This document provides guidance on conducting a literature review. It discusses what a literature review is, the purpose of writing one, and how it differs from an academic research paper. It offers tips on organizing a literature review, including using a table of contents or outline to structure it. The document also discusses searching the literature, taking notes, and addressing ethics around plagiarism. Overall, it aims to equip readers with the necessary skills and knowledge for successfully completing a literature review.

1. Lecture - 3

2. » What is a Customary Literature Review?
» Why Write a Literature Review?
» How is a literature review different from an
academic research paper?
» Writing the review……………….
» How to Organize your Literature Review?
» What is Included in a Literature Review?
» What is Left Out of a Literature Review?

4. » In its simplest form, a literature
review is a list of relevant books and
other sources, each followed by a
description and comment on its
relevance.
» When it is part of a project, a literature
review is a systematic way of showing
evidence of your reading and how it
relates to your investigation.

5. » To conduct a ‘preliminary’ search of
existing material
» To organise valuable ideas and findings
» To identify other research that may be in
progress
» To generate research ideas
» To develop a critical perspective

6. Figure 3.1 The literature review process

7. a. The preliminary search
This helps researcher to generate and refine
research ideas.
b. The critical review
As an essential part of research it requires
researchers to;
 demonstrate awareness of the current
state of knowledge and
 show how this research would fit in the
wider context of research area.
(Saunders, 2009)

8. » To provide foundation to build research on:
In any discipline, research is incremental. It builds
slowly and steadily on the work of past
researchers, literature provides a summary of
what is known.
» To develop a good understanding and insight into
relevant previous research and emerging trends
» To help researcher to identify theories and ideas
that researcher test using data (deductive
approach)

9. » To help researcher to relate ideas and theories
developed through inductive approach
» To help researcher to refer whether research
findings are in line with the available literature
or are in contrast to those
» To identify other researches that would be in
progress
» To help avoid charges of plagiarism

11. 11
Chronological
o By publication date
o By trend
Thematic
o A structure which considers different themes
Methodological
o Focuses on the methods of the researcher, e.g.,
qualitative versus quantitative approaches
Basically, any approach that works for YOU is
appropriate. One possible procedure follows.

12. 1. Arrange your notes in a logical order. If you are
having difficulty seeing an order, look for clues in
the sequence of your ideas or try concept
mapping the topic.
2. Identify the main ideas - sorting your notes to fit
under the headings.

13. 3. Develop a table of contents, that can then be fleshed
out with descriptive bullet-points. By subjecting an
annotated table of contents (or outline) to review, a
novice researcher can receive a self leading advice on
contents and structure of the planned literature
review (example follows).

14. » Example: a step-by-step, hierarchical list of the points you plan
to cover, e.g.,
 1st main idea
•1st supporting point
evidence, argument, or example
evidence, argument, or example
evidence, argument, or example
•2nd supporting point
evidence, argument, or example
evidence, argument, or example
evidence, argument, or example
2nd main idea, etc……

15. subtopic
Topic
subtopic
subtopic
subtopic
subtopic
subtopic
subtopic

16. The contents and structure of review
Important aspects
(contents to be covered)
» Provide a brief overview of key ideas;
» Include the key academic theories by
summarizing and comparing the work of the
key writers;
» Assess the strengths and weaknesses of
previous work including omissions and bias;
» Provide a detailed account of findings of
similar work;

17. The contents and structure of review
Important aspects
(contents to be covered)
» Lead the readers into subsequent sections
of this research which will address such
issues.
» Demonstrate your advanced knowledge;
» Justify arguments by referencing previous
research.
» Highlight those issues where this research
will provide fresh insights; and

18. Theliteraturereviewprocess
Revisited

19. A. Define parameters:
a) Language of publication (for example
English)
b) Subject area (for example accountancy)
c) Business sector (for example manufacturing)
d) Geographical area (for example Asia)
e) Publication period (for example the last 10
years)
f) Literature type (for example refereed
journals)

20. B. Generate key words and search terms
a. Key words or search terms help describe
research question(s) and objectives
b. Key words are used to search the
tertiary literature
c. Using ‘Relevance Tree’ can prove a good
tool in generating key words;
Example follows.......... ‘Relevance Tree’
page 76, Saunders et al. (2009)
C. Discuss ideas as widely as possible

21. Is there a link between
benchmarking and
Total Quality
Management?
Benchmarking
BM Theory
Types
BM Practice
Case Studies
Links between BM and
TQM
ISO 9000
Precise Standards
TQM
Implementation
process
TQM in Practice

22. Planning and conducting literature search - 2
Conducting literature search may involve a
variety of overlapping approaches, namely:
• Primary literature sources: are difficult to
locate;
• Secondary Sources i.e. books and journals
already studies: are aimed at a wider
audience;
• Tertiary literature sources: either help to
locate primary and secondary sources or
introduce a topic;
 Information flow from primary to tertiary
minimizes details and increases authority
(Next Slide for discussion)

23. Literature sources
Figure 3.2 Literature sources available

24. • Scanning and browsing secondary
literature available in the libraries;
• Table 3.4 entitled “Selected
publishers’ and bookshops’ Internet
addresses” is available at p.16 of
‘Additional Reading Materials’.
• Searching using Internet
• See next slide and pp. 17-18 of
‘Additional Reading Materials’.

25. Figure 3.3 Searching the Internet

26. Saunders et al. (2003)
Figure 3.3 Searching the Internet (Continued)

27. Make notes for each item you read
Record the following
» Bibliographic details
* See details in Table 3.6 available at p. 19 of ‘Additional Reading
Materials’. Check also Appendix 2 entitled “Systems of referencing”
available at pp. 20-26.
» Brief summary of content
* (covered in slide 4 & 5)
» Supplementary information
* See details in Table 3.7 available at p. 19 of ‘Additional Reading
Materials’.

28. Examples
In text:
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009)
In references (or bibliography)
Saunders, M.N.K, Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2009)
Research Methods for Business Students (5th edn),
Prentice Hall

29. Four common forms
» Stealing material from another source
» Submitting material written by another author
» Copying material without quotation marks
» Rewording material without citations
Adapted from Park (2003), cited in Easterby-Smith et al. (2008)

30. WE ARE NOW GOING TO HAVE A BRAINSTORMING
DISCUSSION ON RESEARCH TOPICS SELECTED, AND
RESEARCH QUESTION(S) AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
DEVELOPED BY VARIOUS GROUPS
RESPECTIVE GROUPS ARE INVITED TO PRESENT THEIR
CASES
The class is invited to provide their input on the topics
selected, and research question(s) and research
objectives developed by the groups.

31. Individual assignment
1. Refine and finalyse your research topic, research
question(s) and research objectives in light of the
feedback received through the class discussion.
2. After finalizing your research questions, ‘define
parameters’ and ‘generate and refine keyword’ for your
research topic.
3. Find relevant references, save materials as soft
copies, record ‘bibliographical details’ as per guidelines
given in slide 24, and make a list of references as per
pattern of slide 25, to include in your report.
4. Your individual reports will be annexed with your group
report to be submitted in next week-class.
» Assignment – 3
» REVIEW OF LITERATURE

32. Group’s assignment:
1. Exchange reports with each other, evaluate
report of at least one colleague, hold a group
meeting and finalyze group report.
2. Be ready to make a presentation in next class
on the “Relevance tree” prepared and ‘Keywords
and search terms’ generated by your respective
group.
» Assignment – 3
» REVIEW OF LITERATURE

33. Use of an already generated data file “TEACH.SAV”
• An introduction of “Teach.Sav” data file is provided in
“Additional Reading Materials” pages 55 – 63. This data file
consists of data about 347 people recruited to work for a
UK firm; we will use data contained in this file for various
SPSS exercises.
• Let’s Upload the file’, taking the following steps.
i. Open SPSS
ii. Click ‘File…Open…Data’.
iii. Locate data file ‘Teach.Sav’ file on Instructor’s
directory on D:.........................CHISHTI drive.
iv. Open “Teach.Sav” by double-clicking on it.
v. Study the data provided and its nature/check how
variables have been coded (in Variable View).

34. Considering the limits in terms of the time and space and
remember the following list of dos and don’ts:
Do …
 identify and discuss the key relevant landmark studies
on the topic;
 include as much up-to-date material as possible;
 check the details, such as how names are spelled;
 show that you are selective, analytical and critical;
 manage the information: have a system (as discussed
earlier) for records management;
 make your review worth reading explaining how your
topic is different.

35. Don’ts …
omit classic works or discuss core ideas without
proper reference;
discuss outdated or only old materials;
misspell names or get the date of publication wrong;
use concepts to impress or without definition;
produce a list of items, even if annotated; a list is not
a review;
accept or believe everything that is written;
drown in information by not keeping control;
make silly mistakes or be boring.
(Hart, 1998: 219)