A04 - Write a good literature review step by step- 20H

Martha BOEGLIN, PhD, trainer

This workshop is for you if…

• You have already read the key texts of your field,
• You are going to start to write your literature review.

This workshop is not for you if…

• You are just starting your research,
• You have almost finished your literature review,
• You have no literature review to work on.

This workshop is project-based: you work on your own literature review project through a step-by-step processs. You will…

• Learn to select information,
• Structure your review,
• Create a thesis statement,
• Critically engage with the position of different authors,
• Draw clear conclusions.

This writing workshop is entirely action-oriented. You work on your own literature review. You don't just learn what to do - you do it.

• The different goals of a literature review. Setting the goal of your own literature review is the first step: it will help you to chose your scope and to chose the literature you really need – and consequently to discard literature you don’t need.

• Exploit the literature to write a good literature review: the goal of your literature review will help you to discard unnecessary texts and to focus on what you really need. This exercise will help you to determine the beginning (the research question) and the end (the goal) of your text.

• Determine the scope of your review. A literature review is much more than a summary of the literature. It discusses the literature critically. Chosing the most appropriated scope for your own review will help you to structure your text.

• Structure your literature review: a literature review has a particular architecture. Once you have understood the function of each part of it, structuring your ideas becomes much easier – and the reslult is a clear text.

• From outline to text. Create a knowledge graph to connect the dots: activate passive knowledge, link your thoughts and start creating the story your literature review will tell.

• How to write a good introduction: the literature review needs to be introduced, like every other text. It is important to explain, for example, the research question originating from your review, the context of that question, the goal of your review – and to structure it clearly.

• How to write a good conclusion: the conclusion of your literature review draws a balance of your review. Il also answers the question posed in the introduction. And it also aims to show the scientific necessity of your work.

The course is online. (ZOOM).
You will need:

• A room where you can work without disturbing or being disturbed,
• The Zoom plugin– to install on your computer; you will get it before the course,
• A computer with a microphone and a speaker,
• A webcam would be nice but is not mandatory.