Preparation of a Research Report Literature review

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.


• 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.


• Opinion pieces or reports may only be included in the introduction.

• Formal research studies only within the Review of Related Literature.


• 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).


• 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.


• Analyze contradictory studies.– Remove your own bias.– Try to explain why two different studies

arrived at two separate conclusions.


• 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


• Use a highlighting pen.

• Look for progress, not perfection.

• Keep ideas flowing:– You can edit, revise and– Find documentation later.


• 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?


• 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.


• 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.


• Research report should be written in a clear, simple, and straightforward style.

• Proof read at least twice.


• Correct spelling and punctuation are expected.

• Pronouns such as “I” are avoided.


• Authors of cited references are usually referred to by last name only in the main body of the report.


• 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

Documents

Preparation of a Research Report Literature review