The document discusses how to conduct a literature review for research. It defines a literature review as a critical evaluation and synthesis of previous research on a topic that establishes the rationale for the proposed research. The literature review has several key functions: providing a theoretical background; linking the proposed research to past studies; showing how findings contribute to the field; and helping integrate results into existing knowledge. The document outlines the process of searching literature sources, reviewing materials, and developing theoretical and conceptual frameworks. It emphasizes analyzing and critically appraising past literature rather than only describing it. Overall, the literature review aims to contextualize the research within what is already known on the topic.

1. KNOWLEDGE FOR THE BENEFIT OF HUMANITYKNOWLEDGE FOR THE BENEFIT OF HUMANITY
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY (HFS4343)
REVIEWING THE LITERATURE
Dr.Dr. MohdMohd RazifRazif ShahrilShahril
School of Nutrition & DieteticsSchool of Nutrition & Dietetics
Faculty of Health SciencesFaculty of Health Sciences
UniversitiUniversiti SultanSultan ZainalZainal AbidinAbidin
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2. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Topic Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lecture, students should be able to;
• define the functions of the literature review in research.
• explain how to carry out a literature search
• describe how to review the selected literature
• outline how develop theoretical and conceptual
frameworks
• discuss how write a literature review
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3. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
What is Literature Review?What is Literature Review?
•• Is a critical and in depth evaluation of previousIs a critical and in depth evaluation of previous
research.research.
•• It is a summary and synopsis of a particular area ofIt is a summary and synopsis of a particular area of
research, allowing anybody reading them toresearch, allowing anybody reading them to
establish why you are pursing this particularestablish why you are pursing this particular
research.research.
•• It is NOT a chronological catalog of all sources, BUTIt is NOT a chronological catalog of all sources, BUT
an evaluation, integrating the previous researchan evaluation, integrating the previous research
together, and also explaining how it integrates intotogether, and also explaining how it integrates into
the proposed research.the proposed research.
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4. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Functions of Literature Review
• It provides a theoretical background to your study.
• It helps you establish the links between what you are
proposing to examine and what has already been
studied.
• It enables you to show how your findings have
contributed to the existing body of knowledge in your
profession.
• It helps you to integrate your research findings into the
existing body of knowledge.
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5. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Functions of Literature Review
It provides a theoretical
background to your study.
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It helps you establish the links
between what you are proposing to
examine and what has already been
studied.
It helps you to integrate your
research findings into the existing
body of knowledge.
It enables you to show how your
findings have contributed to the
existing body of knowledge in your
profession.
.

6. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Functions of
Literature
Review
(cont.)
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Broaden yourBroaden your
knowledge base inknowledge base in
your research areayour research area
BringBring
clarity andclarity and
focus tofocus to
youryour
researchresearch
problemproblem
Contextualise yourContextualise your
findingsfindings
ImproveImprove
youryour
researchresearch
methodmethod
WAYSWAYS
LITERATURELITERATURE
REVIEWREVIEW
HELPS YOUHELPS YOU
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7. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Bringing clarity and focus to your
research problem
• Literature review shapes the research problem.
• What aspects of your subject area have been examined
by others?
• What they have found out about these aspects?
• What gaps they have identified?
• What suggestions they have made for further research?
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8. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Improving your research methodology
• A literature review tells you if others have used
procedures and methods similar to the ones that you are
proposing
• Which procedures and methods have worked well for
them?
• What problems they have faced with their methods?
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9. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Broadening your knowledge base in your
research area
• By conducting literature review, it ensures you read
widely around the subject area in which you intend to
conduct your research study.
• What other researchers have found in regard to the
same or similar research questions?
• What theories have been put forward?
• What gaps exist in the relevant body of knowledge?
• Helps you to understand how the findings of your study
fit into the existing body of knowledge.
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10. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Enabling you to contextualise your
findings
• The difficult part is examining how your findings fit into
the existing body of knowledge.
• How do answers to your research questions compare
with what others have found?
• What contribution have you been able to make to the
existing body of knowledge?
• How are your findings different from those of others?
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11. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
How to Review Literature
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Searching for the existing literature in your area of study
Reviewing the selected literature
Developing a theoretical framework
Developing a conceptual framework

12. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Searching for the existing literature in
your area
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Books Journals Online Databases

13. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Searching for the existing literature in
your area (cont.)
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14. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Reviewing the selected literature
• Start reading the selected literature critically to pull
together themes and issues that are of relevance to your
study.
• If you don’t have a theoretical framework, it will be
developed roughly at this point.
• Slot the information carefully and critically where it
logically belongs under the themes in theoretical
framework so far developed.
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15. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Reviewing the selected literature (cont.)
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16. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Developing a theoretical framework
• Paradox – “until you go through the literature you cannot
develop a theoretical framework, and until you have
developed a theoretical framework you cannot effectively
review the literature”.
• Solution – to read some of the literature and then attempt to
develop a framework, even a loose one, within which you can
organise the rest of the literature you read.
• Without a draft version of theoretical framework, you will be
lost in doing literature review.
• Theoretical framework consists of the theories or issues in
which your study is embedded.
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17. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Developing a conceptual framework
• Conceptual framework stems from the theoretical
framework and focuses on the section(s) which become
the basis of your research problem.
• The conceptual framework describes the aspects you
selected from the theoretical framework to become the
basis of your enquiry.
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18. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
e.g. Conceptual Framework
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19. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
e.g. Conceptual Framework
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20. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Writing Literature Review
• Broad purposes of a literature review are
– to provide a theoretical background to your study
– to enable you to contextualise your findings in relation to the
existing body of knowledge in addition to refining your
methodology.
• The content of literature review should reflect these two
purposes.
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21. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Purpose 1: Provide theoretical background
• The literature review should;
– identify and describe various theories relevant to your field
– specify gaps in existing knowledge in the area, recent advances
in the area of study, current trends etc.
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Purpose 2: Contextualize findings*
• The literature review should;
• integrate the results from your study with specific and relevant
findings from the existing literature by comparing the two for
confirmation or contradiction
* have to wait till you are at the research report writing stage

22. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
The structure of literature review
• “The Inverted Triangle”
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23. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
The structure of literature review (cont.)
Like an essay, a literature review has:
1. Introduction: Explains the broad context of research area,
the main topics you and briefly highlights relevant
issues/debates in your field of research.
2. Main body: An analysis of the literature according to a
number of themes or topics that overlap. Headings are useful
- make sure to check they link together and tell a coherent
"story".
3. Conclusion: Summarizes the current state of the research
and should identify any gaps or problems with the existing
research, and explain how your investigation is going to
address these gaps or build on the existing research.
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24. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Critical vs. Analytical
• Critical analysis means asking yourself whether you
agree with a viewpoint and if so, why? What is it that
makes you agree or disagree?
• Your literature review needs to tell an interesting "story"
which leads up to how and why you are doing your
investigation.
• If your story is comparing, contrasting and evaluating the
previous literature, you are on the right track.
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25. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Critical vs. Analytical
• Analytical – Synthesizes the work and succinctly passes
judgment on the relative merits of research conducted in
your field.
• Being analytical also means you have to reveal
limitations or recognize the possibility of taking research
further, allowing you to formulate and justify your aims
for your investigation.
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26. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Tips in writing literature review
• Begin with an introduction and end with a summary.
• Use headings and sub-headings.
• Connect between topic and sub-topics.
• Use direct quotations INFREQUENTLY.
• Always cite the sources.
• Include your own knowledge.
• Summarizes each subtopic.
• A transition paragraph from one subtopic to another is
useful.
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27. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
Tips in writing literature review (cont.)
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28. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
 ReadRead thethe wholewhole articlearticle first!first!
 UnderstandUnderstand thethe discussiondiscussion..
 Appraise,Appraise, dodo notnot merelymerely describedescribe..
 DoDo notnot justjust quotequote fromfrom thethe abstractabstract..
 NeverNever “copy“copy andand paste”paste” sentencessentences..
 QuoteQuote thethe findingsfindings andand commentcomment..
 UseUse subsub--headings/chaptersheadings/chapters toto arrangearrange..
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29. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
T
• define
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30. S C H O O L O F N U T R I T I O N A N D D I E T E T I C S • U N I V E R S I T I S U L T A N Z A I N A L A B I D I N
T
• define
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31. Thank YouThank You
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