Leader in You: Literature Review

The Leader in You! Leadership Literature Review (Unit 2) Feeder Assignment 2

GOAL: Write a literature review that synthesizes recent medical research on a specific health risk of poor eating and exercise habits.
AUDIENCE: The Carolina Development Office, which needs the best and most up-to-date research on leadership for various academic disciplines.
LENGTH: 2-3 pages
VALUE: 5% of your grade
RESOURCES: Allen & Bacon, 735-736?
DUE: February, March 5

ASSIGNMENT: Research the skills that psychologists and sociologists have defined for leaders/ What special skills do these individuals say leaders show/

You have just received your consultant's report on your leadership skills. His /her verdict is not unique. Thousands of individuals are in your situation: bright, motivated individuals who strengthen their leadership skills.

UNC offers undergraduates, graduates, and faculty a great resource: an entire office devoted to leadership development. The individuals who use this resource are already interested and motivated in becoming better leaders. However, they are not perfect and what to improve their skills. They are of all personality types and interests. Some are shy, others are extroverts. Some women are concerned that gender will hinder their leadership abilities (women as top executives in a Fortune 500 company). Others worry abouyt how to lead in situations in which they face ethical decisions ( lawyers, business, nurses, doctors, biologists etc.). Several want to know leadership issues in the health profession.

Choose a group you are interested in and begin your research. You may want to consider some of the following, if relevant:

• conflict resolution

• dealing with change

• decision making

• developing positive assertiveness or toning down aggressiveness

• effective communication

• effective problem-solving

• effective risk-taking

• ethics

• I messed up, big time (admitting and dealing with mistakes)

• listening effectively

• networking / developing a solid support structure

• positive attitude

• setting priorities / goals

• special skills for women

• the entrepreneurial spirit

• time management

Part 1
Compile an annotated bibliography using correct APA style. Find at least 6 articles or book chapters by that bear directly on your paper topic. These works should be written by experts and be recent (since 1993). Under each citation, write a one paragraph summary of the critic's argument.

Part 2
Based on your research, write a 1-2 page synthesized discussion of the most recent findings on your topic. Read 1h and 2d in A & B. Organize your paper by IDEAS and "infe[r] themes, problems, trends, and so on" (A & B 736).

Read chapter 33 & 34 in A & B.

Read widely (see library research guide).

DOCUMENT bibliographic information for as many sources as possible. It's always easier to cross things off the list than to re-do a computer search. Also, you will have to read SEVERAL articles before you find the most relevant.

Make copies of the articles you find. It’s amazing what you miss the first time you read the article. As your ideas change, you should re-read these articles. Do NOT waste your time by having to hunt them down again because the book may not be there the second time around. Submit all copies with your paper.

A successful paper will:
1. Include a minimum of 6 expert sources. These must be recent and you must include xeroxes from the ORIGINAL place of publication (not info-trac printouts. However, you can use Info-trac to find citations.)
2. Demonstrate ability to summarize an article and then synthesize what different experts argue. Categorize the information. Arrange the ideas/ arguments from simple to complex.
3. Demonstrate paragraph development skills (topic sentence, focus on one idea, transitions etc.)
4. Write like a social scientist. Use precise language and a professional style and tone.