Unit 2 -Task 2: Writing the Literature Review

By Adriana Bernaldez

This entry represents an important stage of my research process, in which I developed a deeper understanding of how previous studies contribute to the construction and justification of a research project. I selected this task because it reflects my development as a researcher, particularly my ability to organize theoretical perspectives and create a structured literature review supported by academic sources.

Working with my research partner, we applied a general-to-specific approach by moving from broader discussions about World Englishes and ELT paradigms toward the specific context of EFL teachers in the Province of Buenos Aires. This organization helped us establish the research background, identify a relevant gap, and connect previous findings with our own research focus.

The annotated bibliography and literature review were valuable because they required us to move beyond summarizing sources and instead analyze how each study contributed to our research proposal. The feedback from my instructor highlighted the strength of our theoretical foundation, the coherence of our organization, and our successful use of Swales’ CARS model to establish the research territory, niche, and purpose. It also emphasized areas for improvement, such as making analytical categories more explicit, refining APA conventions, and improving reference consistency. This task reinforced that effective academic research requires both strong ideas and careful methodological and writing decisions.

You can access the Literature Review by clicking on this link.

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