This document provides instructions for a literature review assignment for an urban planning legislation course. Students are required to select at least 5 academic journals to research key issues and topics. They must then write a 2-page summary and commentary of selected articles in 500-700 words. The literature review should have an introduction with a research question and be formatted with 1.5 line spacing and APA citations. It is due on October 21, 2015 and is individual student work.

1. Qatar University
College of Engineering
Department of Architecture and Urban Planning - DAUP
Master of Architecture and Urban Planning - MUPD
Course Code and Title: Urban Planning Legislation
Semester: Fall 2015
Instructor: Dr. Yasser Mahgoub - ymahgoub@qu.edu.qa
Assignment 1: Literature Review
Requirements
Students are required to survey the internet and library for internationally refereed journals. They should survey
key issues and topics discussed by these journals. Select at least 5 journals to investigate and write a literature
review. Students are to read the articles then prepare a 2-pages summary and commentary on the articles in their
own words (500-700 words). They should indicate 3 important topics that they like to continue investigate in
the future.
Format
Include a descriptive title of your topic, your name, and Student ID#. The body of your literature review should
be 1.5-space using Times New Roman font, 12 point. You will need to cite all your sources using a citation
APA citation style. At the end of your literature review you should have a section titled References, in which
you list the papers, articles and books you have cited in your report using a citation APA citation style.
Duration
3 weeks
Submission date
October 21, 2015
Effort
Individual student work.
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic
discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of
new research, and the critique of existing research. Content typically takes the form of articles presenting
original research, review articles, and book reviews.
The term “academic journal” applies to scholarly publications in all fields; common to all academic fields.
Scientific journals vary in form and function.
Peer-reviewed journals
Scholarly or peer-reviewed articles “usually” contain section headings like these:
 Abstract and Keywords - the abstract and keywords may be added by an editor or publisher.
1. Introduction and Statement of the Problem - identifies the need for the work, and the research
question.
2. Review of the Literature - the literature review should identify the major works of other researchers
and identify theories and lines of thought.
3. Methodology - explains the methods so others can replicate the study.
4. Data Collection - the data collection and analysis discuss the particular work being reported.
5. Data Analysis - examines the data by qualitative or quantitative means, states whether the research
question or hypothesis was proven or disproved.
6. Conclusions and Recommendations - the final section provides a theory about the results, identifies
any obvious flaws in the work, and provides suggestions for follow-up research.
7. References - includes a comprehensive list of references.

2. Literature Review
A literature review is essential in researching a topic to determine what is current in the field. The importance of
a literature review is that it teaches students to evaluate and report on the main ideas of a particular subject area
using synthesis. Synthesizing information is not summarizing each article, but rather organizing the information
by each main points of the larger topic.
Literature Review Contents:
- The content must contain a research question or thesis statement in the first paragraph. The remaining
paragraphs need to synthesize your sources by topic relating to research question/thesis statement. The
final paragraph should contain a conclusion to your literature review summarizing your thesis and
outcomes of the research.
- Do not summarize each of your sources to create your literature review. The information needs to be
synthesized by topics.
- The term “synthesis” means to combine separate elements to form a whole. The literature review should
make a variety of connections among source material so that the report is not organized source-by-
source but organized topic-by-topic to create a whole text. A common strategy for planning a synthesis
paper is to create a “grid of common points.” Create a grid using authors’ names and categories as
organizing features.
- As you read your source material:
o write down the main research question that the source material answers.
o take note of words or ideas that repeat themselves.
o make note of conflicts or contradictions in the information.
o key ways the research answers the question.
- Once you have completed a grid of common points, you can begin writing your paper. Select one
common point and divide it into sub-topics that represent paragraph size. For each “chunk” create a
topic sentence that both (1) synthesizes the literature to be discussed and (2) describes the literature to be
discussed.
- Support the topic sentences you created with quotes and paraphrases from source material. As you
incorporate source material, make sure to use clear transitions that relate the sources to each other and to
your topic sentences.
Sample Literature Review Grid
Research Topic:
Word/Idea 1 Word/Idea 2 Word/Idea 3 Word/Idea 4 Word/Idea 5 Synthesis
Author 1
Author 2
Author 3
Author 4
Author 5
Synthesis

3. Literature Review Grading Rubric
Poor (1) Good (2) Very Good (3) Excellent (4) Weight Total
Clear Topic and
Thesis Statement
Topic is unclear
and does not
reflect the intended
research topic.
Topic is confusing
but reflects part of
intended research
topic.
Topic is clear but
does not reflect all
aspects of research
topic.
Topic is clear and
reflects intended
research topic.
10
Effectively
Synthesized Sources
Literature is not
integrated into one
text. No reference
to authors in the
same sentence.
Literature is
effectively
integrated but no
reference to
authors in the same
sentence.
Literature is
integrated into a
coherent
technique.
Incomplete
reference to
authors in the same
sentence.
Effective
integration of
literature into a
coherent
technique.
Reference is made
to several authors
in the same
sentence.
40
References Inappropriate
amount of citations
(less than 5),
incorrect use of
APA format style.
Inappropriate
amount of citations
(less than 8),
incorrect use of
APA format style.
Appropriate
amount of citations
(5 journals and 3
conferences), but
incorrect use of
APA format style.
Appropriate
amount of citations
(5 journals and 3
conferences), clear
and consistent
APA format style.
20
Style/Grammar No clear sentences,
long sentences,
many errors in
spelling, grammar
and punctuation.
Clear but long
sentences, jargon
use, errors in
spelling, grammar
and punctuation.
Clear sentences,
varied in length
and structure, little
errors in usage,
spelling, and
punctuation.
Appropriate tone,
clear sentences,
varied in length
and structure,
forceful, jargon-
free diction, little
to no errors in
usage, spelling,
and punctuation.
20
Organization/Format No logical
arrangement of
supporting points,
no effective
transition,
inappropriate
format and outline,
Does not include
all assigned
elements and
inconsistent format
and citation.
Acceptable
arrangement of
supporting points
but no effective
transition,
inappropriate
format and outline.
Includes some of
the assigned
elements and
inconsistent format
and citation.
Acceptable
arrangement of
supporting points,
effective
transitions, format
and outline is
appropriate for the
type of report.
Inconsistent format
and citation.
Logical
arrangement of
supporting points
in coherent
paragraphs;
effective
transitions, format
and outline is
appropriate for the
type of report.
Includes all
assigned elements,
consistent format
and citations.
10