Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Lit Review: Starting to write c. 2


You have done some literature searches and have piles of articles. Now what?? First, make an outline of c. 2, include the information provided in the checklist. Then start adding in your theory(s) to the outline and your variables. The more detail you can provide the better! Remember, start from the most general topics and work to the more specific. So if you are interested in resilience and aging, the outline would look something like this:

I. Aging
II. Resilience
III. Aging and resilience 

Once you have an outline you should consider sending it to your chair for feedback – is there anything else he or she thinks you need? Now you are ready to start writing, which of your items on the outline do you feel the strongest with? I suggest starting on that topic.  

There are a number of approaches with this type of writing. One is start off with a brain dump of everything you know off the top of your head, then go back and find empirical support and add citations. This works well if you have been reading a lot in the area or you have a background on this topic. If you don't have this background then you need to begin general and work to the specific on the topic. Start off with definitions, then look at where the theory/ variable developed. You want to explore the last 5 years of research literature that relates to your topics. Finally, make sure that you tie the literature back to your study. How will your study address any gaps or problems you have discovered? Why is it important to include this variable in your study? Next, pick another topic and go through the same process.  

Keep in mind that you are building a case as to why your study is needed. You are trying to prove to your reader that what you are studying is important and relevant. 

Next time, in honor of Friday the 13th, I will look at some Walden dissertation trivia.  Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu

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