A literature review is an assessment of existing research on a topic that addresses a research question. The objectives of a literature review are to show awareness of previous work, place the current research in context, and identify strengths, weaknesses, gaps and issues in prior research. When writing a literature review, the researcher can take an ad hoc or systematic approach. A systematic approach follows a rigorous process to reduce bias. Key phases of a systematic review include searching literature sources, obtaining and assessing papers, reading and coding them, critically evaluating them, and recording and writing a review.

1. IT3010
Research Methodology
Reviewing the literature
Name, title of the presentation

2. Figure 3.1 in: B. J. Oates, Researching Information Systems and Computing. London: Sage Publications, 2006.
The research process

3. What is a literature review?
• Definition: A literature review is an assessment of a
body of research that addresses a research question.
(ref: Harvard graduate school).
• Two ways to generate knowledge through research:
– Create your own new knowledge through Primary Studies.
– Synthesize and analyse existing knowledge in a new conceptual
framework through Secondary Studies.
• A literature review can constitute:
– A part of a primary study.
– A secondary study.

4. Objectives of a literature review
• Show that the researcher is aware of existing work in the chosen topic area.
• Place the researcher’s work in the context of what has already been published.
• Point to strengths, weaknesses, omissions or bias in the previous work.
• Identify key issues or questions that are troubling the research community.
• Point to gaps that have not previously been identified or addressed by
researchers.
• Identify theories that the researcher will test by gathering data from the field.
• Suggest theories that might explain data the researcher has gathered from the
field.
• Identify theories, genres, methods or algorithms that will be incorporated in the
development of a computer application.
• Identify research methods or strategies that the researcher will use in the
research.
• Enable subsequent researchers to understand the field and the researcher’s
work within that field.

5. Sources of literature
• Main source: Refereed research papers:
– From journals (if peer-reviewed)
– From conferences and workshops (if peer-reviewed)
• Books: Are good for understanding the problem and
building a conceptual framework and theories.
• Manuals: Are good for understanding e.g. a system,
but not as a source of a review.
• Reports: Sometimes good research quality but not
peer-reviewed.
• Newspapers, magazines, radio, television: Can be
good quality "expert opinion" but not peer-reviewed.

6. Writing a literature review
• Two approaches:
– Ad hoc (State-of-the-art): Searching (e.g. Google scholar) and
reading some papers on the topic. Can result in "cherry picking".
– Systematic: Following a systematic process that is aimed at
producing a scientifically high-quality literature review text. Will
reduce bias.
• Which one to choose?
– Discuss it with your supervisor.
– Systematic approach can take time.
– In most cases: Find a balance.
– Remember: Good literature reviews are by themselves highly
valuable and sorely needed research results in ICT!

7. Writing the state-of-the-art
• Clearly define the practical problem and the research
question.
– Iterative process, you read some and you write some.
• Should be more than a summary of the articles you
have read.
– Google can do better!
– You need an analysis and synthesis of what you read. Here comes
the conceptual framework.

8. Writing the state-of-the-art
From "summary" to
"conceptual framework"

9. Figure 3.1 in: B. J. Oates, Researching Information Systems and Computing. London: Sage Publications, 2006.
Literature review

10. Figure 3.1 in: B. J. Oates, Researching Information Systems and Computing. London: Sage Publications, 2006.
Systematic literature surveys

11. Phases of a systematic review
• Searching: The right keywords and search engines.
• Obtaining: PDFs or paper copies.
• Assessing: Is this peer-reviewed research?
• Reading: What is it about? Coding…
• Critically evaluating
• Recording: EndNote, Mendeley, Zotero….
• Writing a critical review: Finally, use your brain!
• Avoiding Plagiarism

12. ICT
Conducting search

13. ICT
Screening of papers
 Inclusion criteria
 Research is published in English.
 The paper documents research of form primary or secondary
studies.
 Research is addressing different aspects of movement impairment
among senior citizens.
 Research is addressing requirements, design or implementation,
or evaluation of some form of ICT that aims to serve assistive or
health-promoting purposes.
 Exclusion criteria
 Research is addressing movement impairment in general and
without the application of modern technologies.
 Not a research paper (e.g. commentary, editorial, workshop
summary, expert opinion).

14. ICT
Keywording using abstracts (coding)

15. ICT
Data extraction and mapping
What new knowledge
have we produced?