ASSIGNMENT

LITERATURE REVIEW

SUBMITTED TO

DR. Farhat Mehar

By

Shumaila Naureen

INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD

 INTRODUCTION

In research process the most important step is review of the literature. According to Creswell

(2014) before the selection of the qualitative, quantitative and mixed method approaches in

research it is an essential component literature review about the selected topic. Review of the

literature helps the researcher to understand that the selected topic for research is worth able to

do research or easy to access. The review of the literature summarizes, interprets and evaluates

critically ‘literature’ in order to accomplish the knowledge of the current study of the subject .

1.1 The Selected Topic that is Researchable/ Research Topic

The topic selected for the research purposes can be researched; it does not mean it should be

researched. Will it replicate past studies? Will it allow for an underrepresented population’s

representation? Will it address social justice, or transform the ideas/beliefs of the researcher?

Before going to considering the type of review of literature use in the research thesis and project

first identify the topic related to the field and interest by stating that whether the topic is particle

and useful to undertake the study. The topic that is being studied is the subject matter of the

proposed research or study. Firstly, state or describe then topic in few word or in the form of

short phrase. Furthermore, Creswell (2014) describes that there are many methods that provide

insight to the researcher for the topic selection. As Glesne (2015) and Peshkin (1992) stated that

a little draft proved a strong and major sign in research and a tangible idea in research remain

refocusing on while on changing the research project as well. As Wilkinson (1991) has provided

a reliable way while creating a title for research study:

 Be brief and avoid wasting and the consumption of words.

  Must eradicate unnecessary words, such as “An Approach’ to “A Study of ,” and so

forth.

1.2 The Literature Review

Literature review is the essential component of a text that has aimed to review the important

and critical points of knowledge related to a specific and particular topic in research (Zoltan,

2007).

As Creswell explained that once the topic is selected by the researcher for the purpose to do

research; the selected topic can be and should be studied, and the exploration can be begin

related to the review of the literature and the topic respectively. The review of the literature has

several purposes. Literature review shares the results with the readers of the other and previous

studies which are closely tied up the undertaken project and study. Furthermore, it closely relates

the current study phenomenon to a larger scale, continuing or ongoing dialogues in review of the

literature, even it proved useful in filling the gaps of the study and by expanding the prior

phenomenon of study (Cooper, 2010& Marshal and Rossman, 2016). At the same time Literature

review provides a way and framework in order to accomplish and establish the significance or

the importance of the study and a deep insight to compare the current results of the study with

other findings. Perhaps, due to these some motives may be proving the basic foundation for

writing the scholarly literature review into a study (Boote & Beile, 2005). Studies need to add to

the body of literature on a topic, and literature sections in proposals are generally shaped from

the larger problem to the narrower issue that leads directly into the methods of a study (Creswell,

2018). Furthermore, Creswell stated that literature review in an important pillar in any research

domain; it helps the researcher to remain focus on the topic that has been chosen by the

researcher. Therefore, it is necessary at the initial level or stage of research firstly a topic must be
chosen before the undertaken of review of the literature. The selected topic should be a short

statement or a phrase. Moreover, the researcher must ensure that the topic is doable. However,

Creswell suggests that the title of the research project should be comprehensive and short and

stated in a simple and clear language. It is focused by Creswell that the working title for research

project consisted of 12 words. Another way to develop a topic is to write it as a brief question

that speaks to what the research is trying to find out.

1.2.1 The Purpose of a Literature Review

 To establish current knowledge to the relevant topic

 Develop understanding to the existing topic or research

 Tangible knowledge in the form of written report

 Searching new approaches regarding the practicality of the topic

 Provide a solid way in establishing knowledge to the respective filed

1.2.2 Sources of Literature Review

In the light of the view point of Zoltan Dornyei (2007) the two main resources of

Literature review are drawn in the shape of a table.

 SOURCES

PRIMARY SECONDARY

i) Primary resources related to the original work done by the researcher himself , For

example: A research Report

ii) Secondary resources related to the work done by others. For example: Books,

Journals, Encyclopedias ( Zoltan Dornyei, 2010).

1.3 The Use of Literature Review

According to the viewpoint of Creswell (2018) how literature review is used in research

projects and proposals. It has various forms. Firstly, it must precise and be brief and be able to

provide a brief summary of the topic or the major studies of the problem of research. Review of

the literature relevant to the 20 to 30 pages in length. Generally, review of the literature can

assume into several forms. Likewise, Cooper (2010) presented four types:

 Review of the literature integrates what the others have done in their studies or what

is said by others.

 It criticized the previously provided scholarly work

  It creates bridges between the relevant topics

 It identifies the central problem or issue in research field.

The review of the literature in a journals article basically is presented in an abbreviated

form that could be found in a thesis or dissertation. Literature review typically consisted of a

section entitled ‘Related Literature’ which directly follows the introduction to the chosen study.

This is the pattern that is followed in qualitative research articles journals. For the study of the

qualitative research projects the review of the literature included in the section of introduction or

threaded through the research study. In qualitative research projects the researcher need to use

the literature review in a consistence manner and tone with leaning assumptions rather than just

to answer the research questions. On the other hand, the major reason of conducting qualitative

research is that it is explanatory in nature. This generally meant that these types of studies do not

require much written material on the topic or the population that is being studied. Here, the

researcher has to understand the participants and develop the understanding that has been heard.

Table 1.3

Use of Literature Criteria Examples of Stable

Strategies
The literature is used to frame There must be some literature Typically, literature is used in
the problem in the available. all qualitative studies,
Introduction to the study. regardless of type.
The literature is presented in a This approach is often This approach is used with
separate section as a review of acceptable to an audience those studies employing a
the literature. most familiar with the strong theory and literature
traditional post positivist background at the beginning
approach to Literature of a study, such as
reviews. ethnographies and critical
theory studies.
The literature is presented in This approach is most suitable This approach is used in all
the study at the end; it for the inductive process of types of qualitative designs,
becomes a basis for comparing qualitative research; the but it is most popular with
and contrasting findings of the literature does not guide and grounded theory, where one
Qualitative study. direct the study but becomes contrasts and compares a
an aid once patterns or theory with other theories
categories have been found in the literature
identified

Creswell’s suggestions for using the literature in planning a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed

methods study are as follows:

 In a qualitative approach the use of literature review sparingly in the initial stage in the

beginning in order to convey an inductive design unless the design type requires a

substantial literature orientation at the outset.

 Consider the most appropriate place for the literature in a qualitative study, and base the

decision on the audience for the Use the literature in a quantitative study deductively as a

basis for advancing research questions or hypotheses.

 In a quantitative study plan, use the literature to introduce the study, advance a theory,

describe related literature in a separate section, and compare findings.

 In a mixed methods study, use the literature in a way that is consistent with the major

type of strategy and the qualitative or quantitative approach most prevalent in the design.

• Regardless of the type of study, consider the type of literature review to conduct, such

as an integrative, critical, building bridges among topics or the identification of central

issues

1.4 Techniques of Research Design

Literature review provides the insight and location about the topic that is selected for the

purposes of research.
There is no single way to conduct a literature review, but many scholars proceed in a

systematic fashion to capture, evaluate, and summarize the literature. Here is the way we

recommend:

i) Begin by identifying key words, which is useful in locating materials in an academic

library at a college or university. These key words may emerge in identifying a topic

or may result from preliminary readings.

ii) With these key words in mind, use your home computer to begin searching the

databases for holdings (i.e., journals and books). Most major libraries have

computerized databases, and we suggest you focus initially on journals and books

related to the topic. General databases, including Google Scholar, Web of Science,

EBSCO, Proquest, and JSTOR, cover a broad range of disciplines. Other databases,

such as ERIC, Sociofile, or PsycINFO, are based on particular disciplines.

iii) Initially, try to locate about 50 reports of research in articles or books related to

research on your topic. Set a priority on the searchfor journal articles and books

because they are easy to locate and obtain. Determine whether these articles and

books exist in your academic library or whether you need to send for them by

interlibrary loan or purchase them through a bookstore.

iv) Skim this initial group of articles or chapters, and collect those that are central to your

topic. Throughout this process, simply try to obtain a sense as to whether the article

or chapter will make a useful contribution to your understanding of the literature.

v) As you identify useful literature, begin designing a literature map (to be discussed

more fully later). This is a visual picture (or figure) of groupings of the literature on

the topic that illustrates how your particular study will add to the existing literature
 and position your study within the larger body of research. 6. As you put together the

literature map, also begin to draft summaries of the most relevant articles. These

summaries are combined into the final literature review that you write for your

proposal or research study. Include precise references to the literature using an

appropriate style guide, such as the Publication Manual of the American

Psychological Association (American Psychological Association [APA], 2010) so

that you have a complete reference to use at the end of the proposal or study.

vi) After summarizing the literature, assemble the literature review, structuring it

thematically or organizing it by important concepts. End the literature review with a

summary of the major themes and suggest how your particular study further ads to the

literature and addresses a gap in the themes. This summary should also point toward

the methods (i.e., data collection and data analysis) that need to be undertaken to add

to the literature. It is at this point as well that you could advance a critique of the past

literature and point out deficiencies in it and issues in its methods ( Boote & Beile,

2005).

1.5 Conclusion

Resultantly, it is obligatory for the researcher firstly, he/ she must identify the topic to the

relevant field, drafting the precise and brief title or stating the central research questions. Review

of the literature is essential component of any field of research. Secondly, the inquirer must

review that the chosen topic is easy to access, doable and relevant to the respective domain either

by adopting the qualitative, quantative or mix- method approach. Moreover, the chosen topic

must reflect the problem statement and the worth of the study. Hence, literature review
encompasses thoroughly the previous scholarly studies in relation to associate it with the current

trends of the chosen study.

REFERENCES

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches

Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics