These resources are helpful in starting literature search and review:
- Critical Reading for Self-Critical Writing: Introduction to a structured approach for reviewing literature
- Critical Synopsis of a text
- Toulmin's The Uses of Argument.
- Note: The Toulmin Model asserts that a good argument (either in writing research problem, stating a claim, etc.) should have six parts:
- Claim: the position or claim being argued for; the conclusion of the argument.
- Data/Grounds: reasons or supporting evidence that bolster the claim.
- Warrant: the principle, provision or chain of reasoning that connects the grounds/reason to the claim.
- Backing: support, justification, and reasons to back up the warrant.
- Rebuttal/Reservation: Exceptions to the claim; description and rebuttal of counter-examples and counter-arguments.
- Qualification: specification of limits to claim, warrant and backing. The degree of conditionality asserted.
- The weakest part of any argument is its weakest warrant. As you can see, a warrant is the link between the data and the claim. If the warrant is not valid, the argument collapses
- Professor Trisha Greenhalgh’s series of concise articles in the BMJ on “How to read a paper”
- A Guide to Writing theDissertation Literature Review
- Academic Phrase Bank
- Purdue Online Writing Lab. Very good reference for APA style and general writing
- Free online proofreading sites: