I Am Asking Students To Write A Literature Review This Semes

I Am Asking Students To Write Anliterature Review This Semester Not

I am asking students to write a literature review this semester, not an experimental report. Both utilize APA writing style but have important differences. You will be expected to know the difference after reading chapter over Communication in Psychology in the text. A literature review is a summary of what the scientific literature says about your specific topic or question. Often student research in APA fields falls into this category.

Your professor might ask you to write this kind of paper to demonstrate your familiarity with work in the field pertinent to the research you hope to conduct. This is what a literature review is. This is what I am asking you to produce as a paper for PSYC 410 this semester. A literature review typically contains the following sections: title page, abstract — not formally a part of most literature reviews, but I'm requiring it this semester. It is just a summary of main points and what you have learned (the typical word length in most journals is only words...no more).

Abstracts are clear and concise overviews of the literature review. The main body of the literature review is the introduction section. Please be sure to follow the rules of APA citation, proper method of quoting a source, etc. The list of references should be formatted according to APA writing style. The length of the introduction section (the main body) is 10 pages. The title page, abstract, and reference section are in addition to the required ten pages for the body of the paper. The required number of sources in the reference section must be at least [number missing]. For more details about the term paper, see the syllabus. Be certain to also understand the difference between a literature review and an experimental report for quiz/exam purposes.

In many of the social sciences, you will be asked to design and conduct your own experimental research. If so, you will need to write up your paper using a structure that is more complex than that used for just a literature review. We have a complete resource devoted to writing an experimental report in the field of psychology here. This structure follows the scientific method, but it also makes a paper easier to follow by providing those familiar cues that help your reader efficiently scan your information for: why the topic is important (covered in your introduction), what the problem is (also covered in your introduction), what you did to try to solve the problem (covered in your methods), what you found (covered in your results), what you think your findings mean (covered in your discussion), and references.

Again, an experimental report typically includes the following sections: title page, abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, references, appendices (if necessary), tables and/or figures (if necessary).

For the purposes of this course, your term paper is a literature review, not an experimental report. The focus should be on synthesizing and summarizing existing research on your topic rather than conducting new experimental research.

Paper For Above instruction

The assignment for PSYC 410 this semester requires the compilation of a comprehensive literature review that summarizes current scientific research related to a specific psychological topic or question. Unlike an experimental report, which presents original research data and follows a structured scientific method, the literature review aims to synthesize existing studies to demonstrate familiarity with the field and identify gaps or areas for future inquiry.

The paper must include several key components. First, a title page that introduces your review topic. Second, an abstract summarizing the main points and findings of your review in a concise manner—this abstract is required for this semester. Although abstracts are not traditionally part of literature reviews, their inclusion helps in providing a snapshot of the essential information covered. Third, the main body of the review should be approximately ten pages in length, organized logically, and well-developed with appropriate APA citations and quotations. This section, namely the introduction, will contextualize the topic, identify the importance of the area, and highlight pertinent questions or issues in the existing literature.

Additionally, your review must include a comprehensive list of references formatted according to APA style. The references should consist of at least [specific number missing] credible sources, such as peer-reviewed journal articles or authoritative books, demonstrating a thorough review of the relevant research literature. Each source should be accurately cited within the text, adhering to APA guidelines for in-text citations and quotations.

It is vital to differentiate this assignment from writing an experimental report. While an experimental report involves detailed methodology, results, and discussion of new data, your literature review should synthesize prior research, identify trends, debates, or gaps, and offer a critical perspective on the current state of knowledge in your chosen topic.

For detailed guidance on the structure, formatting, and scope of your paper, refer to the course syllabus and the chapter on Communication in Psychology in your textbook. Ensuring clarity, coherence, and proper APA formatting will be essential in producing a high-quality literature review suitable for academic standards in psychology.

References

• Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2008). The craft of research (3rd ed.). University of Chicago Press.
• Galvan, J. L. (2017). Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences (7th ed.). Routledge.
• Kumar, R. (2019). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage Publications.
• Purdue Online Writing Lab. (2021). APA Style Introduction. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide.html
• Ridley, D. (2012). The literature review: A step-by-step guide for students. Sage Publications.
• Rudestam, K. E., & Newton, R. R. (2014). SURVEY RESEARCH DESIGN AND ANALYSIS (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
• American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.).
• Hargie, O. (2016). Skilled interpersonal communication: Research, theory and practice (6th ed.). Routledge.
• Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
• Berger, R. (2015). Now I see it, now I don’t: Researcher’s positions and positionality in qualitative research. Qualitative Research, 15(2), 219–234.