Part 1

Write 400-600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

The annotated bibliography is a cornerstone of academic research and allows students and policy analysts to understand the current state of knowledge about an issue before proposing policy alternatives.

How does an annotated bibliography prepare you to create an effective literature review?

If a policy analyst simply did an Internet search and gave policymakers some results about a policy issue, what would happen? What would be missing?

Using credible academic and government reference sources to build a literature review is crucial, but it can be challenging to write. How will you approach transitioning from the annotated bibliography to the literature review?

What are some common errors to avoid in writing a literature review?

Part 2

Using your annotated bibliography from Week 2, write a literature review of 3-4 pages. Many peer-reviewed academic journal articles contain a literature review section. Research to find and read several of these.

The literature review is not a listing of abstracts or simple paraphrasing. If your introduction and literature review are combined, ensure that each specific point in establishing the importance of your topic is supported by citations of proper sources.

The points you are emphasizing are a reflection of the research and findings that you have developed around your chosen topic. Your ultimate paper is your own unique perspective, and in the literature review you are assembling related research to support your own work.

Assignment Guidelines

Using your annotated bibliography from Week 2, conduct a literature review of your selected sources.

Your literature review should be 3-4 pages in length.