When you are required to write a literature review for the first time, it can seem like a lot of work. It is easy to accept that this task would take up a lot of time. An apa lit review requires you to dig deep into your researching skills and is often an overwhelming experience for students. With that being said, it is important to remember that you have been preparing for this moment over a few years. You may not understand how this happens, but it is a great feeling to have. Even if you do not understand exactly what a literature review entails, it is always worth reading upon.
Instead of looking at the task as a whole, it is always a good idea to break it up into smaller sections. This article should give you a good guide on how to achieve your goals. A lit review is simply in preparation for a topic you need to cover. Once you have established what this topic is, you can start working. It is important to remember that the topic you choose is very important and crucial to the success of your paper. There are different types of lit review formats, but we will focus specifically on the APA format.
Author information
One of the most important aspects of a literature review is information about the authors. In an apa style literature review, you need to give a good explanation of why this author is credible. You do not have to include the entire resume of the author, but you need to summarize it in a conclusive manner. If you are going to use someone’s writing in your paper, you need to clarify your reasons for choosing it. It’s almost like proving that this piece of writing will enhance the paper and bring light to the topic of your choice.
Biased or Non-biased
A lot of times we find that certain authors will focus on one side of a case. It is always advisable to find conflicting theories and see how it matches up to the original information. This is all part of the researching process. Only include information that can be supported and proven. You need to leave nothing to the doubt of the reader, so you want your sources to be strong and factual. This is going to make writing your paper so much easier. Always think ahead to the writing of the paper when collecting the literature you want to include.
Explain your reasons
Every piece of literature you chose to include in your literature review was selected for a specific reason. You have weighed all of your other options and these were the chosen few. Now it is time to sort of justify your reasons. It does not have to be long and drawn out, but it is important to include this section for every selected piece of literature. We often focus more on the review format that we forget about this section. If you want to get the best score possible and have your lit review approved, you have to make sure you cover all basis and this is an important one.
Final thoughts on APA Lit Review
There are some right and wrong ways to approach this situation. You need to go into it fully equipped to get the highest score. Even though your literature review is only one section of your paper, it is crucial to get it right. Many students think too far ahead and don’t focus on this important one. Even if you spend a lot of time on it, do not see it as a waste. In fact, you may see this as just as important as your final paper. Once you understand that, it becomes easier to give it your all. When you receive a high score on your lit review, you become more motivated to do good on your paper as well.