M.Ed. Resource Guide - CHAPTER 7: WRITING GUIDELINES
An article critique refers to a written analysis of a journal article or of one chapter in a book. The critique must be at least three pages in length. The writing format of the paper should follow accepted APA style and be written in 3rd person. Appendix B in this M.Ed. Resource Guide has information on how to format the title page of an article critique in the APA Supplemental Reference Guide . The critique should contain a summary of the information presented in that article, along with a perceptive analysis of key points and a realistic application of the information to the candidate's P-12 classroom. The summary portion of the critique should generally be no longer than one page; it is the candidate's insight and application that will form the balance of the critique.
Article critiques should be organized in such a way that all criteria are met for this assignment, as stated in the above paragraph. More than one organizational technique is acceptable, depending upon the candidate's preferred learning style and written presentation processes. Candidates may wish to use formal headings for sub-sections within the article critique, such as "Article Summary," "Analysis of Key Points," and "Classroom Application." Another frequently used organization technique includes the following:
by this article)
P-12 classroom)
Each of the five domains in the Domain Exhibits Portion of the portfolio will be "introduced" to the reader through this 1-2 page global perspective of the domain as a whole. In EDU 565, candidates will be provided with focusing questions to help them think through the heart of their thinking toward each of the five domains. That thinking will then be reflected in this brief metacognitive analysis known as a Domain Introduction. Please refer to the EDU 559 and EDU 565 modules for more details.
The PTGP contains several discrete sections, but it important to note the connectedness of each of those sections. Generally speaking, the PTGP sets the context for the teaching setting of each candidate with respect to technological opportunities and available equipment. Candidates are then asked to develop their own professional goals in the area of technology, along with complementary action steps and timelines for achieving those goals. It is important to note that these goals should reflect the candidate's plan for professional improvement, not goals for student learning.
A major piece of formal writing is included as a key component of the PTGP called a Review of Literature and Research ("lit review") as it relates to technology. The field of educational technology is too vast, however, to present a global view of it in the literature review portion of the PTGP. Instead, candidates should narrow this lit review to link to their stated professional technology goals. This review of the literature and research should be clearly tied to the technology goals enumerated by the candidate. For example, if a candidate wishes to learn more about how to use digital imaging in creating classroom websites, then the lit review portion of the PTGP would be based around how to use digital imaging in creating classroom websites. For more details on writing the PTGP, please refer to the EDU 558 module.
You will create six different lit reviews during the M.Ed. program. One of these lit reviews will be included with the Professional Technology Growth Plan as part of the requirements for EDU 558. The other five lit reviews are based around the candidate's selected UAP topic and include the following:
EDU 565 content-based standards and diversity
EDU 550 curriculum
EDU 553 assessment
EDU 551 instruction
EDU 556 research
Each Review of Literature and Research will focus on the topics presented above, however, each also contains the same specific guidelines in terms of formatting. Each lit review should be at least five pages in length, with appropriate introductions and conclusions in each document. You may also want to use headings throughout the paper to help the reader more easily grasp your key points. Remember that research articles add depth to your review, in addition to the literature articles that you read. (Research articles are often found in publications that start with "Journal of." while professional literature articles are usually found in publications with a wider educational audience, such as Educational Leadership or Phi Delta Kappan.) Each lit review must include at least 10 in-text citations from at least 7 different sources. Any direct quotation used MUST include the page number in addition to the author's name and year of publication. The in-text citations and references page must follow accepted APA style. Formatting information and common reference citations can be found in the APA Supplemental Reference Guide located in Appendix B of this M.Ed. Resource Guide.
It will be tempting to write each lit review as if it were a personal reflection piece, but it isn't. Using first person words like "I," "me," "my," and the like, detract from the professional appearance of a formal review of literature and research. Since you are the author of this review, the reader can safely assume that it reflects your opinions as supported by the sources you mention. You won't use phrases like, "I think it is important to." Instead, you might write, "It is important to." Remember that in a formal piece of graduate level writing, second person words like "you" and "your" are NEVER used.
A literature review is not a summary of all the things you have read about your topic; rather, it is a well-integrated analysis and synthesis of what you've read. Summarize an author's position, but do it in such a way that it will support the point you are making. For example, in EDU 553 you may want to support your position on mastery learning techniques of formative and summative assessment. You could then summarize information on authentic assessment methods from articles by Wiggins, Stiggins, and others, but you will do it in such a way as to provide support for what you believe Guskey is saying about mastery learning. A lit review is not a book report. It is a synthesis of the current research and writings on a given topic. Be selective in your choice of sources to review; remember, longer is not always better.
In five of your core courses, EDU 565, 550, 553, 551, and 556, you are researching and writing on topics relating to those classes. You are also looking for information that will support what you are trying to accomplish with your UAP. For example, if you are designing a UAP around literacy for migrant children, you would probably be searching for sources that deal with literacy, elementary-level pedagogy, and alternative assessments, to name a few. Since it is expected that your UAP will address issues relating to multiculturalism and diverse student needs, it would be appropriate to find sources that deal with those issues as well. In the example cited above, you may want to research concepts relating to English as a Second Language (ESL) or Limited English Proficiency (LEP).
It is important to remember that the lit review portion of the PTGP written during EDU 558 may not be directly linked to your UAP topic; it is primarily concerned with your plans for professional growth in the area of technology. The PTGP goals that you develop may have some ties to your UAP topic, but they are not required to do so. It is your choice as to whether the PTGP goals relate to both professional plans for growth in technology and to your UAP topic. For some candidates, the PTGP lit review may have no visible connection to the UAP topic selected, and that is acceptable in the M.Ed. program. Even if your UAP topic does not revolve around technology, many of the sources that you use to write your technology lit review may also be appropriate for the other courses requiring lit reviews. In a similar way, you may find other sources that contain useful information for two or more of your lit reviews, such as the ones written for curriculum (EDU 550) and instruction (EDU 551). It is perfectly permissible to use one source in multiple reviews, as long as that source is credible and pertinent to the topic at hand.
When you are developing your position on issues and want to cite someone else as an authority on the subject, you cannot use quotations/citations from other works citing them unless you have personally reviewed the original. In other words, do not use someone else's opinion of someone else's research to justify your statement. Go read their research directly and then form your own opinion
Verbs denote the action and excitement in sentences. By using the active voice, the reader's attention is focused on the subject of a sentence instead of the object. For example, "The passive voice is acceptable in expository writing and when you want to focus on the object or recipient of the action rather than the actor. For example, 'The speakers were attached to either side of the chair' emphasizes the placement of the speakers, not who placed the-the more appropriate focus in the Method section. 'The President was shot' emphasizes the importance of the person shot" (APA Manual, 5th ed., p. 42).
Each review of literature and research will be double-spaced and contain a running header as explained in the APA Supplemental Reference Guide (see Appendix B). All in-text citations and end-of-text citations on the References Page at the end of the document must be in correct APA format. If the information you need in order to correctly cite a source is not contained in the APA Supplemental Reference Guide, you may wish to access the APA web site(s), which are linked from Indiana Wesleyan's library home page: http://www.indwes.edu/academic/library or directly at http://www.apastyle.org
Content |
| Shows clear evidence of depth of insight and analytical thinking; well integrated synthesis of both literature and research for that topic |
| Addresses issues of multiculturalism, technology, and diversity for that topic |
| Includes a brief description typing the candidate's growth in subject area knowledge, skills, and dispositions as delineated in various professional standards, as related to that topic |
| Organization and Format |
| Paper is well-organized and cogent; links key issues in a logical flow for that topic |
| Follows correct APA style in format and citations from multiple genres of reference sources |
| Paper is double spaced with a title page and reference page; contains an introduction and a conclusion; is written in the third person and is free of spelling and grammatical errors |
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