To develop a focused, thorough literature review, it is important to develop an outline to guide your work and organization throughout the process. The outline is an evolving document. As you progress through the course, you will likely adapt and revise the outline.
The outline should be structured in a sentence outline format, with the identification of major points/themes and support for these points. A title page, reference page, and general APA formatting are required. Current (within the last ten years) scholarly resources are used.
Please address each section of the outline in 1-2 sentences:
Introduction
State the problem or general research question
Establish context leading to a clear statement of the specific research question (explain why the topic is important)
Provide background and contextual material justifying why this topic should be studied
Define key terms and theories
Examine the history or relevance to field
Discuss how and what it contributes to the field
Explain how the topic applies to your professional interests
Communicate a clear, direct purpose statement.
Literature Review
Literature Sampling Approach Technique (Describe your search of the literature on your selected topic)
Critical Analysis of Literature
Main Point 1
Support for position (Sources from the annotated bibliography)
Succinct summary of main point and transition statement
Main Point 2
Support for position (Sources from the annotated bibliography)
Succinct summary of main point and transition statement
Main Point
Support for position (Sources from the annotated bibliography)
Succinct summary of main point and transition statement
Discussion
Main Themes Meanings and Findings- Synthesize critical analysis of the literature (Reiterate common themes what can you learn from what others have studied by looking at the whole picture?)
Contribution to Field- Identify new knowledge gained through integration of literature findings (What new knowledge have you or do you anticipate being able to generate based on your review? How can this information add to our understanding of the overall topic?)
Implications for Future Research- Present recommendations for future research
Conclusion- Summarize the entire literature review
