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COMM 200: Foundations of Communication – Literature Review Outline Template
I. Introduction
A. Introduce your topic in an interesting way (data, facts, importance of topic, etc.)
B. Provide a brief explanation of your theory/concept/topic
C. State the purpose of your literature review
D. Provide a rationale for why the topic is important to study (cite a source). In the other articles you have read, why do they say this topic is important?
E. Preview the structure of your paper/summarize the main points you are about to discuss. This should be a transition into the body of your paper.
II. Main Point 1 (Use a topical organization pattern. Based on your articles, what are the major themes of the research regarding your theory and context area? This theme will be the heading for Main Point 2
A. Discuss the articles that fit within main point 1. Include the basics of the article such as the data collection methods, & major findings. Do not provide too much detail on the methods; focus on the findings.
B. Discuss the articles that fit within your main point. Include the basics of the article such as the data collection methods, and major findings. Do not provide too much detail, mainly focus on the findings.
C. Connect the studies in this section together. What do they tell us or not tell us? Develop a clear transition into the next main point. How does this main point connect to what you are about to discuss? Consider how the next topic fits with the previous topic.
III. Main Point 2 (Use a topical organization pattern. Based on your articles, what is the second major theme? This theme will be the heading for Main Point 2
A. Discuss the articles that fit within your main point. Include the basics of the article such as the type of study, data collection methods, and major findings. Mainly focus on the findings.
B. Discuss the articles that fit within your main point. Include the basics of the article such as the type of study, data collection methods, and major findings. Mainly focus on the findings.
C. Connect the studies in this section together. What do they tell us or not tell us? Develop a clear transition into the next main point. How does this main point connect to what you are about to discuss? Consider how the next topic fits with the previous topic.
IV. Main Point 3 (This is the third major theme and the heading for Main Point 3.)
A. Discuss the articles that fit within your main point. Include the basics of the article such as the type of study, data collection methods, and major findings. Mainly focus on the findings.
B. Discuss the articles that fit within your main point. Include the basics of the article such as the type of study, data collection methods, and major findings. Mainly focus on the findings.
C. Connect the studies in this section together. What do they tell us or not tell us? Develop a clear transition into the next main point. How does this main point connect to what you are about to discuss? Consider how the next topic fits with the previous topic.
V. Conclusion
A. Restate the importance of your topic.
B. Provide a list of limitations of studying this topic. What is hard about it? Here, cite sources. What do other authors discuss as being difficult about studying the topic?
C. Discuss future directions for studying this topic. Cite sources. What do other authors suggest should be studied about this topic in the future? Are there existing gaps in the research/knowledge of the topic?
D. Propose your own research question. How would you like to study this topic further?
VI. References — Cite all sources used in the paper. Label the Heading as “References” and place on a separate page. Place in alphabetical order and indent every line after the first line of the entry. Double space all entries.
