Craft of Research

1. Craft of Research Week 4: Literature Reviews and Methodologies

2. Outline • Literature reviews • Methods • Upcoming • Reminders

3. IMRD Structure What is this?

4. IMRD Structure Introduction/Literature Review Methods Results Discussion/Conclusion

5. Literature Review Section What is this?

6. Literature Review Key Objectives • Gain and maintain readers’ attention • Demonstrate knowledge on topic • Claim the relevance of your chosen topic • Identify an area that needs to be addressed by research (gap in knowledge) • Introduce present research

7. BEFORE Writing a Literature Review • Consider the following questions: • Why is this problem important? • How does the study relate to previous work in the area? • What are the primary and secondary hypotheses and objectives of the study? • How do the hypotheses and research design relate to one another? • What are the theoretical and practical implications of the study?

8. Pair and Share • Consider the following questions: • Why is this problem important? • How does the study relate to previous work in the area? • What are the primary and secondary hypotheses and objectives of the study? • How do the hypotheses and research design relate to one another? • What are the theoretical and practical implications of the study?

9. Basic Organization of Literature Reviews • General Background (1 to 2 paragraphs) • Addressing Specific Area (3+ paragraphs) • Purpose of Current Research (1 to 2 paragraphs) Culminates to current research questions/aims/hypotheses

10. Literature Review Content • Establishing a Territory • Claiming centrality • General background • Reviewing previous research • Identifying a Niche • Indicating a gap • Highlighting a problem • Raising general questions • Proposing general hypotheses • Presenting justification • Addressing the Niche • Introducing/announcing present research descriptively or purposefully • Presenting research questions/hypotheses • Clarifying definitions • Summarizing methods • Announcing principal outcomes • Stating value of present research • Outlining structure of the paper

11. Example of Literature Table

12. Methodology Section What is this?

13. Methodology Key Objectives • Describe how data were obtained • Explain how concepts and variables were used • Inform on the techniques utilized to gain the results

14. Basic Organization of Methodology Section • Contextualizing Study Methods • Describing the Study • Analyzing the Data

15. Methodology Section Content • Contextualizing Study Methods • Referencing previous works • Providing general information • Identifying the methodological approach • Describing the setting • Introducing the subjects/participants • Rationalizing pre-experiment decisions • Describing the Study • Acquiring/describing data • Identifying variables • Describing experimental/study procedures • Describing tools, instruments, materials/equipment • Rationalizing experiment decisions • Reporting incrementals • Analyzing the Data • Preparing the data • Describing the data analysis • Establishing credibility

16. Upcoming Milestones 1) Literature Review 2) Methods • Consult with your PI/grad student(s) on their expectations • i.e., length, content, organization, etc. • Use today’s info as a strong guide for your content and organization

17. Upcoming Week 5 Week 6 Results and Discussion • Jamiahus

18. Reminders • Blogging • Tonight: program t-shirt design • Denise Vrchota on Thursday from 9am-11am • Evening activities