Unit II

• Effective literature studies approaches

• Analysis
• Plagiarism
• Research Ethics

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Literature Review

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 Why Literature Search?
• To make a base for research.
• To gain knowledge in the relevant field
To know the progress already made in the
relevant field
(State of the Art)
• To make sure that you are in right path
• To identify the gap and to get the motivation for
the study
• To relate your results and publish in relevant
journals

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 Literature Review
• is the documentation of a comprehensive
review of the published and unpublished work
from secondary sources of data in the areas of
specific interest to the researcher.
• The literature review is an integral part of the
entire research process and makes a valuable
contribution to almost every operational step.
 Purpose of a Literature Review
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
• To establish importance
• To demonstrate familiarity
• To “carve out a space” for further research
 Characteristics of
Effective Literature Reviews

• Outlining important research trends

• Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of
existing research
• Identifying potential gaps in knowledge
• Establishing a need for current and/or future
research projects
 Literature review functions

• Bring clarity and focus to your research problem

• Improve your methodology
• Broaden your knowledge base in your research
area
• Contextualise your findings

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 Procedures for reviewing the literature

There are five steps involved in conducting a

literature review:
• search for existing literature in your area of study;
• review the literature selected;
• develop a theoretical framework;
• develop a conceptual framework;
• writing up the literature reviewed
 Where to Search for Literature?
• International Journals (on-line & off-line)
• Conference Proceedings
• Books
• Internet (be more careful for correctness)
• White papers, in-house publications and
documents
• News papers, magazines, etc.,

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Steps involved in Literature Review
 Searching for good sources and collecting
papers
• Sorting and Priotorising the papers
• First reading of papers and making notes
• Critical Reading and marking the highlights
• Comparative study of noted literature
• Writing the literature review with critical
comments
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 Where to Search for Literature?

•International Journals (on-line & off-line)

•Conference Proceedings
•Books
•Internet (be more careful for correctness)
•White papers, in-house publications and
documents
•News papers, magazines, etc.,

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 Search Engines for Research
Papers?
• http:// /ieeexplore.ieee.org/
• http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/
• http://scholar.google.co.in/
• http://papers.sae.org/Engines
• http://www.getcited.org/
• http://academic.research.microsoft.com/
• http://www.bioline.org.br/
• http://www.doaj.org/
• http://www.plosone.org/
• http://www.bioone.org/
• http://iopscience.iop.org/1468-6996/
• http://iopscience.iop.org/1367-2630
• http://www.sciencedirect.com/
• http://www.mendeley.com/
• http://www.emergingedtech.com/
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Analyzing
How Do I Assess
Existing Research?
 Analyzing Sources
• A literature review is never just a list of
studies—it always offers an argument
about a body of research

• Analysis occurs on two levels:

– Individual sources
– Body of research
 Four Analysis Tasks of the
Literature Review
TASKS OF
LITERATURE
REVIEW

SUMMARIZE SYNTHESIZE CRITIQUE COMPARE

 Summary and Synthesis
In your own words, summarize and/or
synthesize the key findings relevant to your
study.
• What do we know about the immediate area?

• What are the key arguments, key characteristics, key

concepts or key figures?

• What are the existing debates/theories?

• What common methodologies are used?

 Comparison and Critique
Evaluates the strength and weaknesses of the
work:
• How do the different studies relate? What is new, different,
or controversial?
• What views need further testing?
• What evidence is lacking, inconclusive, contradicting, or too
limited?
• What research designs or methods seem unsatisfactory?
Analyzing: Putting It All Together
Once you have summarized, synthesized,
compared, and critiqued your chosen
material, you may consider whether these
studies
• Demonstrate the topic’s chronological development.
• Show different approaches to the problem.
• Show an ongoing debate.
• Center on a “seminal” study or studies.
• Demonstrate a “paradigm shift.”
 What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism means “the appropriation of

another person’s ideas, processes, results,
or words without giving appropriate credit”
 Plagiarism
• Plagiarism is defined in the University of California, Berkeley, Campus Code
of Student
• Conduct as follows:
• "Plagiarism is defined as the use of intellectual material produced by another
person
• without acknowledging its source. This includes, but is not limited to:
• (a.) Copying from the writings or works of others into one's academic
assignment
• without attribution, or submitting such work as if it were one's own;
• (b.) Using the views, opinions, or insights of another without
acknowledgment; or
• (c.) Paraphrasing the characteristic or original phraseology, metaphor, or
other
• literary device of another without proper attribution."
• Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic and student conduct rules and is
punishable
• at most universities and colleges with a failing grade and possibly more
severe action. 20
 Understanding the Definition
• Appropriation means using or taking
something that is not yours
– Plagiarism is stealing by using another
person’s words or ideas
– Plagiarism is academically dishonest
because students, scholars, and faculty
members are expected to do their own
work
 Understanding the Definition
The terms ideas, processes, results, or
words refer to another person’s intellectual
property
• Plagiarizers use or take
intellectual property
• Other thieves use or take
physical property such as
money, computers, things,
etc.
 Understanding the Definition
Plagiarism means taking or using any of the
following intellectual property without
permission or giving credit:
• Words … copying more than 4-6
consecutive words, rearranging phrases,
or paraphrasing extensively
• Ideas … using original information learned
from conference presentations,
confidential reviews, etc.
 Understanding the Definition

Continued from previous slide:

• Processes … adopting or using research
methods described by another
investigator, especially when the research
method is not common knowledge
• Results … using or reporting data, figures,
or tables that represent another
investigator’s research results
 Understanding the Definition
• Giving appropriate credit refers to:
– Providing the name of the original
author, artist, researcher, or scholar
– Providing sufficient publication data that
another person can find the original
source – use disciplinary standards!
– Using quotation symbols to indicate
direct quotes
Detecting Plagiarism
• Readers and reviewers
• Check references
• Google 4-6 words
(Harris, 2004)
• Plagiarism detection
software (e.g.,
plagiarismchecker.com,
plagiarismdetect.com
Turnitin etc.,)
 Preventing Plagiarism
• Understand the difference between
“common knowledge” and “original” ideas
• Do the right thing
– Follow your conscience
– Give credit, mark direct
quotations, and use
reference citations –
use disciplinary standards!
– Seek help from your mentor
 Possible Consequences
•  scholarly reputation
•  self-concept
•  grades
• Dissertation not accepted
• Expulsion from university/no degree
• Expulsion from professional organizations
• Loss of job (GA/faculty)
 Research ethics
The moral acceptability or appropriateness of specific conduct and
actions that moral agents take in particular situations
•Fraud
•Mistreatment of research subjects (human or animals)
•Accuracy and honesty in recording and reporting data
•Ownership and use of data
•Violations of intellectual property rights
•Interpersonal relationships
•Plagiarism and copyright violations
•Conflict of interest
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