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EDU-M 720A: Mentoring: Completing a Literature Review I

Credit Hours: 1
Estimated Hours Per Week: 5

Overview

The purpose of the fourth session of mentoring is to ensure that EdD students write a high-quality review of the literature. In this session, students learn the phrasing and approach that lead to a critical review of literature relevant to a topic. Students also learn to use primary and secondary resources accurately. Students develop a preliminary database and outline of topic and resources relevant to individual interests. All students finish drafts of the review of literature related to their dissertation subjects.

Throughout the fourth PAR cycle, students read and discuss literature reviews from other doctoral students’ dissertations. They continue their own research into the literature of their topic areas, sort the literature into appropriate categories, and summarize recurrent themes. Primary and secondary arguments are defined with opposing viewpoints noted as appropriate. After students complete mapping and analyzing the critical ideas, they proceed to draft versions of a review of pertinent literature that bears on the topic areas of their dissertations.

Students write a concise literature review that is comprehensive and up to date; shows a command of the literature; provides context for the problem; and includes a discussion of the literature that is selective, synthetic, analytical, and thematic.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Explore what the experts say about his/her dissertation topic.
  • Critically analyze with mentor and cohort the value of various literature.
  • Define his/her approach to the review of the literature.
  • Reflect on perceived challenges and gaps of knowledge that propel the efforts in the next mentoring course.
  • Submit draft of his/her review of the literature.

ENROLLMENT
To enroll in this course, please complete the online application.

Required Texts
EDU-M 720A texts are available from the JIU/MBS bookstore