Steps involved:

4.Consult reference lists of ‘good’ articles

5.Start creating your own reference list

6.Read and try to answer the following questions:

–What are the key theories, concepts & ideas?

–How has knowledge on the subject been structured and organized?

–What are the origins and definitions of the topic?

–What are the major issues and debates about the topic currently?

Steps involved:

7.Organise the literature – use mindmaps

8.Plan/create an outline

9.Write your review

10.Edit/Rewrite

Bring it to Student Learning Support

Organisation and

Structure

•Introduction

•‘Body’

•Conclusion

Just like an essay

The Introduction

•Introduces the body of literature you are examining (background)

•Explains your rationale for the research

•Presents a thesis statement about the literature (previews what is to be covered)

See ‘Example Introduction’ on the handout

Body Paragraphs

•Use clear topic sentences and transition phrases

•Don’t just describe one article

•Have a main idea and expand on it

•Refer to numerous studies to develop your idea(s)

The Conclusion

•Summarise your main findings

–What did the literature say/did not say?

–What has been found?

–What gaps are there?

•Make suggestions for future research

•Make sure whatever you say in the conclusion has already been supported in the body (no new ideas/claims)

Common mistakes

•Not focusing on the literature/the authors (i.e., making it sound like your own opinion not the author’s)

•Not connecting the literature

•Not writing succinctly enough

•Not writing enough!

Challenges

•Finding (enough) relevant articles

–Key word searches: try different phrases and search engines

•Avoiding plagiarism

•Summarising accurately

–You have to understand the article to be able to summarise/paraphrase it

•Finding links between articles

Make sure your review:

•is clear

•has a logical structure

•demonstrates your understanding of the literature and the topic

•shows your ability as a researcher

•provides a rationale/purpose

•follows APA 6th edition formatting

More Help:

•Visit the library, talk to a librarian, acquaint yourself with search engines and databases and how to use the catalogue to obtain the best results

•Learn about key word searches – nouns & adjectives, and truncation symbols (*/and/or)

•Identify journals and databases most relevant to your field