Conduct a review of relevant literature that relates course themes to a public policy or social issue that is of interest to you. Prepare an annotated database/matrix of no fewer than 10 relevant sources from your review of the literature. Use the template provided in the course module to compile your database. This assignment prepares you to critically assess existing research and scholarship, and provides you with the opportunity to build the foundational knowledge required to analyze conditions, propose findings, and identify areas of further study.
PURPOSE
The purpose for reviewing the body of literature about an issue or topic is to understand its history and context.
Before we can examine an issue in depth, we need to learn about events that are relevant to the issue. We also need to know what has already been studied, learned, or attempted when addressing the issue.
This assignment prepares you to build the depth of knowledge required to analyze conditions, propose findings, and identify areas of further study.
Keep these questions in mind while you collect and read relevant sources of information about the issue you are studying:
What is the history of this issue? What are some important events that caused this issue to occur?
What have you learned about this issue from each of the sources included in this table?
How does each source support, contradict, or expand on results from some of the other sources?
How will you use this information to analyze the issue and make recommendations for further study or action?
INSTRUCTIONS
You will search, select, read, and organize key points of information from at least 10 sources about an issue that you have chosen to examine. In addition to conducting your own search process, you should contact the campus library for assistance with locating and accessing information sources for this assignment.
Your review should include a variety of source types:
peer-reviewed journal articles
textbooks, academic course materials
government reports, summary analyses, legislative priorities
investigative journalism, news media
research center (think tank) analyses, field reports
demographic information (census, labor statistics, library databases)
practitioner resources (organization websites, videotaped meetings, working documents)
