3. OVERVIEW OF ROL
• Introduction - not just part of “what you have to do”
• Definition
• Purposes
• Objectives
• Importance
• Benefits
• Types of Written ROL
• Sources of ROL
• Process of ROL
• Characteristics of a good ROL
• Conclusion
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4. • Literature review - not just part of “what you have to do”
• But – valuable way to learn – to get it “off the page and
into your head”
• The idea of “literature” - evokes images of books that we
need to read.
• The words “literature” - all the previous research and
scholarship on a particular topic and
• “review” - explanation of what the literature says.
• What it IS NOT:
– Common knowledge
• i.e., handily summarized in Wikipedia
– Easy to find
• If you just Google it, you overlooked something.
– Available freely online (mostly)
• This distinction can be transparent on campus
• the “free” internet vs. library subscriptions
X
Introduction
5. Definition
• The review of the literature is defined as a broad,
comprehensive, in-depth, systematic, and critical review of
scholarly literature, unpublished scholarly print materials,
audiovisual materials, and personal communications on a particular
topic.
7. Purposes
To determine the research problem
• Problem into sharper focus
• To formulate new question
• To distinguish what has been done and what has to
be done
To gain methodological insight
• Research design, type of tool
• Development of theory and research
• To synthesize and gain new perspective
• To enhance and acquire subject vocabulary
8. • Information
• Analyzes gaps
• Limitations in theory
• Areas for further
research
• Areas of controversy
• Literature in
an organized
view
• Information
to summary
• Literature in
a chosen
area
Surveys Synthesizes
Critically
analyzes
Presents
Purposes
10. Objectives – students
Develop academic
scholarly papers
Prepare oral
presentations or
debates of topic /
issue
Prepare clinical
projects / research
proposal
To formulate
protocols
For students
11. Objectives - faculty
Develop proposal
and conduct research
Conduct systematic
review
Develop EBP
protocols
Devise and develop
curricula
Faculty
12. Objectives - staff
Implement research
based nursing
interventions
Develop and implement
specific nursing
standards
Devise and ensure
implementation of
interdisciplinary protocols
Evaluate hospital specific
quality assurance
projects
Staff in clinical
setting
13. Objectives - admin
Develop standards Revise regulations
Enforce the rules and
regulations
Evaluate hospital specific
quality
Administrators
14. Importance
Acts as a stepping stone
towards achievement of the
study objectives
Provides a solid background to
back one’s investigation.
Helps the researcher to avoid
duplication, identify the gaps
15. Assessment of
the current
state of
research on a
topic
Identification of
experts on a
particular topic
Identification of
key questions
about a topic
that needs
further
research.
Determination
of
methodologies
used in past
studies of the
same or
similar topi
16. Sources - review of
literature
Primary
• First hand information;
original
• EX - Conference
papers, pre-prints, or
preliminary reports.
Secondary
• Description or summary
by someone other than
the original researcher.
• Ex – review articles,
reference works
Tertiary
• Distillation and
collection of primary
and secondary sources.
• Purpose - To provide
an overview of key
research findings and
an introduction to
principles and practices
within the discipline.
• Directories and Guides.
17. Process of literature review
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Formulate and refine 10
and 20 qns.
Define search strategy
Search for, identify and
retrieve potential primary
sources; document
search decisions and
actions.
Screen sources for
relevance and
appropriateness; discard
if irrelevant or
inappropriate
Read source materials;
identify new references
and leads; document
search decisions and
actions.
Abstract and encode the
information from the
studies
Critique / evaluate the
studies
Analyze and integrate the
information; search for
themes.
Prepare synthesis /
critical summary
19. 2 – Develop a search strategy
The steps are
• Define – topic
• Type of literature – P/S
• Sources
– Data base
• Google scholar
• Individual organization’s website
– Library catalogues
• Developing key words
• Think - scope of topic / search resources
• Design a means of recording – what you found
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20. The various search strategies or approaches are
• Searching for references in bibliographic databases
• Ancestry approach
• Descendancy approach
• Other methods
• Systematic literature review
• Meta analysis
• Meta synthesis
• Critical review
• Scoping review
• Conceptual review
• State of art review
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3 – Identify the sources
21. Searching strategies in bibliographic
database
• The general principles are
– Identify keywords – synonyms,
– Search techniques – Boolean operators
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23. Other tools
• The other tools are
• Phrase searching
– Use quotation marks
– e.g. (“management capacity” OR up skilling) AND “hospital managers”
• Truncation
– Commonly used is *
– e.g. hospital manag* --- hospital managers or hospital management.
• Wild cards
– Common symbol is ?
– e.g. behavio?r, wom?n
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24. Key electronic databases
Resource Description
MEDLINE
OR PbMed
http://www.
ncbi.nlm.nih
.gov/pubme
d
➢ PubMed is the free public interface to MEDLINE.
➢ It provides access to bibliographic information in MEDLINE as well as additional life science
journals.
➢ MEDLINE is the National Library of Medicine's premier bibliographic database covering the
fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, vueterinary medicine, the health care system, and the
preclinical sciences.
➢ MEDLINE contains citations from the 1950's to present, covering more than 4,500 biomedical
journals. There are currently over 14 million records in the database.
CINAHL –
Cumulative
Index to
Nursing and
Allied Health
Literature
➢ CINAHL is available online from 1982 to the present.
➢ Prior to 1982, you can use the “Red Index” Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health
Literature found in Reference to look for citations.
➢ CINAHL does not use the same indexing terms as MEDLINE in some cases
➢ CINAHL is one of the best databases to use for your assignment.
➢ It allows you to look for articles on nursing topics that are peer-reviewed and appear in nursing
journals.
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25. 25
Key electronic databases
RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
IND MED
➢ IndMED = INDexing of Indian MEDical Journals; http://indmed.nic.in
➢ Poor representation of Indian medical Journals in PubMed. (MEDLINE)
➢ To expose the Indian medical research literature globally
➢ Started to Index Non-PubMed but quality Indian journals, now Indexes
even PubMed journals hosted on MedIND (Full Text)
➢ Indexes only peer reviewed journals
➢ Provide a world wide free access over the Web
➢ Coverage of journals back from 1985 onwards
➢ Provides references along with Abstracts
➢ Full text links are provided at articles level for those journals who have
signed MOU with NIC for hosting on MedIND
HEALTH
BUSINESS
ELITE
Covers health care administration and other non- clinical aspects of
health care institution management.
26. RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
THE COCHRANE LIBRARY
http://www.thecochranelibrary.com
➢ International non-profit organisation that
prepares, maintains, and disseminates
systematic up-to-date reviews of health
care interventions
➢ Collection of databases that contain
high-quality, independent evidence to
inform healthcare decision- making.
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Key electronic databases
27. RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
CENTRE FOR REVIEWS AND
DISSEMINATION – DARE/ HTA / EED
HTTP://WWW.CRD.YORK.AC.UK/CR
DWEB/
Critical appraisals of systematic reviews
published elsewhere / Health Technology
Assessment reports / Assessments/
interventions
PSYCHOLOGY & BEHAVIOURAL
SCIENCES COLLECTION
Full text coverage of over 400 journals
covering topics in emotional psychiatry,
anthropology and observational &
experimental methods.
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Key electronic databases
28. RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
ECONLIT * Index of the world's economic literature, produced by
the American Economic Association
GOOGLE SCHOLAR
http://scholar.google.com/
Multidisciplinary
WEBSITES OF
RELEVANT
ASSOCIATIONS / BODIES OECD, WHO, EOHSP etc.
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Key electronic databases
29. Other online journals...
• Online Journals: Following are the website addresses
– Online journal of issues in nursing: site can be linked from
www.ana.org
– AORN online (Association of Operating Room Nurses, Inc.)
www.aorn.org
– Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI): www.nursingsociety.org,
honour society of nursing
– National Institute of Nursing Research: www.nih.gov/ninr
– Graduate research in nursing: www.graduateresearch.com
– Midwest nursing research society (MNRS): www.mnrs.org
– www.Allnurses.com
– Clinical evidence: www.clinicalevidence.org
– Agency for health research and quality. www.ahrq.gov
– Cochrane Library: www.cochrane.org
– Intelihealth: www.intelihealth.com
– Net med: www.netmed.com
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30. • Other online databases: Many other online database can be searched for
free by nurses from the following websites: http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov
(HIV/AIDS information)
• http://www.hazmap.nlm.nih.gov (information on hazardousagents)
• http://www.child.nih.gov (combined health informationdatabase)
• http://www.toxinet.nlm.nih.gov (toxicology database network)Cancer Lit
(Cancer literature)
• EMBASE (exerpta Medica Database)
• ETOH (Alcohol & alcohol problems science database)
• Health STAR (Health services technology administration& research)
• Radix (Nursing managed care databse)
• CD-ROM (Compact disc-read only memory) with
researchwww.drjayeshpatidar.blogspot.com
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Other online journals...
31. • Use Google’s Advanced search function which allows you to limit your Google search to a
particular site or domain.
• Allows you to use Google’s functionality to search the site, and sometimes produces better results
than using the site’s own search engine.
• For instance, in the example below, Google’s Advanced search tool is used to search the OECD
site for documents relating to government structures around families and children:
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Other online journals...
32. • Searching the reference lists
• Hand searching relevant journals
• Searching by authorship
• Ancestry approach / foot note chasing
– Citations from relevant studies are used to track down earlier research
(the ancestors)
• Descendancy approach
– To find a pivotal early study
– To search forward in citation indexes
– To find more recent studies (“descendants”) that are cited the key study.
• Grey literature
– Refers to studies with more limited distribution such as conference
papers, unpublished reports, dissertations etc
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Additional methods...
33. • Systematic Literature Review
– More rigorous and well-defined approach
– Comprehensive
– Published and unpublished studies relating to a particular subject area
– Details the time frame within which the literature was selected
– Details the methods used to evaluate and synthesize findings of the
studies in question
• Meta-analysis
– A form of systematic review (reductive)
– Takes findings from several studies on the same subject and analyzes
them using standardized statistical procedures
– Integrates findings from a large body of quantitative findings to enhance
under-standing (study=unit of analysis)
– Draws conclusions and detect patterns and relationships
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Additional methods...
34. • Meta-synthesis
– Non-statistical technique
– Integrates, evaluates and interprets findings of multiple qualitative
research studies
– Identifies common core elements and themes
– May use findings from phenomenological, grounded theory or
ethnographic studies
– Involves analyzing and synthesizing key elements
Critical review
– It is like a literature review - requires a more detailed examination of the
literature,
– To compare and evaluate a number of perspectives.
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Additional methods...
35. Scoping Review
– Often used at the beginning of an article, dissertation or research proposal.
– Conducted before the research begins, and sets the stage for this research by
highlighting gaps in the literature, and explaining the need for the research about
to be conducted, which is presented in the remainder of the article.
Conceptual Review
– Groups articles according to concepts, or categories, or themes. It identifies the
current 'understanding' of the given research topic, discusses how this
understanding was reached, and attempts to determine whether a greater
understanding can be suggested.
– Provides a snapshot of where things are with this particular field of research.
State-of-the-Art Review
– This is conducted periodically, with a focus on the most recent research.
– It describes what is currently known, understood, or agreed upon regarding the
research topic, and highlights where there are still disagreements
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Additional methods...
36. Screening and gathering references
• Screen by checking
– Accessibility
– Relevancy
– Quality of methodology
Or
– Provenance
– Methodology
– Objectivity
– Persuasiveness
– Value
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37. Maintain a note book (or computer database program).
Make note of:
databases searched, key words, subject headings
Limits put on your search
authors used to direct the search
Related studies
Websites visited
Links pursued.
Uses of documentation: More efficient search,
Avoiding duplication & to assess other possible strategies & locations.
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Documentation in literature
retrieval
38. Tracking down relevant research on the topic
Abstracting the article found in the literature review
Steps in abstracting the content of the articles are as follows:
• Read the article’s abstract or summary to see if it is a usable article for
your topic.
• Skim the entire article making a mental note of the main topics.
• Write the complete reference.
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4. Abstracting & recording information
39. 4.
•
• Classify & code the article according to some system of your own
devising. Put the code:
# on an index card
# on the photocopied article (xerox)
# on the computer so you can sort the article abstracts in any way you
wish to.
• Abstract or summarize the reference by paraphrasing the essential points
of the reference (eg. problem, procedure & major conclusions of a study)
• Add any thoughts that come to your mind about the article.
• Indicate any statements that are direct quotations by authors
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Abstracting & recording information cont..
40. Methods:
• Jot down notes of key features if review is simple.
– Literature review protocols- Extensive & systematic recording of
the study, including full citation, theoretical foundations,
methodological features (strengths & weaknesses)
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Abstracting & recording information cont..
41. • The common methods are PICO and ECLIPSE. PICO is given by centre for
evidence based medicine in Oxford. The ECLIPSE may be useful in health
management and policy changes.
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Method Specification
PICO Breakdown into
P - Population / problem
I – Intervention / indicator
C - comparator
O – Outcome
ECLIPSE E - Expectation - What does the search requestor want the information for?
C - Client Group
L - Location
I - Impact - What is the change in the service, if any, that is being looked for? What would
constitute success? How is this being measured?
P – Professionals
S – Service – ex- Outpatient clinics, nurse led clinics, intermediate care
Abstracting & recording information cont..
42. - Literature review matrices- (2 Dimensional arrays) are a convenient
means of abstracting and organizing information for a literature review.
Types of matrix:
a. Methodologic matrix- organizes information to answer: How have the
researchers studied this research question?
b. Result matrix- address: What have the researchers found?
c. Evaluation matrix, answers: How much confidence do we have in the
evidence?
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Abstracting & recording information cont..
44. Critiquing studies and evaluating the evidence
• Researcher along with recording factual information about methodology and
findings should also make judgements about the worth of the evidence.
• A research critique is a careful appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses
of a study.
• Many methods are available – will be dealt later
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45. Analyzing and synthesizing information
• The focus is to identify themes.
• A thematic analysis involves detecting patterns and regularities as well as
inconsistencies.
• The thematic possibilities for a literature review are
– Substantive
– Theoretical
– Generalizability / transferability
– Historical
– researcher
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46. • Double-check the thoroughness of your literature search.
• Print a hard copy of each of the articles that you think you might reference.
• Read carefully every article, with a highlighter, and mark information that
you consider particularly relevant to your project that should be included in
your literature review.
• Type a list of your themes, with page breaks between each theme.
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Preparing a written literature review
47. • Within each theme, type in the relevant information that you have
highlighted, referencing the information with its corresponding article.
• Put topic sentences at the top of each theme.
• Tweak the information that you have typed to make the sentences flow
together smoothly,
• Wait a day or two, and re-read what you have written.
• Go through several drafts.
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Preparing a written literature review
48. In order to create an outline at this point:
• Identify the main points in the order they should be presented
• Differentiate each main heading into logical subheadings.
• Use further subdivisions if necessary
SUGGESTIONS FOR WRITING ROL
• Make an outline (if not yet done)
• Analyze each reference in terms of your outline
• Take all references identified for a given subheading and organize &
summarize it in a meaningful manner.
• The review should start with the articles least related to your research
problem & proceed to those most related.
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Preparing an outline for literature review
49. Introduction to the lit review
▪ Content - what is covered
▪ Structure - how it is organized
▪ Boundaries - what is outside of its scope
Body of the Lit Review
SECTION 1
The most important topic or a key concept
▪ discussed and evaluated
▪ summarized and related to your research
project
Conclusion
From each of the section summaries,
▪ highlight the most relevant points
▪ relate these back to the need for research
▪ reiterate what these mean for the research
design
Organization of the Review
SECTION 2
The next most important
topic or a key concept
▪ discussed and evaluated
▪ summarized and related
to your research project
ADDITIONAL SECTIONS
▪ Follow the same pattern
(Golden-Biddle & Locke, 1997)
Organization of the review
51. A review in a research report:
Description-
The review report – brief
Aims at providing the readers with an overview of existing evidence on
the problem being addressed
To develop an argument that demonstrates the need for the new study.
Length- Usually only 2-4 double-spaced pages.
A review in a proposal:
Description-
– Aims at persuading funders/advisors about the merits of a proposed study.
– It provides a knowledge context & confirms the need for and significance of
new research,
– It demonstrates the writer’s “ownership” of the literature.
Length- Often limited to less than 10 pages.
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Major types of written research review
52. A review in a thesis or dissertation-
Description: Doctoral dissertations in the traditional format often include a
thorough, critical literature review of the research on the problem
Length: An entire chapter, frequently15 to 25 pages or more in length.
Free standing literature reviews-
Description: Nurses also prepare literature reviews that critically appraise and
summarize a body of research, even when it is not intended for primary
research of the topic.
E.g., Students prepare a critical research review for a course requirement
Clinical nurses sometimes do literature review as part of an evidence
based practice project.
Length (15 to 20 pages long).
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Major types of written research review
53.
54. Characteristics of a high quality literature review
Reviews must be
1. Comprehensive, thorough & up-to-date.- Creativity & diligence is
required in hunting down leads for possible sources of information.
2. Systematic- Decision rules should be clear, & criteria for including or
excluding a study should be explicit.
3. Reproducible- Should be applicable by another reviewer to reach
similar conclusions.
4. Absence of bias- if systematic rules for review of literature are
followed.
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55. • Review isn’t logically organized
• Review isn’t focused on most important facets of the study
• Review doesn’t relate literature to the study
• Too few references or outdated references cited
• Review isn’t written in author’s own words
• Review reads like a series of disjointed summaries
• Review doesn’t argue a point
• Recent references are omitted
Common errors made
56. ✓ Have you accessed the most recent literature of
relevance to your topic?
✓ Have you accessed the seminal (chief) source?
✓ Does you reference include major books, journals &
electronic sources?
✓ Does the literature review bind together or is it merely
a shopping list of books & articles?
✓ Is the review critical? Does it explain the research
question?
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Literature review checklist
57. As Becker (1986) puts it,
“Science and humanistic scholarships are, in fact as
well as in theory, cumulative enterprises. None of us
invent it all from scratch when we sit down to write. We
depend on our predecessors. We couldn’t do our work if
we didn’t use their methods, results and ideas. Few
people would be interested in our results if we didn’t
indicate some relationship between them and what others
have said and done before us”.
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Conclusion
