Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to controlling sources of bias and error.
2. Learning objectives
At the end of this lecture, the students
should be able to:
Source appropriate literature
Evaluate the quality and utility of literature
sourced.
Review literature
Create a theoretical framework
Write a literature review
3. What is literature review (LR)?
A literature review discusses published
information in a particular subject area, and
sometimes information in a particular subject
area within a certain time period.
A literature review can be just a simple
summary of the sources, but it usually has an
organizational pattern and combines both
summary and synthesis.
4. What is LR? Summary or Synthesis
A summary is a recap of the important
information of the source, but a synthesis is a
re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that
information.
It might give a new interpretation of old
material or combine new with old
interpretations.
Or it might trace the intellectual progression
of the field, including major debates.
5. Cont…
A literature review is the effective evaluation
of selected documents on a research topic.
In the context of a research paper or thesis
the literature review is a critical synthesis of
previous research.
6. Literature review
Literature review: Research that has
already been carried out and
published of research.
It is published in journal articles,
books, theses, government
reports, online and in the media.
7. Why undertake a literature review?
Develop own expertise and scholarship on the
topic or phenomenon.
To establish what is known and what is not
known in the field.
Highlight gaps in the knowledge base in the
area or in the topic.
Create a theoretical framework for the
research project, contained in the literature
review.
8.
9. Tables or graphs?
Do you know why data are sometimes presented in
tables and sometimes presented in graphs and figures?
Table 6.1 and Figure 6.2
10. Literature in Research!
Distinction between research in the media and
research presented with in theoretical context.
Research projects are designed to make a contribution
to some body of knowledge.
Rules, processes and procedures of research are
rigorous.
For a research project to be established as valid, it must
meet rigorous scientific standards.
When the research meets these standards, then the
findings of the research are accepted as valid
contribution to knowledge.
11. Peer Reviewed Sources
It is published accounts of research
which have been subjected to critical
review by the peers of the authors of
the research.
While it can be useful and interesting
to source material from other sources,
such as the media, it is primarily these
Peer Reviewed sources that are used in
compiling a literature review for a
research project.
12.
13. Conceptual framework as a GUIDE
KeyWord Searches:An important word or big
word, or idea, in the research project.
When searching for literature, researchers
search library databases using key word
searches.
Ex: ``New BusinessVentures`` , `` New
Business Creation``, ``Creation of New
Business`` etc…
14. Steps in reviewing the literature
Search with key words
Identify all of the relevant literature
Source and save it in a folder in your computer
The researcher begins the process of reading the
literature, developing and understanding of it and about
the body of knowledge represented in the literature.
Adopt and develop a theoretical framework for the
researchers own research.
15. Theoretical framework
The conceptual framework
The theoretical framework
The theoretical framework emerges from the conceptual
framework.
In practice, the researcher uses the conceptual framework
to provide direction and focus for their literature search,
and for the layout and construction of the theoretical
framework
16. What should I do before writing the
literature review?
Narrow your topic
There are hundreds or even thousands of articles
and books on most areas of study.
The narrower your topic, the easier it will be to
limit the number of sources you need to read in
order to get a good survey of the material.
Your instructor will probably not expect you to
read everything that's out there on the topic, but
you'll make your job easier if you first limit your
scope.
17. Cont..
Consider whether your sources are
current
Some disciplines require that you use information
that is as current as possible.
In the sciences, for instance, treatments for medical
problems are constantly changing according to the
latest studies. Information even two years old could
be obsolete.
18. Cont…
Find a focus
A literature review, like a term paper, is usually
organized around ideas, not the sources
themselves as an annotated bibliography would be
organized.
This means that you will not just simply list your
sources and go into detail about each one of them,
one at a time.
No.
19. Writing your Literature Review
A good literature review is an
argument that is more purposeful
than a simple review of relevant
literature
20. Writing the literature review
First thing to do is to develop a plan for the structure.
For a literature review, the structure is:
Introduction
Summary
Three sub sections between introduction .There might in fact
be four or five subsections or even two subsections. But three
works well in most cases.
Each subsections is carefully conceptualized and
developed to reflect the content of that subsection.
21. Example ( Sara´s research) PP 159-160
The research project is a content analysis study of the recruitment
practices of the BBC as they are outlined on BBC´s website.
First section ( in one paragraph Brief introduction to the chapter
Second section ( first subheading) The internet and contemporary
recruitment and selection process
Third section ( second subheading) The use of the internet and the
company website in the recruiting
employees
Fourth section (Third subheading) Issues in contemporary internet
based recruitment practices
22. Common research problems
There is an expectation in every academic institution that
the students registered in that institution can read and
write fluently and properly in the language of the
institution.
English: presumption that student can write correct
English.
There is no tolerance of misspelling, poorly constructed
sentences or grammatical errors.
This rule applies regardless of WHATEVER!
23. How much literature
The short answer to this question is ``a
warehouse-full``.
However the researcher must be
realistic in terms of what it is possible to
accomplish, given the time available for
the research.
24. Reading literature: Some Key Points
How relevant is the literature to the research? How
dated is the literature sourced?Who authored the
literature?What qualifications do they have?
Critical engagement: the process by which the researcher
takes a critical perspective on the research being
reviewed.
The following bullet points are useful in helping with the
development of critical engagement needed when
appraising the literature:
25. Questions for introduction to the
research
Critically examine the research
question/statement, the research
hypothesis.
Does it seem useful and appropriate?
Are the aim and objectives of the research
clearly outlined?
Do they seem reasonable and appropriate?
Do the aim and objectives ``fit`` with the
research statement/ question/ Hypothesis?
26. Questions for the literature review
Critically examine the literature review,
the theoretical framework.
Is it comprehensive?
Does it include seminal authors?
Is it up-to-date?
Does it adequately support the research
project as it is detailed in the research
statement/question, in the hypothesis?
27. Cont…
Questions forThe research methodology
Questions for data analysis
Questions for the findings of the research
Questions for the conclusions drawn from the research
Questions for the recommendations made at the end of
the study
Questions for an overall critical appraisal of the study
28. Common research problems
There are some common mistakes that students make
when writing the literature review:
1. Students do not review enough literature
2. Students review irrelevant literature
3. Students present unnecessary detail in their review
4. Students fail, in writing their literature review, to
present and then develop a main argument in the
review
29. How could we avoid those mistakes?
Try to ensure that you are reading and reviewing enough
literature, and that the literature you are reviewing is
relevant to your research.
Try to decide precisely what is your main point (your
main argument) is in the review.
The key points to remember are that:
You are presenting a review of the literature
This review of the literature is your take on the literature,
your appraisal of the literature.
It is your appraisal of how the literature pertains to your
research project as it is detailed in the research statement.
30. Referencing
Give details of the source of ideas or theories or
models with in the literature.
It is essential that the literature review is
referenced properly.
While referencing as many theorists as possible, it
is important to lead the review with your own
voice. Remember it is your take in the literature.
Try not to begin a paragraph with a reference
Do not deploy references in the introduction or
summary.
31. Bad and good literature review
PP. 169-170Textbook. Read and we will discuss
afterwards…..
Having read both of the sample literature reviews above,
can you explain why one of the review is better than the
other?
32. A ‘good’ literature review…..
A ‘poor’ literature review is…..
is a synthesis of available
research
is a critical evaluation
has appropriate breadth
and depth
has clarity and conciseness
uses rigorous and
consistent methods
an annotated bibliography
confined to description
narrow and shallow
confusing and longwinded
constructed in an
arbitrary way
