minnesota National Guard in May 2005. He had submitted retirement paperwork five to seven months beforehand, Fox News  reported , citing the Minnesota National Guard.

In March 2005, Walz’s battalion had been notified about a possible deployment to Iraq within two years, Walz’s congressional campaign said in a  news release  that month, citing the National Guard Public Affairs Office. The Minnesota National Guard said the battalion then received an official order about mobilizing for deployment to Iraq in July 2005, after Walz retired.

Vance’s statement misleads by distorting the timeline. Walz had not been “asked by his country to go to Iraq,” as Vance said. He had been given a two-year window for a potential, not definite, deployment. And the official deployment notice came after Walz’s retirement.

Walz has said since before his Army retirement that he left to run for Congress. He filed his candidacy paperwork in February 2005, before the March 2005 notification about the potential deployment.

This is not a new line of attack. When Walz ran for a second term as Minnesota governor in 2022, his Republican opponent, who did not serve in the U.S. military,  criticized  Walz for leaving the National Guard before his unit deployed to Iraq.

Two retired Minnesota National Guard command sergeant majors also  penned a paid letter  to a Minnesota newspaper in 2018 claiming Walz “embellished and selectively omitted facts” about his military service. This letter resurfaced on X after Vice President Kamala Harris tapped Walz as her running mate. Other  guard   members  who served with Walz have defended him.

Walz’s spokesperson in the Minnesota governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment, and the Harris-Walz campaign declined to comment.

When reached by  The New York Times , a Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson didn’t provide new details about Walz’s retirement timeline and instead highlighted Walz’s record advocating for veterans and their families.

When contacted for comment, Vance’s campaign spokesperson sent links to the 2005 Walz campaign news release about the potential deployment and several news stories that quote former members of Walz’s battalion who were upset with him for not deploying to Iraq.

Walz’s military timeline

Walz enlisted in the Nebraska National Guard on April 8, 1981, two days after his 17th birthday. In 1996, Walz transferred to the Minnesota National Guard, where he served in the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery until he retired May 16, 2005, Army Lt. Col. Kristen Augé, Minnesota National Guard’s state public affairs officer, told PolitiFact in a statement.

During his service, Walz responded to floods and tornadoes, specialized in heavy artillery and was recognized for his proficiency in sharpshooting and hand grenades, Minnesota Public Radio  reported .

On Aug. 3, 2003, Walz and his battalion were deployed to Italy to support U.S. operations in Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom. Walz returned to Minnesota in April 2004, Augé said.

WATCH: A look at Walz’s record and how he could bolster Democratic support in the Midwest

In May 2005, Walz, then 41, officially retired from the Minnesota National Guard to campaign for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District. He  filed  his statement of candidacy paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Feb. 10, 2005. Walz was elected to Congress in November 2006.

Al Bonnifield, who served with Walz in the Minnesota National Guard, told  Minnesota Public Radio  in 2018 that Walz weighed his retirement from the guard and congressional run “very heavy.” Bonnifield reiterated this to  The Washington Post  on Aug. 7.

“Would the soldier look down on him because he didn’t go with us? Would the common soldier say, ‘Hey, he didn’t go with us, he’s trying to skip out on a deployment?’ And he wasn’t,” Bonnifield said in 2018.

Doug Julin, who served as a more senior command sergeant major in Walz’s battalion, said Walz went over his head to get retirement approval before the unit’s deployment was official, because Julin would have “analyzed it and challenged him,” the  New York Post  reported Aug. 8.

Others who served in Walz’s battalion have said he “ditched” them and his actions were “dishonorable,” Fox News  reported .

Battalion’s deployment to Iraq

Walz’s unit received an “alert order” for mobilization to Iraq on July 14, 2005, Army Lt. Col. Ryan Rossman, Minnesota National Guard’s director of operations, told PolitiFact in a statement.

The unit received the official Department of the Army mobilization order Aug. 14, 2005, and mobilized Oct. 12, 2005, Rossman said.

The unit deployed to Iraq in March 2006 and was deployed for 19 months, according to an October 2007  congressional resolution .

The two retired Minnesota National Guard command sergeant majors who wrote the 2018 letter said the battalion received a “warning order” in early 2005 “to prepare to be mobilized for active duty for a deployment to Iraq.” They did not specify the warning letter’s date. Augé of the Minnesota National Guard told PolitiFact the agency doesn’t have information about any unofficial orders that might have been sent to the battalion.

An  archived March 20, 2005, press release  from Walz’s congressional campaign website said the National Guard Public Affairs Office announced March 17, 2005, “a possible partial mobilization of roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard.” The announcement said a portion of Walz’s battalion could be mobilized to serve in Iraq within the next two years.

Walz said in his campaign’s press release, “As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington, D.C., or in Iraq. I don’t want to speculate on what shape my campaign will take if I am deployed, but I have no plans to drop out of the race.”

Although Walz had been  promoted  in 2004 to command sergeant major, he retired in 2005 as a master sergeant,  one rank below  command sergeant major, “for benefit purposes because he did not complete additional coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy,” Augé said.

Joseph Eustice, a 32-year military veteran who served in and led the same guard unit as Walz, told  The New York Times  and  NewsNation  in Aug. 7 interviews that when Walz decided to retire in May 2005, their unit had heard rumors of a potential deployment to Iraq, but had not received official orders.

Vance said, “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, do you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him.”

Vance’s statement ignores that Walz’s unit was not officially ordered to go to Iraq until July 2005, two months after Walz officially retired.

After 24 years of military service, Walz said he retired from the Minnesota National Guard in May 2005 to run for Congress. He had submitted retirement paperwork five to seven months beforehand. He filed candidacy paperwork in February 2005.

READ MORE: 5 things to know about Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’ VP pick

There’s an element of truth in Vance’s statement because in March 2005, before Walz officially retired, his battalion was notified of possible deployment to Iraq within two years. Walz was aware at the time of his retirement that deployment could be possible and one of his fellow guard members described Walz’s retirement decision as “very heavy.”

But the March 2005 notification gave a time frame of two years for a possible — not definite — deployment that would not occur immediately, which is the way Vance’s statement framed it.

At PolitiFact, the burden of proof is on the speaker, Vance, who did not provide details to support his statement. We rate it Mostly False.

PolitiFact Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.

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Tim Walz's military record: What to know about potential VP's National Guard service

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday, choosing a progressive yet plain-spoken VP candidate from America’s heartland to help her win over rural, white voters.

“I’m pleased to share that I’ve made my decision: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will join our campaign as my running mate,” Harris said via text to supporters. “Tim is a battle-tested leader who has an incredible track record of getting things done for Minnesota families. I know that he will bring that same principled leadership to our campaign, and to the office of the vice president.”

We look at Walz, a 60-year-old U.S. Army National Guard veteran, and his military career over the years.

More: Tim Walz is Kamala Harris' VP pick: Minnesota governor named running mate: Live updates

How long was Walz in the military?

Walz served in the military for 24 years, enlisting in the Nebraska National Guard at 17 in 1981 and then transferring to the Minnesota National Guard in 1996. He retired in 2005 to begin his successful run for the U.S. House, representing Minnesota as command sergeant major, among the highest ranks for enlisted soldiers. His battalion went on to deploy to Iraq shortly after Walz's retirement.

Walz specialized in heavy artillery and had proficiency ribbons in sharpshooting and hand grenades.

But during the 21 years that Walz spent working with large artillery pieces, he suffered hearing loss and tinnitus in both ears, Minnesota Public Radio reported. He was allowed to continue his service after undergoing surgery, which partially resolved his hearing loss.

Where did Walz serve, and what did he do in the National Guard?

During his service, Walz responded to natural disasters, including floods and tornadoes in Minnesota and Nebraska, and was deployed overseas for months at a time, according to MPR.

In 2003, he was sent to Italy, where he served with the European Security Force to support the war in Afghanistan. He was also stationed in Norway for joint training with other NATO militaries.

Walz told MPR that he reenlisted in the National Guard after the September 11 attacks but never saw active combat in his years in the military.

Stars and Stripes reported in 2020 that Walz credited his Army experience with helping him steer Minnesota through the COVID-19 pandemic as governor.

As governor of Minnesota, Walz is commander in chief of the 13,000-soldier Minnesota National Guard. “I’m certainly proud of my military service, but it’s one piece of me,” he told Minnesota Public Radio in 2018. “It doesn’t define me.”

Reuters and USA TODAY reporter Tom Vanden Brook contributed to this story.

How to cite ChatGPT

Use discount code STYLEBLOG15 for 15% off APA Style print products with free shipping in the United States.

We, the APA Style team, are not robots. We can all pass a CAPTCHA test , and we know our roles in a Turing test . And, like so many nonrobot human beings this year, we’ve spent a fair amount of time reading, learning, and thinking about issues related to large language models, artificial intelligence (AI), AI-generated text, and specifically ChatGPT . We’ve also been gathering opinions and feedback about the use and citation of ChatGPT. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and shared ideas, opinions, research, and feedback.

In this post, I discuss situations where students and researchers use ChatGPT to create text and to facilitate their research, not to write the full text of their paper or manuscript. We know instructors have differing opinions about how or even whether students should use ChatGPT, and we’ll be continuing to collect feedback about instructor and student questions. As always, defer to instructor guidelines when writing student papers. For more about guidelines and policies about student and author use of ChatGPT, see the last section of this post.

Quoting or reproducing the text created by ChatGPT in your paper

If you’ve used ChatGPT or other AI tools in your research, describe how you used the tool in your Method section or in a comparable section of your paper. For literature reviews or other types of essays or response or reaction papers, you might describe how you used the tool in your introduction. In your text, provide the prompt you used and then any portion of the relevant text that was generated in response.

Unfortunately, the results of a ChatGPT “chat” are not retrievable by other readers, and although nonretrievable data or quotations in APA Style papers are usually cited as personal communications , with ChatGPT-generated text there is no person communicating. Quoting ChatGPT’s text from a chat session is therefore more like sharing an algorithm’s output; thus, credit the author of the algorithm with a reference list entry and the corresponding in-text citation.

When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

You may also put the full text of long responses from ChatGPT in an appendix of your paper or in online supplemental materials, so readers have access to the exact text that was generated. It is particularly important to document the exact text created because ChatGPT will generate a unique response in each chat session, even if given the same prompt. If you create appendices or supplemental materials, remember that each should be called out at least once in the body of your APA Style paper.

When given a follow-up prompt of “What is a more accurate representation?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that “different brain regions work together to support various cognitive processes” and “the functional specialization of different regions can change in response to experience and environmental factors” (OpenAI, 2023; see Appendix A for the full transcript).

Creating a reference to ChatGPT or other AI models and software

The in-text citations and references above are adapted from the reference template for software in Section 10.10 of the Publication Manual (American Psychological Association, 2020, Chapter 10). Although here we focus on ChatGPT, because these guidelines are based on the software template, they can be adapted to note the use of other large language models (e.g., Bard), algorithms, and similar software.

The reference and in-text citations for ChatGPT are formatted as follows:

• Parenthetical citation: (OpenAI, 2023)
• Narrative citation: OpenAI (2023)

Let’s break that reference down and look at the four elements (author, date, title, and source):

Author: The author of the model is OpenAI.

Date: The date is the year of the version you used. Following the template in Section 10.10, you need to include only the year, not the exact date. The version number provides the specific date information a reader might need.

Title: The name of the model is “ChatGPT,” so that serves as the title and is italicized in your reference, as shown in the template. Although OpenAI labels unique iterations (i.e., ChatGPT-3, ChatGPT-4), they are using “ChatGPT” as the general name of the model, with updates identified with version numbers.

The version number is included after the title in parentheses. The format for the version number in ChatGPT references includes the date because that is how OpenAI is labeling the versions. Different large language models or software might use different version numbering; use the version number in the format the author or publisher provides, which may be a numbering system (e.g., Version 2.0) or other methods.

Bracketed text is used in references for additional descriptions when they are needed to help a reader understand what’s being cited. References for a number of common sources, such as journal articles and books, do not include bracketed descriptions, but things outside of the typical peer-reviewed system often do. In the case of a reference for ChatGPT, provide the descriptor “Large language model” in square brackets. OpenAI describes ChatGPT-4 as a “large multimodal model,” so that description may be provided instead if you are using ChatGPT-4. Later versions and software or models from other companies may need different descriptions, based on how the publishers describe the model. The goal of the bracketed text is to briefly describe the kind of model to your reader.

Source: When the publisher name and the author name are the same, do not repeat the publisher name in the source element of the reference, and move directly to the URL. This is the case for ChatGPT. The URL for ChatGPT is https://chat.openai.com/chat . For other models or products for which you may create a reference, use the URL that links as directly as possible to the source (i.e., the page where you can access the model, not the publisher’s homepage).

Other questions about citing ChatGPT

You may have noticed the confidence with which ChatGPT described the ideas of brain lateralization and how the brain operates, without citing any sources. I asked for a list of sources to support those claims and ChatGPT provided five references—four of which I was able to find online. The fifth does not seem to be a real article; the digital object identifier given for that reference belongs to a different article, and I was not able to find any article with the authors, date, title, and source details that ChatGPT provided. Authors using ChatGPT or similar AI tools for research should consider making this scrutiny of the primary sources a standard process. If the sources are real, accurate, and relevant, it may be better to read those original sources to learn from that research and paraphrase or quote from those articles, as applicable, than to use the model’s interpretation of them.

We’ve also received a number of other questions about ChatGPT. Should students be allowed to use it? What guidelines should instructors create for students using AI? Does using AI-generated text constitute plagiarism? Should authors who use ChatGPT credit ChatGPT or OpenAI in their byline? What are the copyright implications ?

On these questions, researchers, editors, instructors, and others are actively debating and creating parameters and guidelines. Many of you have sent us feedback, and we encourage you to continue to do so in the comments below. We will also study the policies and procedures being established by instructors, publishers, and academic institutions, with a goal of creating guidelines that reflect the many real-world applications of AI-generated text.

For questions about manuscript byline credit, plagiarism, and related ChatGPT and AI topics, the APA Style team is seeking the recommendations of APA Journals editors. APA Style guidelines based on those recommendations will be posted on this blog and on the APA Style site later this year.

Update: APA Journals has published policies on the use of generative AI in scholarly materials .

We, the APA Style team humans, appreciate your patience as we navigate these unique challenges and new ways of thinking about how authors, researchers, and students learn, write, and work with new technologies.

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

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About 400 Million People Worldwide Have Had Long Covid, Researchers Say

The condition has put significant strain on patients and society — at a global economic cost of about $1 trillion a year, a new report estimates.

By Pam Belluck

Pam Belluck has been reporting about long Covid since the condition first emerged.

About 400 million people worldwide have been afflicted with long Covid, according to a new report by scientists and other researchers who have studied the condition. The team estimated that the economic cost — from factors like health care services and patients unable to return to work — is about $1 trillion worldwide each year, or about 1 percent of the global economy.

The report, published Friday in the journal Nature Medicine, is an effort to summarize the knowledge about and effects of long Covid across the globe four years after it first emerged.

It also aims to “provide a road map for policy and research priorities,” said one author, Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, the chief of research and development at the V.A. St. Louis Health Care System and a clinical epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis. He wrote the paper with several other leading long Covid researchers and three leaders of the Patient-Led Research Collaborative, an organization formed by long Covid patients who are also professional researchers.

Among the conclusions:

About 6 percent of adults globally have had long Covid.

The authors evaluated scores of studies and metrics to estimate that as of the end of 2023, about 6 percent of adults and about 1 percent of children — or about 400 million people — had ever had long Covid since the pandemic began. They said the estimate accounted for the fact that new cases slowed in 2022 and 2023 because of vaccines and the milder Omicron variant.

They suggested that the actual number might be higher because their estimate included only people who developed long Covid after they had symptoms during the infectious stage of the virus, and it did not include people who had more than one Covid infection.

Many people have not fully recovered.

The authors cited studies suggesting that only 7 percent to 10 percent of long Covid patients fully recovered two years after developing long Covid. They added that “some manifestations of long Covid, including heart disease, diabetes, myalgic encephalomyelitis and dysautonomia are chronic conditions that last a lifetime.”

The consequences are far-reaching, the authors wrote: “Long Covid drastically affects patients’ well-being and sense of self, as well as their ability to work, socialize, care for others, manage chores and engage in community activities — which also affects patients’ families, caregivers and their communities.”

The report cited estimates that between two million and four million adults were out of work because of long Covid in 2022 and that people with long Covid were 10 percent less likely to be employed than those who were never infected with the virus. Long Covid patients often have to reduce their work hours, and one in four limit activities outside work in order to continue working, the report said.

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