◆ Extensive literatur discussion at the

◆Minimal discussion at the

beggining.
◆ Because it helps to document how your beginning
◆ Justifies the importane of the study.
study adds to existing literature. ◆Justifies the need for the
◆ Provides reasons for the purpose, reseach
◆ Provide evidence that your study is study
questions and hypotheses of the study.
needed ◆The most rigourous ◆ Some use the lit. review to
◆ Separate section titled ''Review of the
◆ Builds your reseachr skills and broaden form of research. support the findings
literature''
your knowledge on a topic. ◆Can be qualitative or ◆ Supports or modifies
◆Includes lit. review at the end of the study,
◆ Helps you find examples and models quantitative studies, existing findings in the
comparing results with the literautre at the
that may help sharpen your research. depending on your literature.
beginning. Confirms or disconfirms prior
topic. ◆Cite the litearature at the end
predictions from the literature
of the study.

WHY DO LIT. REVIEW?

CHARACTERISTICS

QUANTITAVE LIT. REVIEW

QUALITATIVE LIT. REVIEW

A literature review is a summary of
journal articles, books, and other
documents that describes the past and
current state of information on the topic
you are going to research

REVIEWING THE Nicolás Iván López Huertas

20142165065

LITERATURE Research Project in L2

Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caladas
Creswell, J. W. (2005). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and
evaluating quantitative and qualitative research.

CONDUCTING A LIT. REVIEW

Narow your topic to key terms

Take into account academical writing.

◆Write a preliminary title and choose terms

1. Identify key terms. ◆ Use a style manual (Structure for
◆ Write a research question and choose terms from it
2. Locate literature. citing references)
◆ Use words that authors report
3. Evaluate and select WRITE THE LIT. REVIEW ◆ Levels of headings (topics or
◆ Look in a catalog of terms to find those who suits your KEY TERMS
4. Organize the subdivisions in your review)
topic.
literature ◆ Take into account writing strategies
◆ Go to college or university libraries and scan key terms
5. Write a literature
that suits your research. You can also do an internet
review
search. WRITING STRATEGIES

ORGANIZE THE LITERATURE

LOCATE LITERATURE EVALUATE AND SELECT

Look for the articles, books and documents

that helps your research in several ◆ Extent of the review: Depends on the
databases. Be critical when researcher and type of research.
evaluating and How does the paper i'm reviewing fits ◆ Types of literature review: thematic
◆Use academic libraries (Physical and/or selecting your literature in the overall literature? review of the literature (Major ideas
online) or results from the studies, brief),
◆Use primary (Those who conducted a ◆ Reproducing, Downloading, and Filing study-by-study review of the
research) and secondary sources (A way to gain easy access to the literature (detailed summary of each
(Summarizes primary sources) literature.) study, larger)
RELEVANCE ◆ Organize by key words, sources or
◆ Search different types of literature. SOURCE ◆ Concluding Statement of the Review:
topic. Summarezes the major themes and
◆ Take notes (for summarizing) and provides reasons for the importance
abstract studies (Summarize the or need of the study.
TYPES OF LITERATURE
major aspect of the study)
◆ Is it relevant for the ◆ Think about the type of literature you
◆ It comes from a good, research? will be abstracting. (qualitative,
◆ Summaries: Encyclopedias, research reviews, handbooks, statistical indexes, accurate and reliable ◆ Does it examine the quantitative)
abstracts. source? same individuals or ◆ Construct a literature map. (Diagram,
◆ Books: Research studies, essays ◆ Use a priority system sites? table, visual picture, etc.)
◆ Journal Articles: Databases, refereed, non-refereed, international, national, regional, for selecting. ◆ Does it address the
state. etc. ◆ Include both qualitative same research question
◆ Indexed Publications: Conference papers, dissertations, theses, professional and quantitative, or research problem?
association, papers, college and university publications. depending on your ◆ Can you obtain the
◆ Early Stage Material: Papers posted on Web site, professional association topic. literature eeasily?
newsletters, drafts of papers for conference presentation.