Literature Review: Outline Assignment Instructions
Overview
• The goal of this assignment is to get you moving as quickly as possible on your reading of research articles. It would be best if you read peer-reviewed research articles at a pretty furious pace (two a day) to write with sufficient knowledge.
• The literature review is a review of the literature. It is where you provide the information you have gathered on your selected themes and begin constructing the case for your specifically designed model.
As you read, consider:
• What is the existing literature out there on my selected themes/variables?
(i.e., 1. You select depression as one of your variables. AND 2. Search existing literature/studies on depression (begin by gaining a broad understanding of depression, then begin looking at what particular studies have been conducted on depression, independently and in relation to your other selected variables)
*
Study each research article you read:
1. Take note of the literature they have examined to design their study, but DO NOT CITE FACTS FROM THEIR LITERATURE REVIEW UNDER THEIR NAMES; go to the
ORIGINAL SOURCE
2. Look at the methodology behind their study, examine their specific procedures and what tests they conduct
3. Take note of how they report their results
4. When you are reading through their discussion, note the way they discuss (perhaps their rationale or what sources they refer to)
5. Look at their limitations and future research
• Throughout you are reading, ask yourself where there might be “
gaps” in the literature (things the existing literature has neglected to examine/research) – this will inform your study.
Instructions
Construct an outline for your Literature Review:
• This outline must be thorough and
include information from the articles you have read; you must cite each of them, in APA format
• The outline of your Literature Review must have
at least 5 major headings
• This must
include major themes as well as integration between themes
General format:
I. Introduction to entire literature review (must be informative and concise)
II. Theme 1 – This is
ONE heading (you need at least
five)
A. Detailed info on Theme 1 (include information on reviewed articles, include
APA formatted citations – see APA Handbook and Guidelines on citations)
B. Detailed info on Theme 1(include information on reviewed articles)
1. Even more detailed info on Theme 1 (include more detailed information on the specific article mentioned above)
2. Even more detailed info on Theme 1(include more detailed information on the specific article mentioned above)
III. Theme 2
A. Detailed info on Theme 2
1. Even more detailed info on Theme 2
2. Even more detailed info on Theme 2
IV. Theme 3 (
continue with more detailed information on Theme 3 as outlined above)
V. Theme 4 (
continue with more detailed information on Theme 4 as outlined above)
VI. Theme 5 (
continue with more detailed information on Theme 5 as outlined above)
VIII. Integrate and Synthesize the above Themes
V. Conclusion of literature review
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.
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