LESSON 9

• Sections of the paper

  • Introduction (5%)
  • Summary (10%)
  • Review/Critique (75%)
  • Conclusion (10%)
• Elements in the Review/Critique section

  • Title of the book/article
  • Writer's name
  • Writer's thesis statement
  • Writer's objective or purpose
  • Methods used
  • Major findings or claims
  • Appropriateness of methodology to support the arguments
  • Theoretical soundness
  • Soundness of explanation
  • Sufficiency of explanation
  • Coherence of ideas
  • Overall impression of the work
  • Scholarly value of the reviewed article
  • Benefits to the intended audience
  • Suggestions for future directions
• Elements in the Introduction

  • Purpose for writing and importance of the topic
  • Scope of the review
  • Criteria used for selecting the literature
  • Organizational pattern of the review
• Elements in the Body

  • Historical background
  • Relevant theories
  • Relationship among studies and how each study advanced a theory
  • Strengths and weaknesses of each study
  • Various viewpoints on the topic
• Elements in the Review/Critique

  • Restatement of the main argument or thesis
  • Main agreements and disagreements in the literature
  • Stand-alone paper: conclusions, implications, and direction for future studies
  • Thesis or research paper: linking of the literature review to the research questions
  • Overall perspective on the topic
• Elements in the Introduction

  • Uses a lead that grabs the attention of readers
  • Defines the issue and provides a thorough background
  • Provides a general statement of the writer's position through a thesis statement
• Elements in the Body


  • States the writer's main arguments and provides sufficient evidence (e.g. statistics, interviews with experts, and testimonies) for each argument
  • Provides counter arguments against possible weaknesses of the arguments presented in the paper
• Elements in the Conclusion

  • Restates the writer's position and main arguments
  • Suggests a course of action
  • Explains why the writer's position is better than any other position
  • Ends with a powerful closing statement (e.g. quotation, a challenge, or a question)