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  Outline on the   Literature Review
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 See Also:  An Overview of the Methods of the Social Sciences
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 See Also:  Term Paper
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 Researching & Writing a Literature Review allows the Researcher to Refine the Thesis
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 The purpose of the Literature Review is to explain how you came to your research question, to show what questions are unanswered by the literature
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 Parameters
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 One source should lead you to another source
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 You must use Scholastic Sources
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 A Literature Review has four Functions
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 1.  Summarize the main points
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 2.  Offer a positive or negative evaluation
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 3.  Show how the source links or is related to the other sources
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 4.  Show why the source is important by showing how the source relates to your research question & what questions are unanswered
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 Hints on developing the content of the Literature Review
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 Include a Title Page
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 Suggested Literature Review Outline
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 See Also:  The Evaluation of the Literature Review
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 - Project:  The Literature Review Outline
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The purpose of the Lit Review is to put together a narrative (a story) that explains how the works you have read lead you to your research question, and what questions are left unanswered by the literature.  To do this you must be familiar w/ the literature in your area.

 
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Parameters: Length:  see your syllabus.  Include at least one scholastic/academic reference for each page required as the body of the paper (for example, if the body is to be eight pages, there should be eight references) unless otherwise specified in the syllabus.  You are to write, approximately, a two pages review for each source. 

 
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One source should lead you to another source.   You should not simply go out and check out sources from the library.  Let the sources lead you to other sources.  To begin, go to the library and find a couple of sources that look the most promising.  Review them.  If they are good, you will find other sources referenced in them that look interesting.  Then check out these sources and repeat the procedure.  If you do not find sources within sources, use typical methods for finding your sources.

 
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A Literature Review has four Functions
 

1. Summary:  Summarize the main point  of the source ( not the entire reference, just the main point or thesis ).  It takes an artful skill to find the main point of an article.  The Literature Review concisely presents the results / main points of the reviewed research, & possibly the methodologies & variables used.  This section concisely presents the results / main points of the reviewed research, & possibly the methodologies & variables used.  In the Summary your task is to find the main point of the article.  You have little space so you may only report on methods, variables and other details only when they are extremely important to your topic.  However, these types of details may be discussed in the body of your paper.


 
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2.  Evaluation:  Offer a positive and/or negative evaluation by pointing out any exceptional strengths or weaknesses.  Note two things about the critique:you may not have any exceptional strengths or weaknesses to point out, & furthermore a critique can discuss positive aspects, 
i.e. the strengths of an article.   In the critique, express your opinion on the quality & importance of the research reviewed.

 
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3.  Linkage to Other Sources:  Show how the source links or is related to the other sources.   Link or compare the source to the other sources you are examining. So the sources conflict?  Do they support the same point?  Are they from different historical periods?  Are they finding a similar result but in different settings?  In short, what is the common thread of the sources? 

 
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4.  Imporatnce:  Show why the source is important by  showing how the source relates to your research question & what questions are unanswered. You should state how the source relates to your topic You should state how this source is important to your paper. You will show this at great length in the body of your assignment.  So here, state it in summary form.  This is the part that primarily relates to the overall purpose of the Literature Review:  The Literature Review puts together a narrative (a story)  that explains how the works you have read lead you to your research question,  & what questions are left unanswered by the literature.

 
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Content Hints  (discussed in detail below)The Literature Review:
1. follows a trend in the literature from the early work, to later work, eventually ending w/ the present topic of the paper/presentation
2. in discussing the how the literature ends with your topic, points out how your study differs from previous studies
3. points out gaps in the literature
4. explores the extensiveness/importance of the present topic of the paper/presentation 
     by exploring the number of people affected, the cost, etc.
5.  Literature that is not directly related to your topic is encouraged.  It may parallel, or complement your topic
6.  Use few direct quotes
7. You do not have the space to report on details.   Focus on the main idea / result
8. In most cases, one part of the Literature Review should provide a socio-historical analysis of your topic

 
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9. The Literature Review is an essay, NOT a list & thus should be presented in the form of an essay, NOT in the form of an annotated list. An annotation is a short summary of contents indicating the research that is available on a topic.  It fails to organize the material for the reader. A Literature Review indicates how the references relate to each other because it is organized around your specified topic. 

 
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Suggested Literature Review OutlineI.   Summary of the main point
      A.  Main point or thesis
      B.  Other major/important points:  especially those addressed below
      C.  Summary or abstract
II.  Evaluation of the source 
      (See Link to Types of Analysis: Critique)
      A.  Merits
             1.  Data
             2.  Analysis (cause-effect, etc.)
             3.  Scope
             4.  Other
      B.  Faults
             1.  Data
             2.  Analysis (cause-effect, etc.)
             3.  Scope
             4.  Other
      C.  Judgment 
             1.  Usefulness:  Do the faults so taint the merits that the source is useless or misleading?
             2.  Validity:  Does the source do what it intends to do
             3.  Reliability:  Is the source in-line or out of line w/ most other sources?  Is the writer credible?
III.  Link the source
       A.  Agreement w/ other sources
       B.  Disagreement w/ other sources
       C.  Extension of other sources
             1.  Historically
             2.  Data / scope
             3.  Other
IV.  Demonstrate Source Importance
        A.  How does this source support your thesis
        B.  How does this source challenge your thesis

 
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Project: The Literature Review Outline



"Your Mission, should you decide to accept it:"
Answer the questions found below as a group. 
Hand in one answer
Include everyone's first & last name 
    ( In alphabetical order ) 
    ( Include only members who are present )
Indicate the       name of the class
Indicate the       date:
Indicate the       name of the Project:       Literature Review Outline
Be thorough--write good answers;  use your time wisely & be finished by  end of the allotted time. 

      See the info on how to write a literature review found above

       Bring a short article to class that you wish to review

      Write an outline for each of the four sections required for a literature review

The End
 
 
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