Theological Research Seminary: Presentation 7

1. By Kevin G. Smith
Literature Review
Theological Research Seminar

2. Literature Review
Professional master’s and
doctoral degrees begin
with a problem in
professional practice or
experience, and design a
research project to resolve
the problem (praxis).
Research master’s and
doctoral degrees begin
with a review of literature
in the field, identify a gap
in the discipline, and then
design a research project
to fill the gap.

3. Literature Review
In either case, ‘It is
essential that every
research project begins
with a review of the
existing literature’
(Mouton 2001, 86).
Two Reviews
• Preliminary literature
review
• Primary literature
review

4. Literature Review
Review of Scholarship
This name draws attention to
the type of literature on which
you must focus. ‘In short, you
are interested in the most
recent, credible and relevant
scholar-ship in your area of
interest’ (Mouton 2001, 87).
History of Research
This name draws attention to
the diachronic nature of a
good literature view: it
provides a bird’s-eye view of
previous research leading to
the point at which your study
enters the debate.

5. THE NEED FOR A REVIEW
Why must I do a literature review?

6. The Need for a Review
• Avoid duplicating research that has already been
done.
• Identify gaps in the existing research that call for
further study.
• Interact with the most recent theories and empirical
findings.
• Narrow your research idea in the light of greater
insight into the field.

7. THE CRITERIA FOR A REVIEW
How will my literature review be judged?

8. The Criteria for a Review
• The principle of exhaustiveness: Does it cover the main
aspects of the study thoroughly?
• The principle of fairness: Does it treat authors fairly and
accurately?
• The principle of topicality: Is it up-to-date and in touch with
the current debate?
• The principle of presentation: Is it well-organised and
interpretive?

9. THE TOOLS FOR A REVIEW
How do I obtain sources for my literature review?

10. Question 1 1) You need the Internet.
Initially, the Internet is all you
need. You need to spend days
surfing and searching for the key
resources on your topic. It is not
difficult, but it is demanding.
2) You need a Library.
After you have done your
spadework on the Internet, you
will need to visit a major
theological library to access
resources not available online.
What tools do I
need to identify
and access
relevant
literature?

11. Question 2 The general answer is high
quality academic sources,
particularly recent ones (the
last 10 years).
You are looking mostly for
recent scholarship and
research.
What kinds of
literature am I
seeking?

12. Question 2 The three most important
types of material are:
1) Journal articles
2) Academic books
3) Theses or dissertations
In the early stages of the research, you
can focus considerable attention on
Book Reviews. Instead of reading
whole books, read reviews of books.
What kinds of
literature am I
seeking?

13. Question 3 “Blood, sweat, and tears!”
1) Read literature reviews
2) Study bibliographies
3) Search online
bookstores
4) Use journal databases
5) Use Google Books and
Google Scholar
How do I find the
key works on my
topic?

14. CONCLUSION