Journal 8

Journal 8: Writing the Literature Review

A Literature Review is used to show your readers how much research you did on the topic. It proves to your readers that you have looked at many sources and are therefore qualified to write on this topic. For our paper, you are asked to cover 3 topics in your literature review (one topic per paragraph, described below) and to paraphrase from all 10 of the required sources.

Instructions

1. Watch the Literature Review videos in our  1302 LibGuide  by cllcking on the tab "Literature Review DIY" and clicking on the videos.

2. Watch  this video on writing the Literature Review  . Please note: the video was made for Spring 2021. Therefore, the course shell and the Paper 2 assignment sheet look a little different. The literature review is briefly explained at the top of p.3 on  our current assignment sheet . The example paper the video talks about  is linked here .

3. Line up all 10 of your required sources. There must be: 5 peer-reviewed articles, 2 book chapters by different authors or 2 more peer-reviewed articles, and 3 fact-based media sources.

4. Divide the 10 sources into the following categories:

a. Sources that tell why the research question is puzzling.

b. Sources that give an overview of the arguments that have already been made about the topic of protest movements.

c. Sources that give an overview of information already said about your thesis.

5. Each category above will be one paragraph. 

6. Each of the 3 body paragraphs of the Literature Review begins with a topic sentence referencing the category. For example: Many researchers have been puzzled by how government policy leads to protest. (Note: the words "researchers" and "puzzled by" connect readers to the required topic of paragraph 1 of the Literature Review).

7. Now you are ready to write. Open your Paper 2 Word Doc and below the Introduction, write the heading Literature Review (bold and centered).

8. Switch back to left alignment and begin writing your first paragraph that tells why your sources consider your research question (or thesis) puzzling. Remember that except for the topic sentence, all sentences should be paraphrases of your sources. That means that each sentence except for your topic sentence should be cited.

9. Do the same for the two other paragraphs, the second of which gives an overview of the arguments your sources have made about the topic of protest movements and the third of which that gives an overview of what your sources have already said about your thesis. Remember that except for the topic sentence, all sentences should be paraphrases of your sources. That means each sentence except for your topic sentence should be cited.

10. Make sure all 10 sources from the Reference page you wrote for Journal 7 are cited in the 3 paragraphs of the Lit Review.

11. Attach your Paper 2 Word Doc to Journal 8 with the Lit Review complete.