research literature review

How to Prepare Papers for

International Journal

Publication

Jian QinSyracuse University

Harbin, China, 2010-7-22

• Research papers that involve:– Data collection and analysis– Experiment (prototype systems,

algorithm testing, usability testing)– Theory construction

• Literature review

Types of papers

Preparing research papers -- Harbin, 2010

Structure of a research paper

Introduction

Literature review

Methodology

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion

What is the research problem?Why is it important to study?

What has been done by previous studies?What is the unique innovation of your study?

HypothesesData Design of questionnaire Sampling methodMethods of analysis

General description of findingsSpecific descriptions by research question


Why literature review?

• Helps to contextualize, or frame, your research

• Gives readers the necessary background to understand your research


• Distinguishing what has been done from what needs to be done;

• Discovering important variables relevant to the topic; • Synthesizing and gaining a new perspective; • Identifying relationships between ideas and practice; • Establishing the context of the topic or problem; • Rationalizing the significance of the problem; • Enhancing and acquiring the subject vocabulary; • Understanding the structure of the subject; • Relating ideas and theory to applications; • Identifying methodologies and techniques that have been

used; • Placing the research in a historical context to show

familiarity with state-of-the-art developments.

More detailed purposes from Hart (1998)

Hart C (1998) Doing a literature review. London: S age.


• The effective evaluation of selected documents on a research topic.

• In the context of a research paper or thesis the literature review is a critical synthesis of previous research.

• The evaluation of the literature leads logically to the research question.

What is a Literature Review?


• Is a synthesis of available research• Is a critical evaluation• Has appropriate breadth and depth• Has clarity and conciseness• Uses rigorous and consistent methods

A “good” literature review


• Pay attention to areas of similarities and/or differences in:– Research aim(s) or hypotheses – Research design and sampling – Instruments and procedures used – How data were analyzed – Results or findings – Interpretations

Key points for a review


• An introduction– Scale and structure of your review

• A body– Depends on how you organize your key

points– Should be evaluative, rather than merely

descriptive• A conclusion

– Summary of main findings– Related to your research questions

A literature review should contain


Phases in literature review

Listpon, K. (2006). Literature Review Methods: point of departure. http://www.stanford.edu/class/cee320/CEE320A/POD.pdf Preparing research papers -- Harbin,

2010

http://www.stanford.edu/class/cee320/CEE320A/POD.pdf



• Detailed description of methodology is the baseline for demonstrating the validity and reliability of your research

• Hypotheses:– What are the assumptions for your

hypotheses?– What is the rationale for your

hypotheses?

Methodology (1)


• Data– Which type does your research fall into:

• a questionnaire survey?• an experiment with human subjects?• an experiment for a system evaluation?• an experiment for testing an interface

or algorithm? • an analysis of data collected from some

sources?

Methodology (2)


• Sampling– How did you choose the sample?– Why did you choose the sample?– Are there any previous similar studies

that provided some empirical data on sample size, return rate, etc.?

– How representative is the sample?


Methodology (3)


Peer Review

CriteriaReview comments

Response

• Does the manuscript make a new contribution to the literature?

• Is the method used appropriate to the subject?

• Does the evidence presented support the hypothesis?

• Does the author communicate clearly with an educated, yet not necessarily specialized, audience?

• Does the literature review place the research or opinions in perspective?


Example criteria of review: ACRL

• Clarity and uniqueness of research idea• Literature review: relevance, coherence,

completeness• Methodology• Analysis and interpretation


Areas of review comments

• Professional• Courtesy• Each question has a response


Response to reviewers’ comments

• Research paper preparation takes long time from brewing the idea to conducting it and finalize it into a publishable product– Patience and persistence– Honesty

• Pay attention to details: format, references, spellings, etc.

• Focus on coherence, supporting evidence, and logic

• Understand language differences (which affects sentence structures and idea expressions)


Summary

research literature review

Documents