The document discusses the importance of contextualizing research through a literature review. It helps researchers broaden their perspective on a topic, narrow down their research question, and locate relevant sources. The literature review is conducted in three stages - an initial review to select a topic, a thorough review to expand knowledge of theories, and a final focused review to refine the research question. Researchers must learn from past studies by understanding their methods, findings, and contributions to the field. Once sources are located through indices, databases, bibliographies and other means, the literature must be organized, summarized and synthesized to contextualize the research problem and inform the study.

1. Contextualization of
Research
What and Why of
Contextualization
Why
It helps the researcher broaden the view
and perspective of the research.
It helps him or her narrow down the
topic and arrive at a focused research
question.
What
The research need to be placed in a
broader context by reviewing the related
literature.
Review of Literature
Preparatory Phase
It helps the researcher selects an area,
topic or problem.
Second Stage
It is when the topic has been selected, a
thorough and systematic review of the
literature is necessary to broaden the
perspective of the research.
Last Stage
The literature is reviewed once more
when the researcher needs to narrow
down the topic in preparation for the
actual administration of the research
Selecting the Research Topic
First Step
General interest of a topic of your choice.
Second Step
Begin to review the literature of your general topic.
Third Step
To find an specific problem in your
general topic in order to work on it.
Fourth Step
Review the literature and examine
other research studies in the same field,
you will be able to decide on the details
of the research topic, make it more
specific and focused
Helps the researches to generate
and select a research topic,
expand their understanding and
broaden their knowledge and
perspective of that topic, and at
the same tiime arrive at a
researchable and well-defined
question for research.
Broadening the Perspective and
narrowing the question
Once you have selected the
topic, you need to expand it,
mainly by investigating
prevailing theories relating to it.
During this stage you will
conduct a more thorough and
systematic review of the
literature by examining and
reviewing current theories.
Focusing on the relevant
information
When reading literature
Be interested in finding out why, where,
and by whom the research was
conducted.
What the underlying assumptions of the
studies were and which procedures and
methodologies were used for collecting
data.
Focus on the major findings of such
research and how studies added to the
body of knowledge on the topic.
Locating the Sources for the
Literature Review
Indices
Indices are publications which provide
large numbers of references on a variety
of topics, and therefore instrumental in
pointing the researcher to existing
material in the field.
Computer Research
Computer Research is the procedure by
which references on certain topics are
generated from available computer
databases.
A quick, efficiente way to obtain
references to articles, reports and papers
available in specific databases.
Bibliographies
Annotated bibliographies are references
lists which focus on specific topics, and
are usually put out by research centres.
Professional Conferences
Research reports and conferences also
provide valuable sources for locating
references.
The "Underground" Press
This refers to the circulation of papers
and other material among colleagues,
often before the material is published in
journals or books.
Journal Articles
Journal are collections of articles which
are published regularly. It adresses the
research problem or question, reviews
the related literature, describes the
methods and procedures used for
collecting and analyzing data.
Edited Collections and Reviews
Edited Collections are books which
contain a number of research articles on
given themes.
Reviews can be in the form of annual
volumes in which each issue consists of
a collection of papers relating to topics
which vary from year to year.
Reading the Literature
Once you have located the
material, you need to sift
through it to determine its
relevance to their specific
research topic.
It is important to decide at this
how much reviewing should be
done, which references should
get more emphasis, and which
aspects you should focus on.
Organizing and Reporting the
Review of the Literature
Once the material for the review
has been collected, reviewed,
and summarized, you need to
synthesize it and write the
review of the literature, to
decide how organize the
information, and to compile the
abstracts in the literature report.
The Literature review is
generally preceded by a section
relating to the context of the
problem. In that section you
provide general background to
the research problem, the major
theories and controversies
related to it.
Contextualization of Research.mmap - 09/10/2014 - Mindjet