THE LITERATURE REVIEW

RSCH 7100EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

RELATED LITERATURE REVIEW

Systematic identification, location, and analysis of documents

Documents--journal articles, journal reviews, ERIC papers, monographs, books, periodicals, abstracts

LITERATURE REVIEWWhy??Because we said so---NO, NO, NOAssists in formulating research questionPoints out possible research strategiesPoints out possible measuring devices

LITERATURE REVIEW Introduces you to significant

research personalitiesMay replicate or extend previous

studyMay find inconsitencies in studies

LITERATURE REVIEWMay question applicability of findings to

different samples, cultures, regionsStudy may already have been conductedProvides a context-rationale for studyFacilitates interpretation of study results

LITERATURE REVIEWStudies already conducted related to

your research questionProvides suggestions about what

studies need to still be conducted

PREPARATION TO WRITEAlways keep your research problem

centralDiscussion of documents readHave a plan of ATTACKBegin discussion like inverted pyramidBroad topic to specific nature of

research proposal

PREPARATION TO WRITEHeadings and subheadingsStrive for clarityEmphasize relatedness between

research question and literature reviewed

Integrate-integrate-integrate

PREPARATION TO WRITEAvoid quotesParaphrase, paraphrase, paraphraseEnd of section, summarize findingsSignificance of literature reviewed

linked to research questionAnswers “What does all this mean?”

PREPARATION TO WRITEMake an outlineMain topics orderedSubtopics under each main topicAnalyze references with outlineRead most recent ones first, oldest lastSeminal works important

PREPARATION TO WRITERead abstracts first--is article

appropriate?Sort references where fit in outlineUse data-based, empirical studiesOpinion pieces, descriptive research

helpful in introduction--set stage

PREPARATION TO WRITEDon’t ignore studies that differ from

majority or personal bias.Why different findings?References least related to research

question FIRSTReferences most related to research

question LAST

PREPARATION TO WRITERelated literature review is NOT a

series of abstracts or annotations Integrate-integrate-integrateNot a literary production---be clear

and concise

SOURCE GUIDELINEPrimary Source -- description of

study written by person who conducted it

Secondary Source -- much briefer description of study written by other than original researcher

Use Primary Sources

YeaaaWe are

DONE!!