So just some things that might help what to focus the paper on, just some suggestions:
How is the brain affected by good emotional regulation?
How is it effected by emotional dysregulation?
How does medication affect it and what is its role?
I just put the descripton of what my professor put in the powerpoint and syllabus:
The literature review should specify the topic question(s) and its significance; identify key concepts and findings in the research topic area; review, discuss, synthesize, and integrate research findings that are relevant to your question(s); describe the major limitations of existing research; make a conclusion about the reviewed literature and how it addresses your question(s); identify the next step researchers could take to strengthen the data on your question and/or any policy implications of the literature.
Sections of the paper need to be clearly delineated.
•Familiarizes the reader with the depth, breath and scope of the research topic
•Defines key concepts
•Snapshot of the literature
•Delineates conflicting evidence
•Highlights relationships
•Exposes gaps in a body of research
•Updates where others have left off
•Summarizes past research by drawing an overall conclusion about several articles that addresses similar research questions/hypotheses
Since it is for a developmental psychology class it is a developmental literature that should include:
•Age differences (child vs. adolescence)
•Change mechanisms (direct vs. indirect effects)
•Individual differences in development (why are only some affected and not others?)
Goal
•Summarize the state of knowledge in the field and
•Highlights important issues that research has left unresolved
Introduction
•Definition of the topic area and significance/why the topic is important
•Introduce important elements/aspects of the topic in broad terms
•Could include an introduction of your review sections
•Define what your literature review will focus on
•Ages
•Key terms/domains
•End section with a clear concise thesis statement
•Typically ¾ to 1 ¼ pages
Main Body
•Consider subheadings to organize your paper (She mentioned in class that there does not have to be many. Maybe like two or three. Examples would be like the indirect and direct effects or internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Just depends what you decide to focus the essay on to create fluidity)
•Introduces the themes you discovered in your literature (how does each article contribute to your thesis statement?)
•Link them to the thesis statement you made in the introduction
•Critically summarize and evaluate the literature reviewed
•Sometimes discusses mechanisms of development
•Common theme/patterns/trends/conclusions across the studies
•Speculate as to the reasons for any gaps in the literature
•Common methodologies (if relevant)
•Consistencies or contradictions in the literature
•Basically, want to form one argument that supports the thesis statement
•Generalize at the beginning of the paragraph
•Support the generalization with evidence from the literature
•Follow up with blending of concepts presented by the evidence to arrive at a conclusion for the paragraph
•Present any counterarguments
•Speculate on there are inconsistencies; how might we make sense of it
•Continue to link paragraphs to create one coherent, well-considered argument related to the theme
•Integrate key details from studies to prove your point
•Summarize periodically
•Future Research/Social Policy
•Make suggestions for future research
•Identify possible limitations (e.g., types of populations left out, use of convenience samples, etc)
•Touch on possible implications of the literature overall for improving people’s lives
Conclusion
•Summarize key findings of the review in general terms
•Relate back to theme one more time
