This document provides steps for writing a review paper, beginning with preparation and thorough searching of materials from relevant sources. It defines key concepts like research and data, and advises identifying an area of interest to focus the search. The writer recommends searching library databases using keywords and filters related to the topic, and documenting the search process by recording results, sources, and number of downloads. Thorough searching may be required throughout the writing process, so proper documentation is important to avoid confusion.

1. Step by Step of
Writing a
Review Paper
Oluwatosin Dorcas, Babalola

2. Readiness (Preparation)
Excavation (Thorough Search)
Viewing (Scheming)
Internalization
Extraction
Writing
= REVIEW

3. STEP 2: EXCAVATION OF MATERIALS FROM
SOURCE (Searching)

4. Short definitions needed to help
understand what you are excavating
What is research?
● It is a Planned, Designed and Procedural
means of solving an identified problem
through Data Gathering or Acquisition
● No problem, no research
● Research is suppose to add to existing
Knowledge
● Researchers look for problems to solve
What is a Data?
● Data are available information as regard a
certain event (Problem)
● It is an observed outcome of an event
investigated
● It is has measure

5. Identifying your
area of Interest
● Your area of interest is that particular problem
that fascinates you
● That problem you see clearly and feel you
need to solve
For example: a tailor is likely to see a loose button
on a shirt on time.
A designer see a design in almost every mistake,
because he his on a lookout for new, innovative
and creative design always.
Therefore you first have to know what interest you.
● Your mentors can also suggest an area of
interest to you

6. What to do
with your
area of
interest
➔ Simply search your library for information
available in that area of your interest and
download.
➔ There are two kind of library which are:
1. Online Libraries. Examples are: German
National Library, Higher Education Academy,
EBSCO, Emerald, Springer, Google Scholar,
Sage, SCOPUS and others
2. Offline Libraries: Libraries in higher institutions,
State and Federal Libraries and others, built
and stock up with Hard copy publications

7. Keywords
Search tool
Let's say my research interest is on reduction of waste in
building construction
I will search using some keywords such as:
1. Waste reduction
2. Building waste reduction
3. Building construction waste reduction, and others
In using keywords you can substitute words with their
synonyms for more search result for instance “minimization”
can be used instead of “reduction”
Note: document every process

8. Specific Search (Filter Search)
Specific search can help target a particular aim.
Therefore, when running a specific search, the aim is added to the search. This help in streamlining the research
from generic to specific
It may be based on:
1. A definite period of time (let's say from 2007 to 2017)
2. A particular location or region (Africa, Nigeria, Osogbo, United Kingdom, Chile and such)
3. A needed author's publication
4. A particular field (example: environmental chemistry
Adopting my area of interest from the last slide, search can be done using “building waste reduction Nigeria” as
keyword search.
Note: Most Online Libraries have filters at either the side bar or the upper bar which could help you narrow
down the search. Some even have advance search options where more than two searches can be done at the
same time using the words “and”. “Or” and “not”.

9. Search documentation
Documentation is very important
What do i need to document?
● Write down the number of search result that comes with each keywords construct used
● Note down the library from which the articles was searched from
● Document the numbers of articles downloaded per search
● It is advisable as you begin your search, to open a folder on your Computer, Tab or
Phone used, named according to your area of interest and download directly into this
folder
● It is also advisable for you to have subfolders in the folder opened above which can be
named based on days of downloads or better libraries you are downloading from

10. Note:
searching may be required until you finish writing, but
proper documentation will not make it confusing

11. Further Note: It may be
important for you to download
articles after going through
the title and abstract of any
publication, so you avoid
downloading irrelevant
materials

12. We can only learn if we do,
start you search
immediately………………….
Thanks