Literature Review Methods:

Point of Departure
Kathleen Liston
Why Literature Review?

Developing POD
involves literature
review at every phase
of research

Frames and guides

research
Where and When to Begin?
Do it early and often
Start with questions at
every phase
 Initial Literature Review:
From Scratch
• Interest • Meetings
• Curiosity • Groups
• Technologies

• Who is doing research

Lead to broad, general around teams using
questions to frame initial technologies?
review • Where is research going
on?
• Approaches to
group/technology research?
 Initial Literature Review
• Meeting research
• Find resources – Arizona
related to interest, – CDR
topic: – Mostly “small groups”
– Institutions, • Journals
– Small Group
research groups Research
– Journals – Organization Science
– Human Interaction
– Conferences
• Conferences
– Organizations – CSCW
– Key Researchers – Hawaii Conf.
Information
 Initial Literature Review
Domain research does not
Useful guide for future
build on group or Man.
research explorations
Science and vice-versa
Identify potential gaps,
areas unexplored

Research does not look at

format, presentation of
information and impact on group
process
 Exploratory Literature Review
• Topic • Use of information,
artifacts
• Question • Observe teams
• Methods • Analyze activities

• What examples of
observation and analysis of
Lead to Questions to teams exist? Metrics?
frame exploratory review Models?
• Do any look explicitly at use
of information, artifacts?
• What research methods do
they use?
• What frameworks exist to
observe/analyze teams?
 Exploratory Literature Review
• Identify topic areas
• Search, read,
highlight
• Outline, summarize
• More questions
• What is Language/Action,
applied to groups?
• What is performance? What
is a good meeting?
• What is value-add?
• What is difference between
task, acts, activities?
• Observation
methods/Metrics:
– Coding, Satisfaction
Attainment
• Group tasks/models
– Task Circumplex, IPO
• Theories
– Language/Action, Speech
Acts
– Lean, Production Theory
– Grounding
– Information Theory
 Explore: Outline, Structure
• Outline and take
notes during POD
• Terminology,
Acronyms
• Theories, Models
– Relationships
between?
– Purpose?
– Limitations?
 Explore: Take Notes, Outline, Start
to Organize
• Outlines
• Notes
• Tables
• Include References!
Explore: Organizing Research
• Save papers, links
• Organize papers
 Explore: Summarize, Analyze

• As POD expands,
continue to document
areas and key findings,
limitations
 Exploratory Literature Review
Nothing looking at
interaction with
information, artifacts

Outcomes are
typically “decision”
focused
Focus is on
“tasks” as • Identify models to
opposed to build on
sets of task or • Identify gaps
overall
process • Identify categories
relevant to research
 Focused Literature Review
• Research
• Map questions, framework/model to
proposed POD
• Typology to POD
contributions to • Coding method and
review analysis to POD
• Discuss scope of
• Why is my proposed
research in framework different from
context of POD existing? -> Compare
• What models am I building on
• Organize, and why? Which ones don’t
apply?
structure POD • Are my methods and metrics
proven, reliable?
Link POD to Contribution

• Start thinking:
• Is this a
contribution?
• Am I addressing this
gap?
• Am I using this to
guide methods or
model?
Define work in context of POD
• Consider “scope” of
research relative to
POD and other
research, may help
to focus and refine
POD
• Where are gaps in
POD?
 Focused Literature Review
Consider best way to
Researchers
and
(Morris 1966; Hackman
1968; Hackman and Morris
(Bales 1976; Bales 1998)
Interaction Process Analysis (IPA) System
communicate POD
Decision Proposal Coding (Poole and Roth 1989)
Decision Function Coding System (DFCS) Error!
Fundamental 1975) (Error! Reference source not Reference source not found. and Group Working
Theory found.) Relationships Coding System (GWRCS) (Poole 1983),
Table, Chart,
adapted and based on Fischer’s Decision Proposal
Coding System
Purpose and Task-Oriented Groups, Categories for direct observation of Decision behaviors and model phases and acts of
Focus applied to “intellective “overt behavior” and problem decision paths in groups
tasks”, <UPDATE> analysis; views process as a “feedback
system of communication and control
among a set of participants” (p. 225,
(Bales 1998)
Categories Structure problem Show solidarity (See Error! Reference source not found.)
Structure answer Show tension release Decision Function Phases
Propose solution Agrees Problem Analysis
Clarify Gives suggestion Problem Critique
Defend Gives opinion Solution Analysis
Repeat Gives orientation Solution Development and Elaboration
Agree Asks for orientation Solution Critique
Disagree Asks for opinion Orientation
Seek structuring Asks for suggestion Tangent
Seek solution Disagrees Confirmation
proposals
Seek clarify-defined-
• Discuss key findings,
Shows tension
Shows antagonism
Disorganized/Nonfocused
Working Relationship Categories (GWRCS)
repeat Focused Work
Seek evaluation
Procedure
limitations Critical Work
Opposition
Seek Procedure Accommodation
Irrelevant Tabling
Fragmentary • Define metrics or Open Discussion
Integration
Analysis
Methods
Combined coding with
coding of the “product” of
rationale for POD
Coding of teams, in lab and field 47 decisions in natural groups, coded dialog

the work
Key Findings Various studies, student groups, in lab Wide variation in decision paths, some teams exhibited
and in field; found correlations unitary decision path, 50% non-unitary(Poole and Roth
between groups with overt agreement 1989)
behavior and satisfaction
Limitations Too many categories, and Behavioral focus, does not capture or Organizes categories into
from current lacks consisteny across the relate to “product” or target of action
research activities, difficult to
pespective interpret and apply
Focused Review: Communicate
• Use charts to compare POD and position
research
 Refined Literature Review
• POD for Group Models
• Organize and
• POD for Group Task
document Classification
– General
• Contributory or – Domain
Significant POD • POD for Group
Process/Outcome
– Building on? – Observation Methods
– Coding processes
– Influenced or – Inter-rater reliability
framed research, • POD for Artifact
but not Interaction
– Domain
contributing to – General
• Refer to literature
for any “holes”
 Refined Literature Review
POD on Information, POD on Group POD on Methods to
Artifact Classification/ Models
POD on Group Measure/Evaluate
Interaction Process Outcome

Use a research model,

framework to organize or
summarize results of POD
 Refined Literature Review

Present POD
• Rationale
 Refined Literature Review

Present POD
• Rationale
Focused Literature Review
Present POD
• Key Findings
• Analysis
• Limitations addressed in
your research

Present POD
• Tables
• Text
• Charts
 Methods for Literature Review
• Creativity
• Diligence
• Inquisitiveness
• Patience…and knowing when to stop ☺
• Google is your friend..
 Practical Tips: Getting Started
• Setup research
folder
– Create sub-folders
for topic areas
• Develop a
consistent naming
scheme for papers:
– Paper title
– Author-Year
– Author-Title
– Endnote number
 Software Tools
• Why Endnote?
• Software tools:
– Stores all references
– EndNote
– Can adjust format styles
– Microsoft Word
per journal, conference, or
– Mind Map other publication
software requirements
– Adobe Acrobat – Add links to papers for
– Web Browser better management
– Add keywords, notes for
searching and organizing
literature review
Online Search
 Practical Tips: Online Search
• General search sites
• AEC specific
• Magazines, Commercial Sites
 Practical Tips: Documenting
References
• Start with outline
– Insert notes, references within outline and expand as needed
• Use tables to structure notes
– Select criteria, ideas
• References end of papers are best source for more
information
• Go to specific university or institution web sites. Many
papers and reports can be found at specific schools.
• Go to researcher’s home page. I’ve found old, out-dated
papers not available online through some academics.
• Email the researcher. I’ve also emailed the researcher
and one fedexed a hard-copy of the paper.
 Practical Tips: Miscellaneous
• Stanford’s SU LAIR has a great intro page for
sources for hard to find documents:
http://sulair.stanford.edu/research_help/how_fin
d/index.html
• PhD Thesis, working papers, reports.
– There is a searchable thesis database found through
the Stanford site. My experience is it’s best to go the
university and department site or email the researcher
directly
• Using PDF:
– You can highlight, add bookmarks, search. Get to
learn Adobe Acrobat – very useful tool