1. Develop a literature map of the studies on your topic. Include in the map the proposed study and draw lines from the proposed study to
branches of studies in the map so that a reader can easily see how yours will extend existing literature.
2. Organize a review of the literature for a quantitative study, and follow the model for delimiting the literature to reflect the variables in
the study. As an alternative, organize a review of literature for a qualitative study and include it in an introduction as a rationale for the
research problem in the study.
3. Practice using an online computer database to search for the literature on your topic. Conduct several searches until you find an article
that is as close as possible to your research topic. Then conduct a second search using descriptors mentioned in this article. Locate 10
articles that you would select and abstract for your literature review.
4. Based on your search results from Exercise 3, write one quantitative and one qualitative abstract of two research studies found in your
online search. Use the guidelines provided in this chapter for the elements to include in your literature abstracts.
