Statement of the research topic

Introduction / statement of the research topic:  A brief, general statement of the area of your selected research interest, and your specific research question. Then you will give the reader a BRIEF overview of the subtopics you will discuss in order to answer the question. You need to set up the debate about the topic, so that your paper is analytical, not just a description of the topic.

In this, you must present your SPECIFIC research question and give the reader a CLEAR sense of where the paper is going

This should be one or two paragraphs in length.

Literature Review:  Summarize and synthesize past research on the topic organized around at least 3 themes in the literature. You must draw from at least 5 scholarly sources to do this. In this section you will give an overview of the research that academic scholars have done in this area. As the authors of They Say, I Say point out, you are in conversation with those who have done previous research. Because this is YOUR paper, you are directing the conversation. YOUR argument is what structures how you present the research, what themes you draw out, etc.

Some possible ways that you may use to draw out themes in the literature:

• What types of claims are made about the problem or issue?
• How do different scholars explain the problem or issue? Do they give conflicting explanations about the WHY or HOW the problem or issue arises or what the outcomes of the practices are?
• Who or what is responsible for the problem or issue?  Is this due to individual, corporate / business, or governmental actions? Do scholars agree?
• How prevalent is this problem or issue? Is this an issue or problem that impacts a large or small number of people? Do scholars agree?
• What are trends in recent decades? Who is impacted?
• What are the implications for the future if this problem continues unchecked?
• What kinds of solutions are offered? How do solutions differ in the literature?

Do not simply summarize the findings of each source one at a time, as in the annotated bibliography (the “laundry list”).  Rather, discuss common findings, themes, or arguments together as they contend with the theme.  Where does the literature seem consistent across themes? Where/how does it differ across themes? That is, what are the competing explanations and/or solutions to the problematic you’ve identified?

Remember, you are putting the material together in a way that supports YOUR claim about the issue or problem. Thus, your argument will be situated in how you present the literature.

Address the most important idea(s) first.  Refer to the literature in general as the source of your information when introducing material. Below are a few examples of ways to introduce ideas with correct citations:

Prior research indicates that women who bear their first children as teens have poorer outcomes than their peers in the area of educational attainment (Card & Wise, 1978; Brooks-Gunn & Morgan, 1987).

The World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), among others, suggest that many of the above concerns for development are the result of poverty and that sound economic policy – with a focus on economic growth – coupled with ‘modern’ educational, health, and infrastructural changes that ‘share growth’ can alleviate these problems (World Bank, 2014; Besley &Cord, 2007).

Notice that there aren’t separate sentences discussing the findings like, The World Bank says xxxx. Besley and Cord (2007) also said the same thing.

When authors/studies roughly agree on an aspect of a phenomenon, you do not need separate sentences for each finding.

For instance:

Scholars widely agree that the globalization process is complex (Steger, 2013; Friedman, 2000; Macionis, 2015). Yet, some argue that globalization is good for the US economy on the whole (Friedman, 2000; Hogan, 2012). Others contend that globalization hurts US workers (Klein, 1999; Harvey, 2005; Graeber, 2002).

From there, you go on to elaborate the nuances of the theories.

Analysis 3-5 paragraphs:

The direction you take in this section should be a reflection on the themes you identified in your review of the literature.  What definition or “take on” the problem makes the most sense to you? Why? Be convincing here. Refer back to the literature review (They Say) to discuss the evidence and theories that you explored to solidify your argument.

This could also be a good place to evaluate solutions to the problem you are outlining, depending on the debate you choose.

Conclusion 1-2 paragraphs: 

This ties the whole thing together. This might also be a good place to suggest future research or action based on the evidence you’ve presented. Tell the reader WHY this matters.

General Guidelines

• While reading the literature, take notes on the theories used to frame the research, the main concepts, research methods, and major conclusions. Also note discrepancies between studies, as well as weaknesses in past research.
• Use subheadings in your paper to delineate themes.
• Notice trends in what you’re reading. Remember, you’re entering an ongoing discussion. What are people talking about? How is what they say similar to one another? How is it different?
• CITE CITECITE in APA

Guidelines for all written work in this class:

All work must be in hard-copy form, typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12-point font, with standard margins.

Multiple pages must be stapled together before coming to class.

All work should be carefully edited. Do not rely on “spell check.” It will not catch those common then/than, etc. mistakes.

If a number begins a sentence or if it is ten or lower, write it out.

Create strong topic sentences to begin each paragraph and elaborate upon that topic in the paragraph. In other words, organize your thoughts.

I evaluate you on what you WRITE not what you MEAN. An “A” or “B” for written work is work that could be read by someone who is not taking this course and that person could still understand what you are talking about.

I will accept ABSOLUTELY NO WRITTEN WORK in the class unless you have successfully submitted it through SafeAssign first. No exceptions. It is your responsibility to be sure it is uploaded properly.