preparation of a research report literature review
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Preparation of a Research Preparation of a Research ReportReport
Literature reviewLiterature review
General GuidelinesGeneral Guidelines
• An outline is extremely important– Involves identification and ordering of major
topics.– Headings followed by subheadings.– Much easier to reorganize an outline than a
narrative.
General GuidelinesGeneral Guidelines
• Analyze each reference in terms of your outline.– Determine under which sub-heading each
reference belongs.– Each reference may be under more than one
sub-heading.
General GuidelinesGeneral Guidelines
• Opinion pieces or reports may only be included in the introduction.
• Formal research studies only within the Review of Related Literature.
General GuidelinesGeneral Guidelines
• Analyze references under each sub-heading.– If three references say essentially the same
thing:• Do not fully describe each one.• Make a summary statement, and cite three
sources (i.e. pg. 54).
General GuidelinesGeneral Guidelines
• Give meaningful overview of past research.
• Organize and summarize in a meaningful way.
• Discuss references least related to your precise problem first.
• Discuss most relevant references last.
General GuidelinesGeneral Guidelines
• Analyze contradictory studies.– Remove your own bias.– Try to explain why two different studies
arrived at two separate conclusions.
General GuidelinesGeneral Guidelines
• Conclude Literature Review with a brief summary of the literature and its implications.– Clearly indicates the logic you have followed.– Enhances your implications and tentative
conclusions.
Moving forwardMoving forward
• Putting the pieces together
General GuidelinesGeneral Guidelines
• Use a highlighting pen.
• Look for progress, not perfection.
• Keep ideas flowing:– You can edit, revise and– Find documentation later.
General GuidelinesGeneral Guidelines
• Literature review requires technical writing.– Facts must be fully documented.– Source of research study must be cited.
• If general terms are important to your topic:– You must define it in relation to your problem.– i.e. Achievement – What do you mean by it?
General GuidelinesGeneral Guidelines
• Organize content logically.
• Direct your writing to a particular audience.– Has basic understanding of topic.– Needs more insight to fully understand.
• Limit big/difficult words, avoid jargon.
General GuidelinesGeneral Guidelines
• Start each major section with a brief overview of the section.– i.e. “In this section, three main issues are
examined. The first is…”
• End each major section with a summary of the main ideas.
HeadingsHeadings
• Look at various studies you have collected
• View:– Headings used– Sections discussed– Types of results commonly reported ; and
• Determine a similar format for your review
General InformationGeneral Information
• A research report is written in the past tense.
• Provide accurate descriptions for the reader.
• Relate aspects of the study that accurately reflects what was done and what was found.
General Rules for WritingGeneral Rules for Writing
• Abbreviations and contractions are discouraged.– APA should be American Psychological
Association.– Couldn’t should be could not.
General Rules for WritingGeneral Rules for Writing
• Research report should be written in a clear, simple, and straightforward style.
• Proof read at least twice.
General Rules for WritingGeneral Rules for Writing
• Correct spelling and punctuation are expected.
• Pronouns such as “I” are avoided.
General Rules for WritingGeneral Rules for Writing
• Authors of cited references are usually referred to by last name only in the main body of the report.
General Rules for WritingGeneral Rules for Writing
• If the first word of a sentence is a number, or if the number us nine or less, numbers are usually expressed as words. Otherwise, numbers are expressed as Arabic numerals.
Format and StyleFormat and Style
• Use the APA style handouts/on line sources.
• Clear, straightforward, simple, and scholarly style.
Sections of the ReportSections of the Report
• Title page / Table of contents
• Introduction section– Overview/description of the Problem
• Review of the Related Literature
• References
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