Psychology Literature Paper
The Literature Review Paper Process
While there are a number of different types of research papers, you will write a literature review paper . Writing a literature review is a skill that you must begin to master in order to succeed not only in completing the undergraduate psychology degree, but also in your future graduate work.
The general idea of the literature review is to select and research a topic and then evaluate and synthesize the research into a coherent APA style literature review paper, including (1) title page, (2) abstract, (3) introduction, (4) body, (5) conclusion, and (6) reference page. Although literature reviews normally require anywhere from 12 to 30 pages (or more), you will write a short literature review paper to show that you have mastered the ability to write a literature review in APA style rather than on an inclusive review of a topic. The paper should be 10-12, double-spaced pages, not including the title, abstract, and reference pages.
General Steps in Writing a Literature Review
Step 1: Select a Topic
You can select any topic in the field of psychology that interests you. As a matter of fact, selecting a topic that personally interests you will likely make writing a literature review a more enjoyable and less frustrating experience. One efficient way to begin finding a topic is to peruse the course required text. Usually, the topic of a literature review begins as a broad interest and then must be narrowed. For example, if “depression” is the topic of interest, it would have to be narrowed to fit the length of the paper. Because the required paper length is only 4 to 5, the topic of “depression” is too broad: There is simply too much information on depression to fit into a short paper. Therefore, the general topic of “depression” has to be narrowed. For example, you can focus on a particular aspect of depression, a particular treatment for depression, compare two treatments for depression, compare and contrast the differences in depressive symptoms between men and women, describe depression in a specific population, etcetera. Because, again, the paper is of such short length, even further narrowing may be necessary. Selecting and narrowing a topic for your literature review takes careful thought and consideration. Do not rush through this initial step of the literature review paper process.
Step 2. Conduct a Search of the Literature in the Professional Databases
Every field of study has a professional knowledge base; that is, a body of information that reflects what a particular field accepts as valid information. Psychology, like any other field of study, also has a professional knowledge base. Researchers conduct research and publish their findings in professional journals. The information in these journals comprises a large part of the professional “literature” in the field of psychology. Much of the research published in professional journals are “peer reviewed,” which means that other researchers/professionals in the field agree that the information is well-supported by the agreed upon methodologies with which you became familiar in Unit 1 of this course.
Everyone in the course is assumed to have a username and password to access Caldwell College’s Jennings Library. After choosing a general topic (or perhaps you have already delineated your topic), access Jennings Library Databases and conduct a literature search to, if necessary, further delineate your topic and locate 3 to 4 journal articles specific to your chosen topic. ALL sources for your literature review paper should be peer reviewed, primary sources from the professional databases. Please do not use internet sources of unknown origin as the information provided may not be valid. Wikipedia is NOT a professional database.
This step of the literature paper process is best done slowly, with careful consideration for each journal article selection. For example, choose journal articles that aren’t “above your head.” Journal articles are written across the entire spectrum of investigation, from the micro to the macro levels of analysis; Therefore, read the abstracts or first paragraphs to evaluate whether or not it is an article that may be too technical or require a background of a specifically trained professional.
3. Read and Summarize the Journal Articles
All journal articles should be read carefully (probably more than once). You should aim to gain a general sense of the information as well as points of agreement and disagreement across the articles. Perhaps on the second or third reading, summarize the articles. An article summary should not be a rewording of the entire article, but rather a judicious note taking process of the main points you want to discuss in your paper. It is imperative that you keep track of what information came from which article in order to avoid unintentional plagiarism or attributing the information to the wrong source. Often it is helpful to number each article and summary in a congruent manner. All articles should be summarized in your own words. Direct quotations should be kept to a minimum, if used at all.
4. Establish a Specific Purpose for Your Paper
After reading and summarizing the journal articles think about a MAIN PURPOSE for your paper. What is the main idea/purpose/problem that you want to focus on when writing your paper?
5. Synthesize the Literature
The literature review paper MUST NOT read like a serial summary of your selected articles. That is, you should not present your article summaries one after another and call it a literature review paper. Your literature review should SYNTHESIZE the information in ALL the articles; that is, integrate the information across the articles. For example, compare and contrast a view, organize the information chronologically, or otherwise INTEGRATE the information. It may be helpful, at this point in the process, to develop an outline for the paper by combining all of the article summaries.
6. Write a Rough First Draft
The literature review paper has the following sections: title page, abstract, body, conclusion, and reference page. Consult APA resources.
Title Page: This is the first page of the paper. Please consult APA resources for correct style/format
Abstract: The abstract, a concise overview of the paper, should stand alone on page 2. Please consult APA resources for correct style/format
The Introduction: The introduction is the first paragraph of the body of the paper and should begin on page 3. The introduction is clear and focused, and moves quickly to the main point of the paper. It should read like a “road map” of the paper, informing the reader what to expect in the paper, and where to expect it. Please consult APA resources, especially IN-TEXT CITATION format.
The Body
The body of the paper should unfold according to its introduction “roadmap.” The paragraphs in the body of the paper follow the basic principles of paragraphing: each paragraph focuses on one main idea. Each paragraph has a topic sentence expressing the main idea and each paragraph is linked to the previous paragraph by effective transitions. The paragraphs in the body of the paper are grouped according to an organizing principle. For example, you may group all the research that supports your research question, and then group all the research that disputes your research question. For another paper, it may be better to order your research chronologically. It is often necessary to try out several organizing principles before you find the one that best suits your paper. Please consult APA resources, especially IN-TEXT CITATION format.
The Conclusion/Discussion
The conclusion summarizes the main points of the paper. The conclusion should aim to pose new questions for further research as well as limitations of that which has been reviewed. Please consult APA resources.
The Reference page: The reference page is the last page of the paper. Please consult APA resources
IMPORTANT NOTES ON WRITING
Strong academic writing does not come easily for most people. Instead, it is learned over time as writers practice, over and over, writing for academic audiences.
Habits of Strong Academic Writers
Strong writers begin working early because ample time is needed to think, write, and revise, even for short papers. Strong writers write and revise multiple drafts of the paper. With each revision, the paper will become clearer, the organization stronger, and the language more effective. It is a good idea to get as many readers as possible to read and comment on your work. Make sure to tell them what you are concerned about, and ask them to comment specifically on those issues. Proofreading can usually be saved for the very end of the revision process. There is no point correcting sentences that may be eliminated during revision. Once enough revision has been made to make the paper and the organization strong, then edit for concerns with word choice, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Note that the brain is better than software at final revision corrections. For example, a computer’s spelling check will not catch the difference between there and they’re, would and wood, and so on.
Strong Academic Writing in Psychology MUST Make an Argument
Strong Academic Writing is Well-Organized:
One of the best ways to convince a reader of your position is to guide the reader through your argument in a logical progression of ideas that clearly supports your conclusion. While the best organization for any paper has to be determined by the paper’s content, much organized academic writing shares the following features:
Strong Academic Writing Speaks to its Audience:
Understanding your audience is key to any successful communication. Each kind of audience demands something different from your writing style because there is a significant difference, for example, in the way you should present information to your classmates, who are learning along with you, and the way you should present information to your professor.
Strong Academic Writing is Readable:
Even the best-researched paper, or the paper with impeccable organization, can fail to persuade the reader if the writing is not readable. In part, readability refers to the nuts and bolts of language: word choice, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. A paper that is full of spelling or grammatical errors is likely to frustrate the reader. A frustrated reader is unlikely to be persuaded by what you have to say. It is imperative that your academic writing be polished, edited, and proof-read.
Strong Academic Writing is Revised, Revised, Revised, and Revised
No matter how excellent a writer you consider yourself, it is unlikely that you will produce an organized, persuasive argument the first time you sit down to write your paper. The strongest academic writing is revised writing. Revision DOES NOT mean simply fixing spelling and grammatical errors. Revision means, literally, “to see again.” When you revise your paper, try to look at them with fresh eyes. Look for ways that you can improve your argument, your organization, your paragraphs, etc. Adequate revision usually results in a final paper that is markedly different from your first or second draft because you will have likely moved paragraphs, omitted and added information, reworded your introduction, etc. Yes, revising is a lot of work, but your paper will benefit from it. It will also make it likely that your literature review will receive a passing grade.
Strong Academic Writing Maintains Academic Integrity:
Please consult resource on Academic Integrity
Th
e Literature Review Paper Process
While there are a number of different types of research papers, you will write a
literature
review paper
.
Writing a literature review is a skill that you must begin to master in order
to succeed not only in completing the undergraduate psychology d
egree, but also in your
future graduate work.
The general idea of the literature review is to select and research a topic and then evaluate
and synthesize the research into a coherent APA style literature review paper, including
(1) title page, (2) abstract, (3) int
roduction, (4) body, (5) conclusion, and (6) reference
page. Although literature reviews normally require anywhere from 12 to 30 pages (
or
more)
, you will write a
short literature review paper
to show that you have mastered the
ability to write
a literature review in APA style rather than on an inclusive review of a
topic. The paper should be
10
-
12
, double
-
spaced pages, not including the title, abstract,
and reference pages.
General Steps in Writing a Literature Review
Step 1: Select a Topic
You can select any topic in the field of psychology that interests you. As a matter of fact,
selecting a topic that personally interests you will likely make writing
a literature review
a more enjoyable and less frustrating experience. One efficient way to begin finding a
topic is to peruse the course required text. Usually, the topic of a literature review begins
as a broad interest and then must be narrowed. For exa
mple, if “depression” is the topic
of interest, it would have to be narrowed to fit the length of the paper. Because the
required paper length is only 4 to 5, the topic of “depression” is too broad: There is
simply too much information on depression to fit
into a short paper. Therefore, the
general topic of “depression” has to be narrowed. For example, you can focus on a
particular aspect of depression, a particular treatment for depression, compare two
treatments for depression, compare and contrast the di
fferences in depressive symptoms
between men and women, describe depression in a specific population, etcetera. Because,
again, the paper is of such short length, even further narrowing may be necessary.
Selecting and narrowing a topic for your literature
review takes careful thought and
consideration. Do not rush through this initial step of the literature review paper process.
Step 2. Conduct a Search of the Literature in the Professional Databases
Every field of study has a professional knowledge base
; that is, a body of information that
reflects what a particular field accepts as valid information. Psychology, like any other
field of study, also has a professional knowledge base. Researchers conduct research and
publish their findings in professional
journals. The information in these journals
comprises a large part of the professional “literature” in the field of psychology. Much of
the research published in professional journals are “peer reviewed,” which means that
other researchers/professionals
in the field agree that the information is well
-
supported by
the agreed upon methodologies with which you became familiar in Unit 1 of this course.
The Literature Review Paper Process
While there are a number of different types of research papers, you will write a literature
review paper. Writing a literature review is a skill that you must begin to master in order
to succeed not only in completing the undergraduate psychology degree, but also in your
future graduate work.
The general idea of the literature review is to select and research a topic and then evaluate
and synthesize the research into a coherent APA style literature review paper, including
(1) title page, (2) abstract, (3) introduction, (4) body, (5) conclusion, and (6) reference
page. Although literature reviews normally require anywhere from 12 to 30 pages (or
more), you will write a short literature review paper to show that you have mastered the
ability to write a literature review in APA style rather than on an inclusive review of a
topic. The paper should be 10-12, double-spaced pages, not including the title, abstract,
and reference pages.
General Steps in Writing a Literature Review
Step 1: Select a Topic
You can select any topic in the field of psychology that interests you. As a matter of fact,
selecting a topic that personally interests you will likely make writing a literature review
a more enjoyable and less frustrating experience. One efficient way to begin finding a
topic is to peruse the course required text. Usually, the topic of a literature review begins
as a broad interest and then must be narrowed. For example, if “depression” is the topic
of interest, it would have to be narrowed to fit the length of the paper. Because the
required paper length is only 4 to 5, the topic of “depression” is too broad: There is
simply too much information on depression to fit into a short paper. Therefore, the
general topic of “depression” has to be narrowed. For example, you can focus on a
particular aspect of depression, a particular treatment for depression, compare two
treatments for depression, compare and contrast the differences in depressive symptoms
between men and women, describe depression in a specific population, etcetera. Because,
again, the paper is of such short length, even further narrowing may be necessary.
Selecting and narrowing a topic for your literature review takes careful thought and
consideration. Do not rush through this initial step of the literature review paper process.
Step 2. Conduct a Search of the Literature in the Professional Databases
Every field of study has a professional knowledge base; that is, a body of information that
reflects what a particular field accepts as valid information. Psychology, like any other
field of study, also has a professional knowledge base. Researchers conduct research and
publish their findings in professional journals. The information in these journals
comprises a large part of the professional “literature” in the field of psychology. Much of
the research published in professional journals are “peer reviewed,” which means that
other researchers/professionals in the field agree that the information is well-supported by
the agreed upon methodologies with which you became familiar in Unit 1 of this course.