Chapter 3- Review of the related Literature

Benefits of Conducting a Literature Review
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Benefits of Conducting a Literature Review
1) It can offer new ideas, perspectives, and approaches that may not have occurred to you.
2) It can inform you about other researchers who conduct work in the same area.
3) It can show you how others have handled methodological and design issues in studies similar to your own
Benefits of conducting a literature review cont
4) It can reveal sources of data that you may not have known existed
5) It can introduce you to measurement tools that other researchers have developed and used effectively.
6) It can reveal methods of dealing with problem situations that may be similar to difficulties you are facing
More benefits of conducting a literature review
7) It can help you interpret and make sense of your findings and, ultimately, help you tie your results to the work of those who have preceded you.
8) It will bolster your confidence that your topic is one worth studying, because your will find that others have invested considerable time, effort, and resources in studying it.
(The more your know about investigations and perspectives related to your topic, the more effectively your can tackle your own research problem
Principal Systems for Classification of Knowledge
Dewey Decimal System
Classifies knowledge according to 10 basic areas for human knowledge, each divided decimally. The main classification system in public libraries and probably the most generally accepted system worldwide.
Principal Systems for classification of Knowledge
Library of Congress system
Classifies knowledge by alphabetical categories. The main classification system used in college and university libraries
Sources and Strategies for Locating Related Literature
1. Identify one or more keywords
2) Use the library catalog
3) Use indexes, abstracts, and other general references
4) Use the library's online database: (JSTOR; Web of Science; WorldCat.)
Sources and Strategies continued
5) Explore government publications: (www.gpoaccess.gov)
6) Search the World Wide Web
7) Examine citations and references lists of those who have gone before you.
Practical Application: Conducting a literature search
*Using a paper and pencil or brainstorming software
1) Write the problem in tis entirety at the top of the page
2) Write each subproblem in its entirety
3) Identify the important words and phrases in each subproblem
Practical Application continued
4) Translate these words and phrases into specific topics your must learn more about-these become your "agenda" as your conduct the literature search.
5) Go to the library to seek out resources related to your agenda
6) Read
Guidelines: Using your library time efficiently
1) Go to the library armed with data-gathering tools
2) Identify the materials (books, articles, etc) you want to read, and determine if they are available in your library
3) Develop an organized plan of attach for finding the sources you've identified.
Guidelines continued4) Track down your sources 5) Record all basic information as you tread each source 6) Identify strategies for obtaining sources that are not immediately availablePractical application: Beginning you review of the related literature1) Write your research problem 2) Identify the subproblems 3) Construct a set of paper note-taking forms or an electronic database 4) Go to the library with your information -gathering system. 5) Track down your referencesEvaluating, Organizing, and Synthesizing the Literature-Never take other people's conclusions at face value; determine for yourself whether the conclusions are justified based on the data presented -Organize the ideas your encounter during your reviewSynthesize the ideas your encounter during your review-Complete and contrast varying heretical positions on the topic. -Show how approaches to the topic have changed over time -Describe general trends in the research findings -Identify and explain discrepant or contradictory findings -Identify general themes that run throughout the literatureGuidelines: Writing a clear and Cohesive literature Review1) Get the proper psychological orientation 2) Have a plan 3) Emphasize relatedness (ie, how the literature is related to the problem) 4) Give credit where credit is due; use appropriate citationsWriting a clear and Cohesive literature Review continued5) Review the literature, don't reproduce it 6) Summarize what you've said 7) Remember that your first draft will not be your last draft 8) Ask others for advice and feedback