developing the literature review from an outline · pdf fileexercise 1: developing the review...

The Literature Review (Sophia Butt)

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Exercise 1: Developing the Review from an Outline The following simple model illustrates the common structure of paragraphs in a Literature Review. Note: A similar structure is used in Article Reviews, only with reference to a single author: A concept is introduced / A point is made (topic sentence) + It is supported with references or previous research results + More support is added + If there is information refuting or contradicting the point made, it is added + More negative evidence is added (if there is any) + The different points of view are compared and contrasted + A conclusion (restating the topic sentence) is drawn.

Task: Read the following paragraphs on ‘Learning Styles’ and identify the structure above. Determine the extent to which the model is followed and state whether you see some differences:

Learning Styles

In order to understand the importance of learning styles in the language classroom, it is

first important to provide a definition of what learning styles are. Reid (1995:45) defines

learning style as “an individual's natural, habitual, and preferred way(s) of absorbing,

processing, and retaining new information and skills”. In a similar way, Brown (2000)

states that every person has their own natural way to perceive, transform, learn, and

possess knowledge and information in their environment.

Using a narrower concept, Larsen-Freeman & Long (1991:192) define ‘cognitive style’ as

“the preferred way in which learners process information or address a task”. Their

definition is limited in that, as will be seen when a classification of learning styles is given

(Reid, 1995), there are learning styles that do not depend on cognitive processes.

Finally, it is important to mention that learning styles will not vary across teaching

methods and content areas, they will persist (Reid, 1995 and 1998); and, even though

they develop gradually in children, they are supposed to be more or less permanent in

adults (Brown, 2000). It can then be concluded that learning styles are the somewhat

permanent ways in which learners perceive, process, and understand the information

around them.

[Adapted from: ‘The Internet’ (2003) TESL Journal, Vol. IX, No. 4 http://iteslj.org/]

http://iteslj.org/


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Exercise 2: Connectors - Achieving coherence & expressing a voice

When relaying information about a subject, different writers can express an opinion on the topic

simply through their choice of connector. While the basic information remains unchanged, they

are able to influence the reader and therefore manipulate what is presented. Connectors also

create cohesion and coherence within the text. Consider the following:

Information: John is i) old, ii) unattractive & iii) very rich

Same information, different points of view…

John is old and unattractive. However, he is incredibly wealthy.

John is very rich. Nevertheless, he is old and unattractive.

Despite the fact that John is old and unattractive, he usually has much success in enticing partners. This fact could be attributed to his material wealth.

John has some qualities; for example, he is very wealthy. On the other hand, he has the unwanted characteristics of being old and unattractive.

While Peter is young and handsome, John is rather old and ugly. In fact, John's appearance is a little offensive to the eye.

Note how the writer’s viewpoint differs in each of the above sentences.

Parts a) and b) below provide some keywords about two different topics, motivation and ethics.

Using a variety of connectors, create a total of four sentences where each sentence pair for a)

and b) offers a different voice or point of view.

a) Motivation: i) incentive schemes, ii) group bonus systems, and iii) workplace performance

1. …………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. …………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

b) Ethics: i) advertising aimed at children, ii) psychological development, and iii) profit

1. …………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. …………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………….


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Exercise 3: Evaluating three short reviews

Comment on the following reviews written for a history course on beer drinking habits in Medieval England. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each and which review is reasonably well written?

Example 1: Judith Bennett’s Ale, Beer and Brewsters in England: Women’s Work in a Changing World, 1300-

1600, investigates how women used to brew and sell the majority of ale drunk in England.

Historically, ale and beer (not milk, wine or water) were important elements of the English diet.

Ale brewing was low-skill and low status labour that was complimentary to women’s domestic

responsibilities. In the early fifteenth century, brewers began to make ale with hops, and they

called this new drink ‘beer’. This technique allowed brewers to produce their beverages at a

lower cost and to sell it more easily, although women generally stopped brewing once the

business became more profitable.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Example 2: Judith Bennett’s Ale, Beer and Brewsters in England: Women’s Work in a Changing World, 1300-

1600, was a colossal disappointment. I wanted to know about the rituals surrounding drinking in

medieval England: the songs, the games, the parties. Bennett provided none of that information.

I liked how the book showed ale and beer brewing as an economic activity, but the reader gets

lost in the details of prices and wages. I was more interested in the private lives of the women

brewsters. The book was divided into eight long chapters.

Strengths

Weaknesses


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Example 3: One of feminism’s paradoxes – one that challenges many of its optimistic histories – is how

patriarchy remains persistent over time. While Bennett’s Ale, Beer and Brewsters in England:

Women’s work in a changing world, 1300-1600 recognizes medieval women as historical actors

through their ale brewing, it also shows that female agency had its limits with the advent of beer.

It was assumed that those limits were religious and political, but Bennett shows how a ‘patriarchal

equilibrium’ also excluded women from economic life. The writer’s analysis of women’s wages in

ale and beer production proves that a change in women’s work does not equate to a change in

the status of working women. Contemporary feminists and historians alike would benefit from

reading this book.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Exercise 4: Tense Choice and Citational Patterns [adapted from John, S. & van Geyte, E. (2010) Writing a Literature Review. Birmingham: EISU]

Tense choice in reviewing previous research is subtle and somewhat flexible. The following,

therefore, are only general guidelines for tense usage. Several studies have shown that at least

two-thirds of all citing statements fall into one of these three major patterns.

Past tense Present perfect Present Jones (1987)

investigated the causes of illiteracy.

The causes of illiteracy were investigated by Jones (1987).

The causes of illiteracy have been widely investigated (Jones, 1987; Ferrara, 1990; Hyon, 1994).

There have been several investigations into the causes of illiteracy (Jones 1987, Ferrara, 1990; Hyon, 1994).

Several researchers have studied the causes of illiteracy.

The causes of illiteracy are complex (Jones, 1987; Ferrara, 1990; Hyon, 1994).

Illiteracy appears to have a complex set of causes.

reference to single studies, focus on what a previous researcher did

reference to areas of inquiry, focus on what previous researchers have done

reference to state of current knowledge, focus on what has been found


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You should be aware that there is much variation within these patterns. The choice of tense, for

example, also depends on the reporting verb. By and large, when verbs are used that focus on

what the previous researcher did (investigated, studied, analysed etc.), the past tense is used.

However, when it refers to what the researcher thought (stated, concluded, claimed, ...) more

tense options are possible:

Jones (1987) concluded that illiteracy can be related to…

Jones (1987) has concluded that…

Jones (1987) concludes that…

Good writers of literature reviews employ a range of citational patterns in order to vary their

sentences.

Look at the following examples where student writers have not varied their citational patterns:

Text A The readings provide conflicting evidence as to whether ESL students from different language

backgrounds vary in performance and behaviour. Kobayashi (1984) reports differences in writing

rhetorical patterns. Huang (1985) concludes that good language learners in China follow

strategies adopted by good language learners elsewhere. Oller et. al. (1970), as cited by Tesdell,

found that spelling errors varied according to the L1 writing system, but Tesdell (1984) found no

such variation.

Text B

There are at least four papers relevant to the question of background variation in ESL. The

earliest found that the L1 writing system had an effect on spelling errors (Oller et al., 1970), but

later work contradicts this finding (Tesdell, 1984). Japanese may be influenced by their

background in the way they organise their writing in English (Kobayashi, 1984). On the other

hand, good language learners may be similar all over the world (Huang, 1985).

developing the literature review from an outline · pdf fileexercise 1: developing the review...

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