Preparing for the Literature Review: Developing an Annotated Bibliography

Now that you have narrowed your focus to a manageable topic and problem, it is time to continue your review of the literature. This week, you will begin identifying additional resources—beyond those included in the Dissertation Premise—for your literature review (Chapter 2 of the dissertation). Remember that the dissertation process involves a great deal of exploration and reflection and that your specific focus may shift as you investigate the current literature. Refinements to the project are to be expected and are indicative of thorough and questioning research.

The Assignment (5-6 pages):

• Using the Library, search for and retrieve articles to support your topic and research questions.
• Cite and annotate five articles from peer-reviewed journals that you would include in your literature review. In your annotation, be sure to include an explanation of how the articles relate to your dissertation topic.
• As you locate the articles, it is essential that you take accurate notes on the key points of each article. The more thorough you are now, the more useful the information will be in the future. Refer to this week’s Learning Resources for examples and insights on the literature review and developing an annotated bibliography.