MILE5004_Week 4 Review

Which of the following is NOT a typical feature of a literature review?

• Summarizing key theories of language acquisition

• Identifying gaps in teaching methodologies

• Providing personal anecdotes about language learning

• Synthesizing studies on motivation and learner autonomy

In a literature review examining the effectiveness of different research methods in second language acquisition studies, which approach should be used to organize the review?

• Chronological – Organizing studies by the order they were published

• Thematic – Grouping studies by recurring themes or findings

• Methodological – Categorizing studies based on the research methods used

• Conceptual – Organizing studies by theoretical frameworks

A literature review should avoid including studies that have contradictory results.

• True

• False

In second language education research, a literature review should focus on both theoretical and practical studies to provide a well-rounded understanding of the topic.

• True

• False

In a literature review focusing on the role of interaction in second language acquisition, which approach should be used to organize the review?

• Chronological order, based on when each study was conducted

• Methodological order, first discussing qualitative studies, then quantitative

• Thematic order, focusing on types of interaction (e.g., peer interaction, teacher-student interaction, computer-mediated communication)

• Regional order, discussing studies conducted in different countries separately

What is the main problem in the following literature review excerpt?

"Several studies have investigated the impact of motivation on second language learning. Li (2018) found that motivation is important. Zhang (2019) agreed, and Lee (2020) also confirmed this."

• The studies are not clearly cited.

• The review does not include enough sources.

• The review is too long.

• The review lacks critical engagement with the studies.

What is missing in this literature review excerpt?

"There is a lot of research on task-based language teaching. It has been shown to be effective. Brown (2015) says that it helps with communication skills."

• Citation formatting

• Specific details about how task-based teaching improves communication

• Mention of counterarguments

• A discussion of vocabulary acquisition

Match each problem with the correct description of the literature review error:

• Vague language

• The author mentions no gaps in the literature, despite hinting at one.

• Failure to identify a research gap

• The author mentions only one source repeatedly without introducing other perspectives.

• Lack of critical engagement

• The review uses general statements, such as "shown to be effective," without evidence or specific details.

• Overreliance on one source

• The author simply lists studies without comparing, analyzing, or evaluating their findings.

What is the main issue in this literature review excerpt?

"Several studies have explored vocabulary acquisition. Smith (2018) found that flashcards are effective, and Johnson (2019) discovered that spaced repetition is useful."

• The review lacks sufficient sources.

• The review is too critical of the studies.

• The review doesn’t explain the relevance of the studies.

• The studies mentioned contradict each other.

What is the primary problem in the following literature review?

"Researchers have long studied language learning strategies. Davis (2017) conducted interviews, while Kim (2020) used questionnaires."

• It doesn’t provide the names of the studies.

• The review doesn’t cite enough studies.

• It fails to present a clear conclusion.

• It lacks a comparison of the methodologies.