LCE MASTER

LESSON THREE:

CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW (L.R)

DEFINITIONS
• As its name implies, it is the review of all the literature (examine the key research) done
so far on your topic. It is usually written in separate chapter in a thesis or dissertation.
• A literature review surveys books, scholarly articles, and any other sources relevant to a
particular issue, area of research, or theory.
• It provides a description, summary, and critical evaluation of these works in relation to
the research problem being investigated.
• It is designed to provide an overview of sources you have explored while researching a
particular topic and to demonstrate to your readers how your research fits within a larger
field of study.
• An objective, concise, critical summary of published research literature relevant to a
topic being researched in an article.

L.R SEEKS TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS?

 What has been done before?
 What have others said?
 What is the relevance?
 What is the difference?
 Agreement/disagreement?
 Are there flaws in the existing literature?
Keep in your mind that you are showing the gap in the literature your research will fill.

IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD L.R

 A summary of key sources and existing knowledge,
 Combines both summary and synthesis of prior studies related to the research
problem under investigation,
 To place your project within the larger whole of what is currently being explored,
 Demonstrating to your readers that your work is original and innovative.

THE ANALYTICAL FEATURES OF A L.R

 Give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations,
 Depending on the situation, evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most
pertinent or relevant research, or
 Trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates,
 Usually in the conclusion of a literature review, identify where gaps exist in how a
 problem has been researched to date,

THE PURPOSE OF A LITERATURE REVIEW IS TO

 Place each work in the context of its contribution to the understanding of the research
problem being studied,
 Describe the relationship of each work to the others under consideration,
 Identify new ways to interpret, and shed light on any gaps in previous research,
 Resolve conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies,
 Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication of effort,
 Point the way in fulfilling a need for additional research,
 Locate your own research within the context of existing literature [very important],
 To improve your own understanding (build your knowledge and expertise),
 Demonstrate your knowledge,
 Update the reader.

THE STRUCTURE OF A LITERATURE REVIEW

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. You should have a
rough idea of your strategy before you start writing.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies
(for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed
chronologically).

Chronological
The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you
choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.

Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the
field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

Thematic
If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into
subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes,
key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status,
and economic access.

Methodological
If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research
methods, you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different
approaches. For example:
  Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
 Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
 Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical
A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework. You can use it to
discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various
theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LITERATURE REVIEW

Step 1: Choose a topic/Focus & Explore
Step 2: Research/Collect scholarly
information &Sources
Step 3: Analyze the network information &  Use maps & charts to identify
Selected works
Step 4: Describe and Summarize each
selected Article
Step 5: Demonstrate how concepts in the L.  Compare the various arguments,
R relate to your study. Establish how the
literature is connected
 Topic that you are familiar
with/interested in,
 Topic that your readers and other
researchers will be interested in,
 Topics that they are current, well-
established and have ample research
for review.
 Scholarly refereed articles &
international journals
 Books/chapter in edited books
 Articles in national, refereed journals
 Conference papers and research reports
 PhD dissertations and Masters Theses.
 Websites/articles in non-refereed
journals.
intersections of the research,
 Outline important categories (main
points of analysis),
 Select the material most useful to your
review.
 Summarize the article you read in
several points.
 Determine 2-3 important concepts or
findings discussed in each text.
 Take notes of important aspects.
theories, methodologies, and findings
expressed in the literature: what do the
authors agree on? Who applies similar
approaches to analyzing the research

Step 6: Identify relationship in literature &
connect your own ideas to them
problem?
 Contrast the various arguments,
themes, methodologies, approaches,
and controversies expressed in the
literature: describe what are the major
areas of disagreement, controversy, or
debate among scholars?
 Critique the literature: Which
arguments are more persuasive, and
why? Which approaches, findings, and
methodologies seem most reliable,
valid, or appropriate, and why? Pay
attention to the verbs you use to
describe what an author says/does [e.g.,
asserts, demonstrates, argues, etc.].
 Critical evaluation (it is you who will
justify and show how your work is
different and why it is necessary to
conduct a research.
 Identify the missing parts in previous
studies that your study addresses.
 Highlight concepts that your
hypothesis, methods, results or
conclusions.
 This is the same as the previous step
but it focuses on connections between
the literature and the current study or
guiding concept/argument,
 Connect the literature to your own area
of research and investigation: how does
your own work draw upon, depart
from, synthesize, or add a new
perspective to what has been said in the
literature?
 Your hypothesis, argument, or guiding
concept is the Golden Thread.

THE CRITICAL EVALUATION OF EACH WORK SHOULD CONSIDER

Provenance -- what are the author's credentials? Are the author's arguments supported by
evidence [e.g. primary historical material, case studies, narratives, statistics, and recent
scientific findings]?
Methodology -- were the techniques used to identify, gather, and analyze the data appropriate
to addressing the research problem? Was the sample size appropriate? Were the results
effectively interpreted and reported?
Objectivity -- is the author's perspective even-handed or prejudicial? Is contrary data
 considered or is certain pertinent information ignored to prove the author's point?
Persuasiveness -- which of the author's theses are most convincing or least convincing?
Value -- are the author's arguments and conclusions convincing? Does the work ultimately
contribute in any significant way to an understanding of the subject?

WRITING YOUR LITERATURE REVIEW

Use Evidence Your interpretation of the available sources must be backed up
with evidence [citations] that demonstrates that what you are
saying is valid.
Be Selective Select only the most important points in each source to highlight
in the review. The type of information you choose to mention
should relate directly to the research problem.
Use Quotes Sparingly Some short quotes are okay if you want to emphasize a point, or
if what an author stated cannot be easily paraphrased. Sometimes
you may need to quote certain terminology that was coined by
the author, not common knowledge, or taken directly from the
study.
Summarize and Remember to summarize and synthesize your sources within
Synthesize each thematic paragraph as well as throughout the review.
Recapitulate important features of a research study, but then
synthesize it by rephrasing the study's significance and relating it
to your own work.
Keep Your Own Voice While the literature review presents others' ideas, your voice [the
writer's] should remain front and center. For example, weave
references to other sources into what you are writing but maintain
your own voice by starting and ending the paragraph with your
own ideas and wording.

Use Caution When When paraphrasing a source that is not your own, be sure to
Paraphrasing represent the author's information or opinions accurately and in
your own words. Even when paraphrasing an author’s work, you
still must provide a citation to that work.

REFERENCES

https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185920

https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/literature-review/