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The Literature Review Rhiannon Richards

Canberra Girls Grammar School

29 August 2014


Why a Literature Review?

Meet a need in an area

Build on findings of others

Highlight existing dichotomies

Provide a backdrop for your work

Broaden and deepen subject knowledge

Familiarisation with key terms

Demonstrate ability to research (based on http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf p.1)

http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue Guides/Literature Review.pdf



What is a Literature Review – Quiz Yourself

Poll Everywhere:

PollEv.com/rhiannonrich146

6 True/ False statements: answers anonymous


What is a Literature Review – Self Quiz

1) T/F You should review all key literature in your area.

2) T/F You should always outline the possibility for further research.

3) T/F A thesis statement is instrumental in guiding your research.

4) T/F A research question is instrumental in guiding your research.

5) T/F You should abandon literature irrelevant to your narrow research area.

6) T/F You can only structure your literature review in one way.

(Based on: http://unimelb.libguides.com/lit_reviews p.0)

http://unimelb.libguides.com/lit_reviews


What is a Literature Review? 1

“A literature review is the presentation, classification and evaluation of what other researchers have written on a particular subject.”

(http://unimelb.libguides.com/lit_reviews p.1: my emphasis in bold)



What is a Literature Review? 2

“A literature review is an evaluative comparison of various pieces of research…It shows the reader what previous research has been done in your field, critiques previous methodology, and evaluates prior studies to show an information gap which your own research will fill.”

(http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf p.1: my emphasis in bold)





Important Note about Literature Reviews

You review literature about your topic area, not action research itself

Remember to skim and scan the texts


How to Begin 1

Firstly identify your research area

A question can help (refine during process)

In conjunction with supervisor

Know its boundaries

The length of your review

What you will collect (context, background, history)

Number of references: suggest 25+ at Masters level

(Johnson, 2012, p.51)

Justify your selection (and omissions) later

(http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf p.2-3)




How to Begin 2

Collect sufficient academic resources for your chosen area e.g. Books

Journals

Other research papers

Articles

Abstracts

Reference lists/ bibliographies

Government departments e.g. Australian Bureau of Statistics






How to Begin 3

Your sources should encompass: a range of primary sources

a historical snap-shot

the most recent research

the most pertinent texts (gurus)

You can find these Online e.g. EBSCO database, Google Scholar

At a library (school, local public, university)

Consider inter-library loans





How to Begin 4

Testing the validity of a text:

Is it relevant?

Does it make a contribution?

Is it reliable?

Is there good content and evidence?

What is the argument/ reasoning? (beware bias)

Does it reinforce or disprove a hypothesis?

Is the sample size adequate? (http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf p.2-3)




How to Begin 5

Many people like to think of a funnel

A broad array of information narrows down to your topic area

Hard copy notes on one side can be useful to organise links

Could write a short paragraph about each source,

using codes e.g. RR 2014

Later produce a rough draft, revise it then edit

(Johnson 2012, p.55-57)


How to Collect Data 1

Begin your reference list straight away

You could use the software “Endnote”

Read, evaluate and collate information

Use headings

Make connections

Try a mindmap



You could use a recording approach relative to your stance e.g.

YES

Yes, but

Yes, BUT

No, but

No, BUT

NO

(http://unimelb.libguides.com/lit_reviews p.3)




Alternatively record in a more factual way Author

Year

Study type

Sample

Design

Data collection approach

Key findings and definitions (http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf

p.3, http://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/learning_guides/learningGuide_writingLiteratureReview.pdf)

A form of annotated bibliography may help


http://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/learning_guides/learningGuide_writingLiteratureReview.pdf


How to Write Up 1

Consider your audience: literature review should help them

General layout: introduction, body, conclusion

Should identify: overall trends

similar/ opposing theories

trail-blazers

gaps

(http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf)









How to Write Up 2

Take a stance: Place your study in relation to the literature you review

Amount: greater number of words per work = more importance

(http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf)




How to Write Up 3

Possible grouping ideas

Similar/ different methodology ( e.g. qualitative vs. quantitative)

By outcome

By relevance

By similarity or divergence

Chronologically

(based on http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf p.3)





Grammar 1

Consider your reader and register: relatively formal

Signpost your work using:

subheadings

cohesive devices (although, however etc.)

Vary your sentence structure


Grammar 2

Consider active versus passive voice

E.g. The student wrote the thesis (active)

The thesis was written by the student (passive)

Topic sentences can be very useful

Please use a spelling and grammar checker

Consider asking a proofreader


Questions it Attempts to Answer

1. “What do we know about the area of inquiry?

2. What are the relationships between key concepts, factors, variables?

3. What needs further testing because evidence is lacking, inconclusive, contradictory, limited?

4. What designs or methods are faulty?

5. Why study this question further?

6. What contribution will your work make?” (http://www.csu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/82796/LitReview.pdf p.2)

http://www.csu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/82796/LitReview.pdf


Useful Tips

Avoid deleting any information you gather

Avoid overwriting your documents

Save as different versions instead


Plagiarism

Avoid plagiarism through:

Quotations

Paraphrasing

Quoting the source


You are not alone…

If you need support remember to ask

Other candidates

Your supervisor

A librarian

The ISTAA forum


Final Checklist

You have…

Defined your question and its scope

Found, read and analysed appropriate literature

Including a range of methodology, theory, models etc.

Kept details for a reference list

Written an introduction, body and conclusion

Incorporating different points of view

Spell and grammar checked work

(based on http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/litreview.jsp)

http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/litreview.jsp


Reference List

Websites Writing a Literature Review, CSU, viewed 4 June 2014,


Literature Reviews, Flinders University, viewed 4 June 2014, http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf

Writing Literature Reviews, Monash University, viewed 4 June 2014, http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/general/lit-reviews/index.xml

Writing a Literature Review, QUT, viewed 4 June 2014, http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/litreview.jsp

Writing a Literature Review, The University of Adelaide, viewed 4 June 2014, http://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/learning_guides/learningGuide_writingLiteratureReview.pdf

Helpsheet: Literature Reviews, The University of Melbourne, viewed 4 June 2014, http://unimelb.libguides.com/lit_reviews

University of Canberra http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/literature Writing a Literature Review

Writing a Literature Review, UNE, viewed 4 June 2014 http://www.une.edu.au/current-students/resources/academic-skills/fact-sheets

Book Johnson, Andrew P. 2012, A Short Guide to Action Research (Fourth Edition), Pearson, New

Jersey



http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/general/lit-reviews/index.xml

http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/litreview.jsp




http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/literature

http://www.une.edu.au/current-students/resources/academic-skills/fact-sheets

http://www.une.edu.au/current-students/resources/academic-skills/fact-sheets


Rhiannon Richards Canberra Girls Grammar School Melbourne Avenue Deakin ACT

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