Purpose of a Literature Purpose of a Literature ReviewReview

Potential Research SourcesPotential Research Sources

Writing a Literature ReviewWriting a Literature Review

Purpose of a Literature Purpose of a Literature ReviewReview

A literature is a body of related work A literature is a body of related work on a topic.on a topic.

A literature review is a systematic A literature review is a systematic examination and interpretation of the examination and interpretation of the literature for the purpose of literature for the purpose of informing further work on a topic.informing further work on a topic.

Purpose of a Literature Purpose of a Literature ReviewReview

A literature review has many A literature review has many complementary purposes, including:complementary purposes, including:– Learning about what others have discoveredLearning about what others have discovered– Identifying important research questions Identifying important research questions

that have not been addressed fullythat have not been addressed fully– Identifying the data, methods, and research Identifying the data, methods, and research

strategies that others have used to answer strategies that others have used to answer specific questionsspecific questions

– Narrowing or focusing a research topic, and Narrowing or focusing a research topic, and motivating and developing a specific motivating and developing a specific research questionresearch question

Potential Research SourcesPotential Research Sources

Potential research topics may come Potential research topics may come from many sources: from many sources: – Personal sources (your own experiences)Personal sources (your own experiences)– Nonscholarly sources (news media)Nonscholarly sources (news media)– Scholarly sources (academic books or Scholarly sources (academic books or

journals)journals) But only scholarly sources will be useful But only scholarly sources will be useful

in satisfying the scientific requirement in satisfying the scientific requirement of relevance to the disciplineof relevance to the discipline

Potential Research SourcesPotential Research Sources

One of the most common questions One of the most common questions students ask is, “How many sources students ask is, “How many sources are necessary in a literature review?” are necessary in a literature review?”

There is no magic number of sources.There is no magic number of sources. The number of sources depends on The number of sources depends on

the purpose and scope of the project, the purpose and scope of the project, as well as what is available.as well as what is available.

Potential Research SourcesPotential Research Sources

Electronic databases like Web of Science, Electronic databases like Web of Science, Google Scholar, or JSTOR will allow you to Google Scholar, or JSTOR will allow you to locate sources quickly and efficiently.locate sources quickly and efficiently.

Begin with simple keyword searches.Begin with simple keyword searches. Then search for work cited in the work you Then search for work cited in the work you

find.find. Reading article abstracts, book prefaces, Reading article abstracts, book prefaces,

and book reviews are also efficient and book reviews are also efficient methods.methods.

Potential Research SourcesPotential Research Sources To organize and write an effective literature To organize and write an effective literature

review, focus on concepts, ideas, and review, focus on concepts, ideas, and methods shared across the literature. methods shared across the literature.

Identifying and writing about commonalities Identifying and writing about commonalities and differences may make for a more and differences may make for a more interesting and higher quality literature interesting and higher quality literature review.review.

The goal is to integrate previous research The goal is to integrate previous research along conceptual and methodological lines along conceptual and methodological lines to explain how previous work fits together to explain how previous work fits together and how the current project fits into that and how the current project fits into that literature.literature.