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This article describes how to develop, conduct, and write a structured literature review (SLR) and cites examples of published SLR to illustrate different perspectives on the process and contributions to the literature. We first discuss how the SLR differs from other types of reviews (i.e., integrative literature review, meta-analysis, and scoping review). Second, the process of writing an SLR is discussed across common manuscript components: (1) the research problem, (2) conceptual or theoretical framework, (3) method, (4) findings and discussion, and (5) implications. Finally, we offer implications for how the SLR can be effectively leveraged in human resource development.

The purpose of this article is to promote conceptual and theoretical scholarship in human resource development by providing insights and guidance on differences between conceptual and theory articles and when and how to create such scholarship. First, we discuss the role of Human Resource Development Review and conceptual and theory articles in assisting human resource development in developing into a profession and expanding the field. Then, we determine that conceptual and theory articles are non-empirical works that differ from other non-empirical types of articles and from each other. Finally, we describe distinctions between conceptual and theory articles by clarifying their focus and goals and approaches to writing them. We illustrate these distinctions with examples of articles published in Human Resource Development Review. The article concludes with a discussion and implications for the field, the journal editors, and researchers.

An abstract represents a short summary of key elements of the manuscript. The purpose of this essay is to discuss the function, contents, and types of manuscript abstracts. The essay concludes with a few tips for authors to writing effective abstracts.

The purpose of this perspective on practice is to share my experience conducting an organizational change evaluation using qualitative methodology at a multinational transportation company Global Logistics. I provide a detailed description of the three phase approach to data analysis and my reflections on the process.

To help graduate students with academic writing, a college of education at a large university implemented a new service, Writing Support Circles. Based on the results of the first series of this service, we changed its design. The purpose of this article is to share how changes in the design affected these adult learners’ writing self-efficacy and workshop satisfaction.

This article explores four former doctoral students’ perceptions about their selves as adult learners and adult educators through the use of autoethnography and reflective dialogue. The dynamics between the two selves were explored to identify emerging themes and implications for practice in adult education. The duality of their roles as learners and as educators emerges through active conscientization.

Most students come to their graduate programs with academic writing skills insufficient to excel in their studies. A lack of academic writing skills among graduate students has been a problem in a college of education at a large southeastern public research university where the project described in this article was implemented. To address this lack of academic writing skills, a new service, Writing Support Circles (WSCs), was designed and implemented for a small group of Latina students supported by a grant as a pilot program. WSCs are a series of workshops intended to create a community of learners who work together on improving their academic writing with guidance of a facilitator. The purpose of this article is to share the author’s experiences with designing and implementing WSCs with adult learners in a nonformal education setting at a university.

Making the transition to management is one of the most difficult challenges first-time managers face. Organizations pay for the failure of first-time managers and benefit from their success. The purpose of this article is to challenge Hill’s (1992) argument that the transition to management involves two processes: “a process of learning from experience” and “a transformation of professional identity” (p. 121) and suggest a third process—building leadership potential. We also contend that transformative learning (Mezirow, 1991) is central to all three processes.

The purpose of this structured literature review was to find out how organizational culture has been studied within the Academy of Human Resource Development. We reviewed articles published in the Academy Proceedings from 1994 to 2009 to examine how authors defined organizational culture, what research purposes led their studies, what implications for practice were suggested, and how the research has evolved in the 16-year span.

This essay starts with a discussion of the literature review, theoretical framework, and conceptual framework as components of a manuscript. This discussion includes similarities and distinctions among these components and their relation to other sections of a manuscript such as the problem statement, discussion, and implications. The essay concludes with an overview of the literature review, theoretical framework, and conceptual framework as separate types of manuscripts. Understanding similarities and differences among the literature review, theoretical framework, and conceptual framework can help novice and experienced researchers in organizing, conceptualizing, and conducting their research, whether qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods.