This document provides an overview of the literature review process. It defines a literature review, discusses the types and purposes of literature reviews. It outlines the key steps in conducting a literature review including defining the research problem, searching relevant literature, planning the review, taking notes, and summarizing findings. Sources of literature are primary sources like reports and theses, secondary sources like books and journals, and tertiary sources like indexes and abstracts. The document provides examples of formatting literature in bibliographies and taking structured notes on index cards to organize the review.

1. WELCOME
Literature Review
Raison Sam Raju
Department of Commerce
University of Kerala

2. Overview
Literature Review
• Definition
• Literature
• Types of literature review
• process
• Purpose
• What to review?
• Literature search procedure
• Sources of literature
• Planning the review work
• Note taking

3. Definition
• According to university of wincosin writing centre,
A literature review is a
“critical analysis of a segment of a
published body of knowledge through
summary, classification, and comparison
of prior research studies, reviews of
literature, and theoretical articles”

4. Key points of a literature review
• Tell me what the research says(Theory)
• Tell me how the research was carried out (Methodology)
• Tell me what is missing or the gap that research intends to fill.(Research gap)

5. Literature
literature in this context consists of:
Books
•Encyclopedias
•Year books
•Text books
•Reference books
Journals
•Published monthly,quarterly,half yearly or annually
Reports
•Reports of commissions appointed by Govt.
•Seminar reports
Research dissertations & Thesis
News papers
Micro forms: Audio & Video tapes

6. Types of Literature Review
On the purpose of research there are 3
main types of literature review
•Evaluative Review
•Explorative Review
•Instrumental Review

7. Evaluative Review

8. Exploratory Review

9. Instrumental Review

10. PROCESS
A literature review can be divided into 2
process:
1.The search for material & resources
2.Writing literature review
In the first process topics include
1. What to review & purpose of review
2. Literature search procedure
3. Planning of research work
In the second process topics include:
Note taking

11. Purpose of literature review

12. WHAT TO REVIEW ???
The kinds of literature to be revived at the
various stage of the research process and
specific purposes of the review are
indicated below:

13. steps in the research
process
identification & selection
of problem
kinds of literature to be
reviewed
1.1 source
materials,encyclopedia,text
books
1.2 latest publications on the
discipline
1.3 theses in the selected
discipline
Purpose of review
1.1 to gain preliminary
orientation & background
knowledge
1.2 to gain up-to-date
knowledge in the field
1.3 to know work already
done on the subject
1.4 to identify research gaps
in the field.
1.5 to avoid duplication

14. steps in the research
process
kinds of literature to be
reviewed
Purpose of review
to become familiar with
formulation of the selected
appropriate methodology &
problem
previous study in the field & research techniques relevant
journals
to the study.
for clarifying concepts and
operationalisation of
knowing measurements
concepts
same as 2
techniques.
4.1 illustrated books on
4.1 to devolope alternative
methodology of research
designs
preparation of research
4.2 for formulating hypothesis
proposals
and deciding sample design
4.2 thesis
etc

15. steps in the research
process
kinds of literature to be
reviewed
Purpose of review
5.1 same as 4.1 & 4.2
construction of tools for
collection of data
5.2 copies of tools & scales
furnished in the appendix of
theses.
for gaining thorough
knowledge of the process of
tools and measurement
techniques
journals
drafting theoretical chapters
text books
& theory parts of other
chapters
reference books
reports on subject matter
to take notes and compile
bibliography

16. LITERATURE SEARCH PROCEDURE
OR
HOW CAN WE FIND LITERATURE?
Literature search procedure involves a series of
steps which aims to identify the sources of
literature.

17. 1.Request learned professors,librarians,or other familiar to suggest relevant
references.
2.Find out whether any bibliography already prepared on the subject is available
in the library.
3.Consult bibliographies in the these on the topic & related topics.
4.Examine periodicals,monographics,reports,confrence proceedings & other
materials including micro films available
5.Consult reference cited in the books & articles already located. Each book will
be a means for locating additional references.
6.Consult the abstract journal on the subject
7.See the book review pages in the daily news papers & in the journals.

18. Sources of Literature
Sources of literature can be divided into 3 :
1.Primary literature sources
2.Secondary literature sources
3. Tertiary literature sources
The different categories of literature sources
represents the flow of information from original source.

19. 1.Primary literature sources
Primary literature sources are the first occurrence of a piece
of work.
It includes:
1.Reports
Reports include market research reports, government reports etc.
2.Confrence proceedings
Conference proceedings referred to any symposia are often published as
unique titles with in journals, or as books. most conference will have a very
specific theme.
3.Theses
These are the research papers contains details of research done in a particular
topic. It is a good source of detailed information & further reference.

20. 2.Secondary Literature sources
Secondary sources such as books & journals are subsequent
publication of primary literature. These publications are aimed at
wider audience.
it includes:
1.Journals
Journals are also known as periodicals, magazines are published on a regular
basis.eg.journal of management studies, people management etc.
2.Books
Books are written for specific audiences.the material in books are presented in a
more ordered and accessible manner than in journals.
3.News papers
News papers are good source of topical events, developments with in the
business &government as well as recent statistical information..

21. 3. Tertiary literature sources
Tertiary literature sources also called as “search tools” are
designed either to help to locate primary & secondary
literature or to introduce a topic. They include indexes &
abstracts as well as encyclopaedias & bibliographies.
Eg:subject catalogues of libraries
List of books and publishers bulletins.

22. Planning the review work
One can identify many references relating to the selected topic. The problem
now is to go through the references one after the other & point out exact
information relevant to study.
Steps
This planning involves 3 steps:

23. 1. To decide what information is useful &what is not useful.
The researcher should draw up a preliminary outline of the topic with reference
to objectives of study. it serve as a guide to take above decision.
2.To determine how to record what is gathered from a published material.
Should it be noted down as verbatim or paraphrased.
3.To set up as orderly recording or note taking system
In this decision the researcher must be guided by the requirement of a good
recording system. these requirements are:
(a) The recording system should facilitate ready location of the recorded
information when required.
(b) it should allow for more flexible handling & organising information.
(c) all notes relating to a particular concept of a topic should available
together.
All these requirements are meet with card system.

24. NOTE TAKING
Note taking means recording of information. the suitable
method of note taking is the use of cards. The recording
system involves uses of 2 sets of cards.
1.Source cards(3” * 5”)
2.Note cards(5” * 8”)

25. 1.Source cards
An source card or index card or system card consists of
heavy paper stock cut to a standard size, used for recording and
storing bibliographic information. It was invented by Carl
Linnaeus, around 1760.
Source card serves 2 purposes.
1.Provide documentary information for foot notes to be given in
report
2.Used for compiling bibliography to be furnished at the end of
report.

26. Structure of source card
Source card had a definite structure. It has a code structure to in
order to relate them to the corresponding note cards.
On the left hand top corner the letter „B‟ OR „J‟ OR „R‟ may be
marker according to the type of reference which a card
represents.
B-book
J-journal
R=report
On the right hand top corner anther code is to be marked. Its a
combination of letter & number begins with “c”.the same code has
to be marked on the corresponding notes card for ready reference
of each note.
For each reference a separate card is used. and written only in one side. Cards
are arranged in the alphabetical order of the authors according to the type of
reference.

27. The recording of bibliographic information in the source card should
be made in proper bibliographic format. Its varies for book and
article.
1.For a book
Two formats are used in popular. They are as below
(a)Authors name (starting with last name) , the title of book, place of
publication: the publisher's name, year.
E.g.:
Krishnaswami,o.r,methodology of research in social science
,Mumbai:himalaya publishing house,1993
(b)Authors name (starting with last name) , the title of book, the publisher's
name,place,year.
E.g.:
Krishnaswami,o.r,methodology of research in social science , Himalaya publishing
house, Mumbai,1993

28. If a work has 3 or more authors, the abbreviation “et al” meaning
„and others‟ may be used after the first author.
E.g..
Koontz,harold, et al.,management.newdelhi:mcgraw hill
international book comany,1980
If publication is an edited one ,use the abbreviation “ed” after the name.
2.For articles
Here also 2 forms are used.
(a).Authors name ,”the title of article", the journal
name,place.publishers name,vol,issue no.,date,pages
(b).Authors name ,”the title of article", the journal name,
publishers name, place,vol,issue no.,date,pages

29. SAMPLE OF SOURCE CARD

30. 2.NOTE CARD
Information extracted from a printed source is recorded on the
note cards. There should be a single fact or idea on each card. The
structure of note card is as below:
(1). On the left hand top corner the source reference code is
marked.
(2).on the right hand top corner the number of researcher’s
proposed chapter to which the information is related is entered.
(3).On the space between top edge and first horizontal line, the
title of broad theme is written & in the next space the title of the
specific idea is marked.
(4).The idea or fact extracted from concerned reference is
recorded after above step.

31. SAMPLE OF NOTE CARD
NOTE CARDS PRESERVED IN A CARD INDEX BOX

32. CONCLUSION
LITERATURE REVIEW IS ESSENTIAL TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS
ALREADY DONE IN THE SPECIFIC TOPIC.ITS HELP TO
UNDERSTAND THE BACKGROUND OF THE SPECIFIC TOPIC
WHICH RESEARCHER INTENDS TO RESEARCH,METHODOLOGY
OF RESEARCH DONE BY PREVIOUS RESEARCHERS,AND
RESEARCH GAP.ITS AN ONGOING PROCESS FROM SELECTION
OF RESEARCH PROBLEM TO REPORT WRITTING.THERE IS SPECIFIC
STRUCTURE FOR NOTING LITERATURE IN RESEARCH PAPER.

33. REFRENCE
1.
Krishnaswami,o.r,methodology of research in social science ,Mumbai:himalaya
publishing house,1993
2.adams,john,etal.,research methods for graduate business and social
science students,usa:library of congress,2007
3.Lewis,philip, etal., Research methods for business
students,newdelhi:dorling kindersely,2000