This assignment is designed to further familiarize you with the literature and empirical studies in peer-reviewed journals, and other information sources in the substantive area selected by you.
Arising out of the problem formulation in mini-assignment #1:
A. State your research question(s). One is fine, and no more than two. The research question(s) will drive your research endeavornot to be confused with the questions that will be in your data collection instrument/questionnaire.
B. Locate at least ten (10) articles (five should be reports of empirical studiesquantitative or qualitative) that further inform the problem area you have selected for study. Attach the abstract of one of the empirical studies usedsimply Xerox a copy of the abstract from the manuscript. Do not rewrite!
C. Provide a clear and focused synthesis and critique of all the literature reviewed. At the end of the literature review, you may refine your research question(s).
Synthesize the 5 empirical studies, describing how they are related to your research question(s) by weaving the response to the questions below into the body of the review.
What was the authors purpose in conducting the study? What did s/he (they) want to find out?
What was/were the author(s) research question(s)? How is it/they similar to or different from your research question(s)?
Present a detailed and sophisticated analysis of all aspects of the question. The how and why of historical change should be thoroughly explained.
What are some of the broader theoretical aspects of the four studies reviewed?
