THE LITERATURE

REVIEW
What is a literature review?

 It is a critical look at what has been written on a

topic by accredited scholars and researchers. It is
NOT just a summary of other people's work.
 It is the chance to demonstrate an in-depth
knowledge of your chosen subject
Why do it?
 To analyse and evaluate the work of others in your chosen area: to
clarify your own thinking on the topic

 To show your readers you are familiar with the previous work done in
this field

 To explore your topic area

 To clarify the current state of knowledge

 To justify the research you will conduct by showing what has not yet
been done i.e. By highlighting the ‘knowledge gap’. 
What problems might you face when
doing a literature review?
 Access
 Selection
 Danger of information overload
 Managing time
 Keeping meaningful records to avoid plagiarism.
 Critical vs non – critical reading (more coming)
What is a good literature review?

 Example: (The research topic is "the History of Mental Illness

in Natal in the period up to 1945")

 Read the following examples and discuss which one you think
is successful and unsuccessful. Why?
 This study will draw on diverse approaches to the history of psychiatry, and to the
origins of segregation in southern Africa. Histories of psychiatry and psychology
such as Porter’s (1998) and Shorter’s (2001) have shown that, although having a
probable partial biochemical basis, the criteria for the definition of mental illness
have differed across time and place. Feminist analyses of the centrality of gender,
and critiques of psychiatry and psychology, will be a key axis around which this
study is formed. For example, as Chesler has shown (2003) while men of all races
formed the majority of inmates at the Natal Government Asylum in nineteenth
century Natal, women were deemed to be particularly prone to particular forms of
mental illness.
Post-modernist approaches to the construction and representation of identities,
and to the articulation of power, will provide a means of deconstructing the 'texts'
and discourses which are an important part of this study. In particular, the works
of Michel Foucault on mental illness, asylums, and the archaeology of knowledge
will be considered. I recognise, however, that the application of Foucault's ideas
in the African context is problematic.
Foucault's works looked at mental illness, asylums, and the
archaeology of knowledge. Roy Porter’s and Edward
Shorter's histories of psychiatry and psychology show that
definitions of mental illness have differed across time and
place. Feminist writers Chesler and Showalter who have
written on psychiatry will be important for this study. Post-
modernist approaches to the construction and representation
of identities will be used.
Example
 Look at some of the features of an example
dissertation
VERBS OF REFERENCE

 Referring verbs are used to summarise another

writer’s ideas.

  Brown argued that the legal system was biased

against ethnic minorities.
 Caws (1972) found that adaptation to prison was
facilitated by…
  
 They may also be used to introduce a quotation.
  
 As Slapper and Kelly have observed, ‘the small
claims procedure was seen as…’

 Most of these verbs are followed by a noun clause

beginning with that.
  
  
Verbs used to present a case:

argue claim consider

hypothesise suggest believe

think state

 Jones (1975) claimed that many convictions for fraud

are unjustified.
  
Verbs used to describe a reaction to
another writer’s position

 accept admit agree deny doubt

 Baker doubts Jones claim that many convictions

for fraud are unjustified.
  
Other verbs include:
 assume conclude discover explain

 imply indicate maintain

 presume reveal show

  Muir (2003) assumes that the government will
continue to introduce new legislation concerning
intellectual property rights.
Task. Which verb?
 Look at the following sentences. Write a sentence
referring to what the following writers said (there may
be more than one possible answer). Use the past simple
tense
Example:
 You could be right. I may have made a mistake in my

letter.’
 He admitted/accepted/agreed that he might have

made a mistake
  
Sentences
 Somebody should compare mouse behaviour with
rat behaviour.’
 There may be a link between health and the
seasons.’
  Whales are very intelligent animals
 On my travels in the jungle I found a new type of
frog
 I support A’s position on cats and dogs
Suggested answers
 I suggested that rat and mouse behaviour should be
compared.
 J hypothesised that there might be a link between
health and the seasons.
 C stated that whales were very intelligent animals.
 I discovered a new type of frog in the jungle.
 D agreed with A’s position on cats and dogs.
Some key features of the literature
review
 It needs to be relevant and focused
 It must be organised thematically
 The organisation of the review must be signalled in
an introductory paragraph at the beginning of the
review
 It must be up-to-date
 It must be critical (more next time)
Task: Differentiating between weak
and strong evidence
Look at the following extracts from texts.
 decide where the evidence is in each

 Decide which evidence is strong and weak. Think

about your reasons

 Compare with your partner
 1
 Another reason that women are better than men at
raising children is that they are kinder. My mother
was a good example. She did many kind things not
only for me but also for many other people she
met, including strangers.
 2
 Living costs are also increasing in the area of
housing affordability. In a recent survey, 68°Io of
people said that they found it more difficult to pay
their rent or housing loan than last year.
 3
 3 The decline in the fertility rate is a further reason that
immigration will become more and more important.
According to Weston (2001), the fertility rate in this
country has fallen from 3.5 live births per woman in
1961 to its lowest level ever, 1.8 babies per woman, in
1999 and 2000. This trend looks set to continue into the
future. Weston (Ibid.) also states that the minimum
fertility rate necessary to sustain a population at a
constant level is 2.1 births per female. Therefore, unless
this trend reverses, immigration is necessary to sustain
the population.
 4
 It appears for the moment that there is unlikely to
be a connection between eating this product and
ability to concentrate. Despite extensive research
focused on investigating this link, such as Crumlin
(1996), Detford (2000) and GandigerHertzog
(2002), no evidence has yet been found.
 5
 Despite popular myths, chocolate contains little
that is bad for the skin. The Confederation of
Chocolate Product Manufacturers report of 2002
states that ‘Our research demonstrates there is no
direct Link between chocolate consumption and
teenage acne’ (page 35).