1. Writing a Literature Review?
Dr. Donna Harp Ziegenfuss
_Nordiska_radets_litteraturpris_under_de_50_ar_som_priset_funnits_%283%29.jpg

2. Session Objectives: At the end of this session, you will be able to:
Define what a literature review is
Articulate the literature review process
Locate example dissertations/literature reviews in your discipline to study
Find and use tools/templates to help you do a literature review
Begin to develop a plan for conducting a literature review

3. Definition
“In any subject area, the literature review provides that previous knowledge, and gives us an anchor to which to attach our new ideas ... This requires careful thought and planning, a clear structure, analytic thinking, extremely good information search skills, the ability to synthesize and summarize information in a clear writing style, and the ability to integrate this with the rest of your research work”. (Oliver, 2012, p.1)
Central to the research
Need to understand weaknesses and strengths of prior research
We need to build of the research of those who came before us
Sets the broad context of the study – what is and is not within the scope of the study
Identifies gaps
Not just a summary but a synthesis
Is a form of scholarship

4. Why do a Literature Review?
Identify gaps in the literature to be researched
Rationalize the importance of the topic you are studying
Discover the subtopic and variables about the topic
By ‘synthesizing’ the literature you will gain new insights and perspectives about the topic
You can use the literature review as evidence to make a case for your findings
Boote & Beile, 2005

5. Types of Literature Reviews
Traditional Narrative Type Review of the Literature (Critical Analysis)
A stand alone literature review article
A review done as part of a dissertation/thesis
A review done as part of evaluation/report
Other:
Systematic Literature Review – detailed approach
Meta-Analysis Literature Review – a systematic review focused on topics/subtopics or themes - statistical
Different from an essay/ research paper with an argument research paper – use research to make a point and support your own argument, literature review – review and analyze arguments and ideas of others
Systematic reviews usually done in the sciences – comparing and contrasting clinical studies

6. The Literature Review - 5 step process (Creswell, 2002, p. 86)
Framing the topic/question and identifying terms to use in your search
Locating the literature relevant to your topic
Evaluating/analyzing the resources you find
Organizing the literature you have selected in a structured order
Writing the literature review

7. 1. Framing the topic/question and identifying terms to use in your search
Browse background information
Google / Google Scholar
Identify topics, concepts and keywords
Concept map, matrix, keywords
Narrow your topic through more research
Develop a thesis statement or research questions to guide your searching

8. Locating the literature relevant to your topic
Develop the search strategy
Broad to narrow
Begin in Google Scholar – Go deeper into library resources
Keep a research journal (example excel template in course)
Select databases for topic
Track journals you are finding
Keep a list of keywords

9. Evaluating/analyzing the resources you find
Type of resources you use depends on your topic
Write an annotated bibliography
Summary annotation – summary no judgment
Critical / Informative
Combination
Library guide on doing an annotated bibliography
Library guide for a literature review

10. 4. Organizing the literature you have selected in a structured order
Thematic Organization of concepts / subtopics
By subtopics
Chronological (timeline – historical order)
By publication history or by trend history
Methodological
Organized by the different methods used by the authors

11. 5. Writing the literature review
Introduction/Body/Conclusions
Focus on the analysis /critical evaluation of the sources
Use evidence and examples of your sources
Use quotes for emphasis, not routinely
Be selective on what aspects of sources you use to tell the story about your topic
May need to come back to the literature after your analysis as findings emerge

12. Tools and Resources Citation Management System Social Bookmarking
Endnote Basic, Zotero etc.
Social Bookmarking
Diigo, Delicious
Adobe Acrobat Pro – highlighting and comments
Box.utah.edu to store PDFs
Evernote or Excel for tracking research and/or annotations

13. References
Boote, D. N., & Beile, P. (2005). Scholars before researchers: On the centrality of the dissertation literature review in research preparation. Educational researcher, 34(6), 3-15.
Creswell, J. W. (2002). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Oliver, P. (2012). Succeeding with Your Literature Review : A Handbook for Students. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education. p. 1
Websites