Writing a Psychology Literature Review

There are two main approaches to a literature review in psychology. One approach is to choose an area of research, read all the relevant studies, and organize them in a meaningful way. An example of an organizing theme is a conflict or controversy in the area, where you might first discuss the studies that support one side, then discuss the studies that support the other side. Another approach is to choose an organizing theme or a point that you want to make, then select your studies accordingly.

Regardless of how you decide to organize your literature review, it will have two purposes: (1) to thoroughly describe work done on a specific area of research and (2) to evaluate this work. Both the descriptive and evaluative elements are important parts of the review. You can't do one or the other. If you just describe past research without evaluating it, you are merely summarizing information without digesting it. If you just discuss recent theories in an area without describing the work done to test those theories, then your arguments lack supporting empirical evidence.

The learning outcome of this assignment is to understand how to conduct research on a given topic. Also, the outcome includes the application of your research about strategic human resources planning for your HR practice. Research and staying current on HR related topics is a critical need for an HR practitioner as is the knowledge of how to strategically plan for the Human Resources function.

For this assignment, you are asked to develop a literature review on the topic of strategic human resource management. The paper requires you to develop a short (about three to five pages) document on the current thinking and research in the area of strategic human resource management. You may include examples in your paper about how the Human Resources function creates initiatives that are strategic such as targeted recruitment, a Total Rewards program, engagement studies just to name a few, but the main focus on the paper is on the strategic nature of the Human Resource function.

You want to conduct a scholarly review of the literature, and you must have a minimum of three citations (excluding our course materials). Again, your topic is strategic human resource management but you may provide examples of strategic HR initiatives.

Review the paper provided "Writing a Literature Review Paper." Keep in mind that a literature review is not merely a bibliographic list of resources. A literature review is your synthesis of the scholarly research available on the subject.

Your literature review can be used to inform management for decisions that are pending and/or serve as a basis for mere knowledge sharing. Literature reviews can be stand-alone documents or parts of a larger document. This assignment is to create a stand-alone literature review. Your literature review must use scholarly references and it must be written in a narrative format synthesizing the research from your citations, which must be in presented in APA format. Be sure to use topic headings such as Introduction, Main Findings and Conclusions.

The paper will include at the least the following:

1. Title page

2. Introduction and Purpose of the Paper

3. General Findings of the Research (including definition of the topic)

4. Synthesis of the Findings

5. Conclusions

6. Reference Page

Please post your literature review in the discussion forum AND in your assignments folder.

Paper presents relevant and a broad variety of research of a scholarly nature, demonstrates exceptional synthesis and original thought.

Paper presents relevant scholarly research and demonstrates synthesis of research and some original thought.

Paper presents some of the required scholarly research and reports on it in a fairly good synthesis.

Paper does not meet the expectations of the assignment. For example the paper may lists sources, but no evidence of linking research together.

Paper exceeds the stated requirements for the assignment, has impeccable in text citations in APA format. All segments of the paper are outstanding.

Instructions are followed and all items are complete.

Paper follows instructions in general but is missing pieces or aspects of instructions for assignment.

Addresses all the segments of the assignment in good academic manner. There are at least three citations, and they are APA compliant.

Did not turn in or unacceptable

Academic Writing Style

Paper is free of grammatical and/or spelling errors. It is exceptionally well-written, cogent, and coherent. In text citations and reference list are in proper APA format. Relevant headings, sub headings and purpose statement is included.

Paper is well-written, cogent, and coherent. In text citations and reference list are not all in proper APA format or relevant headings, sub headings and purpose statement are not all included.

Paper contains some grammatical and/or spelling errors which does not take away from comprehension. References are cited but do not follow proper format.

Paper contains errors that make comprehension difficult and/or citations and references are not formatted properly.