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Chapter 4

The Critical Literature

Review

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Critical Literature Review The Critical Review (1)

▪ A literature review is “the selection of Deductive Approaches

available documents (both published and • Develop Theory
unpublished) on the topic, which contain 1
information, ideas, data and evidence
• Formulate Hypotheses
written from a particular standpoint to fulfill 2
certain aims or express certain views on the
• Collect Data
nature of the topic and how it is to be 3
investigated, and the effective evaluation of
these documents in relation to the research • Accept or Reject Hypotheses
4
being proposed” (Hart, 1998, p. 13).
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The Critical Review (1) Discussion

Inductive Approaches
▪ What is the purpose of the literature review?
• Observation
1

• Pattern
2

• Tentative Hypothesis
3

• Theory
4
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Discussion Functions of Literature Review

In general, a literature review ensures that:
1. The research effort is positioned relative to existing knowledge and builds on
In general, a literature review ensures that:
this knowledge. 1. The research effort is positioned relative to
2. You can look at a problem from a specific angle; it shapes your thinking and
sparks useful insights on the topic of your research. existing knowledge and builds on this knowledge.
3. You does not run the risk of “reinventing the wheel”; that is, wasting effort on
trying to rediscover something that is already known.
2. You can look at a problem from a specific
4. You are able to introduce relevant terminology and to define key terms used in angle.
your writing. This is important because the same term may have a different
meaning, depending on the context in which it is used. Definitions will also help 3. You do not run the risk of “reinventing the
you to give structure to your essay, article or report (see Box 4.1 for an
example).
wheel”;
5. You obtain useful insights of the research methods that others have used to 4. You are able to introduce relevant terminology
provide an answer to similar research questions. Knowledge of the research
methods used by others allows you to replicate existing research, which will help and to define key terms used in your writing.
you to relate your research findings to the findings of others.
6. The research effort can be contextualized in a wider academic debate. In other
words, it allows you to relate your findings to the findings of others.
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Functions of Literature Review Functions of Literature Review

5. You obtain useful insights of the research
methods others have used to provide an answer
to similar research questions.
Knowledge of the research methods used by others
allows you to replicate existing research, which will
help you to relate your research findings to the
findings of others.
6. The research effort can be contextualized in a
wider academic debate. In other words, it allows
you to relate your findings to the findings of
others.
Slide 4-9
Some of the functions of a critical literature review depend
on the type of study and the specific research approach
that is taken.
▪ In a descriptive study it may help you to come up with
a comprehensive overview of the relevant perspectives
on the topic, a guiding definition, and an in-depth
overview of frameworks, instruments, and analytical
tools that will help you to describe something.
▪ In a project that is inductive and exploratory in nature,
it may help you to develop a theoretical background,
which provides an overview of the key literature pertinent
to your specific topic
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Functions Literature Review Videos

▪ In a deductive study, a review of the literature will
allow you to develop a theoretical background. ▪ Writing the Literature Review - YouTube
This may help you to obtain a clear idea as to what
variables will be important to consider in his
theoretical framework, why they are considered
important, how they are related to each other, and
how they should be measured to solve the
problem
▪ A critical review of the literature may also help you
to provide arguments for the relationships between
the variables in your conceptual causal model and
to develop hypotheses.
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Is your literature review critical? The structure of the critical review

▪ Refer to work by recognized experts in your ▪ From general to specific

chosen area
▪ Consider and discuss work that supports
and/or opposes your ideas
▪ Make reasoned judgments regarding the
value of others’ work to you research
▪ Support your arguments with valid
evidence in a logical manner
▪ Distinguish clearly between fact and opinion
Slide 14-13
Slide 14-14
▪ Provide brief overview of key ideas
▪ Summarize, compare and contrast the key
writers
▪ Narrow down to highlight the most relevant to
your work
▪ Provide a detailed account of the findings of your
work
▪ Highlight the issues where you will provide
fresh insights
▪ Lead the reader into the corresponded sections

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Data Sources Literature sources available

▪ Textbooks
▪ Academic and professional journals
▪ Peer-reviewed
▪ Review articles vs. research articles
▪ Theses
▪ Conference proceedings
▪ Provide latest research
▪ Unpublished manuscripts
▪ Paper accepted but still in press
▪ Reports of government departments and corporations
▪ Newspapers
▪ The Internet
▪ Unregulated & unmonitored
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Discussion Searching for Literature

▪ Provide at least two distinctive definitions of ▪ Most libraries have the following electronic
two of the following terms: resources at their disposal:
▪ Leadership ▪ Electronic journals
▪ Job satisfaction ▪ Full-text databases
▪ Organizational effectiveness ▪ Bibliographic databases
▪ Service quality ▪ Abstract databases
▪ Auditor liability
▪ Cash flow
▪ Consumer value
▪ Consumer loyalty
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Searching Computerized Databases Searching Computerized Databases

▪ Computerized databases are readily
available through libraries and the internet.
▪ These databases provide access to
numerous journal articles, conference papers
and dissertations on a wealth of topics.
▪ Some of these online data bases include:
ERIC, ProQuest, EBSCO, Sociological Abstracts,
PsycINFO, PubMed, Science direct, Google
scholar, Social Science Citation Index (SSCI)
Slide 14-19
▪ Use both free databases and those subscribed
for by academic libraries
▪ Search several databases, even those outside
your field
▪ Do not use only search terms that are identical
to your topic and study interest, slight variations
in the search terms may yield more outcomes
▪ Locate articles that are close to your topic and
use their descriptors to enhance your search
▪ Use databases that provide access to full
articles
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Selecting Literature Material Literature Map of Research

▪ Start with broad syntheses (such as ▪ A literature map is a visual summary of

encyclopedias) if you are new to the topic existing research on a topic
▪ Turn to journal articles in national journals ▪ The structure of the literature map may be:
▪ Best source for research reports ▪ a hierarchical pattern
▪ Next consider books ▪ a flowchart layout
▪ Then examine conference papers ▪ a series of circles
▪ Scan for dissertations
▪ Last consider reports on the web

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An Example of Literature Map Evaluating the Literature

▪ Titles
▪ Abstract
▪ Study purpose, general research strategy,
findings, conclusions
▪ Table of contents/first chapter book
▪ Number of citations
▪ Introduction

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6

Checklist for evaluating your literature
review:
▪ Does your review start at a more general level?
▪ Does the literature covered relate clearly to your research
questions and objectives?
▪ Have you covered the key theories of recognized experts in the
area?
▪ Is the literature you have included up to date?
▪ Have you been objective in the discussions and assessment of
other people’s work?
▪ Have you included references that are counter to your own
opinion?
▪ Are facts and opinions clearly distinguished?
▪ Is your argument coherent and cohesive - do the ideas link
together?
▪ Have you made reasoned judgements about the value of other’s
work to your own?
▪14-25Have you justified clearly your own ideas?
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Evaluating the Literature (p.57)
▪ Is the main research question or problem statement
presented in a clear and analytical way?
▪ Is the relevance of the research question made
transparent?
▪ Does this study build directly upon previous research?
▪ Will the study make a contribution to the field?
▪ Is there a theory that guides the research?
▪ Is the theory described relevant and is it explained in an
understandable, structured, and convincing manner?
▪ Are the methods used in the study explained in a clear
manner (description of methods)?
▪ Is the choice of certain methods motivated in a
convincing way (Justification of methods)?
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The key to a critical literature review
▪ Demonstrate that you have read, understood
and evaluated your material
▪ Link the different ideas to form a cohesive
and coherent argument
▪ Make clear connections to your research
objectives and the subsequent empirical
material
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Evaluating the Literature (p.57)
▪ Is the sample appropriate?
▪ Are the research design and/or the questionnaire
appropriate for this study?
▪ Are the measures of the variables valid and reliable?
▪ Has the author used the appropriate quantitative and/or
qualitative techniques?
▪ Do the conclusions result from the findings of the study?
▪ Do the conclusions give a clear answer to the main
research question?
▪ Has the author considered the limitations of the study?
▪ Has the author presented the limitations in the articles?
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Documenting the Literature Review Discussion

▪ Literature review introduces ▪ Find two or more sources with contrasting

▪ Subject study viewpoints on the same issue. Discuss the
▪ Highlights the problem main differences between these sources.
▪ Summarizes work done so far

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Ethical Issues Common Forms of Plagiarism

Two pitfalls: Sources not cited

1. Purposely misrepresenting the work of other
authors
▪ Their viewpoints, models, findings,
conclusions, interpretations, and so on
2. Plagiarism
▪ Use of another’s original words, arguments,
or ideas though they were your own, even if
this is done good faith, out of carelessness,
or out of ignorance
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1. “The Ghost Writer”
▪ Writer turns in another’s work, word-for-word, as his/her own
2. “The Photocopy”
▪ Writer copies significant portions of text straight from a single
source, without alternation
3. “The Potluck Paper”
▪ Writer to disguise plagiarism by copying from several different
sources, tweaking sentences while retaining most of the
original phrasing
Reprinted with permission from: What is Plagiarism? (n.d.), retrieved June 22,
2011, from
http://
www.plagiarism.org/learning_center/what_is_plagiarism.html.

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Common Forms of Plagiarism Common Forms of Plagiarism

Sources cited (but still plagiarized)
Sources not cited 1.“The Forgotten Footnote”
4. “The Poor Disguise” ▪ Writer mentions an author’s name for a source, but
▪ Writer altered source paper’s appearance slightly by changing neglects to include specific information on the location of
key words and phrases. the material referenced
5. “The Labor of Laziness” 2.“The Misinformer”
▪ Writer paraphrase most of the paper from other sources and
▪ Writer provides inaccurate information regarding the
make it all fit together, instead of spending the same effort on
sources, making it impossible to find them
original work
6. “The Self-Stealer” 3.“The Too-Perfect Paraphrase”
▪ Writer “Borrows” generously from his/her previous work, ▪ Writer properly cites a source, but neglects to put in
violating policies concerning the expectation of originality quotation marks text that has been copied word-for-word,
adopted by most academic institutions or close to it
Reprinted with permission from: What is Plagiarism? (n.d.), retrieved June 22,
2011, from Reprinted with permission from: What is Plagiarism? (n.d.), retrieved June 22,
http://
www.plagiarism.org/learning_center/what_is_plagiarism.html.
Slide 4-33 2011, from http://www.plagiarism.org/learning_center/what_is_plagiarism.html.
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Common Forms of Plagiarism Discussion

Sources cited (but still plagiarized)
4. “The Resourceful Citer” ▪ Why is appropriate citation important? What
▪ Writer properly cites all sources, paraphrasing and using are the consequences of not giving credit to
quotations appropriately, but the paper contains almost no
the source from which materials are
original work!
5.“The Perfect Crime” extracted?
▪ Writer properly quotes and cites sources in some places,
but goes on to paraphrase other arguments from those
sources without citation
▪ Writer tries to pass off the paraphrased material as his/her
own analysis of the cited material

Reprinted with permission from: What is Plagiarism? (n.d.), retrieved June 22,
2011, from http://www.plagiarism.org/learning_center/what_is_plagiarism.html.
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Discussion Videos

▪ Most published articles are copyrighted. ▪ Literature Reviews: An Overview for

There are rules as to how much can be Graduate Students | NC State University
quoted from the original text without obtaining Libraries (ncsu.edu)
the journal’s and the author’s permission. If
permission is not obtained for quotes
exceeding the autthorized limit, the individual
quoting the material is liable to be sued for
plagiarism and can even be expelled from the
professional society to which he or she
belongs.
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