Literature Review for Applied Research – EDUC 850

CG • Section 8WK • 11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 09/05/2023

Course Description

This course provides education practitioners in the doctoral program with research skills and strategies for conducting a literature review for applied research. Critical thinking skills, synthesis of information, and application of the literature are emphasized to support the feasibility and relevance of a capstone project.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

Selecting a capstone research topic early in the doctoral journey is essential for timely completion. It is also important for the doctoral candidate to be able to show the practical contribution his/her research will make to the field. This course will help the candidate narrow and refine his/her research focus through developing an argument for his/her proposed research that is grounded in a literature review.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and presentations

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the candidate will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the candidate will answer two Discussion prompts. Each initial post must be between 400 and 600 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the candidate will reply to at least two classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 150–250 words. Where applicable, use references to support assertions, using citations in current APA format. (CLO: A, F)

Evidence of Approved Research Topic Assignment

The candidate will upload either a screenshot of the research topic approved in EDUC 816 or a PDF of a downloaded email chain in which an instructor has granted approval. The evidence submitted for this assignment requires specific core elements and the instructor's approval statement be clearly apparent. (CLO: A)

Literature Review Outline Assignment

The candidate will develop an outline for their research topic. The outline must include Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 headings. The outline should include at least 12 empirical, scholarly sources. An example is provided. (CLO: C, E)

Theory Review Form Assignment

The candidate will use two peer-reviewed articles or books to complete a form regarding a theory related to their research topic. An example is provided. (CLO: A, B, E)

Scholarly Works Synthesis Assignment

For this assignment, the candidate will locate two current (published within the past five years) peer-reviewed journal articles related to their research topic. The candidate will complete the Individual Scholarly Works Template for each article. Then, the candidate will complete the Comparative Scholarly Works Template using the two articles. A 1,000-word minimum must be written for each article. This comparison is where the candidate will write using their voice, as the researcher. (CLO: D)

Narrative Review Assignments (2)

The candidate will write a narrative review portion of the literature review on their research topic. The narrative review will follow the basic structure of the textbook example and will be three pages, excluding the title and reference pages. The narrative review must follow current APA format and 12 scholarly sources that were published within the last five years must be cited. A full complete draft will be submitted first. Candidates will have the opportunity to implement instructor feedback before making their final submission. (CLO: B, E)

Theoretical Framework Assignment

The candidate will develop a 1-2 page theoretical framework utilizing one prominent theory related to their research topic. This paper must include Level 1 and Level 2 headings. (CLO: B, E)

Quizzes (4)

The candidate will complete four quizzes. The first quiz will be 10 questions regarding APA format from the text reading and study information. The remaining three quizzes will be 10 questions from chapters three, four, and five in the Claxton and Dolan (2022) textbook. The candidate will have 2-hours to complete each quiz. (CLO: B, D, E)