Literature Review

Research Problems & Questions

Scholarly Literature

Original research

Textbooks

Professional trade journals

Why review the literature?

Refine research problem, hypotheses, questions

Understand what has been done

Understand what needs to be done

Determine how the literature relates

What conflicts exist? & What studies agree?

Learn from weaknesses of others

Establish conceptual/theoretical framework

Help plan your study…methods, stats, population, etc.

Lit Reviews –Rules & Tips

Primary sourcesFirst hand sources of data; original study

Most valued

Journals, theses, dissertations

Peer reviewed, refereed

Secondary sourcesSource where author has evaluated/cited previous research

Textbooks, pop lit (Last Child in the Woods)

Lit Review Process

Identify topic &

key terms

Identify database

s & access

locations &

software

Conduct searches

Identify sources

as primary

or secondar

y

Evaluate &

analyze

Lit Reviews –Rules & Tips

Develop heads for sectionsGen iY & Coaching Styles

Gen iY in sports; Coaching style effectiveness;

Athletes giving back (donating) to athleticsGiving to athletics; alumni giving to higher ed; instruments to measure giving perceptions

See sample articles

Lit Reviews –Rules & Tips

Synthesize the litPull all of the information together into a comprehendible summary of what you learned

Organize by topic/idea & not author

Don’t list each article & then explain

Rarely use direct quotes in lit review because it is a synthesis

Make notes on limitations of the research

Group similar studies & discuss as a group

Lit Reviews –Rules & Tips

Find studies that are very similar to yours & expand on them

Discuss if conflicts occur between results

Don’t trust the abstract to get all of the info

What gaps exist in the literature?

Lit Reviews –Rules & Tips

Find most recent articles & work backwards

Find original source if possible

Identify key pieces/seminal works

Lit Reviews –Rules & Tips

Keep the articles in case a date/other info is incorrect

Complete citation

Determine what theoretical framework is being used.

Keep good notes & records….

Pub. year

Authors/title

Problem statement

Participant description

Instrument & theory

Procedure & design

Findings

2004 Hurd & McLean

Determine the core competencies of CEO’s in public p & r

CEO’s, Gold medal award winners

No instrument; systems theory

Delphi study

six general competency categories 20 primary competencies and 72 specific competencies.

2004 Hurd determine an overall competency framework for boards

Public P & R boards

No instrument; systems theory; SHRM

Delphi study

8 general competency categories & 56 specific comps.

2005 McLean, Hurd, Jensen

explore the subjectivity of the established public park and recreation CEO competencies

CEO’s Q method – previous CEO competencies (Hurd & McLean, 2004)

Q Method 3 different types of CEOs: the practical CEO, the structured CEO, and the traditionalist CEO.

Expanded Annotated Bibliography

APA Citation:

Link:

Brief summary  

Research Question/ problem statement  

Instrument used  

Methodology & sample  

Theoretical framework  

Results

Lit Reviews –Rules & Tips

Beware of plagiarism…

Did you think of it?

Is it common knowledge?

Yes

No

No

Cite it

Yes

Do not cite it

Beginning your project

Beginning Your Project

See handout

Beginning Your Project

TitleMany determined after study is done

Shortened problem statement, be succinct

AvoidAn analysis of, The study of, An investigation of…

Expanding the Flow Model in Adventure Activities: A Reversal Theory Perspective

The Motivations of Runners in a Cause-Based Marathon-Training Program

Beginning Your Project

IntroductionInform the reader about the issue/problem

Give some background knowledge without getting into too much literature

Rationale for studying the topic

See text for examples

See journals for examples

Beginning Your Project

State the Research ProblemOften towards the end of the intro

The purpose of this study is to…

Research questions/hypotheses/null hypotheses

Identify variables without labeling them

Define terms if they are not commonOperational definition

Motivation

Physical activity

Obesity

Competencies

Assignment

Assign #1: Intro, research question, preliminary reference list for lit review

October 21

Assign #2: Literature review, revised assignment #1October 28

Assignment #3: Methodology, revised assignment #2

November 18

Revised assignment #3December 2