ENGL 1302: WEEK 5 (LITERATURE REVIEW)SECTION 001 AND 006

MR. LABRIOLA

ROADMAP

• Questions/Problems

• Literature Review (Assignment)

• Literature Review (Formatting)

• Peer Critique Group Activity

QUESTIONS/PROBLEMS

• Any problems you found during your BA3?

• Were they because you waited until the last minute?

• Harder than you thought?

• Was it dare I say…fun?

LITERATURE REVIEW

• Don’t panic – you just did your BA3

• (Plus, we’ve talked about it every week)

• Your homework you brought to class can be used for the lit review!

• Remember, this is technically a first draft

• (P.S. Never let Bane intimidate you, he has a silly voice)

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LIT REVIEW (ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION)

• Description: Now that you developed an understanding of synthesis and begun finding sources, you will write a literature review of your own on the topic of your choice. Remember, your literature review must do more than just summarize the information. A literature review discusses previously published information about a particular topic or issue in order to accomplish one or more of the following tasks:

• show readers what has been written about a topic, so that they can understand a particular development of ideas concerning that topic

• explain to readers why certain ideas or theories concerning a topic are being challenged or reexamined by researchers.

• help readers understand more about why a topic is being examined by a researcher in a particular way

LIT REVIEW (ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION CONT)• Remember that many academic papers use the information presented in the literature review as

the basis for making an argument or presenting results of research. It’s important to understand that a literature review is not the same thing as an academic research paper. A research paper supports your own argument or position about a topic; a literature review is written to summarize and synthesize other people’s ideas and perspectives about a topic. A free-standing literature review, which is what you are writing here, has a thesis statement. However, remember that the focus of that thesis statement is on the sources. A thesis statement for a literature review must have as its subject, the literature. For example, an appropriate statement for a literature review on tax code reform might be as follows: “Although, historically, some economists have discouraged a flat tax, a large number of recent publications are making the

case that such a strategy is a beneficial option.” Your review will discuss at least eight sources, all of which must be located via the TTU library databases and online catalog. Your

sources should be scholarly or other reputable or credible articles.

• Minimum word count: 1500 words

• Format: MLA OR APA style for internal citations and works cited (BUT REMEMBER TO TELL THE PERSON IN YOUR WRITING CONCERN!!!)

But, we DO need some formatting/organization…

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LITERATURE REVIEW FORMAT

• Intro

• Thesis Statement

• Purpose

•Body

• Topic Sentences

• Synthesis

•Conclusion

Source: Ms. Hagan (2015)

INTRODUCTION

Thesis Statement• Not argumentative

• Does not focus on the topic itself

• Most often ~2 sentences long

• Outlines main subtopics

Introduction• Introduce the topic

• Provide definitions if needed

• Move into discussing research

• Identify the purpose

• Thesis ends the paragraph

Source: Ms. Hagan (2015)

BODY PARAGRAPHS

Topic Sentences• Focus on the

category/subtopic

• Should not include only one author name

• Useful keywords: Research, Researchers, Studies (Remember to look at the supplemental handout on website for “synthesizing words”)

• Drives the synthesis

Body Paragraph• Mostly synthesis

• Discuss the connections: similarities or differences

• Not a list of article ideas

• Emphasize the impact of these similarities or differences

Source: Ms. Hagan (2015)

POTENTIAL WAYS TO GROUP ARTICLES

•Historical Survey• Group the oldest articles together

• Group the newest articles together

•Relationships• Group by comparisons or contrasts

•Research-Style• Order the way research papers do: methods,

samples, subtopics, results

Source: Ms. Hagan (2015)

CONCLUSION

• Wrap up the effects of the research

• Overall statement of your synthesis results

• Explain what research still needs to be done

**(then check your word count and figure out if you need to expand or contract one of your paragraphs)**

Source: Ms. Hagan (2015)

Through your BA’s, peer critiquing, tutoring sessions, and office hours, it’s all coming

together!

The power of teamwork!

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PEER CRITIQUE WORKSHOP

• Group up into groups of 3

• Using what we’ve just went over, past experiences, and the assignment prompt:

• Peer critique one paper

• Swap and do it again (so that everybody’s gets at least 2 reads)

• Look through their paragraphs and underline where the student is doing summary and circle where you see synthesis

• When you pass it, read through it and see if you agree with what the first reader said/circled (write a comment in the margin if you don’t agree or think you see more of summary or synthesis)

QUESTIONS?

• Remember there’s a tutoring session on Tuesday (6-8pm in room 352)

• I’ll be there! (and a bunch of other great instructors!)