Week 12

• Engaged in an illuminating session on "Strategies for Writing Literature Reviews" 
•  drawing insights from Matt Weiss of Pennsylvania State University.
• Explored the goals, purpose, and characteristics of effective literature reviews, aiming to develop critical assessment skills and strategies for organizing and drafting.
• Acknowledged the significance of a literature review: providing background information, establishing importance, demonstrating familiarity, and creating space for further research.
• Identified key characteristics of effective literature reviews: outlining trends, assessing strengths and weaknesses, identifying gaps, and establishing the need for current or future research.
• Discovered a structured approach to writing literature reviews, including planning, reading and research, analysis, drafting, and revising.
• Delved into the planning phase, understanding the importance of focusing on a specific thesis or research question, identifying the type of literature review (e.g., theory, methodology), and determining the scope within the academic discipline.
• Explored reading and researching strategies, emphasizing the collection and summary of relevant material while evaluating authorship, purpose, theoretical perspective, and audience.
• Learned the importance of analysis on both individual sources and the body of research, with four key tasks: summarizing, synthesizing, critiquing, and comparing.
• Grasped the significance of drafting, including the creation of a thesis statement that offers an argument about the literature, organizing the body, and crafting introductions and conclusions.
• Acquired tips for effective citations, emphasizing the avoidance of plagiarism, the proper use of quotations, and the importance of introducing quoted material effectively.
• Discovered revision strategies, focusing on title consistency, clear introductions, well-defined theses, organized bodies, effective topic sentences, smooth transitions, conclusive endings, and proper spelling and grammar.
• Received tools and tips for organizing and managing literature reviews and bibliographies, such as Research Rabbit, Zotero, and Notion.
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