Literature Review

Criteria for Literature Review (Total 100 points)

The 6-7-page paper, should include the following:

Points Possible

1. Introduction clearly states the research question and the topic of the literature review. Provides background of the issue and establishes the importance for the field (see 3.4 - APA Manual). The purpose of the paper is noted (5 points). Methods are discussed in detail, noting the databases searched in, keywords used, dates your sources were limited to. Table is referred to. (5 points)

10

2. Table is created following APA Format. Use Table 7.1 (p. 200) as a guide to creating your table. Pay attention to the title (bold) and the title of the table (in italics and in title case). Use the same font as the rest of your paper. Table should have your two (2) themes at the top and your authors alphabetized along the left side. Use et al. for authors’ names that are three or more.

5

2. Organizes the body of the paper purposefully and logically using 2 themes. Headings are used and correctly formatted (Methods, Review of the Literature, Discussion, Recommendations, Conclusion). Uses Level 2 subheadings within the lit review to organize the research under the themes selected

5

3. Ideas, evidence and examples taken from the sources are organized in a concise manner that follows the themes the writer has chosen for the lit review. Topic sentences are utilized within sections, especially when introducing a new theme. Transitional devices within and between sections are used to demonstrate the connections between ideas and texts. The writer shows connections (similarities/differences) between the different authors’ findings. Search Purdue Owl for a list of Transitional Devices. Paper is written in prose style (10 pts)

10

4. For each theme, the writer should review 3 sources’ findings. For each article discussed in the lit review section, the writer clearly and succinctly states the author(s) purpose (for context) and all specific findings (in detail!) in regard to the research question. Main points of the article are addressed in detail for articles that are not research based. The reader should be able to gain a good sense of all the findings noted from each article reviewed relating to the writer’s research question. 1 (10 points)

10

5. Integrates evidence from all sources reviewed by paraphrasing, quoting and/or summarizing from the texts to support the review of each article. Signal phrases are used to introduce all evidence. The paper does not overuse quotes. (10 points)

10

6. Includes a substantial discussion section which synthesizes, analyzes and critiques the information presented from the research. The discussion section should answer, but is not limited to, the following questions:

- Why is this research important for the topic and the profession?

- In what ways does the lit review contribute to the larger discussion within the field?

- As a whole, what does this literature tell readers about this particular issue?

- Overall did you find the sources to be accurate, current, reliable?

- What gaps or limitations overall (not each article individually) did you note?

- What could be done further regarding this issue? Recommendations for the future? Future

Research? (20 points)

20

7. Uses APA style (7th ed.) correctly throughout the paper, both with formatting throughout the paper (including the title page) and in-text citations. Summarized and paraphrased material is quoted throughout with the author/date. Direct quotations included author/date/page number citation (10 points)

10

8. Includes a complete references page (last page of the paper) with all sources from the literature review in correct APA style. (10 points)

10

9. Surface Conventions : Sentence structure is clear and precise, and grammar and punctuation are correct. Paper has been spell checked and all blue and red lines in the document have been corrected. All past track changes comments and edits have been deleted and a clean copy is submitted. Personal pronouns (I, me, my, we, us, our) are not used in the paper. The writer made revisions from the rough draft. (10 points)

10