OSU Libraries Literature Review Workshops

Suggested questions to help you critically evaluate materials in the literature review
process:
1. Who is the author and what are his/her qualifications to write this piece?
2. What is the stated or implied purpose for writing the piece or doing the research? Another
way to think of this is looking at what the problem or issue is as the author(s) has
formulated it?
3. What is its significance (scope, severity, relevance) of the problem or issue according to the
author(s)?
4. Could the problem have been approached more effectively from another perspective?
5. Who is the intended audience? Practitioners, scholars, teachers, policymakers? (Hints: look
at language, writing style, format, venue of publication)
6. What is the author's research orientation (e.g., interpretive, critical science, combination)?
7. What is the author's theoretical framework?
8. Has the author evaluated the literature relevant to the problem/issue? Does the author
include literature taking positions she or he does not agree with?
9. How does the author structure the argument? Can you "deconstruct" the flow of the
argument to see whether or where it breaks down logically (e.g., in establishing cause-effect
relationships)?
10. Is there evidence of bias in the writing style? For example, does the author use rhetoricallycharged language and tone?
11. If this is a research study, how good are the basic components of the study design:
population
intervention
methodology
outcome
accuracy and validity of the measurements
accuracy and relevance of the data analysis as it relates to the research question
12. Are conclusions reached by the author(s) supported adequately by the research and/or data
analysis?
13. In what ways does this material contribute to our understanding of the problem under
study? In what ways is it useful for practice? What are the strengths and limitations?
14. How does this book or article relate to the specific thesis or question I am developing?

Adapted from Taylor, D. & Proctor, M. (2007). The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting It. Retrieved Feb. 4,
2008, from http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/litrev.html and Engledinger, E.A. (1988). Bibliographic Instruction and Critical
Thinking. RQ, 28 (Winter), 195-202.