Short lecture introducing the Literature Review, including information on why students should carry out a review and the best way to start a review project.
2. What is a Literature
Review?
“… a systematic… method for identifying,
evaluating and interpreting the… work produced
by researchers, scholars and practitioners.”
Fink, A., 1998
3. What is a Literature
Rebiew?
“An interpretation and synthesis
of published work”
Merriam, 1988
4. So what do you do?
READ PUBLISHED WORK
Study a wide range of
printed and web-based
materials
INTERPRETATION
Explain the significance and
interpret the evidence
presented in each piece of
literature – not simply listing
what other have written
Synthesise your readings and findings
5. Why do this?
“I not only use all the brains that I have but all that I can borrow”
Woodrow Wilson
Research may be done alone – but it is
never done in isolation. The production
of new knowledge is fundamentally
dependent on past knowledge.
6. Four Main Reasons for
Reviewing Literature
1) Critical overview of Previous Research
7. Four Main Reasons for
Reviewing Literature
2. Help you find GAPS in knowledge
8. Four Main Reasons for
Reviewing Literature
3) Work out the necessity and rationale for your
study (is it needed?)
9. Four Main Reasons for
Reviewing Literature
4. Set boundaries for your study
11. Planning
1. Define the topic (general reading and list of terms)
2. Think about the scope (what is the time from you
have?)
3. Think about the outcomes (what is it want to get
out of the search)
4. Think how to management the search
5. Plan your sources (list and sequence sources to be
searched)
12. Questions to ask
• What is known about the broad topic?
• What are the landmark works in the field?
• What methodologies are people using in the fields I
am interested in?
• What frameworks and concepts are people using?
16. How to manage your
research
Get Organised
• Summarise ideas
• Copy out or copy paste
key quotes
• Use bibliographic
software if you can get it.
• Organise your ideas by
themes
17. A research review will
• Include an assessment
of the strengths and
weaknesses of theories
• Demonstrate clear
understanding.
• Cite the key theories
• Give a clear indication
of how the review links
to your research
question.
18. A research review will
• Include a definition of the
boundaries of your
research report
• A selection and synthesis
(combination) of existing
arguments to form a new
perspective.
• Through gradual
refinement, it will include
a demarcation of the
research problem.
19. A research review is not…
• A list of the work of
others.
• A review of the
literature.
• A history of your
subject.
• A place where you get
to sound off about your
subject.
20. HOMEWORK
• Identify three topics you are interested.
• Go online or go to library and find out what are
the chief texts and writers associated with them.
• Work out what the key phrases, ideas and
concepts you will be looking up.
• Prepare a simple sheet with them on.
• Next week we search out texts in earnest!
