Most research projects include a literature review to determine what knowledge exists on the subject under study and to develop the theoretical framework that will be used in the study. The literature review sets the context for your final proposal by explaining what others have found in researching the same or similar specific research questions. Literature reviews are done to help summarize the current state of knowledge on a topic and the current knowledge gaps up to this point from experts. In this format, they are often published as a pure literature review within peer-reviewed journals. One example can be found here specific to the literature on psychobiography as a method, here is another example article. Students often have a hard time writing literature reviews because it seems like a foreign way to organize information. However, in a way, you can equate the way that an essay is written to that of a literature review. In an essay, one will bring in numerous references within each paragraph. With a literature review, on the other hand, the focus is on what earlier research has concluded with the respect to this topic. Imagine you are explained what is known about a topic from earlier studies to another student who already has familiarity with the topic. NCSU has a fantastic video (https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/tutorials/litreview/) that helps explain what a literature review is an how they are written at the graduate and professional levels, I recommend taking a look as it will help give you some additional perspective on how these are written.
A literature review begins with an introductory paragraph in which the writer frames the research topic and its significance, or the puzzle or topic area that the researcher is addressing. To do that, the writer will summarize the major relevant arguments on the research subject, highlighting the main issues and how schools of thought might differ. If there are key terms to be defined, the writer would also do that here, if the literature review is part of a larger research paper.
The body of the literature review tells readers what others have found in their studies about your specific research question, or topic under investigation (the extent of existing knowledge on your specific research question/current state of the research on a particular topic), critiques what is right or wrong with these other studies, and discusses how the body of knowledge needs to be moved forward (and/or how the work is distinguishable from the research study you are proposing). Your review should organize material by theme or method or what makes sense for the project.
The conclusion should summarize the primary “sense of the literature”, encapsulating for the reader where the existing literature ends and, if carrying out a study, where your research will start.
Assignment Instructions:
This assignment serves as a building block for your final thesis proposal. Please do not list summaries of articles. Instead, you must synthesize your research, focusing on ideas/current state of research on your particular topic. Your reader wants to learn about what others have said about your current topic/hypothesis, not summaries of articles.
Format: Standard academic format will suffice: 1-inch borders on all four sides, double spaced, with times new roman 12-point font. As with all academic assignments (unless otherwise specified) you must include a references section and list your references.
This literature review is critical review, synthesizing at least 9-10 scholarly/peer-reviewed articles.
Since multiple writing styles are in use within this course, on your title page, please note which style you are using within your assignment. This will help me cater my comments to the style you are using. The style you use needs to be the one that is used within your program of study.
Total pages: 4-5 complete pages in length not including title page, or references. Your grade is not based on length. Please do not go over the maximum limit.
I have also attached a synthesis matrix that should help you organize your notes as you go, as well as the grading rubric for this assignment.
Use the filename (no spaces): yourlastnameW4.doc to upload this file to the HW4 assignment.
As you proofread your assignment I encourage you to work with Belcher, Wendy Laura. 2009. “Editing Your Sentences” In Writing Your Journal Article in 12 Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success. Sage. This resource has a nice step by step process for enhancing your writing.
Note: As mentioned above this assignment is a building-block for your final assignment. The final proposal contains this preliminary literature review in order to demonstrate the importance of the topic and show that it has not yet been addressed within the literature.