About the Event :

The literature review as one major section of a research text serves significant functions, not the least of which is to connect the research presented in the text with the existing body of scholarship. Despite its importance and the fact that it is one of the most difficult parts to write, the literature review has received rather little serious and systematic attention both in project supervision and writing courses. In this webinar, Dr. Becky Kwan will present the rhetorical purposes of literature reviews in research writing and how they can be structured. She will also provide some tips of how to teach the writing of the literature reviews in final year project reports. Illustrations will be drawn from the materials she has created for an undergraduate research communication course. 

Facilitator(s) :

Dr. Becky Kwan

Dr. Becky Kwan currently works as Associate Professor in the Department of English at the City University of Hong Kong, where she teaches on a variety of Applied English Studies subjects at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Dr. Kwan's research interests fall in the areas of academic discourse, genre analysis, and scholarly writing. She has conducted a series of studies on literature reviewing and the challenges it poses, aiming to address the common issues novice writers encounter in terms of uncritical engagement with the literature in thesis writing and writing for publication purposes. Drawing from her findings, she has developed a highly acclaimed series of research writing courses and a methodology course. Her research work regarding literature review writing has been presented in international conferences and has also appeared in prestigious international journals as English for Specific Purposes and Iberica. 

Objectives :

The webinar aims to provide participants with some basic understanding of the major purposes of literature reviews and how they tend to be organised. It will also share with participants some skills to teach the writing of literature reviews to students.

Target Audience :

VTC Teaching and Instructing Staff

Enquiry :

Miss LEE Man Wai, Charlotte
Project Officer
Tel: 2836-1952
E-mail: c.lee@vtc.edu.hk

Resources :

PowerPoint

Activity Handout

Video