1. The Literature Review
Guidelines for Success
Adapted from a presentation by Eleanor Smith of North Carolina State University and
from the book Writing Literature Reviews by Jose L. Galvan
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a Literature Review.pptx

2. What is a Literature Review?
A literature review
• Surveys scholarly sources relevant to a particular
issue, area of research, or theory
• Provides a description, summary, and critical
evaluation of each work
• Offers an overview of significant literature published
on a topic
(from http://writingalitreview.pbwiki.com/What-a-Literature-Review-IS-and-
IS-NOT)
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

3. Digging Into the Literature
= Major works
B
C
A
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

4. Digging Into the Literature
Major works
=
Studies that rely on
= the major works
B
C
A
D
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

5. Digging Into the Literature
Major works
=
Studies that build on
= Ideas in major works
= New major work B
C
A
D
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

6. Digging Into the Literature
Major works
=
Studies that build on
= Ideas in major works
= New major work B
C
A
D
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

7. Guideline 1: Identify the problem but avoid
global statements
• Nursing education is important to both the health
care system in the United States and to health world-
wide. Without a high quality education nurses will be
unprepared for the next millennium.
OR
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

8. Guideline 1: Identify the problem but
avoid global statements
• The infusion of critical thinking skills in nursing
education has been a worldwide quest of nurse
educators to ensure quality improvement and quality
assurance in practice. There is a great need for
facilitation of critical thinking in the preparation and
assessment of nurse learners to care for patients
with complex culturally diverse health care needs
and their families.1
1Excerptfrom MM Chibeli, Facilitating critical thinking within the nursing process framework: a literature
review, Health SA Gesondheid, Volume 12, Issue 4, December 2007, pgs. 69-89
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

9. Guideline 2: Indicate why particular
studies are important
• It represented a critical turning point in the
development of research in that field
• It launched a new research methodology
Example: According to the most comprehensive
study to date (Jones, 2005), based on
comparative analysis of programs in 10
states…
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

10. Guideline 3: Be specific when
discussing time frames
• Avoid using phrases like “In recent years there has
been an increased interest in…”
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

11. Guideline 3: Be specific when
discussing time frames
• Example: Health promotion programs for employees
have been studied extensively. However, most
published studies have examined the effects of health
promotion programs in large corporations, with fewer
studies of smaller companies (Pelletier, 2005).
Executives realize the importance of reducing health
care costs to improve their financial outlook and often
recognize the positive effects health promotion
programs can have on absenteeism, employee
turnover, and general job satisfaction
(Goetzel, Ozminkowski, Asciutto, Chouinard, &
Barrett, 2001). 2
2 L. Johnson and S.A. Denham, quot; Structuring successful interventions in employee health programs.quot; AAOHN
Journal Volume 56, Issue 6, pgs. 231-40
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

12. Guideline 4: If citing a ground-breaking
study identify it as such
• Example: “The first content analysis
(emphasis added) of gender biases in
magazine advertisements was published by
Courteny and Lockerretz (1971). Those
authors found that magazine advertisements
reflected four general stereotypes…” 3
3 D. Neptune and S. Plous, “Racial and gender biases in magazine advertising.” Psychology of Women
Quarterly, 21. pgs. 627-44.
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

13. Guideline 5: Discuss other literature
reviews on your topic
• If you find another literature review on your
topic, ask yourself these questions:
– How is the other review different?
– What benefits will readers gain by reading it?
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

14. Guideline 6: Justify assertions such as
“no studies were found”
• “Gaps” in the research do occur, but also tell
the reader the following:
– where you searched, i.e. what databases you
looked at
– What parameters like dates you used in your
searches
Tell the reader that you found a gap based on your
specific research strategy
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

15. Guideline 7: Avoid lengthy lists of
general references
• Compare these two versions:
Numerous writers have indicated that children
in single-parent households are at greater risk
for academic underachievement than children
form two-parent households
(Smith, 1991, Jones, 1987, Roberts, 1997, Berry,
2000, Strauss, 2001, Johnson, 2003, Edwards, 20
05, Robinson, 2006).
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

16. Guideline 7: Avoid lengthy lists of
general references
• Compare these two versions:
Numerous writers have suggested that children in
single-parent households are at greater risk for
academic underachievement than children form
two-parent households (see, for example, Smith,
1991, and Jones, 1987). Three recent studies have
provided strong empirical support for this
contention (Johnson, 2003, Edwards, 2005,
Robinson, 2006). Of these, the study by Edwards is
the strongest because it used a country-wide
sample…
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

17. Guideline 8: Cite results that are
contradictory separately
• Sometimes studies on the same topic produce
contradictory results. Compare the two examples
and think about which one is a better way to cite
conflicting results:
Previous studies have found anywhere from 40%
(Ross, 1999, Smith, 2002 ) to 70% (Jones, 2004,
Bradshaw, 2006 )of college students have reported
downloading copyright-protected material from the
web.
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

18. Guideline 8: Cite results that are
contradictory separately
Previous studies have found anywhere from 40%
to 70% of college students have reported
downloading copyright-protected material from
the web (Ross, 1999, Smith, 2002, Jones, 2004,
Bradshaw, 2006).
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx

19. Resources
• Check the library’s wiki on writing a literature
review at www.writingalitreview.pbwiki.com
• You can find this presentation there and the
wiki is updated frequently, so check back often
for the most current information
LD U:LibraryLiterature ReviewWriting a
Literature Review.pptx