BLE 3022 Effective Writing
Assignment 2 (30%) – Writing the Literature Review of an Academic Report (Pair Work)
Deadline: Week 11
Purpose
This assignment builds on the Introduction you completed in Assignment 1.
You will now develop the Literature Review section of your academic report based on the same topic, problem, and research questions previously submitted. The focus of Assignment 2 is to help you:
· Synthesise scholarly literature related to your study
· Demonstrate understanding of key concepts and research findings
· Present information in clear and coherent academic writing following APA 7 style.
Task Overview
Using your Assignment 1 topic, write:
· Literature Review (700-800 words excluding references)
· Your literature review must connect logically to your Introduction (Assignment 1). You should show progress from identifying the problem and research gap (Assignment 1) to reviewing the literature.
· Use recent academic sources (published within the past 10 years).
· You need to submit your Turnitin similarity report with your assignment (maximum 20%)
· Upon final submission, your assignment must include:
- Cover page
- Turnitin similarity report
- Literature review
- Appendix A
SECTION A: LITERATURE REVIEW (20 marks)
Your Literature Review must include four (4) major components:
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No.
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Element to Include
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Guiding Questions
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1
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Overview of the Topic Area
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· How do scholars define and discuss these concepts related to your topic / research area?
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2
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Review of Past Studies
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· What have previous studies found?
· What methods did they use?
· What similarities and differences appear across studies?
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3
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Research Gap and Link to Your Study
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· What is missing or underexplored in past research?
· How does your study address this gap?
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4
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Section headings checklist
-Student Contribution
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· Write your name and student ID to show the parts of the section heading that you have contributed to the Literature Review.
· E.g. – 2.1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Student Name – 1002xxxxxx)
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Important: Your review must be written in a synthesised manner and not as separate article summaries.
SECTION B: APPENDIX A (10 marks)
You are required to include a Literature Review Summary Table as Appendix A at the end of the report (after the Reference List). This table summarises the key studies discussed in your Literature Review and must contain the following six (6) columns:
1. Title
2. Country / Author
3. Type of Source (e.g., journal article, book chapter, academic report)
4. Short Summary – approximately 30 words summarising the study’s purpose, method, and main findings
5. Key Takeaways – the main insights or implications that connect the study to your research topic
The appendix will be assessed on clarity, accuracy, relevance, completeness, and effective organisation of information.
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No.
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Title
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Country / Author
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Type of Source
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Screenshot of the first page of the journal article
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Short Summary
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Key Takeaways
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1
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2
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3
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…
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Requirements
Word Count
· Total: 700-800 words
(Excluding references & appendix)
References
· Minimum 8-10 academic sources for the Literature Review
· All sources MUST be credible (journal articles, books, academic reports)
APA 7
· In-text citations and reference list must follow APA 7
· Reference list begins on a new page after Section 3
Formatting
· Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt
· Spacing: Double
· Alignment: Justified
· File format: .docx
· Title page must include:
- Full title of report
- Student name
- Student ID
- Word count
Use of AI tools
· AI tools may be used ONLY for grammar checks and paraphrasing.
· AI-generated content, citations, or ideas are strictly prohibited.
Marking Criteria (30 marks)
A. Literature Review – (20 marks)
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Component
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Description
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Marks
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1. Content Coverage & Synthesis
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Shows understanding of theories, concepts, and 8–10 studies; identifies research gap; information is accurate and relevant.
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/8
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2. Organisation & Coherence
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Ideas flow logically, grouped thematically; clear links to student’s research topic.
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/4
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3. Academic Language
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Clear academic tone, accurate paraphrasing, minimal grammar errors.
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/4
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4. APA 7 & Source Use
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Correct in-text citations and references; credible sources integrated appropriately.
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/4
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Total: /20 marks
B. Appendix A – Literature Review Summary Table (10 marks)
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Component
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Description
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Marks
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1. Completeness of Table
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All 5 columns completed for all entries (title, country, type of source, 30-word summary, key takeaways).
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/3
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2. Accuracy & Relevance
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Information accurately represents the study and relates clearly to the student’s research topic.
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/3
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3. Quality of Summary & Takeaways
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30-word summary is clear, concise, and synthesised; takeaways are meaningful and connected to the literature review.
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/3
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4. Formatting & Organisation
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Table is neat, readable, and correctly labelled as Appendix A.
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/1
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Total: /10 marks
Total: 30% of course grade