Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income available to MAA common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. All outstanding unvested restricted share awards contain rights to non-forfeitable dividends and participate in undistributed earnings with shareholders and, accordingly, are considered participating securities that are included in the two-class method of computing basic earnings per share. Both the unvested restricted shares and other potentially dilutive common shares, and the related impact to earnings, are considered when calculating earnings per share on a diluted basis with diluted earnings per share being the more dilutive of the treasury stock or two-class methods. OP Units are included in dilutive earnings per share calculations when the units are dilutive to earnings per share. For the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, MAA's basic earnings per share is computed using the two-class method, and MAA's diluted earnings per share was computed using the more dilutive of the treasury stock method or two-class method, as presented below (dollars and shares in thousands, except per share amounts):



	Three months ended March 31,
	2018				2017
Common Shares Outstanding
Weighted average common shares - basic	113,507				113,338
Weighted average partnership units outstanding	—			⁽¹⁾	4,219
Effect of dilutive securities	—			⁽²⁾	307
Weighted average common shares - diluted	113,507				117,864

Calculation of Earnings per Common Share - basic
Net income	$	50,820			$	43,416
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,801		)		(1,511		)
Unvested restricted stock (allocation of earnings)	(79		)		(73		)
Preferred dividends	(922		)		(922		)
Net income available for common shareholders, adjusted	$	48,018			$	40,910

Weighted average common shares - basic	113,507				113,338
Earnings per common share - basic	$	0.42			$	0.36

Calculation of Earnings per Common Share - diluted
Net income	$	50,820			$	43,416
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,801		)	⁽¹⁾	—
Unvested restricted stock (allocation of earnings)	(79		)	⁽²⁾	—
Preferred dividends	(922		)		(922		)
Net income available for common shareholders, adjusted	$	48,018			$	42,494

Weighted average common shares - diluted	113,507				117,864
Earnings per common share - diluted	$	0.42			$	0.36

⁽¹⁾ For the three months ended March 31, 2018, 4.2 million OP Units and their related income are not included in the diluted earnings per share calculations as they are not dilutive.

⁽²⁾ For the three months ended March 31, 2018, 0.2 million potentially dilutive securities and their related income are not included in the diluted earnings per share calculations as they are not dilutive.