Writing A Literature Review For An Applied Master's Degree

Many of the books and articles that discuss and provide instructions for writing a literature review are geared to doctoral students (Randolph, 2009), professors, researchers, and medical researchers. Few discuss the issues pertaining to Master's Degree students pursuing an applied master's degree. This overview is written specifically for those completing a capstone for the Master's Degree in Organizational Dynamics at the University of Pennsylvania. Graduate students often experience a great deal of trepidation and anxiety when facing the task of writing a literature review for their Master's Degree capstone. This is unfortunate, as reading the literature and writing a literature review can be an informative, interesting and thought-provoking endeavor. Graduate students have the opportunity to learn about an issue of importance to them, to gain a thorough understanding of the research that has been conducted about their capstone focus, and learn what gaps exist in the literature in their area of focus.