In Week 7 of this course, you will be asked to submit an introductory literature review similar to the introduction of the manuscript for a research paper. This will provide a conceptual overview of a topic of your choice (related to learning and motivation), synthesizing for the reader what research has been previously conducted on the topic, what theoretical frameworks have guided this work, what is currently known about the topic and what is not (yet) known. For Week 5 (this week), you will submit an outline of the introductory literature review. It should include in-text citations and references to at least 10 peer-reviewed journal articles that report on original studies that have been conducted (not secondary sources).
Note: *A scholarly journal article has been peer-reviewed. An original research article includes the first-time report of a research study or studies the author(s) conducted, including methodology (participants), results, and discussion. If your article does not have a Methods section, it is not the right type of article for this assignment. If you are not sure about the article you have selected, please ask your professor.
Please note that the outline should not contain roman numerals or alphabet-style labels. Labels will be headings that would be appropriate for the paper. Use paragraph form to describe what you will discuss in each section. Outline examples will be discussed in KL (Week 5). Attend or watch the recording before submitting the assignment.
For the Week 5 outline:
1. First, give a brief overview of what your paper topic is and what you will accomplish in the paper (thesis statement)
2. Use headings to group the major themes (and subthemes) you will cover in the paper. Be specific with your headings and check that they match what you are discussing (with the same level of specificity).
3. Under each heading, give a brief description of what you will discuss in the section and use in-text citations to support the major points you will make. Begin paragraphs with the main point you will make in the section, then use citations to support that point. Note- citations should be integrated into paragraph form to demonstrate what specific points they will support. Citations should NOT simply be listed at end of the paragraph. Demonstrate how the citations support the point(s) you are making. This will help you prepare for synthesis (looking across multiple studies) rather than a simple point-by-point (reporting) approach. Expect to have multiple citations under each heading. If you have a proposed section with only one citation, make a note that you will search/include more in the final paper.
4. Use at least 10 scholarly peer-reviewed empirical articles. You may include more, as 10 is the minimum (not maximum).
5. Be sure to use APA style, including the title page, appropriate grammar, spelling, and mechanics, as well as citations and references.
