Once you begin collecting resources, it can be challenging to pull them together into a cohesive narrative. The tools below can help you do just that. A Literature Review Matrix is a way to organize and analyze individual pieces of research to find common themes and areas of dis/agreement. It can also help you see gaps in your research. Below that you'll find the BEAM model, a framework for thinking about how a piece of information can best be used in your final project.
| Source Function | Explanation | Examples of Types of Sources | Where you might use it in your paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| B: Background | Factual and noncontroversial information, providing context | Encyclopedia articles, overviews in books, statistics, historical facts | Introduction |
| E: Exhibit/ Evidence | Data, observations, objects, artifacts, documents that can be analyzed | Text of a novel, field observations, focus group transcriptions, questionnaire data, results of an experiment, interview data (primary sources) | Body/Results |
| A: Argument | Critical views from other scholars and commentators; part of the academic conversation | Scholarly articles, books, critical reviews (e.g. literacy criticism), editorials | Body, sometimes in Introduction or in Literature Review |
| M: Method | Reference to methods or theories used, usually explicit though may be implicit; approach or research methodology used | Part of books or articles with reference to theorists (e.g. Foucault, Derrida) or theory (e.g. feminism, post-colonialism, new historicism etc.); information on a research methodology | Methods or referenced in Introduction or Body |
A source may serve more than one function. For instance, a journal article could provide you with background information, exhibits, argument, and method. However, some sources are focused on a single function. For example, an encyclopedia entry is likely to only serve as background information.
Citation: Bizup, Joseph. “BEAM: A Rhetorical Vocabulary for Teaching Research-Based Writing.” Rhetoric Review 27.1 (2008): 72-86.
Credit: This page adapted from "Source Functions: Background, Exhibits, Argument, Method (BEAM)" from the University of California Merced Library.