LITERATURE REVIEW

An evaluative report of studies found in the literature related to your selected

area
Should describe, summarize, evaluate and clarify this literature. It should give
a theoretical basis for the research and help you determine the nature of your
own research.
Key points of a literature review
o Tell me what the research says (theory).
o Tell me how the research was carried out (methodology).
o Tell me what is missing, ie the gap that your research intends to fill.

PURPOSE:

establish a theoretical framework for your topic / subject area

define key terms, definitions and terminology
identify studies, models, case studies etc supporting your topic
define / establish your area of study, ie your research topic.
Provide a context for the research
Justify the research
Ensure the research hasn't been done before (or that it is not just a
"replication study")
Show where the research fits into the existing body of knowledge
Enable the researcher to learn from previous theory on the subject
Illustrate how the subject has been studied previously
Highlight flaws in previous research
Outline gaps in previous research
Show that the work is adding to the understanding and knowledge of the field
Help refine, refocus or even change the topic

EFFECTIVE LR

An effective LR analyzes and synthesizes information about key themes or

issues.
It is structured around the research ideas/ questions critically appraising
and analyzing them.
It is not just a descriptive list of the material available, or a set of
summaries.
The review has a logical organization and effectively presents a
summary/synthesis of the state of the work in the field.
It highlights the main arguments and then identifies gaps or shortcomings
which need to be addressed.

Primary research articles

Review articles
(An original research articles)
(A stand-alone publication of LR)
Primary source
Secondary source
Most often published in peer
They are also published in peer
reviewed journals, primary research
reviewed journals, but seek to
articles report on the findings of a
synthesize and summarize the
scientists work.
work of a particular sub-field,

They will almost always include a

description of how the research
was done and what the results
mean.

rather than report on new results.

Review articles will often lack a
Materials and Methods section.

CONTENT
1. Research to discover what has been written about the topic
2. Critical appraisal to evaluate the literature, determine the relationship
between the sources and ascertain what has been done already and what
still needs to be done
3. Writing to explain what you have found

STEPS CONDUCTING LITERATURE REVIEW

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Choose a topic. Define your research question.

Conduct literature survey
Manage reference and avoid plagiarism
Critically analyse and evaluate what you have
Writing

TYPES OF LR
1. Traditional or Narrative literature Review

Critiques and summarizes a body of literature

Draws conclusions about the topic

Identifies gaps or inconsistencies in a body of knowledge

Requires a sufficiently focused research question

Weaknesses:-

A large number of studies may make it difficult to draw conclusions

The process is subject to bias that supports the researcher's own work.

2. Systematic Literature Review

More rigorous and well-defined approach

Comprehensive

Published and unpublished studies relating to a particular subject area

Details the time frame within which the literature was selected

Details the methods used to evaluate and synthesize findings of the studies in question

3. Meta-analysis

A form of systematic review (reductive)

Takes findings from several studies on the same subject and analyzes them using
standardized statistical procedures

Integrates findings from a large body of quantitative findings to enhance under-standing

(study=unit of analysis)

Draws conclusions and detect patterns and relationships

4. Meta-synthesis

Non-statistical technique

Integrates, evaluates and interprets findings of multiple qualitative research studies

Identifies common core elements and themes

May use findings from phenomenological, grounded theory or ethnographic studies

Involves analyzing and synthesizing key elements

Goal: transform individual findings into new conceptualizations and interpretations