Literature Review Assignment

Each literature review is an analysis, interpretation, and application of selected content. For this assignment, you must select a scholarly peer reviewed article that closely aligns with either your agency, agency population and/or sub- population, or a related social service issue within your assigned field placement. This assignment will reflect your ability to analyze, critique, and interpret selected theories (utilizing required textbook specific terminology and concepts) as well as apply this knowledge within the context of your field placement.

     FORMAT

✓ “HEADER” in the upper right-hand corner:

✓ Double-space, typed in 12-pt Times New Roman or Calibri font

✓ 1-inch margins all around

✓ Include page numbers in bottom right margin

✓ Include in bold your paper headings: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion.

✓ Three (3) full pages (minimum) to five (5) pages (maximum—do not exceed!)

✓ Proper paragraphs [Note: paragraphs must be at least 3 sentences long to stand alone as a

paragraph!], complete sentences, correct spelling, and punctuation and clear expression of ideas are required.

[Note: do NOT include a title at the top of your paper or a cover page]

 First/ Last Name

 Literature Review #__ (enter date here)

     Article

      Citations & References

*You must use 7th edition APA format to cite your sources (no less than your textbook AND chosen article) CORRECTLY within the text of your paragraphs.

*Your References page is the very last page of your literature review, which also must be correctly formatted in 7th edition APA (should have its own page).

[Note: do NOT use computer programs that claim to format your citations/References page for you! These programs do NOT format correctly!]

[Note: you must UTILIZE your 7th edition APA manual! To understand how to format a References section, see your 7th edition APA manual or visit https://owl.purdue.edu to format this page correctly]

   *Upload a copy of your selected article(s) with your literature review.

  Literature Review Template

View “Rubrics” tab on Blackboard for detailed grading information before submission. Feedback will be provided on graded paper and rubric.

   Process

Step 1: Select one (1) scholarly peer-reviewed article that has some relevance to your field agency population or a sub-population within the agency (I recommend identifying 4 articles early in the semester for all remaining assignments).

Step 2: Decide on two theories you intend to use for each assignment (See theory options below).

   Theory Selection

Your two selected theories should be drawn from the following categories:

Category 1: Psychodynamic Theory; Category 2: Theories of Lifespan Development; Category 3: Symbolic Interaction;

Category 4: Phenomenology/Social Constructionism;

(Four categories and you only need 2 theories; choose one theory from tw

  Content (Required content outline provided below; Include sub-headers; DO NOT copy numbering or questions below)

Sub-heading 1: Introduction

1. What are you reviewing (topic, theme, issue, problem, etc.) and explain why you chose it for this assignment. **This is not necessarily the title of your chosen article. Here you are briefly discussing the overarching topic, theme, issues, problem, etc. that seems to be somewhat massive in scope (macro level).

 2. Explain why you believe this (topic, theme, issue, problem etc.) falls into social work’s scope? What makes the social work profession and its practitioners best suited to address this (topic, theme, issue, problem etc.) above and beyond other professions? **Think about and integrate the principles and values social work is built upon as you address this section.

3. Succinctly describe the population most impacted and why? How does this population or sub-population fit in with your field placement?

Sub-heading 2: Body

4. Summarize what your chosen article is about and its relevance to the identified population.

5. Identify and provide descriptions of the two theories you selected; discuss each theory’s primary assumptions. Explain how and why you decided on these two theories. **The two theories for each assignment are to be selected from the appropriate sections indicated above in the formatting section.

6 Discuss what each of these theories interpret, predict, clarify, and/or conclude about human behavior in the context of the selected topic, theme, issue, problem, etc. Address what these theories have to say about the resultant human behavior. **This section should be based on information from your text. It is up to you to determine whether your selected theories can interpret, predict, clarify and/or conclude; you don’t have to address all four avenues. Feel free to incorporate additional sources here if they assist in being able to better explain your chosen theories and observable and/or anticipated human behavior, be sure to cite and list them on the reference page.

Sub-heading 3: Conclusion

7. Discuss at minimum one strength and one limitation of EACH of your two selected theories and why these strengths/limitations exist. **This information should specifically be about the theory and the way it is constructed or empirically supported. Identify and discuss to what extent each observed strength and limitation influences each theory’s ability to interpret, predict, clarify, and/or conclude about human behavior in this context. **You do not have to address all four areas underlined.

8. For each theory, format your topic, theme, issue, problem, etc., impacted population or individual to the appropriate flowcharts.

**Construct this as two visual diagrams as outlined in the text. Use information you have researched to briefly fill in each section of the flowchart. Take the direction in your flowchart you believe most appropriate based on what you know and go as far as you can based on the route you take. Attach them to the back of your paper right before your reference page.