Before a scholar can contribute to the academic literature, it is first necessary for that scholar to assess the existing literature. Ultimately, this assessment will be in the form of a thorough Literature Review, which may easily include several dozen sources.
When you write your dissertation, one full chapter will be devoted to an extensive Literature Review. At this point in your studies, you will be asked to complete a much briefer Literature Assessment. This assignment will be less comprehensive and less detailed than a full Literature Review, but it will help you begin to think a bit more broadly about a body of scholarly literature.
If you choose your literature thoughtfully, this assignment can be an important first step toward identifying and assessing literature that will be relevant to your dissertation —or doctoral Capstone Project.
Instructions
In this assignment you will assess ten or more scholarly sources relevant to a topic that you may research for your dissertation. These ten sources may include – but are not required to include – the sources you used in your Annotated Bibliography assignment. Your Literature Assessment should:
· Explore common themes, assumptions, or approaches in the sources you cover;
· Assess common weaknesses or limitations in the sources you cover;
· Identify implications of your Literature Assessment for your future research.
· Are there common sources you see cited across this literature that seem to be highly influential and worth your attention?
· Are there common conclusions in this literature about future research that might be warranted?
· Are there common errors or oversights that may need to be corrected?
Deliverable
This assignment essentially asks you to learn from all 10 sources and then up-level your analyses of individual article findings to themes, outcomes, methods, and limitations common to most or all 10.
· Part 1: Cite each article and briefly summarize its methods and findings. Do you believe the findings of that article are valid and can help inform your dissertation or capstone project?
· Part 2: Identify 3 or more common themes, assumptions, or approaches in the sources you summarized in Part 1.
· Part 3: Assess and report 3 or more common weaknesses or limitations in the sources.
· Part 4: Identify 3 or more potential implications of this Literature Assessment for your future research. In essence, what can you learn from these sources that will help shape your dissertation or capstone project?
· Are there common sources you see cited across this literature that seem to be highly influential, valid, and worth your attention?
· Are there common conclusions in this literature about future research that might be warranted?
· Are there common errors or oversights that may need to be corrected?
Your Literature Assessment assignment should be presented in current APA format. It should be at least eight pages of content in length, not including your cover page.
Major Evaluation Criteria
· Identification of common elements in literature assessed. Includes clear and convincing account of three or more common elements or themes in literature assessed, along with an evaluation of the significance of these common elements.
· Identification of gaps or weaknesses in literature assessed. Includes clear and convincing account of three or more gaps or weaknesses in literature assessed, along with an evaluation of the significance of these common elements.
· Evaluation of implications for future research. Identifies three or more significant implications for the student’s future research, including (but not limited to) key texts, theories, methodological approaches, or research trends in this public administration area.
Your Literature Assessment Assignment should be presented in current APA format. It should be at least eight pages of content in length, not including your cover page.
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.