Literature Review

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Literature Review

• Synthesizing Resources

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Why Write a Literature Review?

• Provides a background on the subject
• Helps the writer to analyze and organize sources
  related to the governing question
• Demonstrates he/she has researched fully
• Shows insights into the most urgent issues of the
  subject and what hasnt been explored
• Establishes the writer is entering a professional
  conversation

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Specific Requirements of the Review

• MLA header/format and title
• Works Cited page (working bibliography) and
  parenthetical reference
• Prose form (intro, body, conclusion)
• 750 word minimum
• 12 sources
• First draft due Thursday, 21st.

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How to Write the ReviewStep 1

• Collect a variety of recent, relevant sources
• Reviewdont read every word
• Keep a recorddont trust your memory
• Avoid too many direct quotes--paraphrase
• Organize sources
• By type
• By perspective
• By purpose/use

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Step 2Analysis

• Analyze the most promising sources
• What kind of source is it? (theoretical piece,
  case study, news report, research study,
  argumentative piece, etc.)
• How does it pertain to your subject ?
• What issues are presented?
• What perspective (s) on the subject is/are given,
  if any? Does the writer have any obvious bias?
• How will this source be used in your paper?
  (background, context, supporting argument,
  research stats, various perspectives, proposal)

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Step 3Making Connections

• What patterns or connections do you perceive
  between your sources? What obvious groupings or
  categories exist?
• Ex. chronological, sides of the issue,
  themes/aspects of the topic, etc.
• What gaps exist? What hasnt been fully explored
  in the literature? Why?

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Organizing a Literature Review

• Introduction
• Identify your topic and issues
• Show your rationale for researching the topic
• Give a brief overview of your research findings
• Explain how your research enters conversation
  or will add to what has been done
• Thesis statement (not of your argument, but of
  the review) Ex. Researchers in contemporary
  Native American studies have been concerned with
  how the commercialization of the Native Americans
  has challenged the integrity of their cultural
  identity.

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Body Paragraphs

• DO NOT LIST SOURCES AND THEIR ANALYSIS!
• Organize the sources according to common
  denominators chronologically, thematically,
  perspectives, etc.
• Strong topic sentences should clearly outline the
  connections youve made
• Include a brief summary of the text, focusing on
  your analysis.

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Conclusion

• Summarize your major connections and thesis
• Make a judgment statement, evaluating what has
  been done on the issue. What gaps need to be
  filled?
• Demonstrate how your analysis/argument will serve
  to fill that gap.

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ExamplePurpose Approach

• P. 1 Establishes theoretical basis for my
  research
• Professor John Lye Critical Media Theory
• Dr. Wisam Mansour Marxist Lit. Theory
• P. 2 Discusses through case study two
  perspectives on Native American authenticity
• Frank Ettawageshik My Fathers Business
• Other?
• P. 3 Explores the issue of commercialization
  challenging native american cultural identity
• Meyer and Royer Selling the Indian
  Commercializing and Appropriating American Indian
  Cultures.