Literature Review Instructions:
You have been asked to write a draft of your literature review. The following are the instructions for this exercise. Follow the formatting directions exactly.
The purpose of this exercise is to begin drafting key sections of your proposal.
Please note that you are not writing your methods section (yet). So while you will include descriptions of your population in Section B, you don’t need to include an inclusion and exclusion table. This section is where you review the justification and significance of your proposal.
Length:
Each section of the template below has a page limit except for the reference section because the reference section depends on how many references you cite. In proposal writing, being succinct is rewarded. You may find that you can say what you need to say in two pages – good job!
If any section exceeds the page limits, points will be deducted. In the template below, sections are separated by page breaks. Don’t run your sections together.
Format:
1) Spacing: Single space
2) Font Arial 11 pt
3) Paragraphs Block paragraphs, no indenting, with a space between paragraphs (as above)
4) Headings Arial 11 pt bolded
5) Margins 1” margins all around, use left justification
6) Identifier Be sure to include your name at top of the narrative
7) Title 81 character limit, including spaces, punctuation, letters, numbers, symbols. When in doubt, count it. Center the title.
8) No hangs Do not use “hanging paragraphs” or indentations in any section of the literature review.
Outline:
The elements that should be included in your problem statement are in the template posted in the Turnitin assignment and below. You do not have to follow this outline exactly but please be sure you have included these elements, and used the major section designations.
You may (and should) use subsections. For example, for a subsection in Section C, label it C.1. If you want to make a subsection of C.1.use a letter – C.1.a. Subsections are very useful to orient the reader.
With block paragraphs, it is important to avoid presenting a page long block of text. If the reviewer’s eyes cross, you lose. Insert paragraph breaks frequently.
Section A. Title (on the same page with Section B)
Section B. Introduction and Specific Aims(1 page)
a) Introduction
b) Gaps that your study will address
c) Specific aims of the study
d) Why this study is important
Section C. Literature Review (no more than 3 pages)
Use framing statements to review the reasons for elements of your study. Identify gaps in the literature.
Section D. References (no page limit)
Follow AMA referencing (10th edition) style.