Leadership Studies Archives - Page 3 of 3

LITERATURE REVIEW ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
The purpose of this research project is for you to create a scholarly piece of graduate-level
research and writing, which conforms to current APA edition format. Competency in current
APA edition format is required of all Business graduates of Liberty University, as set forth by
policy of both the Graduate Faculty and the administration.
You will research and write a literature review on a topic relevant to BMAL 702. Your topic
should be based on an applied business problem and research questions developed to address the
applied business problem. You will submit your proposed topic along with your applied business
problem and research questions in the literature review topic assignment link to your instructor for
approval. Do not “recycle” any work from any previous courses you have taken. Your research
paper will be a comprehensive thematic review of the scholarly literature related to your topic.
What is a literature review?
“A literature review discusses published information in a particular subject area, and sometimes
information in a particular subject area within a certain time period.
A literature review usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and
synthesis. A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a
re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information. It might give a new interpretation of old
material or combine new with old interpretations. Or it might trace the intellectual progression of
the field, including major debates. And depending on the situation, the literature review may
evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most pertinent or relevant.”i
How is a literature review different from an academic research paper?
“The main focus of an academic research paper is to develop a new argument, and a research
paper will contain a literature review as one of its parts. In a research paper, you use the literature
as a foundation and as support for a new insight that you contribute. The focus of a literature
review, however, is to summarize and synthesize the arguments and ideas of others without
adding new contributions.”ii The academic research paper also covers a range of sources, but it is
usually a select number of sources, because the emphasis is on the argument. Likewise, a
literature review can also have an “argument,” but it is not as important as covering a number of
sources. In short, an academic research paper and a literature review contain some of the same
elements. In fact, many academic research papers will contain a literature review section. But it
is the aspect of the study (the argument or the sources) that is emphasized that determines what
type of document it is.
BMAL 702
Page 2 of 4
Why write literature reviews?
“Literature reviews provide you with a handy guide to a particular topic. If you have limited time
to conduct research, literature reviews can give you an overview or act as a stepping stone. For
professionals, they are useful reports that keep them up to date with what is current in the field.
For scholars, the depth and breadth of the literature review emphasizes the credibility of the
writer in his or her field. Literature reviews also provide a solid background for a research
paper’s investigation. Comprehensive knowledge of the literature of the field is essential to most
research papers.”iii
What is the format for literature reviews?
“Just like most academic papers, literature reviews also must contain at least three basic
elements: an introduction or background information section; the body of the review containing
the discussion of sources; and, finally, a conclusion and/or recommendations section to end the
paper.
 Introduction: Gives a quick idea of the topic of the literature review, such as the central
theme or organizational pattern.
 Body: Contains your discussion of sources and is organized thematically.
 Conclusions/Recommendations: Discuss what you have drawn from reviewing literature
so far. Where might the discussion proceed?”iv
What is a thematic literature review?
“Thematic reviews of literature are organized around a topic or issue, rather than the progression
of time.”v
“Sometimes, though, you might need to add additional sections that are necessary for your study,
but do not fit in the organizational strategy of the body. What other sections you include in the
body is up to you. Put in only what is necessary. Here are a few other sections you might want to
consider:
 Current Situation: Information necessary to understand the topic or focus of the literature
review.
 History: The chronological progression of the field, the literature, or an idea that is
necessary to understand the literature review, if the body of the literature review is not
already a chronology.
 Methods and/or Standards: The criteria you used to select the sources in your literature
review or the way in which you present your information. For in

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