the scientific literature review

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The Scientific Literature Review

OBJECTIVES/RATIONALE

Background research is a vital component of the scientific research process. The students

will be able to locate, identify and critique key elements of scientific literature to discoverwhat is known and what remains to be learned about a topic.

TEKS: 121.12 4A, 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D TAKS ELA 1, 3, 4, 6

Science 1

KEY POINTS

Literature review refers to an extensive, exhaustive, and systematic examination ofpublications relevant to the stated research problem. It acknowledges the strengths and

weaknesses of the articles.

The literature review is an important component of every research project for thefollowing reasons:

(1) to determine the extent of the theory and research that have been developed in the

field of study(2)to identify the definition of concepts and variables which have already been

established in the literature and examine the research designs, methods, scales,

instruments, measures, and techniques of data analysis used by(3)to discover what is known and what remains to be learned in the field. Many

times a study can be identified that can be replicated or whose findings mat be

compared or contrasted with the proposed research study.(4)to become aware of difficulties experienced by others which may save time,

money, and error or identify ethical issues(5)to find a well-written article to use as a guide in writing the research paper

To do an effective literature review:(1) locate all current (within the last 2-3 years) pertinent publications(2) summarize and record the content of each(3)perform a critical review of the major works to identify the merits and

weaknesses of each element theoretical perspective, definitions, researchdesigns, methods, instruments, data analysis, and conclusions

LOCATING PUBLICATIONSThe most rapid access to current journals is obtained by a computer search of theliterature. MEDLARS medical literature analysis and retrieval system is designed to

achieve rapid access via computer to thousands of journals in the National Library of

Medicine. MEDLINE , CATLINE, CANCERLINE, SCISEARCH, and ERIC are others.Confer with a librarian for the most efficient use of time.

Books and articles are categorized as either primary or secondary sources.


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PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCESThe first stage of the literature review is a general attempt to locate all pertinent publications.

The second stage is to summarize and record relevant contents, and the third stage is a criticalreview of the major works concerning the research topic to identify the strengths and weaknesses

of each. Publications that do meet high standards are discarded.

The first stage is to identify what has been published on the topic, when, and by whom. Today,

researchers tend to include the most recent works those that have been published within the last

three years. These will often summarize and critique earlier works and provide bibliographies forfurther searches. The most recent publications are found in professional journals. These can be

located most efficiently by a computer search in health science libraries. The most rapid access

to journal citations is MEDLARS or MEDLINE. CATLINE refers to specific subject areas injournals.

Once a list of useful books and articles is composed, a search is needed to locate and scrutinize

each of them. It is always more desirable to use primary sources whenever possible. Primarysources are first-hand accounts of events, such as diaries, patient charts, letters, eyewitness

accounts, professional journals, autobiographies, research reports, and information collected by

interviews and questionnaires. Secondary sources are second-hand accounts. These include:histories, biographies, textbooks, and materials that give secondary analysis of the data found in

primary records. The competent researcher never relies solely on secondary sources and always

reviews the primary source as a check against possible errors.

The researcher then makes records of the sources studied and summarizes the pertinentinformation found in each. The most common and useful method for recording bibliographical

information is to write the complete information for each publication on a separate 3X5 card.

These cards are kept in alphabetical order in a file to be a ready source to cite relevant works inthe body of the research paper.

The researcher must develop an orderly and systematic approach to coding their index cards. It is

important to summarize an article or book using the same format each time. This will enablequick comparisons later.

One method is to use colored 3X5 index cards (orange, blue and green). Use the orange forquotes from literature use quotes for specific hypotheses or direct quotes. Use blue to

summarize information from the book or article; and green to record insights or ideas.

For books, examine the title page and scan the authors credentials. Then, scan the table ofcontents, the index, the bibliography, charts, and tables. Read the preface to determine the

authors purpose. If the book is promising, keep it for a more critical review.

For an article, examine the authors credentials, scan the hypothesis, and focus on the methods of

research used (how the sample was selected and the data was analyzed). Read the conclusion and

summary. Retain sound and pertinent articles.


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To summarize and record the information, note author, title, and year of publication.

For information from a research paper, record:

1) problem statement2) definition of concepts3) hypotheses4) theories and assumptions5) research methods6) data collection instruments7) research design8) methods and findings of data analysis9) interpretation of data did it support or reject hypothesis?10) recommendations for further research11) also, note missing data and limitations of research

Manual searches to identify relevant publications may be done at a library by examining the card

catalog, indexes, abstracts, and various reference sources.

Community professionals in the field of interest are also a good source of information and

referrals for relevant professional publications and information.

The researcher can compare the different approaches from different scientists to the same

problem. Comparisons will help the researcher to: contrast concepts, uncover competing theories

to explain the same phenomenon, consider various research designs, consider differentinstruments for data collection and discover instruments already developed. This comparison will

allow the student to consider whether a survey, or an experiment will be most suitable for theproposed project. The student may also find a study that is appropriate to replicate in order to add

depth to research also performed or a well-written study to use as a guide.

ELEMENTS OF SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE

(1) Title short, specific, clear(2) Abstract overview of article to stimulate reader interest

(3) Introduction WHY did you start this research?(Present tense)

(4) Literature Review What information already exists on this subject?(5) Materials & Methods HOW was the research carried out?(Past tense)

(design, target population, treatment, analytical methods)

(6) Results WHAT did you find?(past tense)

(7) Discussion WHAT do the results mean?(present tense)(8) References/Bibliography(9) Appendices


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SUMMARIZING AND RECORDINGMake a record of the sources studies and summarize the pertinent information found in

each. A systematic procedure for recording the information is vital.

The most common and useful method for recording bibliographical information is towrite the complete information for each source on a separate 3X5 card. Information

should include:1) the surname of the author(s) followed by the complete given name2) the complete title and subtle

3) the date, publisher, place of publication, and edition

4) the journal in which the article appeared, date in detail, and pages of the article5) bibliography or index

6) call number of the local library a time saver if needed

Keep these cards in alphabetical order, in a permanent file box.

Record (1) problem statement (2) definition of concepts (3) hypothesis (4) theories

(5) methods of research including sample selection (6) instruments used (7) type ofresearch design (8) methods and data analysis (9) interpretation of data whether he

hypothesis supported or rejected (10) recommendations and suggestions for further

research. Also note any limitations such as data that was missing, threats to validity, etc.

CRITICAL REVIEW

A critical review of the literature includes the following:*qualification of the author to undertake the research

*the structure of the research report

*the extent to which the introduction informs the reader of what the author hasstudied the problem, definition of concepts, objectives, hypothesis, variables,

operational definitions, assumptions, and theoretical perspectives

*Is it a primary or secondary source?

*Is the research design appropriate for the study?*Does the method of sampling allow the author to generalize findings?

*Was the method of data collection ethical and proper?

*Did the author completely discuss the data, tested hypotheses, present data intables and graphs, use consultants where necessary, and explain how missing data

was handled?

*How did the author compare the findings to those of others in the literature?

*How did the author generalize the findings to target populations?*Did the author examine their own strengths and weaknesses, report limitations,

and make recommendations for further research?

* Were all works cited included in the bibliography?*Was the abstract clear and concise?

*Was the writing style organized and objective?


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ACTIVITIES

Participate in a weekly Research Forum. In groups of four, identify and critique

components of a scientific paper found in a professional journal and report to the class

using the suggested format.

MATERIALS NEEDEDResearch Forum Suggested Format

Research Forum Summary Format

ASSESSMENT

Research Forum Critique Form


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Research ForumSuggested Format

Working in groups of four, students will analyze a selected journal article according tothe following format:

STUDENT #1 will introduce the article stating the: title, author, researchsite, and hypothesis (~ 4 minutes)

STUDENT #2 will explain the materials, methods, and statistical methods

(~ 6 minutes)

STUDENT #3 will explain results, conclusions, and identify whether

the question, as stated in the hypothesis, was answered

(~ 5 minutes)

STUDENT #4 will summarize the article and critique it stating possiblelimitations and suggestions for improvement (~ 5 minutes)

NOTE: Limit the time allowed for each student to present their component and assign

students to a different component each week.


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Research ForumSummary Format

Each research literature review will closely follow this format (written reviews as well as

oral reports). The body of the literature review must be no more than two pages in length.

A cover page and bibliography will also be included.

Identification: Information necessary to locate the source of this study (Possible points)

Title: What is the title of the research? _____(5)Author(s): Who conducted the research? _____(5)

Location: Where did the research take place? _____(5)

Source: Where is this research published? _____(5)

Introduction: What is the significance of the research?

Problem: What needs to be investigated? _____(5)Purpose: What would be accomplished by investigating this problem? _____(5)

Significance: Why and to whom would this research be important? _____(5)

Background Literature: What have other researchers found on this topic? _____(5)

Method: How was the research carried out?

Subjects: Who participated in the study? _____(5)

Treatment: How were the conditions changed during the experiment? _____(9)Assessment: What investigative tools were used to determine the results? _____(6)

Results: What was found during the treatment or investigation? _____(5)

Conclusions: What does the research claim the results of the study indicate?

Findings: What discoveries did the researcher make? _____(10)

Interpretation: What new understandings have resulted from this study? _____(10)Limitations: What are the possible limitations of this study? _____(10)

Further research: What questions arise as a result of this research? _____(5)

TOTAL _____(100

Name of Evaluator: _______________________________Date: ________________________


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Research ForumCritique Form

Student Presenters Name: __________________________________________________

Reported on: (circle one) 1. title, author, hypothesis2. materials, methods, statistics3. results, conclusions

4. summary, critique of article, suggestions for

improvement

Rate this presentation on the following scale (circle one)

Low 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 High

Most outstanding quality of this presentation:

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Suggestions for improvement

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the scientific literature review

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