These are my assignment details:
1. Introduction and thesis statement – In this section you give the reader an overview of your topic. For example, you can state your question and discuss why it is important / relevant to human development and the human condition. In this brief section you should help us understand why anyone should care about the topic. But remember, this is a scientific style paper so you need to stay objective, not overly emotional and not dramatic. Reason in a clear and scientific manner. In fact, as you read your research papers use those as the model of how we write in psychological science and try to mimic that style. Provide an answer, even if it is a ‘tentative one’ to the research question that you sought to better understand this semester. For example if I were reviewing the literature on the question “Does birth order have a long lasting impact on personality development?” after having read some relevant papers I might argue from the following thesis – “Birth order does not appear to have a long lasting, systematic impact on personality development.” The body of my paper would then use evidence to convince the reader of why I hold this thesis given the research I reviewed.
2. The body of your paper: Argumentation, Integration, and Evaluation – Integrate key information such as research methods, and research findings /conclusions across your articles to make points that support your argument (your thesis). A good paper will integrate the evidence from the 4 research papers you reviewed so that each paragraph in this section makes a point supported by various sources (e.g., your textbook, and two or more of the papers that you read). A poorer paper will make each paragraph a summary of a single article. In addition, as they state at the University of Utah in a similar literature review assignment “It is unlikely that the literature will present a perfectly clear picture on your question (if it does, you should celebrate your good fortune). It is more likely that the evidence will be contradictory, ambiguous…This is frustrating, but is also an opportunity to show your skill at interpreting what you read. Perhaps different results are due to differences in the circumstances surrounding the studies (or differences in research methods – read those and think about HOW the studies were done); if so, you should explain this. Perhaps you think that some results are simply stronger than others. If so, explain the limitations of the studies you find less convincing.” Note that the authors of the papers will ALL identify what they think the weaknesses of their studies were. Do not be alarmed, all studies have limitations.
3. Reflection and Conclusion – Spend some space reflecting on what you learned in conducting this review. Did you find the answer that you expected? Why, why not? What was most interesting? What else needs to be done (according to the authors of your papers) to really nail down the final answer to your question if it has not been nailed down? Thinking carefully, and critically, what is the most important next step, or next study, in the research process that would address your question? Discuss whether or not your question relates to any of the themes of development from Siegler (starting on p.10) if so choose the most important one and discuss that theme as part of the conclusions that you are drawing. Discuss anything that you learned about the topic that you found especially enlightening and meaningful for your life. You could write about the papers that you found most meaningful and why. Overall, this section should leave the reader with a clear set of final thoughts that you have about the research question, at least one of the main class themes, and insights gained from the process of engaging in a literature review and writing your essay.
My sources are:
http://openaccess.ihu.edu.tr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/20.500.12154/1848/bulut_s.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9a29/c59ad5bc4a72ce026548717adefe048bfdc0.pdf
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1300/J087v32n03_09?needAccess=true&role=button
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/10502556.2015.1046800?needAccess=true&role=button
https://www.idosr.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/IDOSR-JCIAH-6167-74-2020.pdf