 Pragmatic Problems have tangible, “real”
costs that we can see and touch
 Conceptual Problems require another step
in motivating audiences.
 We need to answer the question “So
what?” with an appeal to the reader’s
knowledge or understanding.
In short:
A good Problem Statement introduces a
QUESTION and makes us aware of the
COSTS that might result from it.
PROBLEM =
Question + Costs or Benefits
 Before we can understand a solution, we
need to accept and understand a problem
 The Destabilizing Moment or
Destabilizing Condition is the place where
you show the difference between
 What IS -- and -- what should or can be
 Requires that we understand costs and
benefits
 Requires that we are motivated and
influenced by those costs-we accept the
problem as something relevant to our lives
and concerns
 Requires that we want, need, and are able
to imagine a solution
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Condition: I missed the bus
Costs of that condition: I will be late for work
and may lose my job.
Condition: the hole in the ozone layer is
growing
Costs of that condition: Many will die from skin
cancer.
Nevertheless, your readers will judge the
significance of a problem not by its cost to you,
but by its cost to them!!

The hole in the ozone layer grew last year.

So what?

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You answer with the cost of the problem: a
bigger hole in the ozone means more
ultraviolet light hitting the earth.
Suppose the person says again. So
what?
And you respond: too much ultraviolet light
can give people skin cancer.
The Write Place © 2007 Created and
Modified by Carol Mohrbacher
“Piles of these materials are stacked all around, on desks, tables, and floor, and
they [students] have diligently read their way through most of them, taking
copious notes—computers bulge with information and threaten to explode”
(103).
~Irene L. Clark, Writing the Successful Thesis and Dissertation
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“A Literature Review Surveys scholarly articles, books,
and other sources (e.g., dissertations, conference
proceedings) relevant to a topic for a thesis or
dissertation. Its purpose is to demonstrate that the
writer has insightfully and critically surveyed relevant
literature on his or her topic in order to convince an
intended audience that the topic is worth addressing”
(105)
~from Writing the Successful Thesis and Dissertation:
Entering the Discussion
By Irene L. Clark
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Mohrbacher
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Your readers are being asked to view this
literature review (LR) as representing the sum of
the current knowledge on the topic, as well as
your ability to think critically about it. Your
review "tells a story" by critically analyzing the
literature and arriving at specific conclusions.
The LR requires a technical form of writing in
which facts must be documented and opinions
substantiated. Producing a good LR requires
time and intellectual effort.
The Write Place © 2007 Created and
Modified by Carol Mohrbacher


It is a test of your ability to manage the relevant
texts and materials, analytically interpret ideas,
and integrate and synthesize ideas and data with
existing knowledge (Bloomberg and Volpe 46).
"Good" research is good because it advances our
collective understanding. . . . A researcher or
scholar needs to understand what has been done
before, the strengths and weaknesses of existing
studies, and what they might mean” (Boote and
Beile 2005) .
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
A review of the literature enables you to
acquire a full understanding of your topic;
what has already been said about it; how ideas
related to your topic have been research,
applied, and developed; the key issues
surrounding a topic; and the main criticisms
that have been made regarding work on your
topic;
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
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Whether literature is referred to before asking
questions and data collection or after data collection
and data analysis, it is, right from the beginning, and
essential, integral, and ongoing part of the research
process.
At initial stages a preliminary search and analysis of
the literature is usually necessary to focus on a
researchable topic and evaluate its relevance.
Besides providing a foundation – a theoretical
framework for the problem to be investigated— LR
can demonstrate how present study advances,
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2007 Created andknown.
refines, revises what
is ©already
Modified by Carol Mohrbacher

The literature that describes the context frames
a problem; it provides a useful backdrop for the
problem or issue that has led to the need for the
study. Furthermore, previous studies can
provide the rationale for your research
problem, and indications of what needs to be
done can help you justify the significance of
your study.
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

Avoid the temptation to include everything.
Bigger does not necessarily mean better. A
concise, well –organized LR that contains
relative information is preferable to a review
containing many studies that are only
peripherally related to your research problem.
When investigating a heavily researched and
well – developed area, review only those works
that are directly related to your specific
research problem.
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Modified by Carol Mohrbacher

When investigating a new or little – researched
problem area, you need to gather enough
information to develop and establish a logical
framework for your study. Therefore, review
all studies related in some meaningful way to
your research problem.
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Modified by Carol Mohrbacher


Primary source documents contain original
work of researchers and authors.
Secondary sources are written by authors who
interpret the work of others, including
abstracts, indexes, reviews, encyclopedias, and
textbooks. Secondary sources are useful
because they combine knowledge for many
primary sources and provide a quick way to
obtain an overview of a field or topic.
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What are the origins and definitions of the
topic?
What are the key theories, concepts, and ideas?
Were the major debates, arguments, and issues
surrounding the topic?
Were the key questions and problems that have
been addressed to date?
Are there any important issues insufficiently
addressed or not addressed at all?
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

As you read and analyze, you should be on the
lookout for broader themes, issues, and
commonalities among the various authors. Be
aware of "outliers" (i.e., points of divergence
and difference).
Regarding research articles reviewed, make
notes of major trends, patterns, or
inconsistencies in the results reported; try to
identify relationships between studies.
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

Read your "very important" documents first.
Highlight, make notations in the margins, or write
memos on Post-it notes of inconsistencies,
similarities, questions, concerns, and possible
omissions as you go along.
Develop a computerized filing system of Word
docs for your literature review. For every piece of
material that you read, write a brief summary that
covers essential points: major issues, arguments,
and theoretical models.
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
Be selective. A comprehensive literature review
need not include every piece of material that
you located and/or read. Include only material
that is directly relevant to your research
problem and the purpose of your study.
Although all of material reviewed was
necessary to help you situate your own study,
not every citation with respect to issue needs
be included.
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
Regarding use of quotations, try to limit the
use of direct quotations" only materials that are
stated skillfully and are a clear reflection of a
particular point of view; unessential quotations
are a distraction from the line of thought being
presented.
The Write Place © 2007 Created and
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

Existing literature culminates in a CF that posits
new relationships and perspectives vis-a-vis
literature reviewed. The CF becomes the scaffolding
of the study. Most important, it becomes a working
tool consisting of categories that emanate from
literature.
To be comprehensive, you need to make sure there
is one category that relates to each research
question. These categories form the backbone of
your study.
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
Ongoing “housekeeping” strategies and tips

Immediately document and cite source you took the
information from.

Bookmark online sources.

Bookmark “hard copy.” Use post-it notes to mark pages with
relevant information.

Keep track of page numbers of paraphrases and quotations.

Note any connections between sources in separate notebook or
on post-its on pertinent pages.

If information comes from a class lecture, interview, or
conference, note details immediately.
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Mohrbacher

Use subheadings if dividing the LR topically, thematically,
according to argumentative perspective, or according to time
period.

Be sure to show relationships between sources.

Make explicit connections between reviewed sources and thesis.

Discuss source’s significant contributions.


source relationship.c6 source relationship.c5
Do not develop ideas or use sources that are irrelevant to your
thesis overall.
References to prior studies should be in past tense; references to
narrative or text other than studies should be in present tense.
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Mohrbacher

Summarize ideas, conflicts, themes, or
historical (or chronological) periods.
summarize.c11
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Contextualize your thesis topic within the
summary.
Point out gap(s) in scholarship and, show how
your research helps fill the gap(s).
Transition to your next chapter.
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transition.c8
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Have I accurately represented the author’s views?
Is source material research current and relevant to
thesis topic?
Have I shown relationships between sources?
Is there a clear connection between thesis topic and the
LR?
Are all sources documented accurately?
Have I used effective transitions from idea to idea,
source to source, paragraph to paragraph?
Is my analysis of sources well developed?
Have I represented all conflicts or argumentative sides
fairly?
The Write Place © 2007 Created
and Modified by Carol
Mohrbacher
Central Virginia Governor’s School of Science and Technology (Science and
Engineering)
http://www.cvgs.k12.va.us/research/PAPER/parts/litreviewphy.pdf

Claremont Graduate University (History)
http://www.cgu.edu/pages/931.asp
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University of Minnesota (Anthropology)
http://www.d.umn.edu/~sjanssen/samplelitreview.htm
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Purdue OWL (Social Work)
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/666/01/
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University of Washington (Psychology)
http://depts.washington.edu/psywc/handouts/pdf/litrev.pdf
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University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (Sociology):
http://www.uccs.edu/~smarshal/id26.htm

University of North Carolina (Science)
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/literature_review.html

The Write Place © 2007 Created and
Modified by Carol Mohrbacher
The Write Place © 2007 Created and
Modified by Carol Mohrbacher