This document provides a step-by-step guide to writing a review paper. It outlines 6 key steps: 1) preparation, 2) thorough search of materials from sources, 3) scheming how to view the information, 4) internalization of the information, 5) extraction of the relevant information, and 6) writing the review. The document focuses on the search step, providing guidance on identifying an area of interest, using keywords and filters to conduct targeted searches across online and offline libraries, and properly documenting the search process.

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

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

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