Unit 8 Research Writing

Overview

In unit 8, we will focus on the writing genres that require you to do research in order to complete your assignments. Often, when doing these types of assignments, you will need to be able to find and read critically a scholarly peer reviewed article, and then, summarize and evaluate it. This skill is needed in writing the papers we will focus on in this unit – an annotated bibliography, a Research Paper, parts of a Business Report, and, finally, a literature review.

Topics

This unit is divided into the following topics:

Annotated Bibliography
Research Paper
Marketing Plan
Literature Review

Learning Outcomes

When you have completed this unit, you should be able to:

Identify the main components of an annotated bibliography.
Evaluate a journal article for relevancy and create an annotation for it.
Determine the order of the parts of a research article (scholarly article).
Apply strategies for reading and notetaking a research article and then, summarize it.
Identify the main components of a marketing plan.
Evaluate the key questions to ask when gathering data for a marketing plan.
Describe the process of planning, organizing, and writing a literature review.
Identify components of a literature review introduction and evaluate its effectiveness.
Explain strategies for the process of writing a literature review and determine those that will help you in this type of assignment.

Activity Checklist

The learning activities in this course are ungraded, unless specified. They are designed to help you succeed in your assessments in this course, so you are strongly encouraged to complete them.*

Unit 8 Learning Activities

Click here for a checklist of learning activities you will benefit from in completing this unit. You may find it useful for planning your work.

Learning Activity

Activity 8.1:🎦 Watch a video on what an annotated bibliography is and how it relates to other course assignments.
Activity 8.2:📗 Read and analyze a sample annotation for specific features.
Activity 8.3:✏️ Match types of research papers with their definitions.
Activity 8.4:🎦 Watch a video on the anatomy of a scholarly article, then put the parts of one into order.
Activity 8.5:📗 Practice reading and notetaking strategies discussed, and then summarize to check your understanding.
Activity 8.6:✏️ Choose a business idea and answer questions based on the outline format provided.
Activity 8.7:🎦 Watch a video on the steps to writing a marketing plan and take notes of each step.
Activity 8.8:✏️ Match sections of the provided outline c with the correct set questions. Then, reflect on the ‘gist’ of the set of question required in each section of the outline.
Activity 8.9:✏️ Complete the outline from a marketing plan on the chosen business idea.
Activity 8.10:🎦 Watch a video about how to organize your research for your literature review.
Activity 8.11:🎦 Watch a video on What is a literature review? Using the activities in the video to answer important questions about how to think about your sources and organize them.
Activity 8.12:📗 Read a sample introduction of literature review, then analyze it’s components and evaluate it’s effectiveness as an introduction.
Activity 8.13:🎦 Watch a video on summarizing and synthesizing and reflect on the differences.

Assessments

📔 Unit 8 Learning Log
✏️Assignment 5: Genre Specific Analysis/Summary (5%)
*Note that for Units 6-8 your instructor will give specific instructions on which parts of the assignment to complete. For this unit, here are some options:

✏️ Assignment 5.1: Write an annotation (using graphic organizer).
✏️ Assignment 5.2: Write a synthesis paragraph.
✏️ Assignment 5.3: Write a Summary Paragraph
✏️ Assignment 5.4: Summarize a Marketing Plan

Resources

Online resources will be provided in the unit.

8.1 Annotated Bibliography

We begin Unit 8 by introducing what an annotated bibliography is and the different types of annotations.

What Is an annotated bibliography?

A bibliography is a list of sources (articles, books, etc.) on a specific topic (also called the list of ‘References’). An annotated bibliography is a list of sources that include an annotation: a summary and a short evaluation of the relevance to a particular research topic. Depending on your course, preparing an annotated bibliography could be the first step in your research process or a separate assignment by itself.

What Are the Types of Annotations?

An annotation may be descriptive or critical. A descriptive annotation contains concise summaries of the listed sources, including the main arguments and evidence provided, and conclusions. This information is typically included in the first paragraph of your annotation.

In addition to providing a descriptive summary, a critical annotation contains an evaluation of the value or usefulness of the source for a specific study or audience. The source could be evaluated in terms of its strengths and weaknesses, by comparing it to the other sources in the bibliography, whether the source is biased or objective, etc. This evaluation is typically included in the second paragraph of your annotation.

Organize your annotated bibliography in three steps

Step 1: Choose relevant sources from your research

Careful selection of sources is essential to writing a useful annotated bibliography. You could ask some of these questions to define the scope of your research clearly and evaluate the relevance of sources. This could in turn help you decide on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of your source selection. See Unit 4

What is the research question I am studying?
What are the main arguments in this source, and do they contribute to my research topic?
How does the quality of this source compare to the other sources in my bibliography? Is this source reliable, unbiased, and objective?

Step 2: Summarize the information in Paragraph One

In Paragraph One, include a summary of the research question, methods used in the study, the main arguments, and conclusion of the article. Identifying the main arguments is different from simply stating the topic. Consider these examples:

Weak:

This article explains the many causes of child abandonment.

Better:

The author argues that the decision to abandon a child is driven by economic, health, psychological, cultural, and religious factors. She goes on to argue that these factors all create desperation.

Step 3: Evaluate the Source in Paragraph Two

In paragraph two, provide a brief critique of the source, including a reflection on how this source fits in with your research question. Here are some suggestions for thinking critically about the source.

Evaluate whether there is enough evidence and if it is strong.
Agree or disagree with the arguments and explain why?
Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments or the article overall.
Identify any limitations or missing points that may be omitted in the article.
Present both positive and negative comments. Use although.
Although Smith does not use very many examples, she presents a very convincing argument that I can explore through further research in my own essay.

Tips for Writing Concise Annotations

Each annotation is typically around 150 words (please check for specific instructions for your assignment). Therefore, writing concisely is key. Here are some guidelines and examples for writing concisely.

It is not necessary to list everything; however, it is good to give a clear picture of the source (i.e. the ‘gist’).
Use words like “such as” and “some” to indicate that you are not listing everything, but it is good to include some examples to give the ‘gist’.
> The author explains how cultural traditions such as superstition contribute to the orphan problem.
Use the colon to introduce lists or details.
> The author presents several case studies: a family living in poverty, a single mother with AIDS, a father whose wife died in childbirth, and children orphaned by war.
Use subordination (after, since, although) rather than coordination (and, and, and) to connect ideas.
> After she explains the purpose of his book, the author explains the concept of childhood.
Use -ING clauses.
> Moving into the conclusion, the author critiques the United Nations’ neglect of family as the social foundation.
Use with.
> With detailed narration, Perez paints a picture of childhood in Peru.

8.1.1 Activity: Read and Analyze

Read through the example of an annotation below and take note of the following:

What is the word count?
What kind of information is provided in the first and second paragraphs?

This example would be applicable for students writing an annotated bibliography as the initial step in their research process.

Wubbolding, R.E. (2005). The power of belonging. International Journal of Reality Therapy, 24 (2), 43-44.

Wubbolding, director of training for the William Glasser Institute, a training facility in social sciences, examines the human need for love and belonging from a humanist perspective. He claims that humans are driven by a longing for close, healthy relationships. From this premise, Wubbolding asserts that people gain power through a strong sense of belonging. He develops this argument through case studies. The author attempts to relate his point to reality therapy and counseling.

Although this theoretical connection is unexplained, Wubbolding uses three cases: boys in a Juvenile Hall in America, a Chinese woman who was imprisoned, and two prisoners of war in Vietnam. These stories provide strong, vivid insights into Wubbolding’s point. The fact that his examples are not limited by any specific culture/race makes his point stronger. Although the article is short and the logic somewhat disjointed, it makes one clear central point that is relevant to my research. In addition, I can use the examples as illustrations in my own paper.

Answers

The word count is 164 (excluding the full reference).
The first paragraph provides a summary of the information available in the source.
The second paragraph provides a critical evaluation of the source, including how the source contributes to the student’s own research topic.

8.1.2 Activity: Annotation Resources

View the following resources on examples of annotations formatted for specific styles such as MLA, please check out the resources listed below.

Questions to Consider

After completing the activities above, consider the following questions:

What criteria will you use to choose useful sources (Journal articles) for your annotated bibliography?
What aspects of concision will you need to focus on when writing your annotation?
What specific style of annotation will you need to use for your annotations? (MLA, APA).

Note that the learning activities in this course are ungraded, unless specified. They are designed to help you succeed in your assessments in this course, so you are strongly encouraged to complete them.

8.2 Research Paper

What is a Research Paper?

A research paper is an expanded essay that presents the author’s interpretation or evaluation or argument. When one writes a research paper, the author builds upon what they know about the subject and makes a deliberate attempt to find out what experts know. A research paper involves surveying a field of knowledge in an orderly and focused manner, in order to find the best possible information in that field.

Source: What is a Research Paper?

What is the Significance of Research Articles?

Research papers help to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study.

Research…

is a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
offers means to understand issues and increase awareness in the field of study.
facilitates planning in business, future collaborations, and projects irrespective of the field.
critically evaluates to disprove lies and supports truths based on facts rather than hearsay.
helps to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
promotes being informed and develops confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
allows for critical and analytical thinking.

Source: Zarah, L. (2010, December 20). 7 Reasons Why Research Is Important. Owlcation; Owlcation.

Types of Research Papers

Analytical Research Paper

The author poses a question and then collects relevant data from other researchers to analyze their different viewpoints. The author focuses on the findings and conclusions of other researchers and then makes a personal conclusion about the topic. It is important to stay neutral and not show one’s own negative or positive position on the matter.

Argumentative (Persuasive) Research Paper

The author presents two sides of a controversial issue in one paper. It is aimed at getting the reader on the side of the author’s point of view. The author should include and cite findings and arguments of different researchers on both sides of the issue, but then favor one side over the other and try to persuade the reader to their side. The author’s arguments should not be too emotional though, they still need to be supported with logical facts and statistical data.

Experimental Research Paper

The author describes a particular experiment in detail. It is common in fields like biology, chemistry, physics, and social sciences. Experiments are aimed to explain a certain outcome or phenomenon with certain actions. The author needs to describe the experiment with supporting data and then analyze it sufficiently.

Survey Research Paper

This demands the conduction of a survey that includes asking questions to respondents. The conductor of the survey then collects all the information from the survey and analyzes it to present it in the research paper.

Source: What are the different types of research papers? (n.d.). Paperpile.

8.2.1 Activity: Check Your Understanding

Match the type of research paper to its description.

Analytical Research Paper	A. The researcher conducts a survey that includes asking questions to respondents.
Argumentative (Persuasive) Research Paper	B. The researcher poses a question and then collects relevant data from other researchers to analyze their different viewpoints.
Experimental Research Paper	C. The researcher includes and cites findings and arguments of different researchers on both sides of the issue, but then favors one side over the other and tries to persuade the reader to their side.
Survey Research Paper	D. The researcher describes the experiment with supporting data and then analyzes it sufficiently.

Answer key

1-B
2-C
3-D
4-A

What is the Format of a Research Paper?

The format of a general research paper has 10 parts. A typical APA research paper includes the following:

The Cover page/Title page
Abstract
Table of Contents
Introduction (literature review and identifying research gap)
Body paragraphs (research questions, research description, and methods)
Findings
Discussion
Conclusion
Bibliography/reference list
Appendix (if any add-ons were available)

Source: Research Paper Structure. (n.d.). Psychology.ucsd.edu.

8.2.2 Activity: Watch and Check Your Understanding

Watch this video on the “Anatomy of a Scholarly Article” and take note of the structure of this type of article. After watching, complete the activity below putting the parts of a research article in the correct order.

Check Your Understanding:

List the parts of a research paper in the correct order:

Table of Contents
Abstract
The Cover page/Title page
Discussion
Findings
Introduction (literature review and identifying research gap )
Conclusion
Bibliography/reference list
Body paragraphs (research questions, research description, and methods)
Appendix (if any add-ons were available)

Answer key

The Cover page/Title page
Abstract
Table of Contents
Introduction (literature review and identifying research gap )
Body paragraphs (research questions, research description, and methods)
Findings
Discussion
Conclusion
Bibliography/reference list
Appendix (if any add-ons were available)

Strategies to Read a Research Paper

Here are some strategies you can use while reading your research article.

Highlight and Annotate

Many students find that marking their study texts with highlighter pens or annotating them by writing in the margins helps them to concentrate, and it enhances their understanding. Just deciding what to highlight, underline or annotate encourages you to think critically and formulate your own response to the text. To learn more, go to Note-taking techniques from the Open University.

SQ3R

SQ3R is a reading comprehension method named for its five steps: survey, question, read, recite, and review Go to SQ3R - Reading/Study System to learn more.

Graphic organizers

Graphic organizers visually represents ideas, concepts, and relationships between various components. Concept maps and knowledge maps all are types of graphic organizers. You can use any chart or diagram as a graphic organizer to compare and contrast. There are no specific rules to creating a graphic organizer, and you can use it as a concept mapping tool to draw conclusions and picture your thoughts on any matter. Go to Free Editable Graphic Organizer for Research Paper to learn more.

What Are the Steps for Reading a Research Article?

Also refer to Unit 4: Introduction to Research

Check the publishing date

Knowing when the research was published helps you have an understanding of whether these are the most recent findings and how likely it is that further studies have taken place since.

Skim all of the sections of the paper

Make notes as you do this and look up the meanings of any words you aren’t sure of. A handy tip is to use ctrl F on the keyboard to search for the first time an acronym is mentioned if you come across it later on in a paper, as this is where it will be defined.

Read the introduction

Read this in detail to gain some background information on the topic, including what researchers have previously done in this area and why the researchers decided to do this study. Spend longer on this if you are unfamiliar with the topic.

Also, read some of the references included in the introduction if you want to know more.

Identify how this paper fits in with the field

What’s the big question that the field is trying to solve? This will help you to understand the impact of the work and why it was done.

Read the discussion

This section will give you an understanding of the findings of the paper. You may find it helpful to write notes on the main findings and write down any questions you have, so you can find out the answers when you read the rest of the paper.

Read the abstract

To get an overview of the paper. The abstract usually summarizes the overall reasons for conducting the study, how the topic was investigated, major findings and a summary of the interpretations/conclusion of these findings. This is a good way to get a summary of the study before reading about it in more detail.

Look through the results and methods sections

The methods section can often be the most technical part of the paper. You will likely need to go over this section multiple times to be able to fully get to grips with the procedures and the results. It is important to take into consideration the following factors when reading the results and methods sections:

Sample size
Statistical significance
Again, look up any terms you don’t understand and make a note of them.

Extra Practice: Watch this video on Critical Reading Strategies – Active vs Passive Reading (supplemental activity)

Writing a Good Scholarly Introduction

An effective introduction to your research paper helps you set up your topic and engage the reader. To do so, you will need to provide background information or summarize existing research pertinent to your topic, identify the gap in the existing knowledge, position your approach, detail your specific research question, and provide an overview of the paper’s structure. Your introduction should start broadly and then narrow until you reach your hypothesis or research focus. As all the other sections of the research paper flows from the introduction, consider writing this section second to last—after you finished writing the body paragraphs, findings, discussion and before you write the conclusion.

8.2.3 Activity: Watch, Take Notes, and Discuss

Watch the following video on writing a strong research paper introduction. Take notes on key information. When you meet with the class, you’ll be asked to share what you have learned with a partner.

Integrating Sources

Unlike an annotated bibliography that requires you to merely report and evaluate a single source, when you write a research paper you are expected to participate in an academic conversation in writing by incorporating what you have learned from multiple sources meaningfully and responsibly. It is important to show how your claim connects to existing information or knowledge. You, as an academic writer, contribute to the understanding about a particular subject or area of study by presenting your position in an ongoing debate. To achieve this, you must integrate perspectives and ideas from other scholars to support or provide evident for your position.

After you go through the process of finding and evaluating credible, relevant sources, closely and critically reading all relevant sources, and taking notes (link to Unit 4), you should effectively integrate those sources to help support or develop your points in the research paper. Follow the following steps to effectively integrate multiple sources. See the original documentation here.

Step 1: Revisit and revise your working claim or thesis statement after you have read through the credible, relevant sources. This is a critical step because each source’s perspective may alter what you know and believe and what you think of the research question. Instead of simply deciding whether a source article fits or links to what you already know, you should be aware of how your working thesis, your understanding about your research topic, and your research question confirm or challenge each other.

Step 2: Reread your source articles with their specific roles in mind. When you think you are prepared to join the scholarly conversation after adequate research, you will need to figure out when and how you will present what you have learned to your reader. Perspectives and information from your source articles are tools you must use to strengthen your claim. Some sources may provide background information that you must incorporate in your writing so that your reader is adequately informed about your topic, such as scope or definitions. Some sources often provide evidence, including data or anecdotes, to support claims within your argument. Bearing the roles of sources in mind helps you make informed decisions on where in your research paper you will incorporate a particular source.

Step 3: Synthesize your sources. After you’ve read and taken notes on your sources, you can begin synthesizing. This involves combining ideas from a range of sources in order to group and present common ideas/themes or arguments. Unlike summarizing and paraphrasing, which only uses one author’s ideas at a time, synthesizing combines ideas from more than one text or source. Synthesizing is a necessary skill you will use in your research paper, literature review, and other forms of academic writing. This skill is crucial for demonstrating your critical thinking ability.

8.2.4 Activity: Analyze an example synthesis paragraph

The example synthesis paragraph below serves as a body paragraph presenting one claim that supports our working thesis. This paragraph tries to engage readers logically, supporting its claim with evidence from sources. The first sentence acts as a topic sentence (a helpful indicator about the paragraph’s main claim). The writer then uses information from two sources to prove this claim. Read the paragraph and match the function of the sources to the sentences in the example paragraph.

Example Synthesis Paragraph: Supporting a Claim Logically

A major reason why low-income students do not earn degrees at the same rates as their peers is that they are more likely to face obstacles in their personal lives that may slow or delay their college progress. (1) In their 2018 study, Strumbos et al. report that if a student does not complete twenty credits per year, they are not likely to complete their degree. (2) Unfortunately, this “degree momentum” is often difficult for low-income students to achieve due to what Nathan Favero, a professor of public policy at American University, calls “personal barriers to success.” (3) For example, Favero notes that low-income students may be single parents who lack support from other family members, and so they “can feel a strong pull to pause their studies and start working” when unexpected bills arise. (4) Diana Strumbos and her colleagues agree that “Work and family obligations sometimes force students to attend part time, which can again lead to a loss of momentum and decrease their likelihood of graduating.” (5) Therefore, typical degree programs and schedules often do not serve low-income students.

Function of the source(s)

The first source presents data to provide evidence (in this case, of the claim that pace of credits correlates with completion)
The purpose of this evidence is to present an expert’s testimony or viewpoint. This expert view draws a conclusion or inference from the previously presented data, and it confirms the writer’s claim.
A different source is used here in order to show that multiple sources corroborate the claim. (Multiple experts have reached the same conclusion about a major cause of the problem.)
The closing sentence reaches a new conclusion about the claim based on the evidence that has been presented. (In this example, because some students’ “personal barriers” are a cause of the problem, changes to “typical degree programs” may be part of the solution.)
This source presents an expert view that affirms the main claim: the link between the cause (personal barriers) and the effect (loss of degree momentum).

This activity is adapted from Johnson and O’Roark (2021).

Answer key

Step 4: Putting sources in context with your audience in mind. When you are integrating sources in your writing, you should use the strategies of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing discussed in Unit 2. It is essential that you use those strategies flexibly and purposefully and apply appropriate citation style to avoid plagiarism and academic dishonesty. Remember that you should never expect your reader to infer the connection between your quotes, paraphrases, or summaries, and your claims. Nor should you simply drop quotes into your paragraphs without analyzing or discussing them in some way.

When considering what your reader needs to know about the original context of source information, think about the five “w” questions (who, what, where, when, and why). Would explaining any of this information about the original source help your reader to understand the information and the role that it plays in your argument?

Information about the source’s original context	Consider explaining this in your writing when you want to show…
Who wrote it?	the author’s experience or credentials in order to present expert testimony, or show the unique perspective or bias of the source.
What is the author’s main idea or thesis?	how the source’s focus is different from or similar to your own.
Where was the source originally published?	the credibility of a source related to a specific topic or audience, or the bias of a source.
Where geographically was the information in the source gathered?	information about a different location or cultural context than the one you are writing about.
When was the source published?	past information, trends over time, contrasting information from different times, or relevance of current information (kairos).
Why was the source written, or why was the study conducted?	how a source’s purpose is different from or similar to your own..
How did the author gather their information?	the significance or scope of numerical data or statistics, or how stories and anecdotes were gathered.

Context of a Source from Johnson and O’Roark (2021) https://pressbooks.howardcc.edu/criticalreadingcriticalwriting/chapter/integrating-sources/#RolesOfSources

Tips for integrating sources by quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing

When you are integrating sources by quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing, remember the following three tips.

Tip Number 1 is that you should keep in mind the reason for your quote/paraphrase/summary. Various reasons or purposes determine how you would write your neighbouring sentences to help your reader understand your intent—proving a claim, defining or explaining an idea, giving a specific example, agreeing or disagreeing to the previous point, etc.
Tip Number 2 is choosing the best transition words and phrases to show how the quote or paraphrase relates to the neighbouring sentences and ideas. For example, Transitions like Similarly or Furthermore will show that you are about to present more on a line of reasoning. Transitions like However orOn the other hand will show that you are about to present a conflicting idea. Transitions like Consequently, Therefore, or Because will show cause and effect.
Tip Number 3 is choosing the best signal verb to convey the precise meaning of how the source material connects to the meaning intended in your paper. Refer to Academic Phrasebank to see a list of suggested phrases to bring sources together.

Also See Unit 2 for review.

8.3 Marketing Plan

What is a marketing plan?

A marketing plan is a document that outlines the factors to consider when planning to promote a business and expand its outreach. It allows you to examine the strengths and weaknesses of your business, and the threats and opportunities from the chosen market. Also, it helps you identify and narrow your audience, determine your product, and establish how you will promote it.

What is the Structure of marketing plan

There are many ways in which a marketing plan can be structured. Here is an example of one way to structure your marketing plan.

I. Business Mission

II. Situation Analysis (SWOT Analysis)

A. Internal Strengths and Weaknesses

B. External Opportunities and Threats

III. Objectives

IV. Marketing Strategy

A. Target Market Strategy

B. Marketing Mix

Product
Place/Distribution
Promotion
Price

V. Implementation, Evaluation, and Control

Note. Modified from HCCS, by Huston Community College, n.d. (https://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/dejuana.williams/marketing-plan/marketing-plan).

8.3.1 Activity: Brainstorming Your Plan

Choose a business idea that you have and answer the following questions. In class you will be asked to work in small groups on this activity. Feel free to take notes to prepare you for this lesson.

What is your business idea?
What is your business mission?
Can you name an internal strength?
Can you name an internal weakness?
Can you name any external opportunity?
Can you name any external threat?
What the three objectives of your company?
Who is will be your target population?
What is your product?
How will you advertise the product?
How will you determine the price of your product?

Writing Your Marketing Plan

Before Writing

Before writing a marketing plan, we are going to consider six steps that will help us gather the appropriate data.

Mission: Know what you are trying to achieve; state your motives, missions, and goals. (Erhart, 2021, 1:01)
Model: Be selective on what you are going to promote. (Erhart, 2021, 2:23)
Market: Get well acquainted with your ideal target market. Demographic and geographic details. (Erhart, 2021, 3:38)
Messages: Uncover what your costumers needs. (Erhart, 2021, 5:09)
Media: Find where your targeted market is present online. (Erhart, 2021, 6:27)
Moment: Develop a follow up strategy. (Erhart, 2021, 7:40)

Note. From HCCS, by Huston Community College, n.d. (https://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/dejuana.williams/marketing-plan/marketing-plan).

8.3.2 Activity: Watch and Take Notes

Watch the video below to find key questions you can ask yourself for each one of the six steps we discussed in the Before Writing section. Take notes and write your questions.

Step 1–Mission:
Step 2 –Model:
Step 3–Market:
Step 4–Messages:
Step 5–Media:
Step 6–Moment:

After, reflect on these questions and discuss them with your classmates.

8.3.3 Writing Resources

When writing your marketing plan, consider the question presented on the outline (pages 1-6) of the following document.

Marketing Plan Outline

8.3.4 Activity: Read and Organize

8.4 Literature Review

What is a literature review? (Also see Unit 4 to review Literature Reviews.)

As graduate students you may be required to research a topic or problem that interests you professionally and then report on the current literature you’ve found. This can be in the form of a formal literature review which is a review of scholarly sources that provides an overview of your particular topic or problem. You will be required to critically analyze relevant and significant publications regarding that topic in order to provide a comprehensive look at what has been said on the topic and by whom.

For more information on Types of literature reviews, try these resources:

Website: Introduction to Different Types of Literature Reviews
Video:

What are the main features of a general literature review?

In every literature review you will recognize the basic paper structure, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

The Basic Features of a literature review
Introduction	Give a brief explanation of the topic you’re studying Provide an overview of the relevant literature Describe the purpose of the study State the thesis and hypothesis
Body	Organize according to themes/topics: Develop headings/subheadings that reflect the major themes found in your research Write in well-structured paragraphs: Use transition words and topic sentence to draw connections, comparisons, and contrasts. Use concluding sentences to summarize or link to the next theme/sub-theme Summarize and synthesizes: Give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
Conclusion	Summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance within the topic/field (no new information) Connect it back to your primary research question Discussion Section: explain how your study connects to your understanding of the research problem and what needs to be studied further (ideas for future research), often including evaluation of the strengths and limitations of the study

Introduction

Give a brief explanation of the topic you’re studying
Provide an overview of the relevant literature
Describe the purpose of the study
State the thesis and hypothesis

Body

Organize according to themes/topics: Develop headings/subheadings that reflect the major themes found in your research
Write in well-structured paragraphs: Use transition words and topic sentence to draw connections, comparisons, and contrasts. Use concluding sentences to summarize or link to the next theme/sub-theme

Summarize and synthesizes: Give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole

Conclusion

Summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance within the topic/field (no new information)
Connect it back to your primary research question
Discussion Section: explain how your study connects to your understanding of the research problem and what needs to be studied further (ideas for future research), often including evaluation of the strengths and limitations of the study

8.4.1 Activity: Watch and Check Your Understanding

Before you watch:

First, read and decide if these statements are True or False. In the class you will discuss your answers with your classmates.

Decide if the statements below are true or false (True or False):

I need to plan before I write.
I should include everything I have read on my topic and summarize that this scholar said this, and that scholar said something else.
I should organize the literature relevant to my research question into themes.
I need to categorize each source into themes; each source can only be used for one theme.
I should try to think deeply about the topics and arguments from each theme and how it relates to my research question.

Answer key

True
False – categorize into themes/sub-themes
True
False
True

Next, watch the video “The literature review: Banquet hall analogy”. After you finish watching, what are the key take aways of this video on literature reviews?

Finally, check your answers in the pre-video statements, confirm your answers. Then, reflect on the main takeaways from doing this activity. Take note of any further questions you may have in writing y our literature review. In the class we will discuss these key takeaways and questions.

8.4.2 Activity: Watch and Answer Questions (Extra Activity for Understanding)

Watch the video on “What is a literature review”. As you watch, complete the activities during the video (pausing for the ‘lightbulb’) and then note the answers for the following questions:

What is a literature review?
What do these words mean: categorize, evaluate, critically analyze?

Questions to Consider:

Writing Resources After completing the video activities above, think about doing a literature review Assignment – researching, organizing, drafting, etc.: Do you have any further questions about research, planning and organizing your research? What will be your plan for doing the assignment?

See Unit 4 to review Literature Reviews.

8.4.3 Activity: Introducing Your Literature Review

Introductions provide one or more paragraphs summarizing, in general terms, your research topic. This introductory content should stand below the restated paper title (APA 7^th ed), without any further headings that indicates it is in an introduction. Also, include your research purpose, research question, research hypothesis at the end of this section

A good introduction should answer the questions below. First take a few moments to read through these questions

What is the general topic of this literature review?
What is the overall trend in what has been previously published on the topic? What gap has the writer identified in research?
What is the purpose of this literature review?
What research questions are going to be addressed in this literature review?
What criteria are used to search the literature? Why is certain literature either included or excluded?
How will this review be organized?

Next, critically read the sample introduction of a literature review below and then answer the questions provided above. And finally, assess the effectiveness of this introduction (link back to unit 3) based on discussion of introductions in Unit 3, but also the criteria discussed in this lesson.

Cyberbullying: How Physical Intimidation Influences the Way People are Bullied

Since the beginning of time people have always had to deal with bullies. Just like anything else, however, things tend to evolve with technology. With the evolution of social media and technology some adolescence as well as adults are simply unable to escape harassment from their peers in school and in the workplace. This social phenomenon is what has come to be known as cyberbullying. According to Willard (2004) there are eight different forms of cyberbullying, which include Flaming (online fights), Harassment (sending vulgar messages), Denigration (posting gossip), impersonation, outing (sharing peoples secrets), trickery (tricking someone into sharing secrets), exclusion, and cyberstalking.

The platforms for this to occur have become countless, from well-known social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, to smaller sites that allow you remain anonymous such as Yik Yak and ask.com. The days are gone of having to be the biggest meanest kid in the schoolyard to hurt others. Now it doesn’t matter your size, age, gender, or social standing if you want to bully someone. People can now create their own anonymous personas or simply continue to bully others online after they have left school or work.

There have been several instances in the news over the last few years of people who have taken their own lives due to the constant ridicule from their peers. Because of this, researchers have started to take notice of this new social issue and have performed numerous studies analyzing different aspects of cyberbullying such as the types of people who bully, the prevalence of cyberbullying, and the effects on the victims, but one thing that hasn’t been studied is whether or not the lack of physical intimidation effects people likelihood to become cyberbullies.

This study is going to include extensive research into the motivations to cyberbully as well as its influence on the aggressors and victims and the relationships between the two. We will also first examine the different techniques cyberbullies employ and then examine the techniques that victims use in order to cope with the harassment.

Note: This is not a perfect introduction. You may or may not find the answers to the some of the questions. Make sure that you read the two A3 exemplars and study how the writers wrote their introduction on this site.*

Sources:
- Adapted from: Galvan, J., Galvan, M. (2017). Writing literature reviews: A Guide for Students of Social and Behavioral Sciences. (7th ed.)
- Assessment Essay source: https://libguides.uwf.edu/ld.php?content_id=42292575

Tips on The Writing Process: Your Literature Review

As you begin to think about writing your literature review, there are some things to consider that will help in planning, organizing, writing, and revising your paper.

Before you write:

Step 1: Read Critically and Take Notes Effectively (Also see Unit 4 – Reading a Journal Article)

As you read each source, read critically and take notes, focusing on question or problem of the research, background theories/concepts, thesis/hypothesis, findings/results, conclusions (implications/gaps in the research). You can use a matrix or mind map, or any other way you take notes that will allow you to easily review later and analyze for specific themes/topics.

For Tips on Note taking and Avoiding Plagiarism watch this video:

Step 2: Analyze and Synthesize your Notes

After you’ve read and taken notes on your sources, you can begin synthesizing. This involves combining ideas from a range of sources in order to group and present common ideas/themes or arguments. Unlike summarizing and paraphrasing, which only uses one author’s ideas at a time, synthesizing combines ideas from more than one text or source. Synthesizing is a necessary skill you will use in your literature review and other forms of academic writing.

8.4.4 Activity: Watch and Reflect

Watch this video on the difference between summarizing and synthesizing your research sources. While you watch, note what these two critical thinking tasks are and how they are different, and why you need to include synthesis of your research findings.

After watching the video, take some time to reflect on your research process for conducting research for your literature review. Consider the following questions:

How will you take notes from your sources?
How will you organize that information?
How will you move from summarizing to synthesizing?

8.4.5 Activity: Extra Practice - Read, Analyze, and Decide.

What is the different between summarizing and synthesizing? Read the following four body paragraphs. Which is the best example of synthesis – Student A, B, C, or D? Why did you choose that sample? Based on your understanding, why do you think synthesis of the researched literature is important?

https://researchguides.uoregon.edu/ld.php?content_id=58811803

Step 3: Begin planning a topical outline of your research findings.

Organize your review of the literature into topics (or themes) and sub-themes, comparing and contrasting the author/sources from your notes. Then create a topical outline that supports/explains your research question (thesis), or hypothesis.

Use APA headings to format your outline and paper when you write it. You find more information about headings at https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/headings

While Writing

Focus on Your Academic Voice. As literature reviews are more formal in register and tone, you need to pay attention to word choice, use of 3^rd person perspective, and organization of ideas. In other words, avoid slang and idiomatic language, refrain from using personal pronouns (unless otherwise permitted by your professor).

Focus on Formatting your Body Paragraph. In the body of your paper your paragraphs are expected to follow paragraph structure and development or integration of multiple sources. Ensure that you are using the CEA Method (Claim-Evidence-Analysis) when integrating your sources in writing. That is stating your main idea/topic sentence (claim), then supporting that with your sources, then following up with a comment that either analyzes, expands on, or connects your evidence back to topic sentence. (Also see Unit 2 on Integrating sources)

This following paragraph is a good example of both the CEA method of integrating sources in your writing. Take a moment now, and think about your more recent writing assignments. Do you use the CEA method? Are your paragraphs well-structured and developed?

Source: https://emedia.rmit.edu.au/learninglab/content/writing

Focus on the Cohesion. Check for the following strategies for ensuring cohesion throughout your paper:

Consider the how you want to link ideas, sentences, paragraphs, and sections of your paper.
Choose your transitional phrases, words, or method of cohesion carefully. Don’t overuse transitions and be careful of repetition (creating variety in your choice of transitions or any word choice improves the flow and readability of your paper).
Also, if we look again at the sample paragraph above, note the use of source integration. This narrative method is preferred as it adds to the cohesion and flow for your reader.

Use Evidence- Quotes, Paraphrase, or summary- carefully. Ensure that your quotes, paraphrased and summarized evidence are cited correctly. Paraphrase is preferred but check that the meaning is not lost when you rephrase the sentence. Quotations, however, should be used sparingly or with a purpose, so you should not rely heavily on quotations. In either situation, make sure to format and cite correctly.

Also, make sure to use the CEA method in your paragraphing. Each paragraph should follow correct paragraph structure with a Claim (topic sentence), Evidence (Quote/paraphrase) which is followed-up with analysis/interpretation. Don’t forget the concluding sentences as they allow you to connect your evidence to the main idea or claim of your paragraph.

After You Write

Use checklists to help you in your drafting and revision process.

Go to the website Literature Reviews: Revising Your Work. Open the drop-down menu and use all categories to help check your draft for the following : content, structure, paragraphing, clarity, style, citations, and grammar.

For general revision and editing you can also use the MA Lead Revision and Editing Checklist.

Unit 8 Summary

In this last unit, you have had the opportunity to learn about writing research-based papers that require research skills and critical reading and notetaking strategies. You have learned about writing Annotated Bibliographies, Research Article Summaries, marketing plans, and literature reviews.

Assignment 5: Genre Specific Analysis/Summary

Note that for Units 6-8 your instructor will give specific instructions on which parts of the Assignments 3-5 to complete.

Assignment 5 will assess your understanding of writing for annotated bibliographies, research papers, marketing plans, and literature reviews. Go to the assessment section in Moodle for details and be sure to check the instructions from your instructor.

Checking your Learning

Before you move on to the next unit, you may want to check to make sure that you are able to:

Identify the main components of an annotated bibliography.
Evaluate a journal article for relevancy and create an annotation for it.
Determine the order of the parts of a Research Article (Scholarly Article).
Apply strategies for reading and notetaking a Research Article and then, summarize it.
Identify the main components of a marketing plan.
Evaluate the key questions to ask when gathering data for a marketing plan.
Describe the process of planning, organizing, and writing a literature review.
Identify components of a literature review Introduction and evaluate it’s effectiveness.
Explain strategies for the writing process in writing a literature review and determine. those that will help you in this type of assignment.

References

Conesa, P. J., Onandia-Hinchado, I., Duñabeitia, J. A., & Moreno, M. Á. (2022). Basic psychological needs in the classroom: A literature review in elementary and middle school students. Learning and Motivation, 79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lmot.2022.101819