In Week 1, you did a literature review. In your discussion, identify a project that you read about that most closely resembles the project that you are undertaking in this course. Answer the following:

What characteristics of the project are similar to your organizational characteristics?
What goals of the project are most similar to your proposed goals?
How might your results differ? Why?

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Connecting your literature review to your proposed project is a critical step in understanding how existing research informs your work. This guide will help you clearly analyze and compare a past project with your current project.

Step 1: Identify a Relevant Project

Review the articles you analyzed in your Week 1 literature review.
Select a project that closely resembles your proposed project in terms of:
- Organizational type (hospital, school, clinic, community agency)
- Scope or scale of the intervention
- Target population
- Implementation strategies
Example phrasing:
- “The study I reviewed focused on implementing a telehealth mental health program in a community clinic, which closely mirrors my project’s focus on remote counseling in my local healthcare organization.”

Step 2: Compare Organizational Characteristics

Identify similarities in organizational structure or resources:
- Size of staff, departments, or teams
- Technology infrastructure
- Leadership support or organizational culture
Clearly state how these similarities make the prior project relevant to yours.
- Example:
- “Both organizations have a dedicated mental health team and existing telehealth infrastructure, which supports the feasibility of implementing remote counseling interventions.”

Step 3: Compare Project Goals

Identify the goals of the literature project that align with your project goals.
- Examples: improving patient access, increasing efficiency, enhancing clinical outcomes
Highlight which goals are most similar and why they matter for your project.
- Example:
- “The goal of improving patient engagement through telehealth in the literature project aligns with my project’s goal of increasing follow-up rates among patients receiving counseling.”

Step 4: Discuss Potential Differences in Results

Consider how your project might yield different results from the literature example.
- Differences in population, resources, or organizational culture
- Variations in implementation strategies or project timeline
Explain why these differences might occur:
- Example:
- “My organization serves a more diverse population with varying technology access, which may result in lower initial engagement compared to the literature project that focused on a more tech-literate community.”

Step 5: Structure Your Discussion Post

Introduction: Briefly describe the project from your literature review.
Organizational Comparison: Discuss similarities in structure and resources.
Goal Comparison: Highlight aligned project goals.
Potential Differences: Analyze how your results may differ and why.
Conclusion: Summarize insights and how this comparison informs your project planning.

Step 6: Tips for Success

Use evidence from the literature review to support comparisons.
Write clearly and concisely, aiming for 200–300 words.
Maintain a professional, graduate-level tone.
Include APA in-text citations for the literature project you reference.

Helpful Resources

Purdue OWL – APA Formatting & Style Guide
CINAHL or PubMed Databases – For peer-reviewed project studies
Your Week 1 literature review notes

✅ Following this guide ensures students will:

Clearly connect previous research to their proposed project
Analyze similarities and differences in organizational characteristics and goals
Reflect critically on potential outcomes and project applicability

Comparing Literature Review Projects to Your Proposed Project in Counseling