What goes in a literature review
If you have any questions, comments,Or suggestions to improve these guidelines please me at e-mail hrallis@ines for writing a literature helen mongan-rallis. Literature review is not an annotated bibliography in which you summarize briefly each article that you have reviewed. While a summary of the what you have read is contained within the literature review, it goes well beyond merely summarizing professional literature. Galvan outlines a very clear, step-by-step approach that is very useful to use as you write your review. I have integrated some other tips within this guide, particularly in suggesting different technology tools that you might want to consider in helping you organize your review. In the sections from step 6-9 what i have included is the outline of those steps exactly as described by galvan. I also provide links at the end of this guide to resources that you should use in order to search the literature and as you write your addition to using the step-by-step guide that i have provided below, i also recommend that you (a) locate examples of literature reviews in your field of study and skim over these to get a feel for what a literature review is and how these are written (i have also provided links to a couple of examples at the end of these guidelines (b) read over other guides to writing literature reviews so that you see different perspectives and approaches: some examples are:Review of literature: university of wisconsin - madison the writing to .. Bluford ed links to resources on writing a literature 1: review apa through the links provided below on apa guidelines so that you become familiar with the common core elements of how to write in apa style: in particular, pay attention to general document guidelines (e. Font, margins, spacing), title page, abstract, body, text citations, 2: decide on a will help you considerably if your topic for your literature review is the one on which you intend to do your final . However, you may pick any scholarly 3: identify the literature that you will review:Familiarize yourself with online databases (see umd library resource links below for help with this), identifying relevant databases in your field of relevant databases, search for literature sources using google scholar and also searching using furl (search all sources, including the furl accounts of other furl members). Some tips for identifying suitable literature and narrowing your search :Start with a general descriptor from the database thesaurus or one that you know is already a well defined descriptor based on past work that you have done in this field.
How to write up a literature review
You will need to experiment with different searches, such as limiting your search to descriptors that appear only in the document titles, or in both the document title and in the ne your topic if needed: as you search you will quickly find out if the topic that you are reviewing is too broad. Try to narrow it to a specific area of interest within the broad area that you have chosen (remember: this is merely an introductory literature review for educ 7001). It is a good idea, as part of your literature search, to look for existing literature reviews that have already been written on this part of your search, be sure to identify landmark or classic studies and theorists as these provide you with a framework/context for your your references into your refworks account (see: refworks import directions for guide on how to do this from different databases). You can also enter references manually into refworks if you need 4: analyze the you have identified and located the articles for your review, you need to analyze them and organize them before you begin writing:Overview the articles: skim the articles to get an idea of the general purpose and content of the article (focus your reading here on the abstract, introduction and first few paragraphs, the conclusion of each article. Key statistics that you may want to use in the introduction to your useful quotes that you may want to include in your review. Important: if you copy the exact words from an article, be sure to cite the page number as you will need this should you decide to use the quote when you write your review (as direct quotes must always be accompanied by page references). Note: although you may collect a large number of quotes during the note taking phase of your review, when you write the review, use quotes very sparingly. Your role as a reviewer is to evaluate what you read, so that your review is not a mere description of different articles, but rather a critical analysis that makes sense of the collection of articles that you are reviewing. Major trends or patterns: as you read a range of articles on your topic, you should make note of trends and patterns over time as reported in the literature. This step requires you to synthesize and make sense of what you read, since these patterns and trends may not be spelled out in the literature, but rather become apparent to you as you review the big picture that has emerged over time. Your analysis can make generalizations across a majority of studies, but should also note inconsistencies across studies and over fy gaps in the literature, and reflect on why these might exist (based on the understandings that you have gained by reading literature in this field of study).
You may also note that studies fall into different categories (categories that you see emerging or ones that are already discussed in the literature). When you write your review, you should address these relationships and different categories and discuss relevant studies using this as a your review focused on your topic: make sure that the articles you find are relevant and directly related to your topic. As you take notes, record which specific aspects of the article you are reading are relevant to your topic (as you read you will come up with key descriptors that you can record in your notes that will help you organize your findings when you come to write up your review). In refworks, put these under user 2 or user 3; in excel have a separate column for each descriptor; if you use inspiration, you might attach a separate note for key te your references for currency and coverage: although you can always find more articles on your topic, you have to decide at what point you are finished with collecting new resources so that you can focus on writing up your findings. Typically a review will cover the last five years, but should also refer to any landmark studies prior to this time if they have significance in shaping the direction of the field. If you include studies prior to the past five years that are not landmark studies, you should defend why you have chosen these rather than more current 5: summarize the literature in table or concept map (2006) recommends building tables as a key way to help you overview, organize, and summarize your findings, and suggests that including one or more of the tables that you create may be helpful in your literature review. If you do include tables as part of your review each must be accompanied by an analysis that summarizes, interprets and synthesizes the literature that you have charted in the can plan your table or do the entire summary chart of your literature using a concept map (such as using inspiration). Of tables that may be relevant to your review:Definitions of key terms and y of research 6: synthesize the literature prior to writing your the notes that you have taken and summary tables, develop an outline of your final review. In the case of this educ 7001 introductory literature review, your initial purpose is to provide an overview of the topic that is of interest to you, demonstrating your understanding of key works and concepts within your chosen area of focus. You are also developing skills in reviewing and writing, to provide a foundation on which you will build in subsequent courses within your . In your final project your literature review should demonstrate your command of your field of study and/or establishing context for a study that you have er how you reassemble your notes: plan how you will organize your findings into a unique analysis of the picture that you have captured in your notes.
In the case of a literature review, you are really creating a new forest, which you will build by using the trees you found in the literature you read. This can then be exported into a microsoft word nize your notes according to the path of your each topic heading, note differences among each topic heading, look for obvious gaps or areas needing more to describe relevant to discuss how individual studies relate to and advance to summarize periodically and, again near the end of the to present conclusions and to suggest specific directions for future research near the end of the out your outline with details from your 7: writing the review (galvan, 2006: 81-90). The broad problem area, but avoid global in the review, indicate why the topic being reviewed is guish between research finding and other sources of te why certain studies are you are commenting on the timeliness of a topic, be specific in describing the time citing a classic or landmark study, identify it as a landmark study was replicated, mention that and indicate the results of the s other literature reviews on your the reader to other reviews on issues that you will not be discussing in y comments such as, "no studies were found. Long lists of nonspecific the results of previous studies are inconsistent or widely varying, cite them all relevant references in the review section of thesis, dissertation, or journal 8: developing a coherent essay (galvan, 2006: 91-96). Your review is long, provide an overview near the beginning of the the beginning of a review, state explicitly what will and will not be y your point of view early in the review: this serves as the thesis statement of the for a clear and cohesive essay that integrates the key details of the literature and communicates your point of view (a literature is not a series of annotated articles). Subheadings, especially in long transitions to help trace your your topic teaches across disciplines, consider reviewing studies from each discipline a conclusion for the end of the review: provide closure so that the path of the argument ends with a conclusion of some kind. If the review was written to stand alone, as is the case of a term paper or a review article for publication, the conclusion needs to make clear how the material in the body of the review has supported the assertion or proposition presented in the introduction. On the other hand, a review in a thesis, dissertation, or journal article presenting original research usually leads to the research questions that will be the flow of your argument for , j. Glendale, ca: pyrczak & library resources and links:umd library research tools: includes links ks import directions: links to step-by-step directions on how to important to refworks from different owl (online writing lab): a user-friendly writing lab that parallels with the 5th edition apa style essentials: overview of common core of elements of apa research style crib sheet is a summary of rules for using apa style for electronic media and url's: commonly asked questions regarding how to cite electronic es of literature reviews:Johnson, b. Schools & ering and computer molson school of of graduate schools, colleges & campaign for / library / help & how-to / writing / how to write a literature to write a literature is a literature reviewpurpose of the literature reviewcomponents of the literature reviewsteps in the literature review processevaluating sourcesexamples of a published literature reviewadditional sources on writing literature to write an annotated to write a book review & a book to write a research is a literature literature review is a written overview of major writings and other sources on a selected topic. Sources covered in the review may include scholarly journal articles, books, government reports, web sites, etc.
It is usually presented as a distinct section of a graduate thesis or e of the literature purpose of the literature review is to provide a critical written account of the current state of research on a selected topic:Identifies areas of prior each source in the context of its contribution to the understanding of the specific issue, area of research, or theory under bes the relationship of each source to the others that you have fies new ways to interpret, and shed light on any gaps in, previous the way forward for further ents of the literature literature review should include the following:Objective of the literature ew of the subject under categorization of sources selected into those in support of your particular position, those opposed, and those offering completely different sion of both the distinctiveness of each source and its similarities with the in the literature review ation of a literature review may be divided into four steps:Define your subject and the scope of the the library catalogue, subject specific databases and other search tools to find sources that are relevant to your and evaluate the sources and to determine their suitability to the understanding of topic at hand (see the evaluating sources section). Of a published literature ture reviews are often published as scholarly articles, books, and reports. Here is an example of a recent literature review published as a scholarly journal article:Ledesma, m. Critical race theory in education: a review of past literature and a look to the future. Link to the onal sources on writing literature r information on the literature review process may be found below:Booth, a. The literature review: six steps to d with permission and thanks from how to write a literature review originally created by kenneth lyons, mchenry library, university of california, santa last updated on: thursday 14 september e & engineering y events & t teaching l collections and ul dead gs (cruzcat & melvyl). Data t teaching t from client y events & a literature a literature review: es and further person | phone | email | guish between popular and scholarly updated sep 14, 2017. Views this to be confused with a book review, a literature review surveys scholarly articles, books and other sources (e. The purpose is to offer an overview of significant literature published on a r to primary research, development of the literature review requires four stages:Problem formulation—which topic or field is being examined and what are its component issues? Search—finding materials relevant to the subject being evaluation—determining which literature makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the is and interpretation—discussing the findings and conclusions of pertinent ture reviews should comprise the following elements:An overview of the subject, issue or theory under consideration, along with the objectives of the literature on of works under review into categories (e. Of how each work is similar to and how it varies from the sions as to which pieces are best considered in their argument, are most convincing of their opinions, and make the greatest contribution to the understanding and development of their area of assessing each piece, consideration should be given to:Provenance—what are the author's credentials?
Literature review may constitute an essential chapter of a thesis or dissertation, or may be a self-contained review of writings on a subject. In either case, its purpose is to:Place each work in the context of its contribution to the understanding of the subject under be the relationship of each work to the others under fy new ways to interpret, and shed light on any gaps in, previous e conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous fy areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication of the way forward for further one's original work (in the case of theses or dissertations) in the context of existing literature review itself, however, does not present new primary : examples and further information >>. Details and in current sity homeuniversity a-zmaps and the university us on us on us on t learning development▼ d in your a literature a literature a printer-friendly pdf version of this guide, click study guide explains why literature reviews are needed, and how they can be conducted and reported. Related study guides are: referencing and bibliographies, avoiding plagiarism, writing a dissertation, what is critical reading? Focus of the study guide is the literature review within a dissertation or a thesis, but many of the ideas are transferable to other kinds of writing, such as an extended essay, or a is a literature review? A literature review:Situates your research focus within the context of the wider academic community in your field; reports your critical review of the relevant literature; andidentifies a gap within that literature that your research will attempt to some extent, particularly with postgraduate research, the literature review can become a project in itself. The process of conducting and reporting your literature review can help you clarify your own thoughts about your study. It can also establish a framework within which to present and analyse the reading your literature review, it should be clear to the reader that you have up-to-date awareness of the relevant work of others, and that the research question you are asking is relevant. You will also need to be ready to answer them in a viva if you will be having is important that your literature review is more than just a list of references with a short description of each one. You need to demonstrate to your reader that you are examining your sources with a critical approach, and not just believing them need to be actively involved in interpreting the literature that you are reviewing, and in explaining that interpretation to the reader, rather than just listing what others have interpretation of each piece of evidence is just that: an interpretation. In this case the ‘whole’ will be your structured review of relevant work, and your coherent argument for the study that you are ng a synthesis is, in effect, like building interpretation upon interpretation.
It is essential to check that you have constructed your synthesis well, and with sufficient supporting to review the small-scale writing projects, the literature review is likely to be done just once; probably before the writing begins. With longer projects such as a dissertation for a masters degree, and certainly with a phd, the literature review process will be more are three stages at which a review of the literature is needed:An early review is needed to establish the context and rationale for your study and to confirm your choice of research focus/question;as the study period gets longer, you need to make sure that you keep in touch with current, relevant research in your field, which is published during the period of your research;as you prepare your final report or thesis, you need to relate your findings to the findings of others, and to identify their implications for theory, practice, and research. This can involve further review with perhaps a slightly different focus from that of your initial applies especially to people doing phds on a part-time basis, where their research might extend over six or more years. You need to be able to demonstrate that you are aware of current issues and research, and to show how your research is relevant within a changing and students in your area can be good sources of ideas about where to look for relevant literature. You can then begin your process of evaluating the quality and relevance of what you read, and this can guide you to more focussed further and procter of the university of toronto have some useful suggested questions to ask yourself at the beginning of your reading:What is the specific thesis, problem, or research question that my literature review helps to define? Writing/ can add other questions of your own to focus the search, for example: what time period am i interested in? It can give you a degree of control, in what can feel like an overwhelming and uncontrollable stage of the research of finding relevant ing electronic databases is probably the quickest way to access a lot of material. This can be particularly useful if you find a review article that evaluates other literature in the field. This will then provide you with a long reference list, and some evaluation of the references it searching of electronic literature search can be 100% comprehensive, as the match between search terms and the content of articles will never be perfect. It is therefore probably worth allocating some time to sitting in the library, with issues from the last year or two of the most relevant journals for your research topic, and reviewing them for anything of r et al. As you review the references, remember to be a critical reader (see study guide what is critical reading?
A record of your search strategy is useful, to prevent you duplicating effort by doing the same search twice, or missing out a significant and relevant sector of literature because you think you have already done that search. They will want to know how you went about looking for relevant material, and your process of selection and need to check what is required within your own discipline. This can mean that you get mixed up over what is an exact quote, and what you have written in your own words; or over what was an idea of your own that you jotted down, or an idea from some text. Is also important to see the writing stage as part of the research process, not something that happens after you have finished reading the literature. You are part way through your reading you can have a go at writing the literature review, in anticipation of revising it later on. For example, a study of the performance of a clinical team working in gerontology might involve reading literature within medicine; nursing; other allied healthcare specialties; psychology; and sociology; as well as perhaps healthcare policy; and patients’ experiences of healthcare. Decisions need to be made about where to focus your reading, and where you can refer briefly to an area but explain why you will not be going into it in more task of shaping a logical and effective report of a literature review is undeniably challenging. Some useful guidance on how to approach the writing up is given by wellington et al (2005:87):“it should be framed by your research must relate to your must be clear to the reader where it is going: keep signposting along the er possible, use original source material rather than summaries or reviews by in control, not totally deferent to or ‘tossed about by’ previous selective. It is probably best to treat it as a research project in its own in a dialogue with the literature, you are not just providing a summary. Most disciplines, the aim is for the reader to reach the end of the literature review with a clear appreciation of what you are doing; why you are doing it; and how it fits in with other research in your field. It is important to keep the focus on your study, rather than on the literature (wellington 2005).
There may be specific guidance on structure within your department, or you may need to devise your es of ways you might structure your literature review are:Chronologically; although be careful not just to list items; you need to write critically, not just descriptively;by theme; this is useful if there are several strands within your topic that can logically be considered separately before being brought together;by sector e. It needs to reach the logical conclusion that your research is a good there is a key article or book that is of major importance to the development of your own research ideas, it is important to give extra space to describing and critiquing that piece of literature in more depth. Similarly, if there are some studies that you will be referring to more than to others, it would be useful to give them a full report and critique at this well as using tables to display numerical data, tables can be useful within a literature review when you are comparing other kinds of material. Remember that:If it (or something very like it) has been done before, and has been published, it is likely that this signifies it was a relevant and important topic to investigate;you can learn from how the previous researchers did it: what worked and what didn’t;did the previous researchers suggest any further research? This will be just as important when there is limited existing research in your area, as when there is an ing your you have a first draft of your literature review it is possible for you to assess how well you have achieved your aims. If you find that what you’ve written is not in the best order, then re-shaping it is not a huge problem. London:icating your research,Succeed in your a literature h for academic mental atics help al development planning (pdp).