Literature review

Naresh T Chauhan
Community Medicine Deptt,
Government Medical College, Surat
 Overview
• Before starting any research, the researcher
needs to determine topic or issue to study.

• However, the question is how does the

researcher select a research topic or issue?

• Can every topic be researched ?

• What is researchable and what is not

researchable?
 Session outline
Key topics to be covered in the session are as follows

• Defining literature review

• Identify and locating literature

• Analysing and writing review

• Structuring the review

• Good and bad review ( beginner………experienced researcher)

 What is the Literature Review?

A literature review IS:

• A synthesis of available resources and materials with a
strong relation to the topic in question, accompanied by a
description AND a critical evaluation and comparative
analysis of each work
• Focused on a particular question or area of research

Olivares, O. (2004) Researching and Writing Literature Reviews, A guide for graduate students in the social sciences at the University of
Arizona, Social Sciences Team Librarian, University of Arizona Libraries. Available: http://www.library.arizona.edu/tutorials/litreviews/ [February
2012]
 Why do a literature review?
1. So that your research will have a strong theoretical base on
which to stand

The literature review is not a chore to be finished quickly so that you can
get on to the meat of your project, or a university department imposed
hoop to jump through before you can get on with the writing of your
thesis or dissertation.

It is the very basis of your argument. It places your research in context

within your discipline and demonstrates how your research improves your
discipline. In other words, the literature review is the meat of your
project
Olivares, O. (2004) Researching and Writing Literature Reviews, A guide for graduate students in the social sciences at the University of Arizona, Social Sciences
Team Librarian, University of Arizona Libraries. Available: http://www.library.arizona.edu/tutorials/litreviews/ [February 2012]
 Gaps in knowledge makes your title some times

Why do a literature review?

2. To justify your research

a) To prove that there are gaps in knowledge in your field that
merit a closer investigation
b) To demonstrate that your work will improve your field in some
way
c) To prove that your work hasn’t been previously contributed
and it is indeed original
d) For purely practical considerations: a good literature review
demonstrates that you’ve read extensively in your field
Olivares, O. (2004) Researching and Writing Literature Reviews, A guide for graduate students in the social sciences at the University of Arizona, Social Sciences Team Librarian,
University of Arizona Libraries. Available: http://www.library.arizona.edu/tutorials/litreviews/ [February 2012]
 Why do a literature review?

3. As an exercise in long essay development

• To educate yourself on the primary theoretical approaches to

your discipline,
• Who are the most important scholars in your discipline?
• What questions have they asked and answered?
• What controversies remain within the discipline?
• To illustrate how your field has been previously studied, and
flaws/gaps/ problems with previous research

Olivares, O. (2004) Researching and Writing Literature Reviews, A guide for graduate students in the social sciences at the University of Arizona, Social Sciences Team Librarian,
University of Arizona Libraries. Available: http://www.library.arizona.edu/tutorials/litreviews/ [February 2012]
A good literature review will help you do the following:

• Narrow your research focus;

• Pose questions that might not have previously occurred; and

• Build a knowledge base for future

 Identify Literature
• Where to Find Research Literature
 Periodicals
 Scholarly journals
 Books
 Dissertations
 Government documents
 Policy reports and presented papers
 Existing Statistics and Industry reports
 Where to find !

• Google
• PubMed
• Indmedica
• Social science Research Network
• Trip database
• WHO-IRIS
 Identify and Locate

1. Go to the journal database

2. Use the search box
a. Basic search
b. Advanced
3. Type in your research topic
4. Review results
a) Check Relevance
b) Refine search parameters
5. Record and Retrieve
6. Review and Summarize
 Record and Retrieve

• Save the document onto your PC

• Categorize the documents

• Save citation if needed

 Read, Review and Summarize

Article Summary (one page)

1. Article Reference:
 Author-last name, Other initials (year of publication) Title of the
journal article, Name of the Journal, Volume/Number, page range
2. Research Problem/Research Question
3. Research Methods
4. Results/Findings and Discussions
5. Conclusions
6. Gaps for Future Research
 Ensure Relevance
After researching

• From reading the titles and abstracts, priorities the

literature that we have identified and make a note of why it
has a high, medium or low priority (at this stage)

• Develop the habit of screening the literature for relevance

before we download it or print it out. This way we will not
become overwhelmed with all of the reading that we have to
do
 Spider diagrams
Summarize lot of information on one page in visual and memorable way
 Review

• When taking notes be sure be clear about when we are

quoting and when we are paraphrasing. We cannot risk
unintentionally plagiarizing ideas and information, the
penalties are harsh and the damage to our reputation could
be irreparable
• Always keep the page numbers with anything taken from the
literature so that we can easily check back to the quote or
idea paraphrased when editing
 Plagiarism

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, to “plagiarize” means:

• To steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as

one's own

• To use (another's production) without crediting the source

• To commit literary theft

• To present as new and original an idea or product derived

from an existing source.
Original Source Material: Developing complex skills in the classroom involves
the key ingredients identified in teaching pigeons to play ping-pong and to
bowl. The key ingredients are: (1) inducing a response, (2) reinforcing subtle
improvements or refinements in the behaviour, (3) providing for the transfer
of stimulus control by gradually withdrawing the prompts or cues, and (4)
scheduling reinforcements so that the ratio of reinforcements in responses
gradually increases and natural reinforces can maintain their behaviour.

Plagiarized Version: (paraphrasing plagiarism)

The same factors apply to developing complex skills in a classroom setting as
to developing complex skills in any setting. A response must be induced, then
reinforced as it gets closer to the desired behaviour. Reinforcers have to be
scheduled carefully, and cues have to be withdrawn gradually so that the
new behaviours can be transferred and maintained.
 Correct Version

• According to Gredler (2001), the same factors apply to developing

complex skills in a classroom setting as to developing complex skills in
any setting. A response must be induced, then reinforced as it gets
closer to the desired behaviour. Reinforcers have to be scheduled
carefully, and cues have to be withdrawn gradually so that the new
behaviours can be transferred and maintained.
• Reference:Gredler, M. E. (2001). Learning and instruction: Theory into
practice (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
 Questions

When reading relevant texts and writing the literature review

you should ask yourself the following questions

1. How will I organize my discussion of the literature?

2. What headings will I use?

3. What are the grounds for including and excluding literature?

 Write – LR as a process

The literature review has its own internal

structure. It starts with an

• Opening sentence or paragraph;

• discusses the literature in a logical and

coherent way; and

• concludes with a paragraph that relate

the literature to the research project
 Structuring the literature review
• Opening Paragraph: A few sentences focused on the topic to
break the icing…
Social networking in workplace Social networking is increasingly
becoming a phenomenon in social and business lifestyles of employees.
Statistics from the 2011 Forbes’ report on Social networking and business,
stated that, 85 per cent of workers in America spend a minimum of 30
minutes of working hours to visit social networking websites (Forbes,
2011). These statistics are not too far from that of Africans, as a recent
study in South Africa also found 70 per cent of South African workers
interviewed browsed Facebook during working hours (Ngu, 2011).
Somehow businesses have to respond this growing trend. However,
the question is what is the potential risk of social networking in the
workplace and how can businesses address the risk?
 Structuring the literature review
Body: this is where you discuss your sources.
 chronologically: for example, if writers' views have tended to change
over time.
 thematically: take particular themes in the literature
 methodologically: here, the focus is on the methods of the researcher,
for example, qualitative versus quantitative approaches
 Method of data collection –
 Survey vs Case Study
 Unit of Analysis – Micro: Individuals – Meso: Organizational – Macro: National –
Meta: Global/Cross-country
 Region/Geo. Location
 Developing vs Developed
 Country
 Rural vs Urban
 Structuring the literature review

Concluding the Literature Review:

• summarize the major contributions, evaluating the current
position, and pointing out flaws in methodology, gaps in the
research, contradictions, and areas for further study

• What are the main perspectives and methodological

approaches adopted in relation to the problem?
• What is my point of view in relation to these perspectives
and approaches?
Descriptive Vs Analytic LR
Descriptive Vs Analytic LR
 Literature Referencing

The act of providing evidence for arguments and

perspectives presented in literature write up – article,
long essay, report and et cetera

1. References provided within the text or the body of

the text
2. Compiled references at the end of the text
Difference between bibliography and
references?
 References

• Research Methods – Dr Richard Boateng [richard@pearlrichards.org]

• Babbie, E.R. (2011) The Basics of Social Research [With CDROM and Infotrac],
Wadsworth –Thomson Publishing, Belmont, CA. – ISBN – 0495812242
• Babbie, E.R. (2005) The Basics of Social Research [With CDROM and Infotrac],
Wadsworth –Thomson Publishing, Belmont, CA.
• Olivares, O. (2004) Researching and Writing Literature Reviews, A guide for graduate
students in the social sciences at the University of Arizona, Social Sciences Team
Librarian, University of Arizona Libraries. Available:
http://www.library.arizona.edu/tutorials/litreviews/ [February 2012]
• Neuman, W.L. (2011) Basics of Social Research: Qualitative and Quantitative
Approaches, 2/E, Pearson Education – ISBN ISBN-10: 0205484379 | ISBN-13:
9780205484379
• Santoy, J. (2007) Using Research in Academic Writing, Available:
http://www.literaturereviewof.com/identifying-gaps[February 2012]

Photo Illustrations from Getty Images – www.gettyimages.com

Questions..