Guidelines:
Overview of paper sections:
Introduction: Your paper should begin with a short introduction that explains why the topic you have chosen is important and interesting and forecasts the main argument of the paper. Your introduction should also provide a clear roadmap of what you will present in your paper.
1) Try to summarize/preview the main question of your paper in the first paragraph.
2) Dedicate a couple of paragraphs to why your topic is important. It is okay to be explicit by using a paragraph that starts: “This topic is important because…” Think about who will benefit from reading your paper and what knowledge will be gained. Communicate who can use the information of your review and how they can use it.
3) It is okay to use evidence from popular literature to make the claim that your study is important. Consider using statistics. Support all claims with empirical evidence.
4) Make sure you define any key terms. Give one best definition. If the definition is controversial, then explain why you have chosen the definition you have chosen. Usually definitions have citations.
5) Give readers important background about your topic. Only give enough so that they will understand the study. They do not need the whole history of your topic.
6) Provide a road map of what your reader can expect in your paper.
Literature Review: The main body of your paper should be organized conceptually using APA heading styles. Include at least three sections with three or four studies in each section. Each section should have a key point, argument, or finding that is supported by the studies you choose. Refer back to your final paper outline to keep your ideas organized. Make sure each section has a brief introduction and conclusion that summarizes the main findings in that section.
For each study that you include, say a few words about how the study was conducted and then give the results of the study. Be sure to link the main finding to the key point of that section. Make sure you use transitions between studies to show how they relate to each other.
1) Start your literature review with a paragraph that previews what we know on the basis of the literature.
2) Divide your literature review into sections. Include three or four sections, each with three or four studies. The sections should be conceptual. Use APA headings to divide the sections. Begin each section with a summary argument that states one idea that all of the studies in that section support.
3) Make sure you describe the key details for each study. Tell us what the researchers did and what they found. Do not tell us about their literature review or what they think the implications are. Make sure you mention critical ideas that help the reader evaluate the study (How many subjects? Was the sample random?).
4) Don’t just say there is a relationship between two variables. Always say the direction of the relationship. For example, don’t say “humor and attention are related.” Say “humor and attention are positively related.”
5) Use transitions between studies that explain how one study relates to the next. Usually transitions explain how the conclusions in the studies are related.
6) At the end of each section, include a summary statement that articulates what one idea all of the studies in that section argue.
7) If a study touches on ideas that are not relevant to your paper don’t mention those results or that aspect of the study.
Analysis:
At the end of literature review, present a brief summary of the findings in the articles. Very brief — you do not want to repeat the content you just explained in the previous section. Critique shortcomings of the studies, if any.
Provide an analysis of the research you have just presented: what are the key themes that emerge? What would you tell someone about this topic? What are the implications of the research for communication professionals who work in this topic area?
What would you recommend to these professionals? You may want to consider how larger trends in digital communication interact with these findings (think the larger topics we covered in the first half of class: digital divide, usability, credibility, demographics related to use). Make sure you provide clear, tangible, specific recommendations.
Conclusion: Include a conclusion paragraph where you restate the main points of your paper in one or two paragraphs.
Below attachment is my outline, have to take a look! The 9 researches used in the outline are primary researches, please do not change them, you can add a new one inside each section.
