Review the professional literature about a current problem or question in your field to investigate a particular trend or perspective, identifying areas of consensus and debate and recommending a direction for future research.
While you will use your Text Analysis and Annotated Bibliography as part of the research and writing process for this final essay, you should be aware of how the Literature Review differs from either of these assignments.
–The Annotated Bibliography provides a brief summary of all the sources you consulted.
–The Text Analysis provides a detailed critical evaluation of one article that has made a significant contribution to the scholarly conversation on your topic.
–The Literature Review, while it includes both summary and some detailed evaluation of individual works (including the text you used for your Text Analysis), analyzes the relationship among different works, identifying areas of consensus and debate as well as gaps in the research as you focus on a specific research question of interest to you.
Parts of the Essay:
–Introduction: Provides context for the review and establishes the purpose of research on the topic, including a clear research question or questions. Gives a sense of the organizational pattern of the review (chronological, methodological, or thematic).
–Body: Contains your synthesis of 6-8 sources and is organized either chronologically, thematically, or methodologically.
–Conclusion/Recommendations: Discusses what you have drawn from reviewing the literature, identifies gaps in the literature, and suggests directions in which the discussion might proceed, including ideas for future research.
— References (APA) or Works Cited (MLA) page. Separate page with 6-8 entries in correct APA style or MLA style. (No annotations.)
Length: 7-10 pages plus References or Works Cited page.