Writing a Literature Writing a Literature ReviewReview

General Guidelines to General Guidelines to Writing a Literature ReviewWriting a Literature Review

Introduce the literature review by Introduce the literature review by pointing out the major research topic pointing out the major research topic that will be discussedthat will be discussed

Identify the broad problem area but Identify the broad problem area but don’t be too global don’t be too global (for example, (for example, discussing the history of education when the topic discussing the history of education when the topic is on specific instructional strategy)is on specific instructional strategy)

Discuss the general importance of Discuss the general importance of your topic for those in your fieldyour topic for those in your field

General Guidelines to General Guidelines to Writing a Literature Writing a Literature

ReviewReview Don’t attempt to cover everything Don’t attempt to cover everything

written on your topicwritten on your topic You will need to pick out the research You will need to pick out the research

most relevant to the topic you are most relevant to the topic you are studyingstudying

You will use the studies in your You will use the studies in your literature review as “evidence” that literature review as “evidence” that your research question is an your research question is an important oneimportant one

General Guidelines to General Guidelines to Writing a Literature ReviewWriting a Literature Review

It is important to cover research It is important to cover research relevant to all the variables being relevant to all the variables being studied.studied.

Research that explains the Research that explains the relationship between these relationship between these variables is a top priority.variables is a top priority.

You will need to plan how you will You will need to plan how you will structure your literature review structure your literature review and write from this plan.and write from this plan.

Organizing Your Literature Organizing Your Literature ReviewReview

Topical OrderTopical Order—organize by main —organize by main topics or issues; emphasize the topics or issues; emphasize the relationship of the issues to the relationship of the issues to the main “problem”main “problem”

Chronological OrderChronological Order—organize the —organize the literature by the dates the research literature by the dates the research was publishedwas published

Problem-Cause-Solution OrderProblem-Cause-Solution Order——Organize the review so that it Organize the review so that it moves from the problem to the moves from the problem to the solutionsolution

Organizing Your Literature Organizing Your Literature ReviewReview

General-to-Specific OrderGeneral-to-Specific Order—(Also —(Also called the funnel approach) Examine called the funnel approach) Examine broad-based research first and then broad-based research first and then focus on specific studies that relate focus on specific studies that relate to the topicto the topic

Specific-to-General OrderSpecific-to-General Order—Try to —Try to make discuss specific research make discuss specific research studies so conclusions can be drawnstudies so conclusions can be drawn

After reviewing the literature, After reviewing the literature, summarize what has been done, summarize what has been done, what has not been done, and what what has not been done, and what needs to be doneneeds to be done

Remember you are arguing your Remember you are arguing your point of why your study is important!point of why your study is important!

Then pose a formal research Then pose a formal research question or state a hypothesis—be question or state a hypothesis—be sure this is clearly linked to your sure this is clearly linked to your literature reviewliterature review

Literature ReviewLiterature Review

Literature ReviewLiterature Review All sources cited in the literature All sources cited in the literature

review should be listed in the review should be listed in the referencesreferences

To sum, a literature review should To sum, a literature review should include introduction, summary and include introduction, summary and critique of journal articles, critique of journal articles, justifications for your research justifications for your research project and the hypothesis for your project and the hypothesis for your research projectresearch project

Common Errors Made in Common Errors Made in Lit ReviewsLit Reviews

Review isn’t logically organizedReview isn’t logically organized Review isn’t focused on most important Review isn’t focused on most important

facets of the studyfacets of the study Review doesn’t relate literature to the Review doesn’t relate literature to the

studystudy Too few references or outdated Too few references or outdated

references citedreferences cited Review isn’t written in author’s own Review isn’t written in author’s own

wordswords Review reads like a series of disjointed Review reads like a series of disjointed

summariessummaries Review doesn’t argue a pointReview doesn’t argue a point Recent references are omittedRecent references are omitted

Writing the Literature Writing the Literature ReviewReview

Plagiarism includes Plagiarism includes (Galvan, pg. 89)(Galvan, pg. 89)::1.1. Using another writer’s words without proper Using another writer’s words without proper

citationcitation2.2. Using another writer’s ideas without proper citationUsing another writer’s ideas without proper citation3.3. Citing a source but reproducing the exact word Citing a source but reproducing the exact word

without quotation markswithout quotation marks4.4. Borrowing the structure of another author’s Borrowing the structure of another author’s

phrases/sentences without giving the sourcephrases/sentences without giving the source5.5. Borrowing all or part of another student’s paperBorrowing all or part of another student’s paper6.6. Using paper-writing service or having a friend write Using paper-writing service or having a friend write

the paperthe paper