Grounding and Deepening Academic Writing in Human Resource Development: The Role of Selecting and Representing the Supporting Literature

That all academic writing should be based on a comprehensive review of previous research is well understood. Yet how to accomplish this task given the burgeoning literature in our field and in the many contributing fields of study has received surprisingly little attention in publishing guidelines in HRD and related fields. To encourage the development of HRD scholarship as a distinct and yet interdisciplinary body of knowledge, discernment, justification, and clarity about the selection and representation of the existing literature are needed in three areas. Domain specificity is concerned with the link to the HRD disciplinary base, practice relevance situates the work in a recognized HRD practice domain, and communicative interest clarifies the author’s value stance. The conclusion addresses implications for novice and experienced writers, the training of graduate and professional students, and the editorial policies of the leading HRD journals.