LitERATURE Review

Literature Review is a complex process - and there are many Computer Aided Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) available. And though they are very powerful, but none of them is specifically suited for the literature review process as needed for thesis writing. AsterWrite provides the best match to thesis writing. The Literature Review process is a very important part of any research. Shown here is an ideal way to conduct a Literature Review.

The beauty is, AsterWrite works exactly in this way.

1. Relevant documents are collected and entered into the Literature Review Applet.

2. Excerpts from the documents are tagged with codes.

3. Codes are extracted and managed through a mind map.

4. When a code is clicked, all relevant excerpts from different document sources are collated, and the student can write a review.

5. Codes can be marked IV, DV or SV. Plus, Gap Analysis can be conducted on every code. Most CAQDAS fail here.

6. As all codes are reviewed, the Literature Review is automatically compiled.

Here is an actual example of AsterWrite.

As codes are added to the mind map, the researcher can see all associated data. E.g. The codes, variable types, associated excerpts, and Gap Analysis information are seen here.

Codes marked with IV, DV, and SV are automatically carried forward into the Research Questions module. Key to variable types

• IV = Independent Variable

• DV = Dependent Variable

• SV = Scope Variable.

This is achieved through a very systematic process in AsterWrite:

Step 1 Retrieve a document

Step 2 Read the document

Step 3 Select excerpts

Copy and Paste excerpts

Add Doc ID

Add Remarks

Step 4 Check Code

Build Code

Step 5 Click the Text button

Step 6 The Editor pops up

Step 7 Related excerpts show up

Step 8 Type Review based on excerpts!

In reality, once the excerpts are entered, Clicking on a code in the Mind Map invokes the Editor. The Editor displays all Excerpts relevant to the Code. And the researcher can write the Review. The text editor is dynamically linked to the excerpts. So, the student will see the excerpts pertinent to writing the review.

AsterWrite has a Nursery feature. This feature shows the Aspect, Explanation, Example and Answer. The Aspect is a label and Explanation describes the label. The Example show a sample text for the Item, e.g. Proposed Area of Research.

When the researcher enters a parallel text in the Answer column, the text is synthesized to form a Item relevant to the researcher.

There are over 100 Item samples for researchers.

A says X, I say X+Y, B says X and Y; and I am building on Y (so I must be right).

A says X, however B & C say not only X, C shows Y and D shows Y, I am building on Y (so I must be right).

Building up - While it is true ...

AsterWrite also compiles the supporting document which are used in the review. This provides a Literature Map showing how the information was gathered.