Reference no: EM132268254

Final Project: Literature Review

Overview:

This final project is based on the general topics of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence as they apply to your major. From this, you must develop a specific topic and possibly a research question. You must then locate 4-6 peer-reviewed journal articles which will itemized in your Reference Page (APA, IEEE, AMA, or MLA citation style). Your Lit Review will be about two pages in length or a little longer (academic style), plus a Reference Page.

Details:

1a) Watch at least two of the YouTube videos on the GettingStarted handout (Take notes.).

Read the background articles on Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.

1b) The aim of your Lit Review is to identify a gap in the current research and create a niche.

The Introduction establishes a problem in the current state of understanding and research, and it concludes with the Research Question and possible Thesis Statement which define a gap and introduce your niche. The Main Body of the Lit review is where you synthesize sources according to topics. The Discussion Section describes how your niche might be exploited to better understand your thesis.

2) Develop a topic related to your major, and narrow this into an ORIGINAL research question. Use the "Narrowing a Topic" handout for additional guidance.

3) Conduct a Lit Search using key words, quotations, and Boolean logic markers. Choose 4-6 sources that best support your research question. You may briefly cite these in the Lit Review. You are advised that, for your own protection, you must not recycle a previous project or share sources.

4) Create a thesis statement (which will define your topic) like this: "The aim of this thesis is to explore (your topic/thesis). . . " You may follow this with a research question. All of this will appear at the end of your introduction.

5) For the Reference Page, you may consult the Purdue Owl (online) for IEEE, APA, AMA, and MLA

The aim of a literature review is to show your reader that you have read, and have a good grasp of, the main published work in the context of a particular topic or question in your field. This work may be in any format, including online sources. For this assignment, you should use mostly academic (scholarly) articles from peer-reviewed journals.

It is best to use articles that are recent (no more than five years old). A literature review may be a separate assignment, or one of the introductory sections of a report, dissertation, or thesis. In the latter cases in particular, the review will be guided by your research objective or by the issue or thesis you are arguing and will provide the framework for your further work.

It is very important to note that your review should not be simply a description of what others have published in the form of a set of summaries, or a personal observation of a topic, but should take the form of a critical discussion, showing insight and an awareness of differing arguments, theories, and approaches.

It should be a synthesis and analysis of the relevant published work, linked at all times to your own purpose and rationale (i.e., your research question).

According to Caulley (1992) of La Trobe University, the literature review should:

compare and contrast different authors' views on an issue

group authors who draw similar conclusions

criticize aspects of methodology

note areas in which authors are in disagreement

highlight exemplary studies

highlight gaps in research

show how your study relates to previous studies

show how your study relates to the literature in general

conclude by summarizing what the literature says

The purposes of the review are:

to define and limit the problem you are working on

to place your study in an historical perspective

to avoid unnecessary duplication

to evaluate promising research methods

to relate your findings to previous knowledge in the context of identifying the gap and

establishing your research niche.

A good literature review, therefore, is critical of what has been written, identifies areas of controversy, raises questions, and identifies areas that need further research.

Your final paper should include 4-6 sources and should be between 2 pages in length or a little more (NOT including the title and reference pages).

At the end of your literature review, you should include a paragraph that predicts or hypothesizes an answer(s) to your research question. DO NOT make this paragraph a separate section. Also, there is no "Conclusion" section to this paper.

Finally, be sure to cite all of your sources. Paraphrase (rather than direct quote) as much as possible. You are limited to two brief direct quotes. Use them wisely, if at all. Check your reference list to be sure it includes all of the sources you cited in your paper. DO NOT include any source in your reference list that you did not cite in your paper.

Discussion OR Conclusion

Here you can bring together your findings of what has and has not been accomplished in previous research related to your thesis. If gaps have not been clearly identified in the introduction or let review section, they should be stated here along with your niche, which is in the form of a research question and/or thesis statement, which describes what you would plan to add to the research conversation.