Assessment Information: Literature Review
The major assessment for this unit (Autumn 2019) is a literature review, worth 35% of your grade. For this assessment, you will address the topic below, summarizing the key literature relating to the topic.
Topic: Discuss and critically evaluate the negative effects social media use has on subjective well-being.
Word Limit: 1500 words. There is no 10% leeway on this limit. In-text references are included in the word count, but not the reference list.
The literature review must also have a separate title page (with author byline) and abstract (preferably no longer than 100 words).[unique_solution]
Due Date: BEFORE 5pm on Thursday the 9th of May, through Turnitin
(please make sure you have completed the Library Literary Task prior as the turnitin link will not be available until 18/20 has been achieved).
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Why should we write a literature review?
The function of a literature review is to describe and critically evaluate the literature on a topic. In psychology, this review would usually then most often be used as the ‘background’ to a research project, to justify the kind of research that will be conducted.
Being able to read and critically evaluate literature is an essential skill not only in Psychology, but also in most other academic fields. For example, if you are studying to be a primary school teacher you will need to be able to stay on top of the current education research and evaluate whether “new and improved” teaching methods/designs are worthwhile and valuable (versus invalid and dangerous!). Lawyers need to be practiced in compiling convincing arguments and social workers will need to be able to convey a logical rationale as to the interventions they may like to implement. Skills in critical analysis, logical thinking and writing convincing arguments will be practiced in the writing of a literature review.
Why is there such a strict word limit?
The ability to write clearly and concisely is incredibly important. It is not the case that simply writing more will get you a better mark! We will practice writing clear arguments in tutorials.