Completing a Completing a Literature ReviewLiterature Review

Farah FisherFarah Fisher

Graduate EducationGraduate Education

Why do a lit review (in a Why do a lit review (in a thesis)?thesis)?

Defines context of your researchDefines context of your research Answers the question “what have Answers the question “what have

others done?”others done?” Provides theoretical framework(s) Provides theoretical framework(s)

related to the studyrelated to the study May be used to demonstrate validity May be used to demonstrate validity

of assessments/methodologyof assessments/methodology BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO!BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO!

Define your research Define your research questionquestion

Before you begin searching for Before you begin searching for articles, be sure you can state the articles, be sure you can state the questions you are trying to answer in questions you are trying to answer in your study.your study.

The literature review tells you what The literature review tells you what other people have done to answer other people have done to answer these (or similar) questions.these (or similar) questions.

What should I be looking What should I be looking for?for?

The search will be based on your The search will be based on your research question(s).research question(s).

You will want to find research (not You will want to find research (not opinion) articles – ones where data is opinion) articles – ones where data is gathered and analyzed.gathered and analyzed.

You may want to use books for You may want to use books for general reference or to gain ideas for general reference or to gain ideas for research.research.

Begin your search for Begin your search for articlesarticles

ERIC – Education Resources Information ERIC – Education Resources Information Center – is a commonly used database.Center – is a commonly used database.

ERIC containsERIC contains– Abstracts (summaries) of journal articlesAbstracts (summaries) of journal articles– Conference presentations (usually full text)Conference presentations (usually full text)– Research reports (usually full text)Research reports (usually full text)– Articles “submitted online” by the author – Articles “submitted online” by the author –

may not be as reliable as other kindsmay not be as reliable as other kinds

Where can I find ERIC?Where can I find ERIC?

You can use the CSUDH library to You can use the CSUDH library to access ERIC.access ERIC.

http://library.csudh.eduhttp://library.csudh.edu (see (see searching handout for more details)searching handout for more details)

What does ERIC look like?What does ERIC look like?

What does ERIC look like?What does ERIC look like?Search terms (AND/OR/NOT to narrow search)

Only include “full text” articles?

Set years in which to search?

Are there other sources?Are there other sources?

There are many other databases, but There are many other databases, but ERIC is the most commonly used in ERIC is the most commonly used in education.education.

You may want to browse through You may want to browse through journals related to your research journals related to your research question.question.

If appropriate, you may want to look If appropriate, you may want to look for books in the library catalog (online) for books in the library catalog (online) or use the other available databases.or use the other available databases.

What about the web?What about the web?

The web is generally not a good source The web is generally not a good source for scholarly research articles.for scholarly research articles.

You may find some useful information, You may find some useful information, but remember that no one edits the web.but remember that no one edits the web.

Web-based information may be incorrect Web-based information may be incorrect or outdated.or outdated.

Journals are “refereed” – scholars in each Journals are “refereed” – scholars in each field review and approve journal articles.field review and approve journal articles.

HintsHints

Write all the information needed for the Write all the information needed for the citations (so you can find the article citations (so you can find the article again). You may not use all articles, but again). You may not use all articles, but record the information just in case.record the information just in case.

Use note cards or a database to store Use note cards or a database to store the info for ease of sorting later.the info for ease of sorting later.

Look in the reference sections of the Look in the reference sections of the articles. If you see the same articles. If you see the same article/author cited several times, it article/author cited several times, it must be important.must be important.

Organization of the Lit Organization of the Lit ReviewReview

After you have read a few articles, After you have read a few articles, patterns will begin to emerge, with patterns will begin to emerge, with general and specific topics.general and specific topics.

You may have planned for some of You may have planned for some of these topics, but others may appear these topics, but others may appear as you read.as you read.

Organization of the Lit Organization of the Lit ReviewReview

A general organization might look A general organization might look like this:like this:

– Broader topicsBroader topics– SubtopicsSubtopics– Studies like yoursStudies like yours

Organization of the Lit Organization of the Lit ReviewReview

Look for general themes or Look for general themes or statements and the articles that statements and the articles that support them.support them.

For example, you may want to state For example, you may want to state that CAI has been shown to be that CAI has been shown to be effective in enhancing learning.effective in enhancing learning.

You will need articles that support this You will need articles that support this statement with evidence from statement with evidence from research.research.

Writing the Lit ReviewWriting the Lit Review

After you have done quite a bit of After you have done quite a bit of searching, you will want to begin searching, you will want to begin writing.writing.

Like any paper, a lit review will have an Like any paper, a lit review will have an introduction, a body and a summary.introduction, a body and a summary.

The introduction will give readers a The introduction will give readers a preview of what they will see, and the preview of what they will see, and the summary will review what you have summary will review what you have said.said.

Writing the Lit ReviewWriting the Lit Review

In the body of the lit review, you will In the body of the lit review, you will likely have the major themes and likely have the major themes and points that you wish to make and at points that you wish to make and at least some articles that support each least some articles that support each point/theme.point/theme.

These themes or major points become These themes or major points become the sections within the body.the sections within the body.

You will write the introduction and the You will write the introduction and the summary after the body.summary after the body.

Writing the Lit ReviewWriting the Lit Review

Use the “funnel” to organize the Use the “funnel” to organize the sequence of the body – the broader sequence of the body – the broader topics first, then the subtopics, and topics first, then the subtopics, and finally any research that is very close to finally any research that is very close to yours.yours.

Remember that you are not simply Remember that you are not simply reporting the results of studies. You are reporting the results of studies. You are trying to make some points related to trying to make some points related to your study, backed up by others’ your study, backed up by others’ research.research.

Writing the Lit ReviewWriting the Lit Review

Leave out personal opinions. If you Leave out personal opinions. If you make a statement, back it up with a make a statement, back it up with a citation, even if it is something that citation, even if it is something that you have poersonally observed.you have poersonally observed.

Don’t use a lot of quotations. Don’t use a lot of quotations. Paraphrase whenever you can.Paraphrase whenever you can.

If you use a quote, you must include If you use a quote, you must include the page number in the citation.the page number in the citation.

Writing the Lit ReviewWriting the Lit Review

Have someone else look at your Have someone else look at your literature review forliterature review for– ClarityClarity (Can they understand what (Can they understand what

you’re trying say?)you’re trying say?)– FlowFlow (Does the organization make (Does the organization make

sense?)sense?)– CompletenessCompleteness (Are there areas left (Are there areas left

out? Questions left unanswered? out? Questions left unanswered? Statements wtihout citations?)Statements wtihout citations?)

Citing SourcesCiting Sources

Education generally uses APA format Education generally uses APA format (American Psychological Association).(American Psychological Association).

There are in-text citations (within the There are in-text citations (within the body of the lit review) as well as a list body of the lit review) as well as a list of references at the end of the thesis.of references at the end of the thesis.

See the handout from Anne Garrett See the handout from Anne Garrett for details.for details.

Evaluating the Lit ReviewEvaluating the Lit Review

A good lit review…A good lit review…– Includes articles primarily from the last Includes articles primarily from the last

5 to 10 years. Some major findings can 5 to 10 years. Some major findings can be included from older sources.be included from older sources.

– Contains sufficient references to cover Contains sufficient references to cover the topic (TBE says at least 15, others the topic (TBE says at least 15, others may require more).may require more).

– Is organized in a logical way, with Is organized in a logical way, with headings to show the sections.headings to show the sections.

– Includes citations for any statement that Includes citations for any statement that can be considered an opinion.can be considered an opinion.

ResourcesResources

See the Thesis Website at See the Thesis Website at http://www.csudh.edu/fisher/thesis.hthttp://www.csudh.edu/fisher/thesis.htmm for helpful links and documents, for helpful links and documents, including sample literature reviews.including sample literature reviews.

Have fun!Have fun!