Analysis of chapter two using dissertation criteria

¶ … MA or PHD level is designed to develop and new argument on a particular subject. Within the overall presentation, a literature review is a section in which previously published information in a particular subject area, time period, or focus level, is discussed. Rather than a summation of sources, a literature review should have an organizational pattern that combines both summary and analysis -- summary to recap the information from the particular author's point-of-view, analysis to provide a way to interpret material and synthesize new information (Literature Reviews, 2004).

Case Studies -- Literature Review Outlines-

Teacher's Perceptions of Strategies and Skills Affecting Learning of Gifted 7th Graders in English Classes (Noble, 2010)

Introduction

Historic Influences on Gift Education

b. Defining Giftedness

c. Precursors to Gifted Performance

Identification of Gifted Students

a. Teacher/Student Motivation

b. Instructional Strategies

c. Relationship between strategies and learning skills

III. Teacher perceptions of giftedness

a. Factors affecting utilization

b. Conclusions

Gifted Student Academic Achievement and Program Quality (Jordan, 2010).

I. Introduction

a. Identification of Gifted

b. Common myths about the gifted

c. Demographics/Psychographics

II. Gifted Programs

a. Acceleration vs. Grouping

b. Standards -- Program design and management

c. Socio-economic and counseling issues

d. Professional Development and evaluation

III. Underachievement Issues

a. Factors affecting utilization

b. Stakeholders (parents, students, teachers).

c. The mythos surrounding underachieving

Having Our Say: Thoughts, Perspectives and Perceptions of Graduates of Satellite East Junior High School for the Gifted and Talented (Alston, 2011).

I. Introduction

a. Review of Gifted Education in NYCity

b. Measures of Intellectual Ability

II. Socio-Cultural differences and academic achievement

a. Underrepresentation of Minorities in Gifted Programs

b. Standards -- Burden and Price of Acting White

c. Statistical Data and real life implications

d. Scope of the issue

III. Issues surrounding underrepresentation of minorities and identification of giftedness

a. Training of school professionals

b. Self-fulfilling prophecy -- teacher, administrator issues

c. Alternative identification and conclusions

Compilation

I. Introduction

a. Review of giftedness and psychology toward subject

b. Measures of Intellectual Ability

II. Identification of gifted students

a. Class and socio-economic differentiation

b. Standards and stereotypes

c. Real world standards and implications

III. Stakeholders

a. Training of school professionals (teachers, administrators)

b. Types of programs and pedagogical strategies

c. Issues surrounding gifted programs

Analysis of Literature Reviews - Each of the three literature reviews was organized in a similar manner- a combination of chronological and subject analysis development. Each started with the overall definition of the thesis problem -- what is giftedness? Then, moved into more detailed analysis and breakdown of the manner in which giftedness is defined, the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of giftedness, and how the stakeholder perceptions sometimes govern the way giftedness is identified and the manner in which gifted students are treated. The three reviews then took a slightly different approach dependent upon their personal foci: academic achievement, giftedness within a specific area, and giftedness and the subject of diversity and minority issues. The reviews were robust and substantive and while not overlapping in content, did cover the relevant issues of giftedness in an appropriate manner.

The strength of the literature reviews, particularly Alston and Noble, was the breadth of material used to illustrate a number of points: the literature was timely, numerous studies were included within the nature of the question, and results were clearly discussed within the framework of the new hypothesis. Alston and Noble most definitely did not simply synthesize the information, but combined a process of synthesis with a great deal of analysis and mindful new thoughts. Jordan's review, while strong, was the weakest of the three -- it was simply not as robust and thoroughly cited as the others. In some ways, one can see some author bias not just in what was included, but in what was not. Jordan's presented only one side of many of the arguments surrounding giftedness, while Alston and Noble were more thorough in their presentation of numerous, and sometimes counter, arguments.

However, the process of breaking down the literature into subject and chronological templates not only became very obvious, but allowed for a real-world example of how best to begin organizing such a project. The key then, it appears, is to set out with a template or a grouping of materials and/or secondary and tertiary subjects, then use the literature review to organize the citations and arguments based on chronology, schools of thought, or themes that one can find. For instance, one might look at a Piagetian construct as a basis for looking at giftedness within the constructivist approach -- chronologically this would be at the beginning of a literature review, but might also be appropriate for thematic analysis.