Helpful Hints to Conduct and Write a Literature Review October 2006

What IS a Lit Review? a review of the most relevant, recent and not so recent scholarly work in the subject / topic area. a review of the most relevant, recent and not so recent scholarly work in the subject / topic area. a piece of writing that supports, evaluates, contextualizes and critiques your research topic. a piece of writing that supports, evaluates, contextualizes and critiques your research topic.

What the lit review is NOT A literature review is not simply a summary of articles, texts or journals. A literature review is not simply a summary of articles, texts or journals. A literature review is more than the search for information, and goes beyond being a descriptive annotated bibliography. Most importantly relationships between the literature pieces you read must be identified and articulated. A literature review is more than the search for information, and goes beyond being a descriptive annotated bibliography. Most importantly relationships between the literature pieces you read must be identified and articulated.

Stages in the Lit Review Process Framing a RQ Framing a RQ Devising an Investigative Strategy Devising an Investigative Strategy Gathering and Evaluating Literature Gathering and Evaluating Literature Drawing Conclusions and Communicating them Drawing Conclusions and Communicating them

Framing the RQ You already have a Research Question /Interest You already have a Research Question /Interest It should be the driving force in conducting a literature review – so hold on to it It should be the driving force in conducting a literature review – so hold on to it It is likely that as your review of this literature progresses, your question (s) would become more complex to reflect the complexity of the research. It is likely that as your review of this literature progresses, your question (s) would become more complex to reflect the complexity of the research.

Some questions worth considering: Some questions worth considering: who could be interested in this research, besides you? who could be interested in this research, besides you? is it sufficiently interesting to keep you, the authors, working for the next 2 – 3 months? is it sufficiently interesting to keep you, the authors, working for the next 2 – 3 months? What is the scope of your research interest? Is the scope too broad that it will lose direction? What is the scope of your research interest? Is the scope too broad that it will lose direction? What other ideas/topics does your interest relate to? What other ideas/topics does your interest relate to?

Setting your topic in context For your Research Topic to develop you must seek proper context to place it in, provided often by the existing literature on the topic. The role of the lit review is exactly to plant your RQ in some meaningful context so that it shows the relationship of your RQ to other questions in the field. Choosing the context often helps you refine your ideas and questions.

Beware! Limited context may result in stunted growth Limited context may result in stunted growth Too wide context may result in uncontrollable and undirected growth! Too wide context may result in uncontrollable and undirected growth!

Securing the foundation of your seed… Devising an Investigative Strategy 1) Standard comprehensive bibliographical sources 2) Finding a good example of the kind of research exemplifying what you are interested in and branching off of that 3) Other literature reviews/overviews relevant to your topic Most people use some variant of all three approaches

Possible sources of info Books Books Journals – all kinds – scholarly and popular Journals – all kinds – scholarly and popular Research papers Research papers www www Newspapers Newspapers Databases etc. Databases etc. In many cases not all relevant material is published in articles and journals – you can be creative and thoughtful! Identify the exact terms /disciplines you care for but be ready to go beyond them if info is limited. The wider the range of sources the richer the context – HOWEVER be selective and thoughtful!

Gathering and evaluating literature Reading WITH and FOR a purpose helps: You are searching for a body of literature that bears directly on your question, not just a bunch of citations that have a vague relationship to your topic. Start broadly and then focus, pulling together a core of literature that bears directly on your topic. You are searching for a body of literature that bears directly on your question, not just a bunch of citations that have a vague relationship to your topic. Start broadly and then focus, pulling together a core of literature that bears directly on your topic. Look at the structure of the text, e.g. the Table of Contents, the Abstract, Conclusion - headings and sub-headings, to see if the text is suitable for your purpose. If the text appears to be relevant for your purposes, then you can read it in-depth. Look at the structure of the text, e.g. the Table of Contents, the Abstract, Conclusion - headings and sub-headings, to see if the text is suitable for your purpose. If the text appears to be relevant for your purposes, then you can read it in-depth. Try to be objective in your research. The reason you are reading is to be able to give an evaluation and critique of the literature chosen. Do not just select the parts of the literature that agree with what you think is right but be aware of the logic of your argument as well. Try to be objective in your research. The reason you are reading is to be able to give an evaluation and critique of the literature chosen. Do not just select the parts of the literature that agree with what you think is right but be aware of the logic of your argument as well.

Look for … Ideas that will help your thinking about your project, Ideas that have a direct bearing on your project, Claims & findings that support / disagree with your ideas, Definitions of terms, Calls for follow-up studies relevant to your study, Ideas for working out or refining your method, and Gaps you notice in the literature. Not all articles are equally valid – BE CRITICAL Not all articles are equally valid – BE CRITICAL what was the researcher's RQ? What method did they use? Was that method appropriate? Do the findings make sense? DO they support or contradict other researchers you read? What did they leave out? Strengths and weaknesses? what was the researcher's RQ? What method did they use? Was that method appropriate? Do the findings make sense? DO they support or contradict other researchers you read? What did they leave out? Strengths and weaknesses? Determine the significance of what you read- where does it fit in relation to the field? (Shari’s handout) Determine the significance of what you read- where does it fit in relation to the field? (Shari’s handout)

And you are growing….

Summarizing, analyzing & organizing You should be able to identify: similarities and differences between various authors and their research similarities and differences between various authors and their research what research agrees and disagrees? what research agrees and disagrees? what major questions remain unanswered (if any)? what major questions remain unanswered (if any)? what are the possible directions for future research? what are the possible directions for future research? What works for me in organizing my research: To organize your research, cluster similar research together, e.g. what information is similar or different. A useful technique for doing this is to draw a mind map and organize the research into major points under each theme. To organize your research, cluster similar research together, e.g. what information is similar or different. A useful technique for doing this is to draw a mind map and organize the research into major points under each theme.

An example of a lit review map

Writing your literature review Remember you are not writing a summary: “this researcher found this, the other found that.” Remember you are not writing a summary: “this researcher found this, the other found that.” You are writing an argument using the literature to make the claim that your study has context and is meaningful in that context. You are writing an argument using the literature to make the claim that your study has context and is meaningful in that context. You’re shooting for a clearly organized, well argued statement of what the literature does and does not say about some key issue or question. Remember, it is often just as important what the literature does not say as what it does say. You’re shooting for a clearly organized, well argued statement of what the literature does and does not say about some key issue or question. Remember, it is often just as important what the literature does not say as what it does say. Don’t summarize but analyze and synthesize! Don’t summarize but analyze and synthesize!

More tips Writing your literature review takes time so plan ahead. Writing your literature review takes time so plan ahead. In thinking about your articles, take the test: In one sentence can you describe the relationship between this article and my study? In thinking about your articles, take the test: In one sentence can you describe the relationship between this article and my study?

A literature review must do these things: a) be organized around and related directly to the thesis or research question you are developing b) synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known c) identify areas of controversy in the literature d) formulate questions that need further research A literature review must do these things: a) be organized around and related directly to the thesis or research question you are developing b) synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known c) identify areas of controversy in the literature d) formulate questions that need further research

references…. Introduction to Literature Review University of Minnesota Krathwohl, David R. How to prepare a research proposal : guidelines for funding and dissertations in the social and behavioral Syracuse, N.Y : Syracuse University Press, Introduction to Literature Review University of Minnesota Krathwohl, David R. How to prepare a research proposal : guidelines for funding and dissertations in the social and behavioral Syracuse, N.Y : Syracuse University Press, Madsen, D. 1992, Successful dissertations and theses, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco. Madsen, D. 1992, Successful dissertations and theses, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco. Taylor, Dena The literature review: a few tips on conducting it University of Toronto Taylor, Dena The literature review: a few tips on conducting it University of Toronto Seana Moran’s lit review and methods handout (H175) Seana Moran’s lit review and methods handout (H175)