Unit IV Color Key  Blue APA document formatting  .docx

Unit IV Color Key:
-level number and explanation
Running head: SAFETY FIRST 1
Safety First: Open Carry Firearms on Higher Education
Campuses in Arizona
Student Name
Columbia Southern University
APA header: Note that the title is in capital letters and prefaced
by the words “Running head.” The page number is also
included.
Full title of the paper with the major words beginning with a
capital letter
The student’s first and last name
Name of the institution, which will always be “Columbia

Southern University”
SAFETY FIRST 2
Safety First: Open Carry Firearms on Higher Education
Campuses in Arizona
Much has been made in the past few years about gun restrictions
in the U.S. Proponents
of gun regulation are in a constant state of lobbying for state
and federal bills that restrict access
to firearms, whether that takes the form of more extensive
background checks on potential gun
owners or longer waiting periods before guns may be sold to
individuals. On the other side, the
National Rifle Association (NRA) and other like-minded
individuals advocate for looser
restrictions on the sale and carrying of firearms. For these
supporters of pro-gun legislation,
owning and carrying guns is a fundamental right—even a civil
right. While this national debate
continues to loom over the hot topic of guns, there are breaking
news stories, especially within
the last few months, that bring this fundamental debate to the
threshold of our nations colleges,
high schools, even elementary schools. Seung-Hui Cho’s

massacre at Virginia Tech (April 16,
2007) is perhaps one of the more infamous school shootings, but
there are others that are perhaps
more difficult to remember, like the deaths of 27 killed at Sandy
Hook Elementary School in
Newton, Connecticut (December 14, 2012) (CNN, 2015).
Shootings like these in educational
settings have drawn attention from both anti-gun proponents and
pro-gun lobbyists, and the State
of Arizona is no exception to this firestorm. The Arizona State
legislature has proposed SB 1474,
a gun bill that will allow students and faculty to carry guns on
the campus grounds of its three
state-funded universities. Supporters of the bill claim that
Arizona is an open carry state, and
those rights should not be restricted simply because the carrier
crosses the border of a college
campus. Those against the bill assert that guns have no place in
education and that those who
support the bill are only after their own election-year agendas.
While the Second Amendment
should be upheld, the educational learning environment should
be protected;

Full title presented again at the top of the page
Para 1: Introduction
Sentence 1 (S1): Amanda introduces the main topic (gun
control) in a generalized manner; this sentence also introduces
the con side of the controversy
S2 &3: Follows S1 by introducing the position of the pro side;
again, Amanda is general, focusing on the larger controversy
S4: Amanda begins to narrow the scope of the project by
pointing towards a specific debate within the larger controversy
of gun control: gun control in educational settings.
S5: Specific examples from the news. Note that these are
examples of school shootings with which most people are
familiar. This grounds the project to what is at stake in making
arguments about this topic.
S6: Amanda again narrows the scope of the project by moving
from gun control in educational settings to this debate as it
takes place in a specific location: Arizona.
S7: In this sentence, the writer introduces the specific topic of
the project: the controversy around SB1474.
S8 & 9: Following the same order from above (con first, then
pro), Amanda presents the sides of the controversy by
introducing each specific position.
S10: Amanda presents her thesis statement. She responds to the
controversy by crafting a thesis statement that simultaneously
agrees and disagrees.
Jason.Davis

Line
SAFETY FIRST 3
therefore, SB 1474 is a detrimental and dangerous bill that has
the potential to change the
university campus culture in Arizona state universities.
The Literature Review
In order to better understanding the origins of SB1474 and the
controversy that surrounds
it, the history of gun violence in school settings must be taken
into account; therefore, a brief
look at some of the events of the past few decades is presented.
Further, this review will examine
in greater detail the positions of the two sides of the
controversy, beginning with the pro-SB1474
side, which is in favor of allowing open carry on all Arizona
state-funded campuses. Then the
position of those against SB1474 will be presented; again, this
con side is arguing for Arizona
campuses to remain as they are now: a place without firearms.
A Brief Look at Gun Violence in Schools
The topic of gun control in educational environments exploded
in 1999 when Eric Harris

and Dylan Klebold walked into a virtually unknown high school
in Littleton, CO, and killed
twelve students and one teacher (Gibbs and Roche, 1999).
Questions of how such events could
occur and concerns about the violence of which teens and young
adults are capable became the
concern of pressured administrators and horrified parents in big
cities and small towns alike. A
string of school gun-centered violence followed over the next
few years. Perhaps most striking
though was the way in which this one incident changed the
culture of America: clear backpacks,
more metal detectors, and (of course) fear. Cloud (1999) points
out some of the extreme, “zero
tolerance” actions taken by schools shortly following the
Columbine shootings:
A seven-year-old boy in Cahokia, Ill., is suspended for having a
nail clipper at school. A
10th-grader at Surry County High School in Virginia is booted
for having blue-dyed hair.
Shortened version of the title in the header and the page number
on each page
Para 2: Preface of the Literature Review

Para 3: Brief History
First-level heading: All major sections of the paper will be first-
level, including The Literature Review, Body, and Conclusion.
You may choose to mark the Introduction, but it is typically not
done because the title of the paper stands for the heading level.
Note that the title is centered and bold with sentence-case
capitalization.
Note how Amanda prefaces the LR by giving the reader an idea
of what will be included. You might also note that the
paragraph is written in passive voice so that she can avoid using
personal pronouns such as “I.”
This is a second-level heading. It is left-hand justified and bold.
All major words are capitalized. This tells the reader that this
next section is a division of the first-level heading that is
directly above.
This citation is in APA. It shows the authors and year of
publication. This sentence is a paraphrase of Gibbs and Roche.
The reader can look at the references page to find the original
document.
Amanda has made a mistake: Only the ampersand (&) should be
used in a parenthetical citation.
Here is another way to include a parenthetical citation. Amanda
has incorporated the author’s name into the sentence. Note that
the year of publication is presented after the author, but there is
no citation at the end of the sentence because the information is
already presented at the beginning.
This quotation is called a “block.” If a quotation is over 40
words long, then you must “block” it by removing the quotation

marks and indenting the entire quotation 1/2” from the left-hand
margin. If this quotation would have been from a print text, then
the page number would have been included at the end of the
sentence, but it was an electronic source.
Elizabeth.MacWhinnie
Typewritten Text
Typewritten Text
Typewritten Text
Typewritten Text
SAFETY FIRST 4
A Minnesota high school nixes a yearbook photo of an Army
enlistee in the senior class
because it shows her sitting atop a cannon outside a Veterans of
Foreign Wars post.
Far from the exception, these actions considered these many
years later seem unreasonable, even
in a post-9/11 world filled with uncertainty.
The Argument for Open Carry Everywhere in Arizona
However, in Arizona, the newly proposed SB 1474 would not
seek to disarm students; on

the contrary, the bill would allow students the right to
concealed carry on state-funded university
campuses. Proponents of the bill assert that such a measure is
long over due. According to an
NRA poster that were taped to message boards all over The
University of Arizona campus,
“[s]elf-defense is one of the most fundamental rights of every
human being.” Further, the poster
states that the NRA has worked diligently over the past 25 years
to expand the right of open
carry: the NRA has been “working for passage of fair Right-to-
Carry laws, expansion of carry
reciprocity between the states and the elimination of many ‘no-
carry’ zones that only affect the
law-abiding.” For the NRA, one of the major private-public
backers of the SB 1474, the
restriction of concealed carry on college campuses is an
infringement on these basic rights. The
flyer goes on to state the following:
Those who oppose campus carry [of firearms] argue that
educational institutions should
be treated differently, based on emotional claims that places of
higher learning are
somehow exempt from real-world violence. But the truth is,

despite current prohibitions
on legally carrying on campuses, crimes already occur on
campus, and the right to self-
defense from those violent acts should be respected. (NRA,
2012)
The NRA is correct. In fact, given the number of school-related
shootings in the past few months
alone, it would seem that a student’s chances of being shot on
campus seem greater than if that
Para 4: Pro side
There are three second-level headings in the LR. Headings help
you and the reader to see the organization of your paper.
Amanda presents a closer look at the pro side before the con
side. Note that she is not engaging with the arguments, only
presenting them as fairly as she can. The LR is about the
arguments of others. Amanda knows she will be able to make
her own arguments in the Body of the paper.
SAFETY FIRST 5
same student were walking the streets of the community. From
larger cities to small towns, it
seems that the size of the community does not matter: the
violence of a shooting can occur
anywhere. However, even with this fact floating in the backs of

students’ minds, students must
still attend classes and while it would seem obvious that
lawmakers on both sides want student
safety, they just see the means to that safety from different
sides of the same coin.
The Case for Campuses as Unique
Eugene Sander (2012), the Interim President of the University
of Arizona, released the
following statement about SB 1474: “I have been a gun owner
for all my adult life, and am fully
supportive of the right to own a gun. However, having faculty,
staff or students bringing
weapons into classrooms and other campus activities will do
nothing to make our campus safer.”
While Sander does not go into detail about what this newly
proposed bill does have to do with,
he makes his case on the basis that 50,000 students, staff, and
faculty attend the campus daily,
along with over 20,000 visitors annually. For Sander (2015), the
educational environment is a
“unique atmosphere that is dependent on open and vigorous
debate. Introducing guns into
classrooms would dramatically and negatively impact the ability
to engage in constructive

dialogue.” In other words, even if the NRA does not believe that
the university is a unique
atmosphere, as Sander and others do, then there is still a
possibility that introducing the right to
carry concealed weapons on campus might lead to a change to
the very culture of the university.
While Arizona lawmakers continue to debate the merits of
SB1474, the public debate
grows, as this issue concerns both public safety and citizens’
rights. Because the three state
universities in Arizona are publically funded, the debate about
allowing open carry is very much
a concern held by the communities in which these universities
reside. Those who are in favor of
the change to an open carry status on university campuses wish
(a) for the open carry laws of the
Para 5: Con side
This citation is correct. Amanda did not have to include the
author’s first name, but it is fine to do so the first time that
the author’s name is mentioned.
Amanda
has made a

mistake.
Each time
an author is
included,
the year of
publication
must
follow. So
this should
read as
follows:
“While
Sander
(2012)…”
Amanda
has made a
mistake.
The actual

year of the
publication
is 2012. Be
careful
about
editing for
errors like
this in your
own paper.
Para 6: LR
Conclusion
S1&2:
Amanda
creates a topic
sentence that
encapsulates
the concern of
the

controversy,
and she
includes a
second
sentence to
increase
understanding.
S3: Amanda
summarizes
the two main
arguments of
the pro side,
which favors
the passing of
SB1474.
SAFETY FIRST 6
State of Arizona to be extended to all areas, which includes all

publically funding institutions,
such as the universities, and (b) for the open carry of firearms
to act as a deterrent to gun-related
violence on college campuses. For those who are against the
passing of SB1474, many of whom
occupy the space of the university as professors, students, or
administrators, the question of
allowing the open carry of firearms is no actual question at all:
there is simply no need to involve
weapons in a space that is meant for open dialogue and debate.
In as much as the Second
Amendment should be observed and upheld in the fashion
adopted by the State of Arizona in the
form of open carry, the university setting is unique in that
concerns about open and free
expression should be at the forefront—essentially making this
bill a potentially dangerous one
that should be reconsidered or withdrawn completely.
S4: Amanda
summarizes
the main
argument of

the con side,
those who are
against the
passing of
SB1474.
S5: Amanda
reiterates her
own position
by reasserting
her thesis
statement.
Note that the
thesis
statement is
slightly
different than
the original at
the end of the

Introduction
paragraph.
SAFETY FIRST 7
References
CNN Library. (2015, October 19). 28 deadliest mass shootings
in U.S. history fast facts. CNN.
Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/16/us/20-
deadliest-mass-shootings-in-u-s-
history-fast-facts/
Cloud, J. (1999). The Columbine effect. Time. Retrieved from
http://content.time.com/time/
magazine/article/0,9171,35098,00.html
Gibbs, N. & Roche, T. (1999). The Columbine tapes. Time.
Retrieved from
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,992873,00
.html
National Rifle Association. (2012). Arizona self-Defense on
campus [Flyer]. NRA: Author.
Sander, Eugene. (2012, March 20). UA President opposes

campus guns bill. KGUN-TV.
Retrieved from http://www.kgun9.com
An APA list of references should be
labeled “References,” NOT “Works
Cited” or “Bibliography.”
The last
name is
presented
first; then the
first name
and middle
(if present) is
included as
initials. An
ampersand
(&) is used
for more
than one

author. Last
names are
always
presented
first.
Proper nouns
always begin
with a capital
letter.
Amanda has
made a
mistake. This
capital letter
“D” should not
be capitalized.
Titles in APA are presented in sentence-case
capitalization, meaning that only the first
word or any proper noun should begin with a

capital letter.
Amanda has
made a
mistake by
including the
full name of
the author
here.
Untitled
1
Unit IV
Lesson 4: The Introduction
Introduction
We suggest that you complete your introduction after you write
your literature review. Why is that? There are a few reasons
why writing your introduction second is a better idea than
writing it before the literature review.
· The introduction is a kind of summary: The introduction
presents the reader with a general understanding of the topics
that the paper will cover.
· It is often easier to write this summary after you write the

literature review: The literature review is a section of the paper
that paraphrases and summarizes the basic arguments that are
presented within the controversy. Many times, establishing what
you already know about the controversy by writing the literature
review can help you to better know what should be included in
the introduction.
There are even those who begin writing their literature review
and then continue on to the body and conclusion before writing
the introduction last. While this is not the order that we will be
writing your paper, it is good to know that while the
introduction may come first in the paper, it is not often written
first. In fact, many writers return to the introduction after they
have completed an entire draft in order to change the details of
the sentences, including adjusting the thesis statement to match
the content of the paper itself.
What is an Introduction?
An introduction is the first paragraph of a research paper.We
know that an introduction should preface the material that
comes afterwards by familiarizing the reader with the general
concepts. The thesis statement should be placed at the end of
this paragraph.
The Purpose of the Introduction
An introduction sets the stage for the rest of your paper. If you
do not include an introduction or your introduction is weak, the
reader may have difficulty understanding your topic or your
argument. Whatever you include in the introduction becomes
the foundation for the entire paper, so you want to give the
reader a strong understanding of what you will be doing for the
rest of the paper.
The Content

A good introduction should have a logical flow. The best way to
achieve this characteristic is to begin with the general topic and
then move into more detailed specifics so that your reader will
best understand how you came to your thesis statement. To
illustrate this concept, let’s take a look at an example
introduction below, and then parse the rhetorical moves that the
writer is making to better understand how you can achieve a
logical flow in your own work.
Below is Amanda’s paper. She wanted to write about gun
control, but she realized early on in her project that she could
not write about all of gun control, so she decided to focus on
the issue of mass shootings. To help her narrow the scope of the
project even further, she decided to weigh in on a controversy
that she has seen in the local news: the controversy about a state
legislative bill (SB 1474) that would allow students, teachers,
and staff to openly carry firearms on university campuses in
Arizona. Now, let’s take a look at Amanda’s introduction to her
research paper; then let’s take a closer look at the moves she is
making:
Much has been made in the past few years about gun restrictions
in the United States. Proponents of gun regulation are in a
constant state of lobbying for state and federal bills that restrict
access to firearms, whether that takes the form of more
extensive background checks on potential gun owners or longer
waiting periods before guns may be sold to individuals. On the
other side, the National Rifle Association (NRA) and other like-
minded individuals advocate for looser restrictions on the sale
and carrying of firearms. For these supporters of pro-gun
legislation, owning and carrying guns is a fundamental right—
even a civil right. While this national debate continues to loom
over the hot topic of guns, there are breaking news stories,
especially within the last few months, that bring this
fundamental debate to the threshold of our nation’s colleges,

high schools, and even elementary schools. Seung-Hui Cho’s
massacre at Virginia Tech (April 16, 2007) is perhaps one of the
more infamous school shootings, but there are others that are
perhaps more difficult to remember, like the deaths of 27 killed
at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut
(December 14, 2012). Shootings like these in educational
settings have drawn attention from both anti-gun proponents and
pro-gun lobbyists, and the State of Arizona is no exception to
this firestorm. The Arizona State Legislature has proposed SB
1474, a gun bill that will allow students and faculty to carry
guns on the campus grounds of its three state-funded
universities. Supporters of the bill claim that Arizona is an
open-carry state, and those rights should not be restricted
simply because the carrier crosses the border of a college
education and that those who support the bill are only after their
own election-year agendas. While the Second Amendment
should be upheld, the educational learning environment should
be protected; therefore, SB 1474 is a detrimental and dangerous
bill that has the potential to change the university campus
culture in Arizona state universities.
Now that you have read through the introduction completely,
let’s label the rhetorical moves she is making so that we can
create a list of moves that you will want to emulate when you
write your own paper.
Sentence 1 (S1): Much has been made in the past few years
about gun restrictions in the United States. Proponents of gun
regulation are in a constant state of lobbying for state and
federal bills that restrict access to firearms, whether that takes
the form of more extensive background checks on potential gun
owners or longer waiting periods before guns may be sold to
individuals.
S1 Explanation: This sentence introduces the main topic of the

paper, which is “gun control.” The topic is presented in a
generalized manner. In addition, this sentence does the double
work of introducing the con side of the argument.
Sentence 2 & 3: On the other side, the National Rifle
Association (NRA) and other like-minded individuals advocate
for looser restrictions on the sale and carrying of firearms. For
these supporters of pro-gun legislation, owning and carrying
guns is a fundamental right—even a civil right.
S2 & 3 Explanation: This sentence follows S1 by introducing
the position of the pro side. Again, Amanda is general, focusing
on the larger controversy.
Sentence 4: While this national debate continues to loom over
the hot topic of guns, there are breaking news stories, especially
within the last few months, that bring this fundamental debate
to the threshold of our nation’s colleges, high schools, and even
elementary schools.
S4 Explanation: Amanda begins to narrow the scope of the
project by pointing toward a specific debate within the larger
controversy of gun control: gun control in educational settings.
Sentence 5: Seung-Hui Cho’s massacre at Virginia Tech (April
16, 2007) is perhaps one of the more infamous school shootings,
but there are others that are perhaps more difficult to remember,
like the deaths of 27 killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in
Newton, Connecticut (December 14, 2012).
S5 Explanation: This sentence brings in examples from the
news. Note that these are examples of school shootings with
which most readers will be familiar because of their infamous
nature. These examples ground the project to what is at stake in
making arguments about the topic, specifically mass shootings
within educational settings. The inclusion of these examples is

not about the con or pro sides of the controversy; instead, these
examples enable the reader to connect with the content.
Sentence 6: Shootings like these in educational settings have
drawn attention from both anti-gun proponents and pro-gun
lobbyists, and the State of Arizona is no exception to this
firestorm.
S6 Explanation: Again, the writer narrows the scope of the
project by moving from gun control in the educational setting to
a specific location: the State of Arizona.
Sentence 7: The Arizona State Legislature has proposed SB
1474, a gun bill that will allow students and faculty to carry
guns on the campus grounds of its three state-funded
universities.
S7 Explanation: In this sentence, the writer introduces the
specific topic of the project: the controversy around . This
sentence is not about the pro or con sides, but is about
providing information to the reader so that the reader
understands what the object of controversy is.
Sentence 8 & 9: Supporters of the bill claim that Arizona is an
open-carry state, and those rights should not be restricted
simply because the carrier crosses the border of a college
education and that those who support the bill are only after their
own election-year agendas.
S8 & 9 Explanation: Amanda presents the con and pro sides of
the controversy by introducing the specific positions of first the
con and then the pro sides.
Sentence 10: While the Second Amendment should be upheld,
the educational learning environment should be protected;

therefore, SB 1474 is a detrimental and dangerous bill that has
the potential to change the university campus culture in Arizona
state universities.
S10 Explanation: The writer presents her thesis statement at the
end of the paragraph as the last sentence. Amanda responds to
the controversy by crafting a thesis statement that
simultaneously agrees and disagrees.
The Form
The introduction should be written in one paragraph. The
average introduction for a research paper like this one has
around 10 sentences, like the example above. Let’s take a look
at the list of moves that you will need to make for your own
introduction. Each sentence has a purpose and delivers
information that will help your reader to better understand the
controversy at hand and your thesis statement response to that
controversy.
One way that an introduction is often described is that it is
much like an inverted pyramid, wherein the top is generalized
(large-scale topic) and the bottom is very narrow (the thesis
statement). Let’s take a look at a visual:
Sentence 1: Introduce the general topic: In this first sentence,
you will present the main generalized topic of your project, so
do not include the specifics of your project just yet.
Sentence 2: Pro side: Present the position of the pro side on the
generalized topic. (Note: The con side can be presented first.)
Sentence 3: Con side: Present the position of the con side on the

generalized topic. (Note: The pro side can be presented first.)
Sentence 4: Narrowing the scope (1): The topic will be
narrowed twice in the introduction. This is the first narrowing.
No matter how you narrow, you want to find a way to hone the
scope of the project so that you are not covering a topic that is
far too generalized. As we have discussed before, the more
narrowed your topic, the more you will have to say about the
specific situation. In the example, Amanda narrowed the first
time by narrowing the topic to gun control within an
educational setting.
Sentence 5: Examples of the narrowed topic: This sentence is
optional, but you should be encouraged to include at least one
example because including an example will help the reader to
understand what it is that you are discussing. Further, as
discussed above, including an example will also help the reader
relate to the topic. So often, our explanations are not as helpful
as one or two good examples that drive home a point that cannot
be easily grasped otherwise.
Sentence 6: Narrow the scope (2): In this sentence, you are
narrowing the scope again. In the example, Amanda narrowed
from the topic of gun control within educational settings to a
specific location: Arizona.
Sentence 7: Specific controversy: This is a key sentence in your
introduction because this is where the readers will finally be
introduced to the specific controversy that you will be
discussing within the paper. This sentence introduces the focal
point of the entire project.
Sentence 8: Pro side (specific): Now that the reader knows the
specific controversy, you are able to introduce the pro side’s
position on the specific topic. In this way, this sentence
prefaces the deeper discussion that you included in the literature

review.
Sentence 9: Con side (specific): The specific position of the con
side is introduced.
Sentence 10: The thesis: The last sentence of your paragraph
will assert your thesis statement. Again, your thesis statement
should be a response to the controversy. You should agree,
disagree, or agree and disagree simultaneously.
Follow the sentence template above and see the example
introduction and literature review for more direction.
Reflection
In this unit, we have discussed both the introduction and the
literature review. Throughout the process of writing both of
these sections, you have no doubt gained a better understanding
of the controversy that you are exploring with your paper. You
probably have a better sense of your argument and what you
would like your points to be for your body paragraphs. Consider
what you have experienced over the last few weeks. We are at
the halfway point in the course, so think about how far you have
come.
S1: General topic
S2: Pro side (general)
S3: Con side (general)
S4: Narrow the scope (1)

S5: Example(s) of this narrowed scope
S6: Narrow the scope (2)
S7: Specific controversy
S8: Pro side (specific)
S9: Con side (specific)
S10: Thesis

3
Unit IV
Lesson 3: The Literature Review
Part 2: The Process
Introduction
Writing a literature review (LR) can be a daunting task. One of
the reasons for this situation is that it is difficult to know where
to begin. In this lesson, we will discuss some things that you
will want to consider as you engage in the process of writing
the LR. As you do so, you will want to keep all of the
requirements and considerations (included in Lesson 2 of this
unit) in mind as you begin.
The Process
As we have discussed before, there is no one writing process,
and this concept holds true for the LR. However, there is a
loose process that you can follow. As you do so, you can adjust
this process to work for your writing and learning style.
Establish a focus: No doubt, you have found a good deal of
information about your topic and about the controversy within
that topic. So now that you are moving on to drafting the paper
itself, you will need to ask yourself which information is the
most important. Potentially, it could all be important. How do
you narrow down the scope of your project?You will need to
find a focus. For example, you might focus on one theme or one
main point about which the two sides disagree. However you
decide to focus your project, you will want to keep that focus

throughout. Doing so will only help you with the next steps. A
similar way to think about the same action is to consider your
purpose: What do you want the reader to know? What must the
reader know? What is the best way to convey that knowledge?
Recall your thesis statement: When you wrote your research
proposal in Unit III, you were asked to craft a tentative thesis
statement based upon your response to the controversy: agree,
disagree, or agree and disagree simultaneously. You will want
to recall your thesis statement and use it as a driving force for
your project. Ask yourself, “What will my reader need to know
in order to understand this thesis statement?” This question will
help you to know what you should include in the LR.
Think about organization: The more organized you are before
you begin your LR, the easier it will be for you to write it. Take
a few minutes to consider the level headings that you might
include. How would you outline the LR that you have in mind?
Use this outline as a guide to drive your writing, and give
yourself leeway to change the organization as you see the need.
Use your annotated bibliography (AB) as a guide: The AB is a
research tool that can help you to remember the information
presented in each of your sources. You are not obligated to use
only the materials found in your AB; however, you can use your
AB as a place to start with your LR. Your LR cannot be just a
list of summaries from your AB. If you copy and paste your AB
into a document and submit it as your LR, you will not meet the
requirements of the assignment.
The Form
There are three sections in the LR. Each one must be included
in order to satisfy the requirements of the assignment.
· LR preface: Every LR begins with a short introduction

paragraph. This paragraph is not the same as the introduction to
the entire paper. Instead, you can think of this paragraph as a
preface. Use this paragraph as a guide for the rest of your
literature review. Commonly, this paragraph attempts to
introduce the literature review below, giving the reader a way to
understand it. In the example, you will see that this paragraph is
directly below the introduction for the paper.
· Body: In the body, you will develop the content of the LR.
This is where your organizational method comes in. However
you choose to organize your materials, you will present them
here. Usually the body is about three to four paragraphs.
· Conclusion:The conclusion signals that the LR is ending, but
it also acts as a kind of preface for the body of the paper by
restating the thesis statement and establishing the student
writer’s argument once again. By doing so, you will be able to
begin the paragraph following the LR conclusion with the first
paragraph of the body.
The Content
We have established the purposes of the LR and what this
section of your paper does for the overall paper. First, you
should consider how you might organize your content. There are
several ways you can present the same research. Let’s take a
look at a few of them.
· Key figures: Much like the use of themes, the use of “key
figures” organizes one side’s arguments and then the others.
The example introduction and LR is written in this style; first,
the position of the NRA is presented, and then the position of
Pres. Eugene Sanders is presented.
· Theme: A thematic organization clusters discussions about
particular recurring themes into several sections. In the
example, the fourth and fifth paragraphs cluster together a
deeper discussion of each side of the controversy. This is a
limited use of theme, whereby the pro and con sides of the issue

become themes. However, the themes could have been clustered
together more. For example, the idea about the university
campus being a unique environment could have been included in
one paragraph in which both the pro and con sides were
included.
· Timeline/history:Sometimes, this organizational method is
referred to as chronological. When you organize your LR by
chronology, you are telling the history of something. This can
include the historical context, the recent history, or both. In the
example introduction and LR, you will see that there is some
contextualization in the third paragraph, wherein the writer
discusses a brief history of school shootings.
Some Conventions
As we have discussed for each genre, there are conventions that
you need to follow in order to meet the expectations of your
readers. The following are a few of these conventions that you
should consider as you write:
· Include only the most relevant information: Do not include
information that you find interesting about the topic just
because it is interesting. Instead, focus on the project as a
whole and the reader. What does the reader need to understand
in order to grasp the topic, the controversy, and your argument?
· Remember that the focus of the LR is the ideas of others:
Sometimes, students begin to summarize and engage with
arguments about which they do not agree. This leads the student
to feel that he or she must argue the oppositional author’s point.
However, the LR is not the appropriate place for such an
engagement. Instead, if the student wishes to contest another’s
position, then that should be done in a rebuttal, which would
appear in the body of the paper. The rebuttal will be discussed
later in this course, so you may include one if you wish. For
now, you should strive to present the arguments of others as
fairly as possible and avoid engaging these ideas, despite how

you may or may not agree with them.
· You may choose to make a distinction between the data
presented in a source and the author’s conclusions about it:
There are times when you may want to include the data from a
source, such as a statistic or personal account, but you do not
agree with the way that source’s author makes use of that data.
You can still use the data. While it is always advisable that you
include the author’s conclusions about the data, it is not a
requirement, as it can be difficult to do so when you are
attempting to make a larger point. The main point here is that
you can compartmentalize between data and the author’s
conclusions. However, it should be made clear that you will still
need to cite the author using APA regardless.
· It is helpful to readers to include the source type when you
present the material: In other words, if you are summarizing the
findings of a federal agency from an annual report of theirs,
then you will want to mention this as you introduce the
material. For example:
In the 2015 report of U.S. national mathematics proficiency, the
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a
subsidiary of the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES), stated that “2015 scores at [fourth and eighth] grades
[are] lower than in 2013 and higher than in 1990” (para. 1).
National Assessment of Educational Progress. (2015). 2015
mathematics & reading assessments. Retrieved from
http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_2015/#?grade=
4
As you can see from the example, knowing the type of source
(in this case, an annual report) helps the reader to visualize
from where the material comes.
· Quotations should be used carefully: In an LR, you are
focusing on what others have said, but there is no deep analysis
of what others have said. Instead, you want to focus on the

points being made. You should be able to rely on summary,
paraphrasing, and synthesis for this. Direct quotations should be
avoided as much as possible.
· Retain your own “voice”: Above, we discussed that you should
be fair to others by presenting their arguments to the best of
your ability. In the same way, you should be able to establish
your “voice” as a writer, and this voice should be mostly
authoritative, but considerate and thoughtful. Remember that
your job in the LR is to present the controversy, so you should
not be arguing in the LR. Instead, make your presence known by
keeping your overall project in the forefront of the reader’s
mind.
· The sources that you use in the LR can be used in the body
section: Students will sometimes hold back on including a
source in their LR because they think they will not be able to
use the source more than once. However, this is not the case.
You may, in fact, use the same source in the LR and in the body
section.
· Avoid plagiarism when summarizing, paraphrasing, and
synthesizing:Even when you do not mean to plagiarize, you can
still do it. From EH 1010, you know ways that you can avoid
plagiarism, but the main way you can avoid such a critical
mistake is to be sure that you are always citing any material that
comes from another person—regardless of how large or small. It
is a good habit to get into! If you always cite your work as you
write along, then you will find that it is less work for you when
you revise and that you are able to avoid simple mistakes that
can lead to plagiarism. If you ever have any questions about
plagiarism, please ask! It is better to ask and know than to
avoid asking and find yourself in an unpleasant situation. Your
professor and the specialists at the Success Center and CSU
Online Library are here to help you learn APA so that you can
be the best student you can be.
Review

1. The writing process for the literature review includes the
following steps: (1) find a focus, (2) recall your thesis, (3) think
about organization, and (4) use your annotated bibliography as a
guide.
2. Your LR cannot be just a list of summaries from your AB. If
you copy and paste your AB into a document and submit it as
your LR, you will not meet the requirements of the assignment.
3. There are three ways to organize your LR: (1) include key
figures, (2) use themes, and (3) include a brief timeline or
history.
4. There are three sections to the literature review: (1) the
preface, (2) the body, and (3) the conclusion.

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