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© The Association of Independent Schools of NSW
The Literature Review Rhiannon Richards
Canberra Girls Grammar School
29 August 2014
© The Association of Independent Schools of NSW
Why a Literature Review?
Meet a need in an area
Build on findings of others
Highlight existing dichotomies
Provide a backdrop for your work
Broaden and deepen subject knowledge
Familiarisation with key terms
Demonstrate ability to research (based on http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf p.1)
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What is a Literature Review – Quiz Yourself
Poll Everywhere:
PollEv.com/rhiannonrich146
6 True/ False statements: answers anonymous
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What is a Literature Review – Self Quiz
1) T/F You should review all key literature in your area.
2) T/F You should always outline the possibility for further research.
3) T/F A thesis statement is instrumental in guiding your research.
4) T/F A research question is instrumental in guiding your research.
5) T/F You should abandon literature irrelevant to your narrow research area.
6) T/F You can only structure your literature review in one way.
(Based on: http://unimelb.libguides.com/lit_reviews p.0)
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What is a Literature Review? 1
“A literature review is the presentation, classification and evaluation of what other researchers have written on a particular subject.”
(http://unimelb.libguides.com/lit_reviews p.1: my emphasis in bold)
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What is a Literature Review? 2
“A literature review is an evaluative comparison of various pieces of research…It shows the reader what previous research has been done in your field, critiques previous methodology, and evaluates prior studies to show an information gap which your own research will fill.”
(http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf p.1: my emphasis in bold)
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Important Note about Literature Reviews
You review literature about your topic area, not action research itself
Remember to skim and scan the texts
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How to Begin 1
Firstly identify your research area
A question can help (refine during process)
In conjunction with supervisor
Know its boundaries
The length of your review
What you will collect (context, background, history)
Number of references: suggest 25+ at Masters level
(Johnson, 2012, p.51)
Justify your selection (and omissions) later
(http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf p.2-3)
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How to Begin 2
Collect sufficient academic resources for your chosen area e.g. Books
Journals
Other research papers
Articles
Abstracts
Reference lists/ bibliographies
Government departments e.g. Australian Bureau of Statistics
(http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf p.2-3)
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How to Begin 3
Your sources should encompass: a range of primary sources
a historical snap-shot
the most recent research
the most pertinent texts (gurus)
You can find these Online e.g. EBSCO database, Google Scholar
At a library (school, local public, university)
Consider inter-library loans
(http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf p.2-3)
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How to Begin 4
Testing the validity of a text:
Is it relevant?
Does it make a contribution?
Is it reliable?
Is there good content and evidence?
What is the argument/ reasoning? (beware bias)
Does it reinforce or disprove a hypothesis?
Is the sample size adequate? (http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf p.2-3)
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How to Begin 5
Many people like to think of a funnel
A broad array of information narrows down to your topic area
Hard copy notes on one side can be useful to organise links
Could write a short paragraph about each source,
using codes e.g. RR 2014
Later produce a rough draft, revise it then edit
(Johnson 2012, p.55-57)
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How to Collect Data 1
Begin your reference list straight away
You could use the software “Endnote”
Read, evaluate and collate information
Use headings
Make connections
Try a mindmap
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How to Collect Data 2
You could use a recording approach relative to your stance e.g.
YES
Yes, but
Yes, BUT
No, but
No, BUT
NO
(http://unimelb.libguides.com/lit_reviews p.3)
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How to Collect Data 3
Alternatively record in a more factual way Author
Year
Study type
Sample
Design
Data collection approach
Key findings and definitions (http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf
p.3, http://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/learning_guides/learningGuide_writingLiteratureReview.pdf)
A form of annotated bibliography may help
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How to Write Up 1
Consider your audience: literature review should help them
General layout: introduction, body, conclusion
Should identify: overall trends
similar/ opposing theories
trail-blazers
gaps
(http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf)
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How to Write Up 2
Take a stance: Place your study in relation to the literature you review
Amount: greater number of words per work = more importance
(http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf)
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How to Write Up 3
Possible grouping ideas
Similar/ different methodology ( e.g. qualitative vs. quantitative)
By outcome
By relevance
By similarity or divergence
Chronologically
(based on http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf p.3)
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Grammar 1
Consider your reader and register: relatively formal
Signpost your work using:
subheadings
cohesive devices (although, however etc.)
Vary your sentence structure
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Grammar 2
Consider active versus passive voice
E.g. The student wrote the thesis (active)
The thesis was written by the student (passive)
Topic sentences can be very useful
Please use a spelling and grammar checker
Consider asking a proofreader
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Questions it Attempts to Answer
1. “What do we know about the area of inquiry?
2. What are the relationships between key concepts, factors, variables?
3. What needs further testing because evidence is lacking, inconclusive, contradictory, limited?
4. What designs or methods are faulty?
5. Why study this question further?
6. What contribution will your work make?” (http://www.csu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/82796/LitReview.pdf p.2)
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Useful Tips
Avoid deleting any information you gather
Avoid overwriting your documents
Save as different versions instead
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Plagiarism
Avoid plagiarism through:
Quotations
Paraphrasing
Quoting the source
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You are not alone…
If you need support remember to ask
Other candidates
Your supervisor
A librarian
The ISTAA forum
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Final Checklist
You have…
Defined your question and its scope
Found, read and analysed appropriate literature
Including a range of methodology, theory, models etc.
Kept details for a reference list
Written an introduction, body and conclusion
Incorporating different points of view
Spell and grammar checked work
(based on http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/litreview.jsp)
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Reference List
Websites Writing a Literature Review, CSU, viewed 4 June 2014,
http://www.csu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/82796/LitReview.pdf
Literature Reviews, Flinders University, viewed 4 June 2014, http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf
Writing Literature Reviews, Monash University, viewed 4 June 2014, http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/general/lit-reviews/index.xml
Writing a Literature Review, QUT, viewed 4 June 2014, http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/litreview.jsp
Writing a Literature Review, The University of Adelaide, viewed 4 June 2014, http://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/learning_guides/learningGuide_writingLiteratureReview.pdf
Helpsheet: Literature Reviews, The University of Melbourne, viewed 4 June 2014, http://unimelb.libguides.com/lit_reviews
University of Canberra http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/literature Writing a Literature Review
Writing a Literature Review, UNE, viewed 4 June 2014 http://www.une.edu.au/current-students/resources/academic-skills/fact-sheets
Book Johnson, Andrew P. 2012, A Short Guide to Action Research (Fourth Edition), Pearson, New
Jersey
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Rhiannon Richards Canberra Girls Grammar School Melbourne Avenue Deakin ACT
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