This are the instruction on Canvas:
You will be conducting a literature review as part of this course. As part of the process, you must identify your research question, formulate your hypothesis, and provide the data source that you want to use to answer your question. Do not exceed 10 pages for the review. Your write-up should be double-spaced, justified (aligned), Times New Roman, and 12-font. Make sure you attach a bibliography using the APA format. Failing to follow the instructions will cost you points. You can also use the resources of the Writing Center.
Attached below is the rubric for the literature review.
Lit Review Econ Writing Rubric.doc
What is Literature Review
A literature review is not an annotated bibliography in which you summarize briefly each article that you have reviewed. While a summary of what you have read is contained within the literature review, it goes well beyond merely summarizing professional literature. It focuses on a specific topic of interest to you and includes a critical analysis of the relationship among different works, and relating this research to your work. The review of the professional literature relevant to your research question will help to contextualize, or frame, your research. It will give readers the necessary background to understand your research.
The structure of a literature review
A literature review should be structured like any other essay: it should have an introduction, a middle or main body, and a conclusion.
Introduction
The introduction should:
- define your topic and provide an appropriate context for reviewing the literature;
- establish your reasons – i.e. point of view – for
- reviewing the literature;
- explain the organization – i.e. sequence – of the review;
- state the scope of the review – i.e. what is included and what isn’t included. For example, if you were reviewing the literature on obesity in children you might say something like: There are a large number of studies of obesity trends in the general population. However, since the focus of this research is on obesity in children, these will not be reviewed in detail and will only be referred to as appropriate.
Main body
The middle or main body should:
- organize the literature according to common themes;
- provide insight into the relationship between your chosen topic and the wider subject area e.g. between obesity in children and obesity in general;
- move from a general, wider view of the literature being reviewed to the specific focus of your research.
Conclusion
The conclusion should:
- summarize the important aspects of the existing body of literature;
- evaluate the current state of the literature review;
- identify significant flaws or gaps in existing knowledge;
- outline areas for future study;
- link your research to existing knowledge.
The Royal Literary Fund. (n.d.). The structure of a literature review. In Literature reviews. Retrieved from: http://www.rlf.org.uk/fellowshipscheme/writing/literaturereviews/structure.cfm (Links to an external site.)
Guidelines for writing a literature review:
- Provide an overview near the beginning of the review
- Near the beginning of a review, state explicitly what will and will not be covered
- Aim for a clear and cohesive essay that integrates the key details of the literature and communicates your point of view (literature is not a series of annotated articles).
- Use subheadings
- Use transitions to help trace your argument
- Where appropriate, describe why the information within a paragraph or a section is important relative to your study. Help the reader to connect the information to the research study.
- Write a conclusion for the end of the review: Provide closure so that the path of the argument ends with a conclusion of some kind. The conclusion of a paper in which you will be presenting original research usually leads to the research question or questions that will be addressed.
- Check the flow of your argument for coherence.
For further information check: Research Guides (Links to an external site.)