in partnership with

Osmeña Colleges

THE SCIENCE OF
LITERATURE REVIEW
Facilitated by:
Erwin L. Purcia
• Anchored on the goal of building knowledge, researches are not
meant to be done in isolation from all other researches all over the
world.
• By way of a Literature Review, a researcher locates or positions
himself or herself in a body or world of researches.

Nature and Purpose of a Literature

Review
• Thus, a Review of Related Literature (RRL) is an attempt to link or
connect a current research project with other research projects that
have been done in the past.
• The advantage of a Literature Review is that it broadens and
deepens a researcher’s understanding about the subject matter or
problem that he or she seeks to investigate.

Nature and Purpose of a Literature

Review
• The literature review expands the introductory chapter.
• The RRL helps to further define the research problem.
• Moreover, the literature review provides the theoretical basis for
the research question.

Nature and Purpose of a Literature

Review
 • For novice researchers, a literature
review is no more than an
enumeration or listing of previous
studies that is (somewhat) related to
What is a critical the present study.
literature review? • Often, this misses out on a critical and
holistic view of what has already
been done or is already known about
the topic or phenomenon.
 The literature review is a critical look at the
existing research that is significant to the work
that you are carrying out.

•To provide background information

What are the •To establish importance
functions of a •To demonstrate familiarity
critical literature •To “carve out a space” for further research
review?
 Two key questions
of a critical
literature review

What is the
What are the
current state of
issues, debates,
knowledge on
and
the topic
inconsistencies
generally
in theory and
agreed upon
practice related
across the
to the topic?
literature?
Key Attributes of a
Critical Literature
Review
 Identifies and evaluates
the most relevant
research (and experts)
relevant to the topic
 key theories
 seminal work (most important studies usually in the
early years of research on the topic)
 most current studies

You will inevitably notice that specific

experts and researchers recur in his/her
search and review of literature on a topic!
Adopts a structure that
creates a thematic funnel
 Objective – recognizes the most
important theories and research on
the topic
 Comprehensive – covers the most
substantial theories and studies in a
structured review
Contextualizes and
justifies aims and
objectives

Theoretical/Conceptual Fidelity
 Utilizes and
acknowledges
the most
relevant and
credible
references
 Usin
g literature
review
matrix
 • A common type of review in
which the author links a
specific study to a larger body
• 1. Context review
of knowledge. It situates a
study within a broader
framework.

Six Types of Literature Reviews

 • A specialized review in which
the author traces an issue over
• 2. Historical review time. It can be merged with a
theoretical or methodological
review to show how a concept,
theory, or research method
developed over time.

Six Types of Literature Reviews

 • A common type of review in
which the author presents and
• 3. Integrative review summarizes the current state
of knowledge on a topic,
emphasizing agreements and
disagreements within it.

Six Types of Literature Reviews

 • A specialized type of
integrative review in which
the author compares and
• 4. Methodological review evaluates the relative
methodological strength of
various studies and shows how
different methodologies
account for different results.

Six Types of Literature Reviews

 • A review in which an author
demonstrates his or her
• 5. Self-study review familiarity with a subject area.
It is often part of an
educational program or course
requirement.

Six Types of Literature Reviews

 • A specialized review in which
the author presents several
theories or concepts focused
• 6. Theoretical review on the same topic and
compares them on the basis of
assumptions, logical
consistency, and scope of
explanation.

Six Types of Literature Reviews

• Context review
• Historical review
• Integrative review
• Methodological review
• Self-study review
• Theoretical review

Recap: Types of Literature Review

• Conceptualizing and formulating your review of related literature
(RRL) begins with the preparation of a topic outline that portrays
the organizational structure of the said review.
• Outlining your review means that this important chapter will
consist of various subtopics related to your research problem.

Organizing and Outlining an RRL

• Once specified, it will now be your task to explain, expound or
elucidate each of the subtopics by making sure that the techniques
of correct citations are observed and utilized.
• Consider the following examples in outlining your RRL.

Organizing and Outlining an RRL

• Title: A Compendium and Analysis of Specialized Online Gaming
Terms
• RRL Outline:
• The Interface of Communication, Language and Technology
• The Online Gaming Scene: History, Nature and Elements
• Researches Related to Online Gaming and Gaming Terminologies

Organizing and Outlining an RRL:

Example No. 1
• Title: A Customer Satisfaction Survey Among Selected Clients of
McDonald’s Antique
• RRL Outline:
• Defining Fast-Food Restaurants
• A Brief History of Fast-Food Restaurants
• McDonald’s Corporation
• Philippine Fast-Food Restaurants Today

Organizing and Outlining an RRL:

Example No. 2
• Title: An Analysis of School Papers Among Tertiary-Level
Academic Institutions in Antique
• RRL Outline:
• The Nature and Elements of Press Freedom
• Journalism as Theory and Practice
• Campus Journalism in the Philippines
• Journalism-Related Researches in the Philippines

Organizing and Outlining an RRL:

Example No. 3
 Periodicals, Scholarly
Books
Magazines Journals

Government Policy
Dissertations
documents reports

Presented
papers

Where to Find Research Literature

 Locate
Define and Design a
research
refine a topic search
reports

How to Conduct a Systematic

Literature Review
 1. 2. Read
3. Read
Examine the
the article
the title abstract

How to Evaluate Research Articles

 Finding Online
Literature Sources
Online Search Portals
OJOSE (Online Journals Search Engine)
Wiley Online Library
Sciseek
OARE (Online Access to Research in the Environment)
HINARI (Access to Health Research)
AGORA (Access to Global Online Research in Agric.
DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
High Wire
ABC Chemistry (Free Full-text Journals in Chemistry)
AOJSA (Accredited Open Access Journals-South Africa)
PubMed (Free archive of life science journals)
Free Medical Journals
BioMed
Phil. Journals Online
AJOL
UP Diliman Journals Online
Nepal Journals Online
Philippine E-Journals
Online-Journals.org
Oxford Journals
Scientists are
rated by what they
finish,

not by what they attempt.

 in partnership with
Osmeña Colleges

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