Final product 60 points
The following criteria describe the expectations for an exemplary review:
The purpose of the review is clearly stated. While the review may start with a fairly broad topic, it narrows to focus on a specific issue. The review may present a "neutral" perspective, showing different sides of the issue, or it may be focused on arguing for a particular position. The review should include at least 10 references (this is really a minimal requirement), and at least 5 should be primary sources. The idea here is to review the research evidence, so you will want to find as many actual research articles as possible. The best articles are those that appear in peer-reviewed journals. You should have made a reasonable attempt to find all of the most relevant research. All of the literature cited should be relevant and important in helping make the arguments being presented.
In analyzing research, the analysis may (but may not always) include an appropriate description of research methodology, results found, and the implications of those findings. Such analyses are not presented as a sequence of summaries of articles, but are presented in an integrated fashion, in the style of literature reviews. The review should show how different research findings or ideas from the literature relate to each other: what researchers are finding similar results, which ones are finding different results. The focus of a literature review is to adequately describe what other people have done. Therefore, this is not the place to be introducing your theories or ideas. However, that doesn't mean that you don't do a critical analysis of the literature. In other words, if a particular study has a flaw in the design, which may limit the conclusions drawn, you should point that out in your review. For example, there might be a serious problem in the nature of the sample, yet the researchers are making generalizations to a population that is not represented by the sample. Such a problem should be identified. This is a part of your analysis of the literature. You might also speculate on possible reasons for why certain results are being found. Limited use of quotations is used, but any idea that comes from some source must include a reference to that source.
The paper is well written, with grammatically correct sentences, no spelling errors, and is highly readable. The organization is good, making effective use of headings and sub-headings. These various sub-topics would flow in a logical sequence, so that the reader can easily follow the logic of the arguments and points being made. The paper is written in the style typical of review articles. APA-style citations and referencing is used.
Last updated 6/24/2002