Literature Review. Each student will prepare a research paper discussing, in depth, a subject related to one of the topics covered in the course. The paper should be from 2,000 to 3,000 words in length (8-12 pages) and contain a separate title or cover page and separate pages for the list of reference sources.The paper is expected to be authoritative, and based on at least 10 high-quality sources (i.e., no Wikipedia, newspaper, or web page citations allowed). Use the UMGC library to find relevant journal or respected trade publication articles for your report. The majority of reference sources should be from recent publications no older than five years. Follow the APA format for the paper and for all citations, figures, tables, and the list of references.
You may include in your paper any of the articles assigned as readings, as well as any other reference sources encountered during the course. The style and content appropriate for an academic literature review can be seen in most scholarly journals found in peer-reviewed literature. Most articles will contain a section called, Literature Review. Look over a few to get a feel for the general style of writing expected.The report should exhibit graduate-level writing, in terms of grammar, punctuation, format, quality of analysis, coherence, insight, logical flow, and reasoning. The paper is NOT an essay, how to, or opinion piece, it is to be a research report based fully on facts and data derived from appropriate sources in the literature.
Provide a reference citation for EVERY statement of fact you include in your paper. Do NOT string together direct quotes from reference sources to create a narrative in the report. More than three quotes within the paper will be too many. Write in your own words and include quote marks for ALL material copied from other sources. Remember, a literature review tells what other experts and researchers have discovered, NOT what you know or think. Save your own opinions about what all the facts mean for the conclusion of the review.
