PRJ600 RM Session2

PEMP
PRJ600PT2013
Session-02
Research Proposal
&
Literature Review
Session delivered by:
Dr. Arulanatham
Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 1

PEMP
Session Objectives PRJ600PT2013
This session is intended to discuss the following:

• Research Basics
• Types of Research Projects
• Purpose of Research
• Research Proposal
• Writing a Good Research Proposal
• Purpose, relevance and importance of literature review
• Selection of relevant reference literature
• Art of critical literature review
• Methods of referencing the published work
• Art of writing effective literature review

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PRJ600PT2013
PART-1
RESEARCH PROPOSAL

PEMP
Research Basics PRJ600PT2013
• What research is and isn’t

• Research characteristics
• Research projects and pitfalls
• Setting goals
• Quality of research

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What Research Is? PRJ600PT2013
Research is:
“… the systematic process of collecting and
analyzing information (data) in order to increase
our understanding of the phenomenon about
which we are concerned or interested.”
(Ref: Leedy P. D. and Ormrod J. E.: “Practical Research: Planning and

Design”, 7th Edition, 2001.

What Research Isn’t ?
PEMP
PRJ600PT2013
• Research isn’t information gathering:

– Gathering information from resources such as books or
magazines isn’t research
– No contribution to new knowledge
• Research isn’t the transportation of facts:

– Merely transporting facts from one resource to another
does not constitute research
– No contribution to new knowledge although this might
make existing knowledge more accessible

PEMP
Research Characteristics PRJ600PT2013
1. Originates with a question or problem

2. Requires clear articulation of a goal
3. Follows a specific plan or procedure
4. Often divides main problem into sub-problems
5. Guided by specific problem, question, or hypothesis
6. Accepts certain critical assumptions
7. Requires collection and interpretation of data
8. Cyclic (iterative) in nature

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Research Proposal PRJ600PT2013
• Research proposal begins with a problem

– This problem need not be Earth-shaking
• Identifying this problem can actually be the

hardest part of research
• In general, a good research proposal should:
– Address an important question
– Advance knowledge

PEMP
Research Project Pitfalls PRJ600PT2013
The following kinds of projects usually don’t make

for good research:
– Self-enlightenment
– Comparing data sets
– Correlating data sets
– Problems with YES / NO answers

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PRJ600PT2013
Setting Goals by Employing SMART Concept
S pecific
M easurable
A ttainable
R esult oriented
T ime bound

PEMP
Quality of Research PRJ600PT2013
Good research requires:

– The scope and limitations of the work to be clearly defined
– The process to be clearly explained so that it can be
reproduced and verified by other researchers
– A thoroughly planned design that is as objective as possible
– Highly ethical standards be applied
– All limitations be documented
– Data be adequately analysed and explained
– All findings be presented unambiguously and all conclusions
be justified by sufficient evidence

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Types of Research Projects PRJ600PT2013
Gathers detailed information

Exploratory that will help in understanding the
Research underlying physical phenomena
Provides information on the

Parametric influence of various parameters
Research on the design and functioning
of a process, plant or a device
Causal Tests hypotheses about cause-

Research and-effect relationships

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Types of Research Projects (contd.) PRJ600PT2013
Requires test facility and calibrated

Experimental instrumentation with traceability ;
Research generally considered expensive
but results are more realistic
Numerical Requires computer codes with proper

validation ; generally considered
Research less expensive and hence invaluable
for detailed parametric studies
Best research mode ; experimental

A combination of data are used to improve
above two theoretical models ; interpretation
of results is more reliable

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Funding support is always an

In-house issue ; more flexibility in problem
Research formulation and research process
Scope is limited by sponsor’s

Sponsored requirement ; information generated
Research should be useful for developmental
programs
Mostly based on sharing of resources ;

Collaborative exchange of scientific and technical
Research information is useful for mutual
growth in the field

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Leading to development of new

Theoretical theories, mathematical
Research and physical formulations
Applied Leading to new findings with

direct application to engineering
Research systems and processes

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Purpose of Research PRJ600PT2013
Leading to qualification
Academic enhancement of the researcher
to Master or PhD level
Product Aimed at bringing out specific

information for enhancing the
Development quality of the end product
To check new concepts and

New Ideas ideas leading to innovation in
process and product design

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Research Planning PRJ600PT2013
“In preparing for battle I have always

found that plans are useless, but
planning is indispensable.”
Dwight David Eisenhower

PEMP
Research Planning PRJ600PT2013
• Source of research problem

• Formulation of research problem
• Importance of research problem
• Sponsor
• Research Proposal
• Research facilities and tools
• Manpower
• Project duration / Time Schedule

PEMP
Source of Research Problem PRJ600PT2013
• Observation
• Literature review
• Professional conferences
• Discussions with experts
• Extension of previous work
• External Agency, e.g. Industry, Research
Organisation, etc.

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Formulation of Research Problem PRJ600PT2013
• Once you have identified a research problem:

– State that problem clearly and completely
– Determine the feasibility of the research
• Identify sub-problems, if any:

– Completely researchable units
– Small in number
– Add up to the total problem
– Must be clearly tied to the interpretation of the data

PEMP
Importance of Research Problem PRJ600PT2013
• Many research problems have a kind of theoretical feel

about them. Such projects often need to be justified:
– What is the research project’s practical value?
• Without this justification, it may be difficult to convince

others that the problem in question is worth the study

PEMP
Research Proposal PRJ600PT2013
 After formulating the research problem, the next step is to

prepare the research proposal
 Research proposal is a document that describes intended
research
 It is an important document and should be prepared with
precision, caution and integrity
 It should be scientifically and technically sound with correct
use of English language
 It should be impressive, convincing and appealing to attract
attention and approval of the sponsoring agency

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Research Proposal (… contd.) PRJ600PT2013
Research proposal is prepared in the format prescribed

by the organisation / sponsor and generally includes:
– Research problem – Basic approach

– Research objective – Methodology
– Scope of research – Resources
– Importance / Justification – Funding needs
– Literature review – Deliverables
– Hypotheses – Time schedule with
– Delimitations milestones in the form of
– Definitions • Bar chart
• Gantt chart
– Assumptions
• Pert chart

PEMP
Research Proposal – Core Components PRJ600PT2013
 A description of the research question

 An indication of why the problem is important
 A review of relevant literature
 A description of the proposed methodology
 A time frame
Or in plain English . . . . . . .
 What you want to do ?
 Why do you want to do ?
 Why is it important ?
 Who has done similar work ?
 How are you gong to do it ?
 How long it will take ?

PEMP
PRJ600PT2013
Research Proposal - Research Problem
• Research begins with a problem

– This problem should be clearly defined
– It should be viable
– It should be executable through the available and planned
additional resources
• Sub-problems, if any, should also be identified.
• A clear objective should follow the problem
definition

PEMP
Research Proposal - Research Objective PRJ600PT2013
 Before you get started it is essential to define your objectives.

This is the most important part of the process and will avoid
wasting time and effort in later stages.
 Objectives are the goals you set for your proposed research
 Ask yourself these three questions:
 What is the purpose of the research?
 What information is being sought?
 How will the information be used?
 Importance:
 Narrows down the study and provides a focus
 Guides information to be generated
 Facilitates development of methodology

PEMP
Research Proposal - Scope of Research PRJ600PT2013
Scope of a research proposal …..

 sets its boundaries, limitations and delimitations
 is determined by the problem and the resources
 is the boundary within which one works. It explains:
a) what will be covered
b) what will not be covered
c) what further research would be possible with the
existing research

PEMP
PRJ600PT2013
Research Proposal - Importance and Justification

 Any research project needs funding support
 Hence its technical / scientific importance is to be
clearly justified in terms of:
 Value addition to existing knowledge
 Product / process development
 Improvement in design / functionality of a component,
device or system
 A new design concept

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PRJ600PT2013
Research Planning - Prior Art (Literature Review)
 This should include a concise description of up-to-date
literature pertaining to the proposed research problem
 The review should highlight the efforts made by earlier
researchers with a brief description of important findings
 The text should be supported by a list of references at the
end; all the references should be referred in the text
 The prior art should conclude giving the shortcoming(s) of
the earlier research and emphasising the need for initiating
the proposed task
 The sponsor should get a feel that your contribution will
impart substantial value addition to the existing knowledge

PEMP
PRJ600PT2013
Research Proposal - Hypotheses
Hypotheses are tentative, intelligent guesses for an

expected solution of the problem
 There is often a 1-1 correspondence between a sub-problem
and a hypothesis
 Hypotheses can direct later research activities since they can
help determine the nature of the research and methods
applied

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PRJ600PT2013
Research Proposal - Delimitations
 All research projects have limitations and thus

certain work that will not be performed
 The work that will not be undertaken is described
as the delimitations of the research

PEMP
PRJ600PT2013
Research Proposal - Definitions
Define each technical term clearly as it is used in your

research proposal.
 This helps in removing significant ambiguity from the
research itself by ensuring that reviewers, while they may
not agree with your definitions, at least know what you are
talking about.

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PRJ600PT2013
Research Proposal - Assumptions
 Assumptions are those statements that the researcher

takes for granted
 For example, a given test instrument accurately and
consistently measures the phenomenon in question
 As a general rule you are better off documenting an

assumption than ignoring it
 Overlooked assumptions provide a prime source of debate
about a research project’s results

PEMP
Research Proposal - Research PRJ600PT2013
Process & Methodologies

 This is the most important aspect of research
 It requires meticulous planning, skill, patience and perseverance
 It is a cyclic / iterative process
 Failure does not mean poor quality research
 A research process is totally different from a manufacturing
process
 In research, the processes and methodologies may change as the
work progresses; in fact, new processes and methodologies evolve
during the course of research
 Nature of research is cyclic, it can be difficult to determine where
to start and when to stop; later stages might necessitate a review of
earlier work

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PRJ600PT2013
Research Proposal - Common Methodologies
 Methodologies are high-level approaches to conducting

research
 The individual steps within the methodology might vary based
on the research being performed
 Two commonly used research methodologies:

 Quantitative
 Qualitative

PEMP
Research Proposal – Resources and

PRJ600PT2013
Funding Needs
 There should be a realistic estimate of the project cost,
including manpower, equipment, consumables, travel,
organisation overheads and contingencies
 Justify the equipment cost with quotations from probable
suppliers. Keep provision for likely cost escalations in
case of long duration projects
 Include a detailed budget breakdown
 Make sure that the project can be executed using resources
available in the organisation, else make specific request
for additional resources giving justification

PEMP
PRJ600PT2013
Research Proposal - Deliverables
 Deliverables should meet all the commitments spelled
out in the aim and objectives of the proposal
 It is advisable to commit less and deliver more rather
than to commit more and deliver less. This will instill
more confidence in the sponsoring organisation to
consider you for the next project

PEMP
Research Proposal – Time Schedule PRJ600PT2013
 Be realistic. It is better to keep some cushion in the

proposal itself rather than requesting extensions later
 Every step planned in the execution of the project
should be well thought of in terms of time and
resources
 Novice researchers tend to underestimate how long the
stages of research will take
 Prepare a realistic Gantt chart, indicating major
activities based on objectives and methodology
 Highlight important milestones

PEMP
PRJ600PT2013
Research success– Success

NRFProposal indicators
Indicators
• Clearly defined research question
• Appropriate literature provides a background to
the problem
• Use of other sources to identify/support the
problem
• Objectives clearly specified
• Conceptual framework and theoretical
assumptions clearly stated
• Appropriate design and methodology
• Promotes further research
• Preliminary data/pilot study
• Necessary resources available

PEMP
PRJ600PT2013
ResearchNRF failure– indicators

Proposal Failure Indicators
• Too long
• Poor structure, language use
• Inappropriate use of technical terms
• Research too ambitious
• No literature review
• No integration of theory in literature review
• Literature review copied
• No theoretical foundation
• Budget not linked to methodology
• Unrealistic costing
• Methods not clear
• Methods inappropriate
• No references or bibliography

PEMP
PRJ600PT2013
Research
Proposal
Template

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PRJ600PT2013
Research
Proposal
Flowchart

PEMP
PRJ600PT2013
PART-2
Literature Review

PEMP
What is Literature Review? PRJ600PT2013
Literature review is
 perusal of previous research on same topic
 perusal of previous research on related topics
 a survey or overview of the research work found to be
significant to a topic
 a collection of scholarly works, having relevance to a
guiding topic (e.g., your thesis statement or research
question)
 a systematic search of formal and informal publications in
order to find items relevant to your area of interest

PEMP
What is Literature Review? PRJ600PT2013
Literature review is not

 a part of the research project (although there may be an
ongoing review of literature throughout the project, sponsors
expect a solid preliminary review to have been carried out
before a proposal is submitted)
 a bibliography
 a series of descriptions of pieces of previous research with no
apparent connection to each other or your project
 a compilation of every work written about a topic
 simply a list of sources reviewed separately for their own
merit

PEMP
Why Literature Review? PRJ600PT2013
 A literature review is a necessity

 Without this step you won’t know if your problem has
been solved or what related research is already underway
 Necessary to acquire an understanding of your topic with
its key issues
 Makes you aware of related research that has already been
conducted
 Prevents you from duplicating work already done
 Helps you
to improve your knowledge
to build upon previous research efforts
to generate new ideas
to choose / design / adopt a good research methodology
to become familiar with publication formats
to find arguments to support your efforts

PEMP
Purpose of Literature Review PRJ600PT2013
It should be aimed at
• identifying important authors and works in the chosen
area of research
• providing a conceptual framework for the research
• identifying new approaches, theories and methodologies
in your area of research
• identifying opposing points of view
• identifying gaps in the literature
• establishing a need for the research
• clarifying the research problem
• planning strategies to pursue your work to fulfill the
desired goal

PEMP
Importance of Literature Review PRJ600PT2013
 Demonstrates we are knowledgeable with relevant research

 Makes sure we are not repeating work that other people
have reported in the open literature
 Tells us what is still unknown, or what we could do
differently in our research
 Allows us a way to make sure we are not missing any
significant issues
 Orients us to the importance and scope of the problem

PEMP
Relevance to Proposed Work PRJ600PT2013
 With the advancement of science and technology, the volume of published

literature has also increased by leaps and bounds
 Hence it takes time, skill and patience to search out literature relevant to one’s
subject of research
 Relevance of the literature is important because it keeps the study more focussed
 Direct relevance is always desired but sometimes even related topics are helpful
For example, if the research topic deals with the tip clearance
effects in axial compressors, it will be worthwhile looking at the
studies on tip clearance effects in axial turbines as well as cascades
also.
Similarly, if the topic of research is stall control in axial
compressors, it will not be out of place to review the literature on
stall control in centrifugal compressors also.

PEMP
Sources of Information PRJ600PT2013
Text books
Scientific journals and periodicals
Conference proceedings (refereed and unrefereed)
Seminars / workshops / symposia
S&T publications from research organisations,
academic institutions, industries (e.g. application notes)
Previous dissertations / theses
Monographs
Patents
WWW
Personal communications /discussions

PEMP
What is a Research Paper? PRJ600PT2013
• Organised analysis of a subject

• Documentation of findings of original work
• Dissemination of information or knowledge
• Presentation of a point of view on a selected topic
• Meticulous account of work done, methods and processes used or
developed and results obtained
• It is the first disclosure of a research finding to enable peers
 to assess observations
 to repeat experiments
 to evaluate intellectual processes
• Such disclosure, in the form of research paper, also
 helps in avoiding wasteful duplication of work
 establishes researcher’s claim to the priority of discovery or finding

PEMP
Types of Research Papers PRJ600PT2013
Research papers may be broadly classified into two

types:
1. Investigative Papers -- revealing original findings, design
and development of new processes / techniques or detailed
understanding of existing phenomena.
2. Review Papers -- dealing with critical review and
assessment of earlier work on a particular topic.
 These are very useful and important documents because they
provide a concise description and critical assessment of earlier
work by several researchers. This is equivalent to referring many
individual articles.

PEMP
Selection of Relevant Papers PRJ600PT2013
Grading of literature sources (in ascending order of

quality of contents):
 Internal reports of research laboratories, academic
institutions, industries
 These are usually unrefereed, but may provide substantial details of
test rig, instrumentation, methodology and data
 Unrefereed journals
 Proceedings of conferences, symposia, seminars, workshops
 Theses and dissertations
 Books
 Regarded as authentic; provide details of theory and principles; and
draw material from other published articles as well as from author’s
own experience
 Refereed journals
PEMP
Components of a Research Paper PRJ600PT2013
• Title
• Authors, affiliations and addresses
• Keywords
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Nomenclature
• Materials, apparatus, methodology
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgments
• References
• Appendices

PEMP
Importance of Abstract PRJ600PT2013
• It is regarded as mini version of the main paper, limited to

about 250 words
• It enables readers
– to identify the basic content of a document quickly and accurately
– to determine its relevance to their interests
– to decide whether they need to read the document in its entirety
• A well written abstract
– states the principal objectives and scope of the investigation
– highlights the methods employed
– summarizes the results
– states the principal conclusions
– indicates directions for future work
• It provides a first hand information whether the entire paper
will be worth reading or not

PEMP
Types of Abstracts PRJ600PT2013
There are two types of abstracts:

1. Informative, which is
 used in primary journals and also in secondary services
 designed to condense the paper. It can and should briefly state the
problem, the method used to study the problem, and the principal data
and conclusions
 aimed to supplant the need for reading the full paper
2. Indicative, which is
 descriptive and not substantive in nature
 used in review papers, conference reports but not in research papers
 seldom considered as a substitute for the full paper

PEMP
Importance of Conclusion PRJ600PT2013
• Conclusions stem directly from the data presented in

the research paper
• They highlight significant findings
• They tell the advantages/disadvantages, usefulness /
shortcomings of methodology employed
• They make recommendations for further studies

PEMP
Abstract --- Example 01 PRJ600PT2013
Journal
Publisher
Title
Authors
Affiliation & address
Introduction and objective
Results
Methodology Future work

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Conclusion --- Example 01 PRJ600PT2013
Summary of work
Shortcomings of the present

investigations and suggestions
for future work
Main results in bulleted form

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Conference details
Title
Author
Affiliation and address Paper number
Introduction
Review paper
Content of the
paper

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Conclusion --- Example 02 PRJ600PT2013
Summary of
the review
Future trends

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Title
Active Control of Rotating Stall in a Single Stage Axial Flow Compressor Using Airjets
Authors Q.H. Nagpurwala and S.A. Guruprasad

Propulsion Division
National Aerospace Laboratories
Affiliation & address Airport Road, Bangalore – 560017, INDIA
Fax : +91 80 5272494, E-mail : qhnprnal@hotmail.com
ABSTRACT Introduction and objective
This paper describes the experimental studies on active control of rotating stall in a single stage, high speed, Methodology
axial compressor using pulsed airjets. The stalling behaviour of the compressor was systematically characterised
using hotwire and ‘Kulite’ sensors. Long duration records of unsteady data provided the estimate of time
between inception and development of stall cells. Four specially designed airjets were installed to inject high
velocity air axially at the rotor tip. The control signal for the airjets was derived from the rms value of the
hotwire signals upstream of the rotor. Although the stall recovery was achieved up to 60% design rotor speed, the
performance of the control scheme was remarkable at slightly lower speeds in extending the flow range by 11%.
It is inferred that the number, orientation, response time and velocity of airjets are the main factors controlling Results
their effectiveness.
Conclusion

PEMP
Conclusion --- Example-03 PRJ600PT2013
CONCLUDING REMARKS
A high speed compressor stage with sufficiently large B-parameter has been investigated to characterise Summary
its stalling behaviour in terms of stall inception and growth. A simple active control scheme is developed of work
which has demonstrated the effectiveness of airjets in suppressing a full span rotating stall. Stall recovery
is achieved with negligible injected air flow rate, extending the compressor operating range by 11% at Results
43% design rotor speed. No degradation in stage efficiency more than that inherent in the compressor
characteristic is observed. Injection velocity appears to be an important factor in the process of stall
recovery. It is shown that stall suppression at higher rotational speeds and at lower flow rates (at a
constant speed) can be achieved by increasing the injection velocity. Inertia of the compression system Important
and dynamic response of the control system components are other important governing factors. Future inference
work involves to develop a control strategy through the use of appropriate high response control devices
so that the stall cell can be detected and controlled in the incipient stage without allowing it to develop to
Future work
full span stall. With the advent of new instruments and control devices, it is possible to realise such a
scheme, which will enable the present day high pressure ratio compressor stages to operate at its full
potential.

PEMP
Review of Research Paper (1) PRJ600PT2013
Review of a research paper is better done in steps. It is

assumed that the relevant papers have been obtained by
using search methods as explained earlier:
First read the abstract
Then read the conclusions
These should tell whether the paper has useful material relevant to
the proposed subject of study
If so, then carefully study the complete paper to gather details on
hypotheses, assumptions, apparatus and research tools used,
methodology adopted, etc.

PEMP
Useful Suggestions:
 Always work back from the recent to the old and from the general
to the specific
 From every reference, record the exact information you need for
citing in the future
 It is better to note down more than to spend time in trying to
relocate the same document later
 Make a list of the questions and hypotheses that come to your mind
or that are mentioned in what you read. Be sure that you also
record where you found them so that their sources can be cited later
 Carefully see the references at the end of the paper. This may lead
you to more interesting and specific resources
 Use computer to store the bibliography. The same can be
structured to the required format by using computer software

PEMP
• A careful review should tell you

 about the shortcomings of the reported work
 whether certain arguments can be contested
 whether the reported work is wanting in some aspects
 how the methodology can be improved
 whether more parameters can be included for better
understanding and to draw more firm conclusions
• Once this is done, you should be in a position to

formulate the research problem, choose an
appropriate approach, devise the methodology and
carry out research leading to new findings

PEMP
Organising Review Material PRJ600PT2013
 It is advisable to take notes and make critical comments

while reading a piece of relevant literature.
 Write your summary of the authors’ conclusions and evidence
 Simultaneously, note your reactions to what you have read
 Comment on methodology
 Make connections between your project and what you are reading
 Compare and contrast the views of other authors
 Make a note of what you think about the material
 Always remember to:
 keep track of the difference between your ideas and those of other authors
 make sure your notes are legible
 remember to provide clear references including page numbers in case you want
to look at the original material again, or cite it in your review

PEMP
Critical Assessment of Literature (1) PRJ600PT2013
In assessing each piece of literature, consideration

should be given to:
Provenance—What are the author's credentials? Are the author's
arguments supported by evidence (e.g. case studies, statistics, recent
scientific findings)?
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 arguments are most / least
convincing?
Value—Do the author's arguments and conclusions provide a clear
answer to the problem studied ? Does the work ultimately contribute
in any significant way to an understanding of the subject?

PEMP
A list of questions can sharpen analytical skills and help

in critically assessing the material:
1. What is that the authors are trying to discover?
2. Why is this piece of research important?
3. Has the author formulated a specific problem/issue?
4. Is the problem clearly defined and its significance in terms of scope, relevance
and value addition clearly established?
5. Could the problem have been approached more effectively from another
perspective?
6. What was measured? How was the data collected and analysed? Any new
techniques / tools / apparatus?
7. Can the approach, methodology and tools used be regarded as ‘state of art’?
8. How accurate and valid are the measurements and/or predictions? Is the
analysis of the data accurate and relevant to the research problem?
9. What are the important results and conclusions? What are the findings
attributed to? Are the conclusions validly based upon the data & analysis?

PEMP
…… more questions:
10. Can you accept the findings as true?
11. How can you apply these findings to your own work?
12. How does the author structure the argument?
13. What is the author's research orientation (e.g., applied, theoretical or
combination)?
14. What is the relationship between the existing knowledge base and research
perspectives?
15. Has the author evaluated the literature relevant to the problem/issue
including the ones that do not agree with his line of thinking?
16. In what ways the research paper contributes to your understanding of the
problem under study? What are its strengths and limitations?
17. How does this paper relate to the specific thesis or question you are
developing?

PEMP
Comprehension Skills (1) PRJ600PT2013
What is reading comprehension?

 It is the ability to understand the information
presented in written form
 It is meant to connect the ideas on the page to you
already know
 It reflects on the interpretation of directions such as
‘what to do’ and ‘when to do’ on various documents

PEMP
Reasons for poor comprehension

 Inability to understand a word
 Inability to understand a sentence
 Inability to understand how sentences relate to
one another
 Inability to understand how the information fits
together in a meaningful way (organisation)
 Lack of interest or concentration

PEMP
Improving comprehension skills

 Read a variety of material. It is always good to learn about
peripheral topics alongwith the main subject
 Read a fairly long portion of the material
 Circle unknown or unfamiliar words and expressions
 Recall as much of the information as possible after reading.
 Jot down points
 Check the completeness and accuracy of your recollections
 Try to correlate the read material with that you already know

PEMP
What does one achieve by following the

comprehension strategies?
 Enhanced understanding of the content in a text
 Improved understanding of how information is organised
in a text
 Improved attention and concentration while reading.
 Reading becomes a more active process
 Increased personal involvement in the reading material
 Critical thinking and evaluation of reading material

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Techniques for good comprehension

 Skimming and scanning
 Non-verbal signals
 Structure of the text
 Structure of paragraphs
 Punctuations
 Author’s view point (inference)
 Anticipated meaning of words
 Summarising

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Summarising the text

It is an important aspect of reading comprehension and helps
in putting the material ready to be included as citation in the
technical paper/report. The following steps are useful while
summarising the text:
 Familiarisation with the material
 Selection of important material
 Paraphrasing the information
 Inserting links between sentences and paragraphs
 Adjusting the length of the summary for citation

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Major Steps in Literature Review PRJ600PT2013
SEARCH
READ
IDENTIFY
SYNTHESIZE

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PRJ600PT2013
How to Write
Literature Review?
• Strategies
• Tips
• Skill

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Writing Literature Review (1) PRJ600PT2013
A literature review has 3 basic components:

1. Introduction: It should include a clear statement of the topic
and its parameters. It should also tell about why the research
area is important, interesting, problematic or relevant in some
way.
2. Main body: It should include a synthesised and not
annotated citation of the earlier work in the subject topic.
The review may be grouped into topics, each dealing with
specific aspects.
3. Conclusion: It should include a summary of major agree-
ments and disagreements in the literature and a summary of
the general conclusions drawn. Indicate your own area of
research, identify the gaps and problems in the previous
research and whether it is proposed to extend previous
knowledge.
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PRJ600PT2013
Writing Literature Review (2)
The literature review, either as a “stand alone” document
or as a part of a research project, thesis / dissertation or
research paper should:
 include an introduction, defining your topic and the
purpose of your review of the literature
 be organised by common themes or categories
 contain the summary and analysis of each work including
its importance to the overall topic as well as its
relationship to the other referenced works
 conclude with insights gained regarding your topic

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PRJ600PT2013
Strategies for Writing Literature Review
Find a focus
Construct a working statement
Consider organisation:
First, cover the basic categories – Introduction, Body,
Conclusion / Recommendations
then consider how you will present the sources
themselves within the body of your paper
The organisation can be chronological, thematic or
methodological
Begin composition: Use evidence  Be selective  Use
quotes sparingly  Summarise and synthesise  Keep your
own voice  Use caution when paraphrasing
Revise, revise, revise
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PRJ600PT2013
Tips for Writing Good Literature Review (1)
Keep the audience in mind
Keep paragraphs short
Subheadings should be used to clarify the structure. They
break up the material into more readable units
Write the first draft straight through and quickly to
preserve continuity and give coherence. Then it is often
far easier to make the needed revisions
Avoid too many long direct quotations from the studies.
Paraphrase other writers' works rather than quote lengthy
passages
Do not cite references that you have not read
A review is NOT a group of linked abstracts, one per
paragraph
Indicate the ways in which the authors you are reviewing
will be relevant to your research (information; theory;
methodology)
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PRJ600PT2013
Tips for Writing Good Literature Review (2)
Demonstrate that you understand the similarities and
differences between these works and paradigms (Where do
they stand in relation to each other? Where does your research
stand in relation to them?)
The works that you refer to should reflect recent scholarship
as well as those considered of seminal importance
If the study is cross-disciplinary or comparative you need to
describe how the different areas of research can be drawn
together in a meaningful way
At the end of the review the reader, captivated by both the
style and content, should be able to declare: “This is precisely
the study that must be carried out now to advance the needed
research in this field”

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PRJ600PT2013
Skills for Writing Good Literature Review
Surveying a comprehensive range of existing
material and sources in the general areas of your
study
Selecting those that will be most relevant and
significant for your particular project
Understanding and analysing the central findings
and arguments
Synthesizing the findings and integrating them
into the research proposal / dissertation
Revising and more revising to impart flow,
coherence and effectiveness

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Questions to Help in Compiling a PRJ600PT2013
Literature Review
 What are the broad bodies of literature that have relevance
for the research topic (local and international)?
 What theoretical model/s relate to the research topic?
 What theories, methods & results have previous
researchers in the field produced?
 What is the history of the area of study?
 What are the most recent findings in the area of study?
 What gaps or contradictions exist among these findings?
 What new research questions do these findings suggest?
 What structure suits the literature review best?
 What should be left out?

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Quality of Literature Review (1) PRJ600PT2013
Literature review should not be thinly disguised annotated

bibliographies
Quality means appropriate breadth and depth, rigour and
consistency, clarity and brevity, and effective analysis and
synthesis
Quality means use of ideas in the literature to justify
approach to the topic, selection of methods, and to ensure
value addition to existing knowledge
A good literature review generally contains an argument
Poor literature reviews can not be solely blamed on student
researcher
These can also result from inadequate guidance by the
research supervisor !

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PRJ600PT2013
Quality of Literature Review (2)
A common error in literature reviews is for writers to present material
from one author, followed by information from another, then another....
The way in which you group authors and link ideas will help avoid this
problem. To group authors who draw similar conclusions, you can use
linking words such as: also, additionally, again, similarly.
When authors disagree, linking words that indicate contrast will show
how you have analysed their work. Words such as: however, conversely,
on the other hand, nonetheless, will indicate to your reader how you
have analysed the material.
Another major problem is that literature reviews are often written as if
they stand alone, without links to the rest of the thesis. There needs to be
a clear relationship between the literature review and the hypothesis and
methodology to follow.
At the end of your review, include a summary of what the literature
implies. You need to do this in a way that clearly links with your own
hypotheses and methodology.

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Referencing (1) PRJ600PT2013
Referencing of Reviewed Literature

 An article listed under ‘references’ section means that it
is actually referred by the author and its main findings
are cited in the text of the thesis / research paper
 Articles not cited in the text but of some value to the
reader should be listed under the heading ‘bibliography’
or ‘further reading’
 References (in the list of references) and their
corresponding citations in the text should follow the
prescribed format
 Make sure that all references cited in the text are listed in
the Literature Cited and that all references listed under
Literature Cited are indeed cited somewhere in the text
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Referencing Format
Referencing format is prescribed by the particular
journal editor / conference organiser (for research
article) and the institution (for dissertation / thesis).
There are several referencing formats, but the three most
prevalent ones are:
Name and year system (Harvard System)
Alphabet-number system
Citation order system
AIAA Format

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General Guidelines
List only significant, published references
A paper that has been accepted for publication can be listed
in References, citing the name of the journal followed by "In
press.“
When submitting a manuscript for publication, make sure
that the references are presented according to the Instructions
to Authors

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General Guidelines (…contd.)

 Use standard journal abbreviations. For example, “Transactions of American
Society of Mechanical Engineers, Journal of Gas Turbines and Power” is abbreviated
as “Trans. ASME, J. of Gas Turbines and Power”.
 Avoid “handwaving references”, like “Dean’s contribution” or “Smith’s
methodology”.
 Do not insult the authors of previous studies by stating “Smith (1997)
totally overlooked. . . .” or “Smith (1997) ignored. . . .”. It is better to say
“Smith (1997) did not study. . . .”
 Reference should be placed at the point in the sentence to which it applies
and not at the end of the sentence. For example, the citation
The stall phenomenon was studied using bifurcation theory and modal analysis (1,2).
is not correct. It should be written as
The stall phenomenon was studied using bifurcation theory (1) and modal analysis (2).

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Software Tools
Software tools like ‘EndNote’ can format references in many
prevalent styles. These are accurate and easy to use
Several Web sources provide models for electronic citation
formats. A few helpful websites are:
www.fis.utoronto.ca/internet/citation.htm
www.askanexpert.com/p/cite.html
www.uvm.edu/~ncrane/estyles/mla.html
www-dept.usm.edu/~engdept/mla/rules.html
The International Standards Organization (ISO) website
<www.iso.ch/infoe/guide.html> offers a lengthy final draft of
standards for bibliographic references for electronic documents
or parts of documents (ISO 690-2:1997)

PEMP
Verbs for Citation (1) PRJ600PT2013
Suggest (that) Recent studies outlined by Leonard et al (1999) suggest that

personality and disposition play an equally important role in
motivation.
Argue (that) Leonard et al (1999) argue that there are three elements of self
perception.
Contend(s) Mullens (1994) contends that motivation to work well is usually
related to job satisfaction.
Outline Recent studies outlined by Mullins (1994) suggest that personality
and disposition play an equally important role in motivation.
Focus on The early theories of Maslow and McGregor (Robbins et al, 1998)
focused on personal needs and wants as the basis for motivation.
Define(s) Eunson (1987, p. 67) defines motivation as 'what is important to
you'.
Conclude(s) Reviewing the results of the case study, Taylor (1980) concludes that
the theories of job enrichment and employee motivation do work.
(that)
State He further states that there is an increasing importance on the role
of autonomy and self regulation of tasks in increasing motivation.
Maintains (that) Mullins (1994) maintains that job enrichment came from Herzber's
two factor theory.

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Verbs for Citation (2) PRJ600PT2013
Found (that) Mullins (1994) found that there is an increasing importance on the role of
autonomy and self regulation of tasks in improving motivation.
Promote(s) This promotes the idea that tension and stress are important external sources of
motivation, which can be eliminated by completing certain tasks.
Establish(ed) As established by Csikszentmihalyi (Yair 2000, p. 2) 'the more students feel in
command of their learning, the more they fulfil their learning potential'.
(by)
Asserts Locke's Goal Setting Theory asserts that setting specific goals tends to
encourage work motivation (Robbins et al, 1998).
(that)
Show(s) Various theories of motivation show employers that there are many factors that
influence employees work performance.
Claim(s) Hackman and Oldham (1975) claim that people with enriched jobs, and high
scores on the Job Diagnostic Survey, experienced more satisfaction and
(that)
motivation.
Report(s) Mullins (1994) reports on four content theories of motivation.
Mention(s) Mullins (1994) mentions two common general criticisms of Herzberg's theory.
Address Redesigning jobs so that responsibility moved from supervisors to the workers,
was an attempt to address the issues of job satisfaction (Mullins, 1994).

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References PRJ600PT2013
1. Meenakashi R. and Sangeeta S.,2004. “Technical

Communication – Principles and Practice”, Oxford
University Press.
2. Mauch J.E. and Birch J.W., 1993. “Guide to the
Successful Thesis and Dissertation”, Marcel Dekker, Inc.,
New York.
3. Day R.A., 1998. “How to Write & Publish a Scientific
Paper” 5th Ed., Oryx Press.
4. http://library.ucsc.edu/ref/howto/literaturereview.html
5. http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/index.html
6. http://aps.eu.rmit.edu.au/lsu/resources/projects/lit_review/
writing.html
7. http://www.lib.unimelb.edu.au/postgrad/litreview/
criticalreading.html

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Bibliography PRJ600PT2013
1. Chris Hart: "Doing a literature review", Sage Publications, ISBN: 0761959750.

2. Daniel Holtom, Elizabeth Fisher: "Enjoy writing your science thesis or
dissertation!", Imperial College Press, ISBN: 1860942075.
3. Randy Clarksean: “Preparing a technical paper and performing a literature
review”, Nevada Center for Advanced Computational Methods (NCACM),
University of Nevada Las Vegas (ppt lecture).
4. R.W. Bly, and G. Blake: “Technical writing structure, standards, and style”,
McGraw Hill, New York, 1982.
5. J.E. Mauch and J.W. Birch: “Guide to the successful thesis and dissertation”, 3rd
Edition, Marcel Dekker, Inc., 1993.
6. R.A. Day: “How to write & publish a scientific paper”, 5th Edition, ORYX
Press, 1998.
7. Nayada G. Santiago: “Scientific research science and engineering”, February
2006 (ppt presentation in pdf format).
8. Houp, K.Q., and Pearsall, T.E.: “Reporting technical information”, 5th Edition,
MacMillan Publishing Company, New York, New York, 1984.

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Bibliography PRJ600PT2013
• Internet resources on writing literature reviews:

– University of Toronto Health Sciences Writing Center, The Literature
Review: A Few Tips on Conducting It
http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/litrev.html
– UNC at Chapel Hill Writing Center, How to Write a Literature
Review
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/literature_review.html
– University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center, Review of
Literature
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html
– University of California, Santa Cruz, How to Write a Literature
Review
http://library.ucsc.edu/ref/howto/literaturereview.html

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Summary of the Session PRJ600PT2013
Research proposal begins with a problem and the hardest part is to find
this problem.
A good research proposal should clearly define the objectives, scope and
limitations of the work.
Proper planning is an important prerequisite of a research proposal.
A good research proposal evolves from thorough literature review in the
relevant field.
Methodologies are well-defined approaches for execution of a research
project and form.
It is advisable to commit less and deliver more rather than commit more
and deliver less.
A realistic timeline of the planned activities should be prepared,
highlighting important activities and milestones.

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Summary of the Session PRJ600PT2013
Basics of literature review and its relevance to the identified topic of

research are explained.
"Literature Review” is more than the mere restatement of prior stated
facts.
Literature review is best done by working back from 'recent to old' and
from 'general to specific'.
Suggestions for writing a good literature review are presented
Literature review should be written by keeping audience in mind
Good “Literature Review ”summarises, synthesises, analyses and
authorises the planned research.
Adequate and systematic referencing are important ingredients of
Literature review.
Literature review should bring out clear gaps in the earlier research and
motivation for the proposed work.

PEMP
PRJ600PT2013
Thank you

PRJ600 RM Session2

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Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 1

Session Objectives PRJ600PT2013

This session is intended to discuss the following:

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 2

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 3

Research Basics PRJ600PT2013

• What research is and isn’t

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 4

What Research Is? PRJ600PT2013

(Ref: Leedy P. D. and Ormrod J. E.: “Practical Research: Planning and

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 5

• Research isn’t information gathering:

• Research isn’t the transportation of facts:

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 6

Research Characteristics PRJ600PT2013

1. Originates with a question or problem

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 7

Research Proposal PRJ600PT2013

• Research proposal begins with a problem

• Identifying this problem can actually be the

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 8

The following kinds of projects usually don’t make

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 9

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 10

Quality of Research PRJ600PT2013

Good research requires:

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 11

Types of Research Projects PRJ600PT2013

Gathers detailed information

Provides information on the

Causal Tests hypotheses about cause-

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 12

Types of Research Projects (contd.) PRJ600PT2013

Requires test facility and calibrated

Numerical Requires computer codes with proper

Best research mode ; experimental

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 13

Types of Research Projects (contd.) PRJ600PT2013

Funding support is always an

Scope is limited by sponsor’s

Mostly based on sharing of resources ;

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 14

Types of Research Projects (contd.) PRJ600PT2013

Leading to development of new

Applied Leading to new findings with

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 15

Purpose of Research PRJ600PT2013

Product Aimed at bringing out specific

To check new concepts and

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 16

Research Planning PRJ600PT2013

“In preparing for battle I have always

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 17

Research Planning PRJ600PT2013

• Source of research problem

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 18

Source of Research Problem PRJ600PT2013

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 19

Formulation of Research Problem PRJ600PT2013

• Once you have identified a research problem:

• Identify sub-problems, if any:

Session 02 © M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru 20