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Homework 3: Write the introduction

Objective

This assignment aims to guide you through the process of conducting an in-depth literature review and using your findings to develop a clear and well-justified research proposal introduction. By the end of this assignment, you will have a solid foundation for your research proposal. Also, this shall help you to prepare for your second class presentation.

Instructions

1. Review your research question:
   • Reflect on the research question you developed in Homework 2. Consider any feedback you received and refine your question as needed.
2. Conduct an in-depth literature review:
   • Use academic databases (e.g., Web of Science, Google Scholar) to perform a thorough literature search on your chosen research topic.
   • Identify key studies, review papers, and recent developments that are relevant to your research question.
   • Take detailed notes, focusing on how your research fits within the existing body of knowledge.
   • Highlight gaps in the current research that your study could address.
3. Structure your introduction as follows: Here is a general strcture that you can adjust based on what you are doing
   • Background and context: Introduce the broader topic of your research, providing necessary background information to set the context for your study.
   • Specific problem: Introduce the specific problem that you want to research
   • Literature review summary: Summarize the key findings from your in-depth literature review around this specific problem. Highlight the major studies and theories that are relevant to your research question.
   • Research gap: Clearly state the gap in the literature that your research aims to fill. Explain why this gap is significant and how your research will address it. Ensure that your literature review tells a cohesive story, leading naturally to your research question.
   • Research question: Present your refined research question, ensuring that it is clearly linked to the identified research gaps.
   • Research objectives and tasks: State the specific objectives your research seeks to achieve. Detail the tasks you will undertake to address these objectives.
4. Citation style and source use
   • You are required to cite at least 10 scholarly sources. This ensures a comprehensive review and demonstrates engagement with the existing literature.
   • Ensure all sources are cited using the AGU citation style.
   • Include a bibliography at the end of your document formatted according to AGU guidelines.

Submission

• Submit your PDF on Canvas by the due date
• Follow the late submission policy as outlined in the course syllabus
• Contact the instructor early if you anticipate any issues with meeting the deadline

Rubric

Grading follows these sections of the final proposal rubric:

• 2. Introduction (80%)
• 6. Cohesiveness of writing (5%)
• 7. Depth, clarity and rigorousness of writing (5%)
• 8. Citation and source integration (5%)
• 9. Language clarity and precision (5%)

Next steps

This assignment lays the groundwork for your upcoming research proposal by helping you establish a solid introduction to your research and clear objectives. In Homework 4, you will develop the methods to achieve these objectives.

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