EDUC 860 Literature Review for Advanced Research

A literature review is a comprehensive investigation of previous research and scholarly articles on a topic. Beginning with a theory that serves to frame, or orient, the study, Chapter Two of the dissertation continues with a comprehensive review of the literature that addresses sufficient directly and indirectly related bodies of literature to show the reader that the researcher has a complete understanding of the topic. By conducting a thorough review, the researcher identifies any gaps in the literature and, therefore, a need for a study. Literature reviews are not merely listings or descriptions of the literature but are critiques of the literature that, when synthesized, create a conversation, or dialogue, among the various scholars that comes alive and inspires the reader to be even more interested in the topic and to be ready to consume the study’s findings. Poor literature reviews reflect poorly on the scholar, and, in the case of Christian scholars, reflect poorly on Christianity. As such, the need for the Christian scholar to generate exemplary literature reviews is paramount to representing God as the supreme authority and creator of all knowledge. 

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

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

Discussion: Biblical Integrity in Research

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the candidate will complete the Discussion in two parts. First, the candidate will post a new thread in response to the provided Discussion prompt. For the Discussion, the candidate will post one thread of 400–500 words. The thread must have a clear, logical flow, with major points stated clearly and supported by good examples or thoughtful analysis. Then, the candidate must post two replies of 150–250 words. Each reply must be clear and coherent, focus on a meaningful point made in another candidate’s thread, and provide substantive additional thoughts regarding the thread and an explanation of why the candidate agrees or disagrees with the idea presented in the thread. Where applicable, the candidate should support assertions with in-text citations and references in current APA format. All posts should use correct spelling and grammar; complete, clear, and concise sentences; and paragraphs with appropriately varied sentence structures. (CLO: A, E)

Literature Review: Topic Identification Essay Assignment

The candidate will submit a document containing four paragraphs identifying his or her viable, feasible, and relevant proposed topic in the field of education for the dissertation, directly related to the candidate’s specific degree program. The topic may be reassigned by the professor until it meets the requirements in the instructions or the rubrics. The first paragraph will identify and discuss the topic, including a brief summary of its social and historical context, as well as its relationship to the candidate’s clearly identified program of study. The second paragraph will address the viability of the proposed research and identify if the study will be qualitative or quantitative, who the participants will be, and where the study will take place. The third paragraph will address the feasibility of the proposed topic and identify a gap in the research literature, how the topic will help narrow that gap, and if the topic is realistically achievable within the time frame of completing the entire dissertation within one academic year. The fourth paragraph will explain why the candidate considers this a worthwhile topic, which may include personal experience, career goals, a Christian worldview, or biblical mandates. At least two scholarly, peer-reviewed articles published within the past five years must be cited in the essay with an appropriately formatted reference page attached. The assignment must adhere to current APA format. The essay should utilize formal, academic writing, with correct spelling and grammar; complete, clear, and concise sentences; and paragraphs of no more than one page narrowly focused on the assigned purpose. The use of first person is appropriate for all paragraphs. The candidate will use the Literature Review Topic Identification Essay Sample on the assignment page in Canvas when completing this assignment. (CLO: A, E)

Literature Review: Overview Assignment

The candidate will submit a document containing a one-paragraph overview for the literature review in current APA format. The overview will follow the Literature Review Overview Templates and Literature Review Overview Samples provided on the assignment page in Canvas (the candidate will choose either a quantitative or qualitative template), be written in present tense, and be specific to the candidate’s revised topic from the Literature Review: Topic Identification Essay Assignment (based upon instructor feedback). The overview must clearly and concisely describe the contents and organization of the literature review, identify the education-based topic, address the theory (or theories) framing the study, and have a logical flow of constructs/themes. The assignment should have a correctly formatted APA Level 1 heading (“Overview”) centered above the paragraph. The assignment should utilize formal, academic writing standards, with correct spelling and grammar and complete, clear, and concise sentences. (CLO: E)

Literature Review: Theory Identification Essay Assignment

The candidate will identify 1–2 theories related to and appropriate to frame the selected topic of study and write a 2–4-paragraph paper (depending upon the number of theories selected) in current APA format. The first paragraph for each theory will explain the theory using the publication(s) of the primary theorist and at least one other source. In the second paragraph, the candidate will justify why the theory was chosen and convincingly connect it to the topic. A correctly formatted reference page must be included. The essay should have two correctly formatted APA Level 1 headings (“Theoretical Framework” and “References” on the reference page). The assignment should utilize formal, academic writing standards, with correct spelling and grammar and complete, clear, and concise sentences. The candidate will use the Literature Review Theory Identification Essay Sample on the assignment page in Canvas when completing this assignment. This assignment will serve as a precursor to completing the Literature Review: Theoretical Framework Section Assignment. (CLO: B, E)

Literature Review: Outline Assignment

The candidate will develop a complete literature review outline that will include an improved Overview section and identify the theory (or theories) of the Theoretical Framework section based on previous professor feedback. The outline must include a title page, the four required Level 1 APA headings (“Overview,” “Theoretical Framework,” “Related Literature,” and “Summary,” along with “References” on the reference list page), a one-paragraph (improved) Overview section from the Literature Review: Overview Assignment, and the name(s) of the theory (or theories) in the Theoretical Framework section by including Level 2 APA headings for each theory from the Literature Review: Theory Identification Assignment. The Theoretical Framework section must also include in-text citations identifying the primary theorists and other contributing sources. The outline must also include the Level 2 and 3 APA headings (headings only) identifying the themes and subthemes of the Related Literature section in a logical and organized manner (with in-text citations naming the various sources), a Summary section concisely and logically summarizing the content of the Theoretical Framework and Related Literature sections and briefly identifying the gap in the literature, and the completed reference list. The Overview section, body headings, and Summary section should all align and address the same key points to fully explain the topic and the need for the study. The outline should be 2–3 pages, excluding the title page and reference list page, include at least 10 empirical, scholarly sources published in the last 5 years, and adhere to current APA format. The assignment should utilize formal, academic writing standards, with correct spelling and grammar and complete, clear, and concise sentences in the Overview and Summary sections. The remainder of the outline should only contain headings and in-text citations. The candidate will use the Literature Review Outline Sample on the assignment page in Canvas when completing this assignment. (CLO: A, B, C, E)

Literature Review: Theoretical Framework Section Assignment

The candidate will write the Theoretical Framework section of the literature review utilizing all previous instructor feedback, including a title page, a Level 1 APA heading at the top of the first page of content (“Theoretical Framework”), and an accurate reference list page in current APA format. The candidate will use the Literature Review: Theory Identification Essay Assignment as the foundation for the assignment. The Theoretical Framework section must clearly identify an appropriate theory (or theories, no more than 2 unless the candidate has received special permission) framing the study, discuss the historical context and major principles of each theory, and thoroughly address how and why each theory is directly relevant to the main topic of the literature review. Level 2 APA headings may be used but are not required. The assignment should be a total of 2–3 pages, excluding title and reference list pages, include the work(s) published by the primary theorist(s) and at least one other related source connecting the theory to the topic, and adhere to current APA format with correct in-text citations throughout. The assignment should utilize formal, academic writing standards, with correct spelling and grammar and complete, clear, and concise sentences. The candidate will use the Literature Review Theoretical Framework Section Sample on the assignment page in Canvas when completing this assignment. (CLO: B, E)

Literature Review: Synthesis Paper Assignment

The candidate will demonstrate an understanding of how to synthesize literature surrounding the candidate’s improved topic based on previous feedback. This assignment will become part of the Related Literature section of the literature review. The candidate will use the Literature Review: Outline Assignment as the foundation for the assignment. The candidate will research at least five relevant, scholarly sources from peer-reviewed journals that have been published within the past five years related to the topic, identifying two themes evident across those sources (using two of the Level 2 headings), and synthesizing the concepts and source material related to those two themes. The assignment may use additional sources, but at least five must be current and from peer-reviewed journals. This paper must follow current APA standards and will include a title page, one required Level 1 APA heading (“Related Literature”) at the top of the first page of content, 3–5 full pages of content, and a reference list. The assignment will include a short introductory paragraph below the “Related Literature” heading introducing the two themes discussed. Each theme will be identified in a separate Level 2 APA heading, and the candidate will provide a thorough synthesis of the existing knowledge on each theme (not a study-by-study summary) and connect the theme to the primary research study topic. Level 3 headings are encouraged but may not be needed (note, however, that the Related Literature section in the following assignments, Literature Review: Rough Draft Assignment and Literature Review: Final Draft Assignment should include various Level 2 and 3 headings). The assignment should utilize formal, academic writing standards, with correct spelling and grammar and complete, clear, and concise sentences. The candidate will use the Literature Review Synthesis Paper Template on the assignment page in Canvas when completing this assignment. (CLO: D, E)

Literature Review: Rough Draft Assignment

The candidate will develop a rough draft of the literature review in current APA format, including the title page; Overview, Theoretical Framework, Related Literature, and Summary sections with Level 1 current APA headings for each; and the reference list page with a Level 1 current APA heading (“References”). This assignment will follow the basic structure of the Dissertation Handbook template (quantitative or qualitative) (found under the Liberty University School of Education Dissertation Templates & Outlines link under Literature Review: Rough Draft Resources on the assignment page in Canvas) for Chapter Two of the dissertation. The literature review must include a coherent and cohesive synthesis of all sources, not a summary of individual studies (most paragraphs should cite more than one source). All work must be updated and developed based on previous instructor feedback. The candidate will incorporate and expand content developed for the Literature Review: Synthesis Paper Assignment under the Related Literature section, including all Level 2 or Level 3 headings listing the identified themes and subthemes originally identified in the Literature Review: Outline Assignment. While the Related Literature section may not include content under every Level 2 or Level 3 APA heading at this time, all headings must be listed and updated per professor feedback, and the Summary section must be complete. The document must include a minimum of 5 full pages of content (excluding the title and reference list pages) and include at least 10 scholarly sources published in the last 5 years. The assignment should utilize formal, academic writing standards, with correct spelling and grammar and complete, clear, and concise sentences. The candidate will use the Literature Review Rough Draft Sample and the Self Editing Checklist for Literature Review Rough and Final Draft documents on the assignment page in Canvas when completing this assignment. The candidate will use feedback from this assignment to complete the Literature Review: Final Draft Assignment. The assignment must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document. (CLO: C, D, E)

Literature Review: Final Draft Assignment

The candidate will develop a strong, cohesive, and thorough final draft of the literature review in current APA format, including the title page; updated (as necessary) Overview, Theoretical Framework, Related Literature, and Summary sections with Level 1 current APA headings for each; and the reference list page with a Level 1 current APA heading (“References”). This assignment will follow the basic structure of the Dissertation Handbook template (quantitative or qualitative) (found under the Liberty University School of Education Dissertation Templates & Outlines link under Literature Review: Final Draft Resources on the assignment page in Canvas) for Chapter Two of the dissertation and build on the Literature Review: Rough Draft Assignment. The literature review must include a coherent and cohesive synthesis of all sources, not a summary of individual studies (most paragraphs should cite more than one source). All work must be updated and developed based on previous instructor feedback. Level 2 and 3 headings listing the themes and subthemes identified in the literature are required under the Related Literature section. The document must include a minimum of 10 full pages of content (excluding the title and reference list pages) and include at least 15 scholarly sources published in the last 5 years. The assignment should utilize formal, academic writing standards, with correct spelling and grammar and complete, clear, and concise sentences. The candidate will use the Literature Review Final Draft Sample and the Self Editing Checklist for Literature Review Rough and Final Draft documents on the assignment page in Canvas when completing this assignment. The assignment must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document. (CLO: E)

Quizzes (4)

Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the assigned module. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain a variety of multiple-choice, true/false, or checklist completion questions, and have a 1-hour time limit. Each quiz allows 1 attempt. (CLO: D, E)