MECM90038 Chap.6 Writing the Introduction and Literature Review
Writing the Introduction and Literature Review
This chapter guides you through Assignment 1, the 1,000-word introduction and literature review worth 20% of the subject. It reads the task description line by line: a 200-300 word introduction naming topic area, scope and aim, then an 800-900 word review that identifies a key scholarly debate, engages with at least four peer-reviewed books, chapters or articles, and ends with a feasible research question.
It flags the two due dates listed in different places, explains the reading matrix recommended in Week 4, and shows how the lecture’s four principal questions turn summaries into an argument. A model paragraph built from invented notes demonstrates synthesis. Because the methodology and the report reuse this question and literature, getting the review right shapes the rest of the semester.
What this chapter covers
- 01
Reading the Assignment 1 task: lengths, weight and word count rules
- 02
Reconciling the due dates listed in the lecture plan and on Canvas
- 03
Building a six-column reading matrix before drafting the review
- 04
Separating the job of the introduction from the job of the review
- 05
Answering the four principal questions to move from summary to synthesis
- 06
Drafting a synthesised paragraph that ends on a knowledge gap
Worked example · free
Drafting the opening of an introduction on renters in the news
- 1State the topic area broadly: media representation of housing and the people affected by housing stress.
- 1Set the scope: articles about renting on two Melbourne news websites over one twelve-month period.
- 1State the aim: to examine how that coverage positions renters, and signal that the review will set out the debates.
Key terms
- Literature review
- A section that analyses existing scholarship to build the case for a new study. In this assignment it closes on a research question.
- Synthesis
- Combining several readings into claims about the field as a whole. Sources are grouped by shared themes and tensions rather than described one by one.
- Reading matrix
- A note-taking table with one row per reading. Its columns record framework, methods, findings, arguments and relevance to your project.
- Knowledge gap
- Knowledge that existing studies leave missing or underdeveloped. A research question can be designed to respond to it.
- Peer review
- Independent evaluation of scholarly work by experts in the field before publication. It works as quality control for academic sources.
- Topic area
- The broader branch of inquiry a study belongs to, wider than its case. Literature searching starts at this level.
Writing the Introduction and Literature Review FAQ
Do in-text citations count toward the literature review word limit?
Yes. The 1,000-word total includes in-text references, while the reference list, tables, figures and appendices fall outside it. A margin of plus or minus 10% applies to the total. Within that, aim for an introduction of 200 to 300 words and a review of 800 to 900 words, so that neither part crowds out the other.
Do my readings have to be about my exact case study?
No. The Week 4 lecture says readings need not share your case study’s scope as long as they touch the general topic, and Week 2 places literature searching at the level of topic areas such as youth media or migrant media. You still need at least four relevant peer-reviewed sources, ideally recent ones; Week 2 suggests the last five years.
When is the introduction and literature review due?
Two dates appear in subject materials. The lecture plan lists Monday 24 August 2026 at 11:59pm, while the Canvas subject summary shows Thursday 27 August 2026 by 11:59pm. Check the Canvas assignment page for the operative date. Late work without an approved extension loses 5% of the available marks per day or part of a day.
Should a literature review have its own argument?
Yes. The Week 4 lecture calls the location of your project within the readings your argument and insists a review should have one. A University of Queensland resource linked from the lecture stresses the same point. In practice, the argument shows whether your study extends, confirms or challenges earlier findings, which leads directly into your question.
Are there sample literature reviews I can learn from?
Past-year student examples are posted in the Modules area on Canvas, with a request not to reuse their topics. The Week 3 page also links a literature review template, the Manchester Academic Phrasebank and the Academic Skills guide, and the Week 4 lecture recommends studying the review sections of published journal articles for style.
Assessment move
Start by filling a six-column reading matrix for at least four peer-reviewed sources. Sort it by framework and argument to find two or three themes, then draft one paragraph per theme that opens with a claim rather than an author. Write the closing paragraph to locate your project and state the question. Only then draft the introduction, limited to topic area, scope and aim.
Count words with in-text citations included, confirm each source is peer reviewed, and check the due date on the Canvas assignment page. Compare your structure with the review sections of two published journal articles before submitting.
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