Embedded Files
HOW TO DO A LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature reviews, like all process in research projects, can and should be done in a methodical manner. There are three main processes.
Search
Assess
Integrate
1. SEARCHING
In order to do a search you need first to know where you can find information. Here are the main resources a researcher uses: books, journals, conference proceedings, theses
libraries
internet:
search engines
databases
the ‘hidden’ internet
Procedures
1. Define your Search: keywords and phrases
This may well be the most important part of the process. Defining your search means selecting the appropriate phrases and words regarding your topic so that you can begin looking in library computer databases and the internet. The main trick is using key words effectively, as well as expanding your keyword search vocabulary as you use and discover synonyms. (NOTE: we will look at online searching in the next class).
In general searching, as well as in literature review searching it is important to start being as specific as possible and then working ‘up’
Exercise 1
Starting with a general search in the library, imagine you want to find out how to make “Tom Yum Goong”
What keywords would you use?
Exercise 2
Getting more difficult, say you want to find out how to learn English vocabulary in the best way. How would you begin?
Exercise 3
How would you search for any results regarding ‘academic performance of Thai students in overseas universities’?
Tips
Chase up references from your initial readings and bibliographic sources
Random finds – when you find references on the shelves, look around. You will probably find other related and similar books on the same topics.
Keep notes! This is the biggest mistake people make when doing library research – they do no make clear notes of the references and their contents
making annotated bibliography
making detailed notes – saves time!
Ask librarians!
2. ASSESSING
Part of doing research effectively is filtering out all the unnecessary ‘hits’ and references. You will need to develop the ability to quickly assess the quality and use of your reference.
Judging quality of citations
Respected sources?
Frequent citations by other authors?
Up to date?
Good referencing?
Does it have internal and external validity (does it answer all the questions it said it would address? Does it apply to situations that you are addressing?)
Also: assess hypothesis, methodology, results and conclusions
Mistakes in assessing:
Don’t just use it because you found it
Don’t be fooled by titles
Don’t be fooled by length of article
Don’t be fooled by verbosity
Don’t be fooled by number of other references
3. INTEGRATING
Integration means using the information you have found in your literature in an appropriate way. The review is not just a matter of providing summaries, but is a way for you to show how your literature review is relevant for your study.
There are many ways of approaching integration. They can be grouped into the following six categories. Rarely would all six approaches be used simultaneously, but these indicate the range of possibilities:
Portray: Paint a picture. Indicate the surface similarities and differences. Map out surface relationships. Identify the gaps.
Trace History: Describe changes over time. Identify lineage. Situate the evolving research in a larger historical context. Identify causes and consequences of the evolution.
Categorize: Sort into a taxonomy based on similarities and differences of underlying characteristics.
Summarize: Identify main commonalities and central tendencies. Generalize and simplify.
Undermine: Break up existing paradigms of thought by documenting obscure inadequacies that are widespread. Identify chaos in apparent order. Show the variation and complexity of the situation.
Synthesize: Pull together into a new whole. Explain and reconcile apparent contradictions. Redefine. Identify order in apparent chaos. *
*(From: ‘Tools for Preparing Literature Reviews’ http://www2.gwu.edu/~litrev/i01.html Last accessed 13/11/04))
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse