Download - How to Write a Literature Review & Abstract: 10/17/2019 ...How to Write a Literature Review & Abstract: Dr. Mario Guerrero 10/17/2019 1 Dr. Mario Guerrero Thursday, October 17 Agenda:

How to Write a Literature Review & Abstract: Dr. Mario Guerrero

10/17/2019

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Dr. Mario GuerreroThursday, October 17

Agenda: 1. What is a literature review?2. Using the library to do a

literature review3. Literature review strategies4. What about the abstract?

Dr. Mario Guerrero (@marioguerrero) 10/17/19: Literature Reviews & Abstracts

What is a lit review? Using the library Lit Review Strategies Abstracts

What is a literature review?

The literature review is a critical, often overlooked, component of good research.



On the shoulders of giants

Good research builds off the work of existing studies, leading us to the

gradual development of knowledge in

academia.



When do I do the literature review?

Question/Problem

Argument

Literature Review

Methodology

Analysis



DEFINITION. The literature review is an ANALYTIC summary of the past

work relevant to your topic.

OBJECTIVE. To explain the context behind your research question/problem and to lay the logic for your argument.

Literature Review

Students have trouble with the literature review because it’s a very specific task that requires a

different type of writing.



a

“Literature” just does not include any source you can find. The review

focuses mostly on “peer reviewed” sources.

Academic journals

Books

A literature review covers…

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And finally…

A literature review is not a list of books and journal

articles. You have to analyze how these sources are thematically connected.

A good literature review can have anywhere from 15‐60 sources.



All your resources are found here!

Using the library to do a literature review



Using the library to do a literature review

You should think of the library has having multiple search engines for millions

of potential sources.

Keywords are very important, including “exact phrases”



Library Resources: Books



Library Resources: OneSearch

The CPP Library has “OneSearch”, a

database where you can search for books. We have access to books in

our stacks, but also eBooks and the libraries of all

other 22 CSU campuses.



Library Resources: Books

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Library Resources: Journal Articles



Library Resources: Journal Articles

This helps you navigate to the main page of the journal, where you can

only search that journal’s content.



Library Resources: Document Delivery

If we do not have access to a specific journal article, the library will find it for you, free of

charge! Never pay for access!



Library Resources: Databases

Cal Poly Pomona has access to almost 200 different databases.



Databases are incomplete listings of articles and books, both scholarly and non‐scholarly, but you should be looking everywhere for sources.

•Academic Search Premier• JSTOR•Web of Science (SSCI)•Google Scholar•Proquest

Library Resources: Databases



Ultimately, you are hoping to collect sources in an attempt to tell a story about the literature.

Wait… what are we doing again?

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There are multiple ways to organize a literature review:• Areas of consensus in the literature• Areas of disagreement in the literature• Definition and measurement of key concepts• Data sources other researchers have used• Comparison of research designs of previous studies• Identify gaps or existing questions in the literature• The identification of theoretical vs. empirical approaches

It is ultimately up to you in how you want to decide to organize the literature review. You can do it any way you see fit.

How do you tell this story?



Literature Review Strategies

As the literature review is a specific

task, there are certain strategies to think

about before starting the literature review.



Style

In David Mayhew’s Congress: The Electoral Connection, he argues that congressmembers

focus all their efforts on re‐election.

Mayhew (1976) argues that congressmembers focus all their efforts on re‐election.



Citations

A good literature review necessitates careful

attention and organization with citations.

The university offers support for Zotero.



Start with an annotated bibliography



Organization

In the introduction to the literature

review, have a road map that tells the reader how you

have organized the sources.

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Organization

“Legal theorists have thoroughly discussed the concept of privacy. One group of theorists argues that privacy should be defined in strict accordance with individual rights. Another group argues that privacy should be defined in reference to governmental concerns. However, these scholars fail to recognize the lack of such a definition in the Constitution. This paper contributes to the literature by suggesting the Constitution provides an entirely different definition of privacy.”



The Literature Review!

By keeping organized and understanding the style of these papers, a literature review can be a rewarding

synthesis of the prior research that lays the groundwork for your

project.



What about the abstract?

The abstract is also often overlooked, but it is a short

paragraph (5‐8 sentences) that describes your research.



Why are abstracts so difficult to write?

There are no formal rules to write an abstract and sometimes you are asked for an abstract before the research is finished.



What should the abstract include?

•The argument of your research•The method used to gather evidence•The findings

Think of the abstract as the “trailer for your movie”. How can you communicate the point of your research in a simple

and straightforward way?



Questions?

Professor Mario [email protected] 94‐303

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Download - How to Write a Literature Review & Abstract: 10/17/2019 ...How to Write a Literature Review & Abstract: Dr. Mario Guerrero 10/17/2019 1 Dr. Mario Guerrero Thursday, October 17 Agenda:

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