Literature Review

1. Literature Review Tips For Success

2. Before You Begin • Re-read “Introduction to Literature Reviews” on the home page of RW. • Re-read the assignment description in RW. • Re-read and annotate (take notes) on the examples of Literature Reviews in your textbook.

3. Thesis: Before & After • Use this thesis if literature WAS focused on one aspect, but is NOW focused on another aspect. • “While previous literature centered around ______ and ______, current literature focuses on _______.” • Your conclusion paragraph would look to the future of the research. What will scholars focus on in coming years?

4. Thesis: The Debate • Use this thesis if scholars agree or disagree on some or all aspects of the issue. • Their disagreements can be small in scale. • “While scholars agree about _______, they disagree whether __________ or ________.” • “While scholars disagree about _______ and _______, they agree in general that ________.” • If the majority of your paper focuses on disagreement, then your conclusion would reinforce the similarities in their positions. Likewise, if the majority of your paper focuses on agreement, then your conclusion would highlight the disagreements.

5. Thesis: Methodology • This thesis focuses on the type of research present in each article: hard data, case studies, surveys, etc. • While past scholars use _______ method to study the issue, current scholars use ______ method because _________. • Depending on the focus of their research and the desired results, scholars in _______ field use various methodologies. _____ scholars use _____ while ______ scholars use _____.

6. Thesis: Key Figures • Identifies several key scholars and/or seminal articles and shows which current scholars are following their lineages. • Different camps of thought • Shows a history of research on the issue • “While many current scholars look to _____’s research for clues on how to proceed, ______ and _______ base their research on _______’s findings. • Your conclusion might describe some emerging key figures in the field.

7. Thesis: Rhetorical Devices • This thesis focuses on HOW the scholars present their information in the articles. • How do they appeal to their readers? • ________ and ________ primarily use hard data to convince readers of their positions, ______ and ________ use case studies and questionnaires to provide a human element to the issue of _______.

8. Introduction • Give a brief explanation of your topic and sub-topic. • Tell what current research is focused on. • Then your thesis should be the last sentence or couple of sentences in your intro

9. Topic Sentences • Topic sentence should focus on relationships, not necessarily scholars themselves. • Try to avoid mentioning specific scholars in the topic sentences. • Again, focus on the relationships you’ve presented in your thesis. • Use your thesis as your guide.

10. In class . . . • We’ll look at some specific examples of good writing from this summer. • Bring your thesis and topic sentences. We’ll work on them together. • Bring a draft of your introduction. • I’m going to make a note of who brings these things and who doesn’t. Remember, I’m entirely in charge of your participation grade.

11. INTRO example • For those who describe war as something that needs to be prevented, understanding its etiology is particularly important. Most political scientists and historians agree that they are still in the correlation stage of investigating conflict, and have yet to concretely identify the causation of war. However, the democratic peace theory is one that resides in the upper echelon of war prevention theories (Elvis 782). As many researchers, and US presidents alike subscribe to the theory of democratic peace, a comparable amount question its validity and seek to explain the existence of democratic peace by other, more sound means. • There is no need to define democratic peace theory or other concepts related to your research. Who is your audience?

12. Relationships • Regardless of which theory political scientists side with, the majority agree that there is a correlation between democracies in that they do not go to war with each other (Dopey 5, Sleepy 463, Sneezy 768, Doc 453, Grumpy 397). Even Curly, a strong opponent of the democratic peace theory admitted that “democratic peace theorists have discovered a powerful empirical generalization: Democracies rarely go to war or engage in militarized deputes with one another. Although there have been several attempts to challenge these findings, the correlations remain robust” (585). • Moreover, “nondemocracies are neither trusted nor respected,” by democracies, “because they are considered to be in a state of war against their own citizens” (“Article Title” 586). However, democracies do not fight each other because they “trust and respect one another when a conflict of interest arises between them” (“Article Title” 586). Thus, Elvis believes conflicts between democracies can be solved peacefully, while conflicts with nondemocracies will almost surely result in war, and war as explained by Larry and Curly, does not end successfully.

13. Relationships, Cont. • The main goal of each of these studies was to investigate all aspects of pain and how each patient went about their daily lives. The purpose behind this form of research was to get a better sense of what it is like to live with chronic pain. By understanding this, professionals get an enhanced idea of how to treat and or manage chronic pain. Similar to these trials, Scholar A and Scholar B allowed their participants to speak about their experiences but also asked them to partake in relaxation classes. The objective of this form of study was to try something other than “traditional medical techniques” (Scholar B et al. 1160) to try to lessen the pain for the sufferers. Scholar C took a slightly different approach on the topic and instead collected data that was formed over a thirty-year period from assorted medical trials, evaluations, and literature. • Mickey Mouse’s research concerns the widely accepted notion that over the next few decades, as aerosol emissions decrease relative to the emission of greenhouse gases, the Earth will experience a rather substantially steep rise in climate temperatures.

14. Topic Sentences • Opponents of the democratic peace theory often find the aforementioned correlation to be a phenomenon. Thus, it is not something that can or should be replicated worldwide. • Common among all of the research is some permutation of the hypothesis that anthropogenic aerosols either have had or will have an temperate effect on the Earth's climate. • Aside from the somewhat common goal, the various research teams use quite a diverse array of methods to conduct their research. • Consistent throughout the majority of the research is the admission to a possible linkage between democracy and peace. However, the determinable factors that influence that relationship are still under tight scrutiny, and each and every author is unified in the fact that they all call for more thorough, systematic analysis on the subject. • Similarly, ethicists also do not collectively agree that the potential of therapeutic human cloning to heal ailments should morally justify legalizing cloning although many of them seem to believe so.

15. Thesis Examples • While it was long believed that aerosols had little to no effect on atmospheric phenomena, the scientific community is conducting increasing amounts of research into the significance of anthropogenic aerosols in combating the effect of global warming. • Might be more specific regarding this research. • Meanwhile, a substantial collection of counter-arguments have surfaced, disputing the correlation between democracies and peace altogether. These claims, and counter-claims, will be addressed in greater detail later. • Might be more specific regarding the nature of these claims and counter-claims. • Researchers of chronic pain are looking into figuring out the most effective treatments. With limitations between physical and psychological boundaries concerning chronic pain treatments, new studies have surfaced to draw more connections to treatment and chronic pain. Current research has revealed that there is a definite link between chronic pain and three major amendable lifestyle factors: substance abuse, sleep deprivation, and obesity.

16. Conclusion: Chronic Pain • Most chronic pain experts such as Dr. Walter White and Jax Teller would agree on addressing the physical and psychological limitations of diagnosed patients together as one of the central concerns for treating this overbearing symptom. Their studies suggest that the confusion of different types of treatments affect diverse forms of chronic pain and further proposing that chronic pain alters a patient’s mental state and view, proving treatment to be more challenging. The other conflicting issue is simplifying current treatment methods and ensuring progress on improvements to prevent an increase in pain levels for patients as hinted by Barney Stinson’s discovery of pain inhibitors like opioid, which no longer have an affect on chronic pain because of overuse in patients. All in all, these research studies indicate a necessity for future research in order to determine and understand the best and simplest approach to aiding chronic pain patients.

17. Groups: Questions About Thesis & Topic Sentences • Thesis: • Does the thesis concern relationships? A debate? A change in research? A difference in rhetorical styles? • Is the thesis specific? Does it mention specific areas of research? Does it mention specific sub-topics.? • Topic Sentences: • Do the topic sentences discuss relationships? • They should not mention specific scholars. • Do the topic sentences align with the thesis? Is it clear how they relate? • Introduction • Does the introduction explain the topic BRIEFLY? • Does the introduction stage the debate (if necessary)? • Does the introduction introduce current research? • Is the thesis the last sentence (or sentences) in the introduction?