In this assignment, you will create a literature review on a topic of your interest that culminates in a problem statement. You should begin with an introduction to the research problem of interest, review the research literature that is directly related to the research problem, and conclude with a specific research question drawn from the research literature (and possibly a hypothesis). Specifically, you should:
Indicate the broad research problem of interest and the motivation for this interest
Conduct a literature search on their research topic of interest to:
provide the context and justification for the research problem
guide the development of a focused research question
reference the most important contributions of other scientists
Discuss the theoretical scope or the framework of ideas that have been used in previous research related to their problem of interest
Demonstrate that they are fully conversant with the ideas they are dealing with and that they grasp their broad methodological implications
Draw from the research literature to develop a pointed research question of interest
The paper should address the nature of the problem of interest and why the issue is important. Here, you will want to outline the significance (theoretical or practical) or relevance of the topic. Such justification for the topic may either be of an empirical nature (you hope to add to, or extend an existing body of knowledge) or of a theoretical nature (you hope to elucidate contentious areas in a body of knowledge or to provide new conceptual insights into such knowledge). All research is part of a larger scholarly enterprise and you should be able to argue for the value and positioning of your research interests.
The paper should also include a literature review giving the background for the problem and knowledge to date including findings from previous studies (e.g., key studies, methodological flaws). The paper should be structured so that the motivation for the research problems becomes clear (i.e., start with the bigger research problem and focus down to the specific issue you are interested in). The paper should conclude with a short summary of the research literature that points directly to a specific research question of interest and even a specific hypothesis, as appropriate.
The paper should reference a minimum of five peer-reviewed research articles from the scholarly literature.
This is an individual assignment. Please submit your paper with a title page that includes the title of your paper, your name, and your student number.
The paper should be typed, in 12-point font, and double-spaced. It should not exceed 4 pages, excluding the title page and references.
