Moves in the Literature review and Schematic Structure?

Literature review is a specific genre, and postgraduates must familiarise themselves with its peculiarity during their course of study (Hsiao, 2015). In general, the literature review section of a research article includes the following moves.

Move 1: Establishing a Thematic Territory

• Providing context information

Move 2: Conducting a survey and summarising previous research

• Creating a reference to a previously published work
• Making positive and/or negative assessments
• Producing summary statements

Move 3: Establishing a research niche (preparing for present research)

• Presenting counter-Claim
• Indicating a research gap

Some Examples of Gap-Indicating Elements

“Additional research is required to determine whether and how voice plays a role in academic writing.”

• Demonstrating the significance
• Forming or synthesizing a theoretical position or framework

Move 4: Taking up a research niche

• Outlining the objectives or research questions

“In relation to… the study aimed to answer the research questions:”

• Publicizing theoretical frameworks or positions
• Identifying the RA structure
• Notifying the public of the adoption of terminology definitions
• Indicating potential findings
• Publicly announcing the research design or process

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