Research Methodology

Chapter 03 - Summary Note

Critically reviewing the literature

G.G.N.M.L.C.K Nawarathna
# 17253

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Chapter 3 - Critically reviewing the literature

Table of Contents
3.1 What is a literature review? ...................................................................................................... 1
3.2 Critical review ........................................................................................................................... 1
3.2.1 The goal of a critical review .............................................................................................. 1
3.2.2 Adopting a critical view of reading ................................................................................... 2
3.2.3 Content of a critical review................................................................................................ 3
3.2.4 Meant by being ‘critical ‘about the content ....................................................................... 3
3.2.5 The structure of the critical review .................................................................................... 4
3.3 Available literature sources....................................................................................................... 4
3.4 Planning a literature search strategy ......................................................................................... 5
3.4.1 Defining parameters .......................................................................................................... 5
3.4.2 Generating search terms .................................................................................................... 5
3.4 Conducting literature search ................................................................................................ 6
3.6 Obtaining and evaluating the literature ..................................................................................... 6
3.7 Recording literature ............................................................................................................. 6

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3.1 What is a literature review?
A literature review is a search and evaluation of the available literature in given subject or
chosen topic area. It documents the state of the art with respect to the subject or topics are
writing about. In other words literature review is a review in which one makes reasoned
judgements about the value of pieces of literature. Through this necessary to organize valuable
ideas and findings. Basically here are two aspect of reviews. The first aspect of review goes
along with the fundamental search for research ideas, because that’s when browse through pieces
of work and judge which ones are related and which ones are not. The second aspect of reviews
are referred to as critical reviews. To be able to show the significance of a research project it is
necessary to understand the subject field and its concepts, ideas and key theories. One is
‘critically reviewing literature’ when one selected those pieces of literature that are relevant to
the research.

3.2 Critical review

Basically in a critical review, examine deeply the existing previous research and trends that had
emerged and question the theoretical grounding of the research that had been published in
relevant research area. Through a critical review should be a significant analysis that critically
develops a transparent argument about what the chosen literature visible about a research
question. That’s not a simply summarize what a piece of literature is about. Rather, it is
necessary to evaluate what is significant to the research project and what is not considering
relevant trends and proper own comparative analysis about to the future study of relevant subject
in the light of research.
3.2.1 The goal of a critical review
The critical literature review empowers to identify the foundation on which a research is based
on. The purpose of literature review is not to provide a summary of everything which is related
on research topic, but also to review the most relevant and significant research on relevant topic.
The exact goal of reading literature depends on which approach is wishing to use in a research.
Mainly there are two kinds of approaches;

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Chapter 3 - Critically reviewing the literature

1. Deductive approach- Research projects which use the literature to help to identify
theories and ideas that will test using data. (Section 4.3)
2. Inductive approach- develop a theoretical or conceptual framework, which is
subsequently test using data and analyses the collected data to subsequently develop
theories from them and relate them to the literature.

There are three ways of using literature:

1. Use literature in the initial stages of a research, when making research proposal
2. Use literature to provide the theoretical framework and context
3. To help place research findings within the wider body of knowledge
Once a critical review is successful, that will provide new insights about a subject area. That is
necessary to interpretation on how the new findings and developed theories relate to other
literature about subject to demonstrate that are familiar with what has already been said about the
subject.

3.2.2 Adopting a critical view of reading

In order to read effectively it is necessary to master various skills, which include:

Previewing Browsing the text to find out what its purpose

Annotating Conducting an analogue with yourself, the author and the issues atstake

Summarizing Be able to explain/state the text in your own words

Comparing and
contrasting How has your thinking been altered by this reading?

Use review Questions which you ask yourself during reading which are linked to your
questions research questions

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3.2.3 Content of a critical review

The critical review will eventually have to pose on a project report. This review has to include an
evaluation of the
• Evaluation of subject area of research
• Demonstrate and discuss the relationships between published research findings and refer to
the literature in which were reported.
• Present the key points and trends in a structured way and show the relationship with the
research.
By doing so the readers of a research project will have background knowledge to the research
questions. However, through review this literature, explain clearly why it is problematic, and
then justify ideas. When considering the content of a critical review one needs to:
• Include the key academic theories within the chosen research area
• Demonstrate that knowledge of the chosen area is up to date
• Through clear referencing, enable those reading project report to find the original
publications which use to cite
3.2.4 Meant by being ‘critical ‘about the content
Being critical means combination of skills and the attitude with which read. In critically
reviewing the literature, need to have clear idea about the literature regarding the research topic
with some scepticism and be willing to question related to research. Hence need to be constantly
considering and justifying with clear idea regarding own critical stance.
Basically, there are four aspects of a critical approach that should be fostered by management
education:

Critique of
rhetoric

Critique of Critical Critique of

objectivity tradition
approach

Critique of
authority

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Chapter 3 - Critically reviewing the literature

3.2.5 The structure of the critical review

Under this need to focus on research questions and objectives with a view helping literature
review as discussing the context of published research goes in answering the chosen
Research questions. One should therefore describe the limitations of the existing literature. It is
also helpful to find the way the review relates to the chosen research objectives.
Mainly there are three common critical review structures:
• One single chapter
• A series of chapters
• Throughout the project report while tackling various issues

Every project report should refer to the key issues from the literature in the discussion and
conclusions. Review is easy to be critical when constantly tries to compare or contrast different
authors and their ideas.
The review should be a funnel in which
1. Start at a general level and narrow it down to research questions and objectives
2. Provide a brief overview of key ideas and themes
3. Summarize, compare and contrast research of the key writers
4. Narrow down to highlight research most relevant to the research
5. Provide detailed findings and show how are related to the literature
6. Highlight those aspects where research is providing new insights
7. Lead the reader to subsequent sections of project

3.3 Available literature sources

This can be divided into three categories
1. Primary sources - First occurrence of a piece of work which includes public sources as
reports and documents, but also unpublished work such as letters and memo’s. Most of
the times this kind of literature is very detailed, but not easy to access, hence it is
sometimes referred to as grey literature

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2. Secondary sources - aimed at a wider audience, easier to locate and better covered by
tertiary literature which includes books, journals and newspapers.
3. Tertiary sources - Concern as search tools, to locate primary and secondary literature
which include online search tools, databases, and dictionaries

3.4 Planning a literature search strategy

This is aims to clarify defined research questions, objectives and outline proposal clearly. This
prevents information overload while make a search strategy which includes:
• The parameters of the search
• The key words and search terms
• The databases and search engines going to use
• The criteria to select relevant and useful studies

3.4.1 Defining parameters

In here basically identify which subject matter is going to be relevant to the research questions
and objectives. One way to start searching for parameters is to browse lecture notes and course
textbooks and make notes for research question.

3.4.2 Generating search terms

This will help to define subject matter and to suggest appropriate key words through recent
review articles in the area of research and also refine search terms, plus will sometime refer to
other work which may be relevant to project. The identification of search terms is an essential
part of planning a search for regarding literature.
Different techniques for generating search terms are:
1. Discussion
2. Initial reading, dictionaries, encyclopaedias, handbooks and thesauruses
3. Search on Google with ‘define: (enter term)’
4. Brainstorming
5. Relevance trees: constructed after brainstorming

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3.4 Conducting literature search

This will be help to see more clearly how research relates to previous research, and will provide
fresh insights. While most it is very tempting to start a literature search with using a search
engine. Search should therefore be used to provide access to academic literature.
Conducting literature search can be done by:
1. Using Tertiary literature sources
2. Obtaining literature referenced in books and journal articles already read
3. Using Internet: see Table 3.4 and figure 3.3
4. Scanning and browsing secondary literature in the library
5. Searching the Internet

3.6 Obtaining and evaluating the literature

After initial search identify what literature is available and where to locate it and also what
should be done to evaluate the literature

3.7 Recording literature

It is important to make notes of the literature one has read, thinking that ideas in the literature in
related to the research.
Three areas of information need to record when making the notes;
• Bibliographic details
• Brief summary of content
• Supplementary information