EDN 523 Literature Review Checklist

Directions: As you read/review the literature review, use the following criteria to evaluate the quality and completeness of the review. [From Galvan (1999)]

Yes No N/A

1. Is the/your topic important, either from a theoretical or a practical perspective?

2. Is the/your topic’s significance or importance demonstrated and justified?

3. Does the title of the/your manuscript adequately describe the subject of the/your review?

4. Does the/your review include an introduction and a discussion and conclusions section?

5. Has a reference list been included?

6. Does the/your introduction describe the scope of the literature being reviewed; and why the topic is important?

7. Does the introduction describe the paper’s general structure?

8. Does the/your introduction identify the line of argumentation followed in the manuscript?

9. Does the introduction specify the/your thesis statement or point of view, if this is relevant?

10. Has an explanation been provided for findings described as being strong?

11. Has an explanation been provided for findings described as being weak?

12. Did you identify the major patterns or trends in the literature?

13. Have gaps in the literature been noted and explained?

14. Have any pertinent controversies in the field been described?

15. Have relationships among studies beem noted and explained, such as which ones came first? Which ones share similarities? Which ones have differences?

16. Have the source/s of key terms or concepts been indicated?

17. Is the path of the/your argument clear throughout the manuscript?

18. Does each part of the/your review flow logically from the preceding part?

19. If used, do subheadings, help to advance the argument?

20. If not used, would adding subheadings help advance the argument?

21. Does the/your conclusion provide closure for the reader?

22. Does the/your conclusion make reference to the line of argumentation you specified in the introduction?