LB306 Writing a Literature Review

Lance Dann and Rob Greens

What is a Literature Review?

“… a systematic… method for identifying, evaluating and interpreting the… work produced by researchers, scholars and practitioners.”

Fink, A., 1998

What is a Literature Rebiew?

“An interpretation and synthesis of published work”

Merriam, 1988

So what do you do?

READ PUBLISHED WORK

Study a wide range of printed and web-based materials

INTERPRETATIONExplain the significance and interpret the evidence presented in each piece of literature – not simply listing what other have written

Synthesise your readings and findings

Why do this?

“I not only use all the brains that I have but all that I can borrow” Woodrow Wilson

Research may be done alone – but it is never done in isolation. The production of new knowledge is fundamentally dependent on past knowledge.

Four Main Reasons for Reviewing Literature

1) Critical overview of Previous Research

Four Main Reasons for Reviewing Literature

2. Help you find GAPS in knowledge

Four Main Reasons for Reviewing Literature

3) Work out the necessity and rationale for your study (is it needed?)

Four Main Reasons for Reviewing Literature

4. Set boundaries for your study

This will help you...

GET YOUR OWN

IDEA!

Planning

1. Define the topic (general reading and list of terms)

2. Think about the scope (what is the time from you have?)

3. Think about the outcomes (what is it want to get out of the search)

4. Think how to management the search

5. Plan your sources (list and sequence sources to be searched)

Questions to ask

• What is known about the broad topic?• What are the landmark works in the field?• What methodologies are people using in the fields I

am interested in?• What frameworks and concepts are people using?

Be Selective

You can’t read everything… so don’t.

Be Selective

Be Selective

How to manage your research

Get Organised

• Summarise ideas • Copy out or copy paste

key quotes• Use bibliographic

software if you can get it.• Organise your ideas by

themes

A research review will

• Include an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of theories

• Demonstrate clear understanding.

• Cite the key theories• Give a clear indication of

how the review links to your research question.

A research review will

• Include a definition of the boundaries of your research report

• A selection and synthesis (combination) of existing arguments to form a new perspective.

• Through gradual refinement, it will include a demarcation of the research problem.

A research review is not…

• A list of the work of others.

• A review of the literature.

• A history of your subject.

• A place where you get to sound off about your subject.

HOMEWORK

• Identify three topics you are interested.• Go online or go to library and find out what are

the chief texts and writers associated with them.• Work out what the key phrases, ideas and

concepts you will be looking up.• Prepare a simple sheet with them on. • Next week we search out texts in earnest!