LITERATURE REVIEW • Conclusions as to which pieces are best considered in their argument, are most

convincing of their opinions, and make the greatest contribution to the understanding
DEFINITION and development of their area of research
• Explanation of how each work is similar to and how it varies from the others
• Summary of the sources, but it usually has an organizational pattern and combines both
o summary (a recap of the important information of the source); and
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
o synthesis (a re-organization, or reshuffling of that information)
• An account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers • Card catalogues of books in libraries
• Critical synthesis of a previous research • Organizations (institutions)
• Peer-reviewed literature: is better and take note also of the DOI (direct output identifier) • Published information (books, journals, etc.)
• Unpublished documents (studies in related fields, reports, etc.)
Good Literature Review Poor Literature Review
• Computer based literature searches (Medline)
Is a synthesis of available research Is an annotated bibliography
Is a critical evaluation Confined to description • Opinions, beliefs of key persons
Has appropriate breadth & depth Narrow & shallow • Books: least helpful during research
Has clarity & conciseness Confusing & longwinded
Uses rigorous & consistent methods Constructed in an arbitrary way TYPES OF SOURCES

Source Definition
PURPOSE Primary source Usually a report by the original researchers of a study
Secondary source Description or summary by somebody other than the original
• Provide researchers with a handy guide to a particular topic researcher (e.g., review article)
• Provide a solid background for a research paper’s investigation Conceptual/ Papers concerned with description or analysis of theories or
• To evaluate existing literature & a relationship between the different works theoretical concepts associated with the topic
• Provides a background to the study being proposed Anecdotal/opinion/ Views or opinions about the subject that are not research,
clinical review, or theoretical in nature. Clinical may be case studies
• It demonstrates the relevance of the research
or reports from clinical settings
• To convey what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their
strengths and weaknesses are
OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION
USES
• Clinical and hospital-based data from routine activity statistics
• It prevents you from duplicating work that has been done before • Local surveys, annual reports
• It increases your knowledge on the problem you want to study and this may assist you in • Scientific conferences
refining your SOP • Statistics issued at region and district levels
• It gives you confidence as to why a particular research project is needed • Articles from national and international journals
• To be familiar with different research methods • Internet
• Documentation, reports, and raw data from the Ministry of Health, Central Statistical
ELEMENTS
Offices, Nongovernmental organizations, etc.
A literature review should include:
STEPS IN THE REVIEW PROCESS
• An overview of the subject, issue or theory under consideration, along with the
objectives of the literature review A. Selecting a review topic
• Division of works under review into categories (e.g., those in support of a particular B. Searching the literature
position, those against, and those offering alternative theses entirely) C. Gathering, reading, and analyzing the literature
D. Writing the review
E. References
 STEPS SUMMARY OF INFROMATION REQUIRED IN A REVIEW
Selecting a Review Topic
• It is better to start with a narrow and focused topic and if necessary, broaden the scope Primary Sources Secondary Sources
of the review as you progress Title: Title:
• Topics that are too broad will result in reviews that are either too long or too Author & Year: Author & Year:
superficial Journal (full ref): Journal (full ref):
Searching the Literature Purpose of study: Review questions/purpose:
• Always consider comprehensiveness and relevance; the more specific the topic or Type of study: Key definitions:
question being searched is, the more focused the result will be Setting: Review boundaries:
• Computer databases offer access to vast quantities of information- easier and quicker Data collection method: Appraisal criteria:
than manual search Major findings: Synthesis of studies:
• Manual searches of journals that are specifically related to the topic of interest or Recommendations: Summary/Conclusions:
those that are likely to cover the topic can also be performed Key thoughts/Comments Key thoughts/Comments
• Maximum time frame: 5-10 years (also determined by the amount of available (strengths/weaknesses): (strengths/weaknesses):
information
Analyzing and Synthesizing the Literature
REVIEW OUTLINE
• Initally, it is advisable to undertake a first read of the articles that have been collected
to get a sense of what they are about PART DESCRIPTION
• Summary/Abstract: will enable the decision as to whether it is worthy of further Introduction • Should include the purpose of the review and a brief overview of the
reading or inclusion
problem
• PQRS system:
• Any limits, boundaries, or inclusion/exclusion criteria should be
o Preview, question, read, summarize
clearly described
o proposed by Cohen
Body • Presents and discusses the findings from the literature
• Facilitates easy identification and retrieval of material particularly if a large number of
• Literature that is central to the topic should be analyzed in-depth
publications are being reviewed
• When discussing empirical or research literature, a critical review of
• Refer to the table below for the summary of information required in a review
the methodologies used should be included
Writing the Review
• When describing a study’s findings, it is best to use a language that
• The basis for good writing is to avoid long and confusing words and keep jargon to a
indicates tentativeness of the results rather than making definite
minimum
statements about the research
• Sentences should be kept as short as possible with one clear message and spelling and
• It should not be a series of quotes or descriptions but needs to be
grammar should be accurate
written succinctly in the writer’s own words
• Primarily, the written report should include introduction, body and conclusion
• The review should read like a critical evaluation of the information
• Basically, a review should be concise, brief, and well-thought available on the topic, highlighting and comparing results from key
• Refer to the table below for the review outline sources
References • If using a thematic approach, the account should flow logically from
• The literature review should conclude with a full bibliographical list of all the books, one section or theme to the next, to maintain continuity and
journal articles, reports and other media, which were referred to in the work consistency; can be achieved by summarizing each theme or section
• An essential part of the process that all sourced material is acknowledged- every and outlining how it is related to the ensuing one
citation in the text must appear in the reference/bibliography and vice versa • Inconsistencies and contradictions in the literature also be
• The reference list may be a useful source of literature for others who are interested in addressed as should the strength and weaknesses inherent in the
studying this topic body of literature
Conclusion • A concise summary of the findings that describes current knowledge
and offer a rationale for conducting future research
• Some recommendations or implications for practice, education, and
research should be included
BOOLEAN SEARCHING o Direct reader to full source details in the reference list
o Author-date system:
How to find the books and articles you need quicker ▪ Author, without initials or suffixes
▪ Year of publication
• Boolean operators make it easier to find books and articles you need
o NOTE: Punctation mark after the in-text citation
• Boolean operators make your searches more exact and thus more powerful. By
o VARIATIONS
constructing more specific searches, you narrow in on materials related to your topic
▪ When the name of the author is included in the text, then you only need
much faster
the year of publication
• BIGGEST THREE (3) BOOLEAN OPERATORS
• NOTE: There is a space between the author’s name and date
1. AND
▪ When citing a specific part of a source
o It lets you search for items that include two or more search terms or
• You can put the specific page of the paper, after the date,
keywords
separated by a comma
o Both terms must appear in the article or book in order for that article or book
to appear in you search results • NOTE: lowercase “p” and space after “p.”
2. OR ▪ 2 authors
o It lets you search for two ore more search terms at once • Include both surnames and use ampersand (&) followed by the
o Gives you every article or book that includes either of the two search date of publication
terms/keywords ▪ 3-5 authors
o Useful if you’re unsure of which keyword to use • Include all surnames when citing first time but only write the
3. NOT surname of the first author on the subsequent citing, followed by
o It lets you exclude books or articles from your search results that you know et al.
won’t be useful ▪ 6 or more authors
• Only cite the surname of the first author followed by et al.
Others: ▪ When citing two or more works within one parenthesis
4. Quotation Marks (“ ”) • List in alphabetical order of the surname
o Initially, search engines and databases may automatically put “AND” in • Separate citations with a semicolon
between each of the words in your search string ▪ No date available or no year of publication
o To eliminate “AND” and search for the actual full phrase, use quotation marks • Write n.d. (for “no date”) instead
o Especially useful for full names • In text: Reference List: Author (n.d.). Title.: Publisher
5. Asterisk/Wildcard/Truncation Mark (*) ▪ Use of Quotations
o Acts as a substitute for any conceivable combination of letters • Short quotations are enclosed in quotation marks
▪ Use of longer quotations that are separated from the text
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (APA) STYLE for REFERENCING • Format: Author (year, page #) text.
▪ Adding page numbers
• Consists of two main parts:
1. In text citations • Format: (Surname, year, p.xx)
2. The reference lists ▪ Adding page numbers if pagination details are unavailable
• Important to follow all rules carefully including format, spacing, date, and abbreviations • Use the chapter, section, and paragraph number
• Rules will vary according to format- book, article, report, paper, webpage, twitter post • Format: (Surname, year, Chapter X, Section Y, para. Z)
etc. ▪ Distinguishing identical citations with the same surname & same year
• WHEN TO CITE • Allocate lower case letters in alphabetical order after the
o When referring to ideas, theories, or research of an author publication date
o Ensure references cited have been read ▪ Using a secondary source
o Provide references for facts and figures • To cite a document cited in another one, use phrase “as cited in”
o Provide a citation for direct quotations and give the page number
• IN TEXT CITATIONS
• FOR REFERENCING
o Referencing a book with a single author
▪ Format: Surname, I. (YEAR). Title of the book. Town: Publisher.
o Referencing a book with multiple authors (not more than 7)
▪ Format: Surname, I. (YEAR). Title of the book. Town: Publisher.
▪ For the authors’ names, you have to write every author’s names up to
seven
o Referencing a book with multiple authors (more than 7)
▪ Format: Surname, I. (YEAR). Title of the book. Town: Publisher.
▪ If you have more than 7 authors, use an ellipsis between the 6 th and the
last names
o Referencing a book with Editor’s name
▪ If the book has an editor, use her name + (Ed.) or (Eds.) for plural instead
of the author
▪ Format: Surname, Initial (YEAR). Title of the book. Town: Publisher.
o Referencing a book with Different Editions
▪ If this is not a first edition, add the edition number
▪ Format: Surname, Initial (YEAR). Title of the book (Edition #). Town:
Publisher.
o Referencing using E-book
▪ For eBooks, mention he DOI or URL from which you downloaded the
eBook from
▪ Format: Surname, Initial (YEAR). Title of the book. Retrieved from (URL)
o Referencing a Book Chapter
▪ Format: Surname Author, Initial. (YEAR). Title of the chapter. I. Surname
Editor (Ed.). Title of the book (pp. XX-XX). Town: Publisher
o Referencing a Paper in a Collection
▪ Format: Name Author, I. (YEAR paper). Title of the paper. In I. Name
Editor (Ed.) Title of the book (pp. XXXX). Town: Publisher, YEAR book
o Referencing an Article
▪ Format: Surname, I. (YEAR). Title of the article. Name of the Journal,
Volume (Issue), page # xx-xx.
o Referencing an Article using DOI
▪ You can also add the DOI at the end of the reference
▪ Format: Surname, I. (YEAR). Title of the article. Name of the Journal,
Volume (Issue), page # xx-xx. DOI.
o Referencing a Web Page
▪ Format: Surname, I. (YEAR) Title of the web page. Retrieved from URL
o Referencing from a blog post
▪ Format: Surname, I. (YEAR) Title of the blog post [Blogpost]. Retrieved
from URL