Writing a Review of the Literature or “Lit Review”
For this assignment, you will review 8-10 sources related to your topic. Of these sources, at least four must be scholarly, peer-reviewed sources. Your literature review must be 4-5 pages in length, not including the works cited/reference page.
In academic writing, a lit review can be its own, stand-alone genre or a part of a larger paper. For this class, your lit review will be part of your final argument paper, and so will act to set the stage for your thesis and argument.
Think of this section of your paper as educating your audience about important background information on your topic—remember, they won’t have done all the research you have. When writing a lit review as part of a larger paper (as you are for this assignment) use the lit review to show how you will contribute to the discussion—show what other writers have said about the topic, where there are disagreements, and where there are gaps in the research, all of which sets up how you will fill or bridge some of those gaps and divides.
Your lit review should:
· Show relationships and connections between sources—avoid a simple source-by source summary and instead organize by ideas
· Identify the major viewpoints or positions writers have taken on the topic
· Make clear why certain studies are important within the larger conversation about the topic (think beyond your own argument here—what makes certain studies important for any and every one dealing with the topic?)
· Clearly distinguish between primary research studies and other kinds of sources (for example, between articles that report on a study the author(s) conducted, and articles that synthesize several different studies)
· Keep the timeline clear, especially when studies build on one another, or when the change in ideas or perceptions over time is important to your argument
· Make clear who said what
· Build toward showing what you will contribute, how your paper offers something new
Here are some brainstorming questions to guide your writing:
Finding common ground
Are there certain foundational ideas everyone agrees on? What are they? What sources set those foundations?
Identifying flashpoints
Does your topic involve any disagreements between sources? If so, what are they (what are the differing claims being made)? Who are the authors who make those differing claims? The next three questions will help you identify key areas of disagreement or debate.
Often in academic arguments there are more than simply two sides—so be sure to identify all of them. Some of the differing positions taken may involve differences in interpretation. For example, maybe all your sources agree that bullying in high schools is a problem, but they may disagree about the causes of that behavior. Or all your sources may agree that improving energy efficiency of university buildings is a worthwhile goal, but may disagree about how best to do so.
Can we agree there is a problem?
Does your topic involve a problem? Does everyone agree it is a problem? If not, what are the arguments made that it is or is not a problem and what are those conclusions based on?
How do we solve it?
If dealing with a problem, what solutions do people offer?
If different solutions are offered, what are the reasons?
Are the solutions offered location-specific or more universal?
Can we agree on terms?
Does your topic involve any arguments of definition?
If so, what terms are contested, and by whom?
What are the major definitions offered and how are they defended?
For example, if arguing about whether something is or is not a mental disease, for some of your authors the matter may revolve around criteria that define “mental disease.” If debating whether something is or is not an art form, part of the argument may revolve around definitions of “art.”
I think we’re missing something…
What limitations do you see in the literature on your topic?
If looking at PTSD, for example, have certain groups of possible sufferers been overlooked in published studies?
· Does all the research on your topic tend to focus on a particular geographic location and might that skew the results?
· Do all the solutions offered assume certain geographic, cultural, and/or economic situations that only exist in certain areas?
Wait, that can’t be right!
Do you see other flaws in the research conducted and conclusions drawn by your sources?
Times are changing
Are certain research areas about your topic dated?
Have new findings come to light or new technologies been developed that might change conclusions or offer new solutions?
Student Learning Objectives Met (prioritized):
SLO 3: Provide adequate and relevant supporting evidence gathered from the critical reading of college-level texts from primary and secondary sources
SLO 6: Paraphrase, summarize, and quote primary sources effectively and use appropriate documentation style when citing sources
SLO 8: Follow the conventions of academic writing, including using appropriate surface features such as grammar, punctuation, spelling, and page formatting
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