Using the annotated bibliography from Assignment 2 and the Topic Outline from Assignment 4, the student will develop a coherent literature review using 10 peer-reviewed journal articles based on empirical research and derived from primary sources. Note: These SHOULD be the same sources used in Assignments 2 and 4; however, if any of the 10 sources used in Assignment 2 were not peer-reviewed journal articles based on empirical research and derived from primary sources then additional sources will need to be included – please check with your professor to determine the appropriateness of any new articles). An NSU librarian will provide additional raining on utilizing the library databases in preparation for this assignment. The paper should be approximately 7-10 pages in length and adhere to APA style.
Upload a draft of your literature review for submission to Turnitin. Then click Submission Details. You should see a hyperlinked number. Click the number/colored box to view your Turnitin report. If the number is significantly high (yellow, orange, or red color) then you need to address any areas of concern prior to submitting your final draft.
Please see the Assignment for additional details and the corresponding rubric.
Assignment 5 – Literature Review (15 points)
Using the annotated bibliography from Assignment 2 and the Topic Outline from Assignment 4, the student will develop a coherent literature review using 10 peer-reviewed journal articles based on empirical research and derived from primary sources. Note: These SHOULD be the same sources used in Assignments 2 and 4; however, if any of the 10 sources used in Assignment 2 were not peer-reviewed journal articles based on empirical research and derived from primary sources then additional sources will need to be included – please check with your professor to determine the appropriateness of any new articles). An NSU librarian will provide additional raining on utilizing the library databases in preparation for this assignment. The paper should be approximately 7-10 pages in length and adhere to APA style.
Literature Review
For this literature review, you can choose to write a study-by-study review or a thematic review. A study-by-study literature review provides a detailed summary of each study as indicated by the major theme represented in the topic outline. Each study is presented in a manner that leads the reader to the next study using transitional techniques. Review the examples and descriptions of study-by-study reviews provided in the chapter titled Reviewing the Literature.
A thematic review is a synthesized literature review; similar to the study-by-study review, the articles are organized by themes. However, instead of discussing each study separately, a thematic review presents the studies in a synthesized manner that ties the studies together using transitional techniques. Rather than presenting them as one article after another, as the annotated bibliography and a study-by-study review does, a thematic literature review may have multiple authors who expressed similar thoughts incorporated into one or more paragraphs.
Grading Rubric
| Element | Met | Partially Met | Not Met |
| Literature Review — Organization(2 points) | The literature review is well organized, with a clear hierarchy and transition tying the studies together in a meaningful way.(2 points) | The literature review is somewhat organized but the hierarchy is not apparent. Transitions are included to tie most articles together. (1 point) | The literature review lacks organization and fails to tie the studies together in any meaningful way.(0 points) |
| Literature Review — Readability (4 points) | The student provides sufficient details for the empirical studies, critically evaluates the articles, and flows smoothly from one section to the next using appropriate transitions.(5 points) | The student provides some detail for the empirical studies, attempts to evaluate most of the articles, but fails to use appropriate transition sentences to flow from one section to the next.(1-4 points) | The student fails to provide study details, evaluate the articles, include appropriate transitions, and/or uses an excessive number of direct quotes.(0 points) |
| Literature Review — Overall(4 points) | The literature review is well organized, logically written, and comprehensively demonstrative of the current research based on the identified problem.(5 points) | The literature review is logically written, and demonstrates current research based on the identified problem.(1-4 points) | The literature review is not logically written and does not demonstrate current research based on identified problem.(0 points) |
| Sources(3 points) | At least 10 peer-reviewed journal articles are included the directly relate to the research problem. The articles are empirically based and considered primary sources.(3 points) | At least 8 – 10 sources are included the directly relate to the research problem. The articles are mostly empirically based and considered primary sources.(1-2 points) | Less than 8 sources are included and/or the sources do not relate to the chosen topic, are not peer-reviewed, empirically based, or considered primary sources.(0 points) |
| Writing and APA Style(2 points) | Writing is clear and concise. Proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation is used. Citations are included and written in correct APA style.(2 points) | Writing is unclear and includes some grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors. Citations are included. There are some minor APA style errors.(1 point) | Numerous grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors. Citations are not included and/or there are numerous APA style errors.(0 points) |