The document provides guidance on conducting a literature review for psychological research. It explains that the literature review precedes research question formation and helps narrow the topic. The literature review establishes what is already known about the topic, helps structure the introduction, and identifies gaps in current research. It should have a meaningful and manageable scope. The introduction presents the research question, reviews prior literature on the topic to provide context and show what has been found, and identifies gaps the current study will address. The document also provides tips on searching literature databases and accessing journals through the university system.

1. Psychological Research in Practice (PRIP - 7PS065) Week 4 - The literature review (that precedes your research)

2. Overview What is the Literature Review? Why do a Literature Review? Searching the literature How to access journals using UDo What makes a good literature review and introduction?

3. What is the Literature Review? The literature review precedes the research question and hypothesis formation. You are not required to write-up the literature review on it’s own. It should be considered part of your research methodology. It will help you to formulate your Introduction section when you write-up your research report.

4. Why do a literature review? The literature review helps you to narrow your specific research question. The literature review ascertains what research has already been done. The literature review helps you to structure your Introduction section of your report. The literature review allows you to set-up a rationale for the study and where the gap in the research is. The literature review allows you to refine your practical research methods to collect data.

5. Deciding about the scope of the literature review The scope of the review should be: meaningful and manageable Meaningful : addresses a worthwhile, interesting, or meaningful issue or question Manageable : identifies an area of literature that can be reviewed comprehensively

6. The Introduction (section of your report) Introduces the research question Reviews previous research and literature on the topic Provides a focus Sets the scene Helps to better understand the background of the research Shows what has previously been found on the topic area Allows for a greater understanding of the question at hand

7. The Introduction Convey to the reader why the topic being investigated is interesting and worthy of being researched Provide a clear, concise and critical account of relevant prior research and conceptual issues which you consider to be important When describing previous research you must ensure that it is cited and referenced correctly Explain where there is a gap in current knowledge/understanding of the topic being investigated, and state how the reported study hopes to fill this gap Clearly explain what psychological questions your research was designed to answer, and what predictions or hypotheses you tested

8. Searching the literature Use the UDo Athens gateway Try more than one data base: e.g. PsychInfo, EBSCO Electronic Journals Service, OVID online, Web of Knowledge Literature searches take time – don’t try to do it in a hurry Literature searches take several cycles – don’t try to do it all in one session

9. How to access journals using UDo The following slides show you how to access the electronic versions of the journals. If you have any problems you can contact: David Clark (Subject Librarian : Science & Technology) (Tel: 01332 591203, email: [email_address] )

10. Logon to UDo & select “ Athens – for Library resources” under Quick Links

11. Use Electronic Journals A-Z to find a specific electronic journal

12. Type in the journal title you are looking for or a couple of words from the title & click on Search

13. Click on the publisher’s link under the journal title – i.e. Wiley Online Library

14. As with most electronic journals, because you are “off-campus” you need to find an Athens login link & double click on it (You don’t need to do this when you are on campus.) In the case of Wiley-Blackwell journals, first select “ INSTITUTIONAL LOGIN”

15. Then, again only if you are off-campus, click on “ Go to Athens”. Don’t fill in the Username/ Password boxes

16. If you want to search for articles on a topic in the journal, then type in 1 or 2 keywords/search terms or an author in the Search box. If you use Advanced search, it will search all Wiley-Blackwell titles unless you specify this title If you are looking for a specific article from the journal & know the volume, date & title etc, then select from the dates & volumes.

17. Now select the issue number you need. The unlocked padlock icon indicates you have access to the full journal articles. If you don’t see this for a volume we should have, then you have probably not logged in correctly. Find the Institutional & Athens login links & click on them.

18. Click on Full Article (HTML) or PDF to view the whole journal article.

19. What makes a good literature review and introduction? Has a clear focus and rationale Addresses a meaningful psychological issue Is integrative and critically analytic/evaluative Is usefully structured Arrives at meaningful conclusions that contribute to understanding of the literature (i.e., it adds something to what was known before)