Writing a literature review

Dr Cheryl Lange

Integral aspects of academic work

Writing

Reading

Thinking

Developing a literature review

There are a number of stages in writing a literature review.

• Survey the literature

• Develop an understanding of the issues

• Subject your understanding to critical thinking processes

• Develop a series of reasoned arguments that lead to your hypothesis/research question

• Begin writing your review

Managing information

If you are going to be collecting a large number of journal articles, book chapters etc, you will need a system for managing it all.

What is your system?

My approach to collecting and organising the literature I need for my research is…

Reading and making notes – towards writing critically

These tips may help.

• Read with a clear purpose.

• Ask yourself ‘What do I already know?’, ‘What do I predict?’ before you start each article etc.

• Note make/mind map main points, i.e. actively engage with what you read.

• Make tentative evaluations about the content as you read.

• Summarise similarities/differences in perspective, etc of articles you read

Effective reading and note making

Information

Knowledge

Understanding

into

and

turns

Thinking about your literature review

Prompts to focus your thinking

• My research is important because …

• What I propose to do in this study is …

• What am I looking for in the literature is …

• My present understanding of my research area is …

• The main schools of thought/theoretical perspectives in my area are …

• The ‘great debates’ my area are ...

• When reading the literature I wonder about …

• What remains unclear is ...

Introduction

• Identify general topic – set context

• Mention overall trends or theoretical/methodological conflicts or gaps or new perspectives

• Explain criteria used in analysing/comparing literature

• Describe how review will be organised.

Body

• Group studies according to common denominators e.g. methodology, themes, chronology, ‘benchmark’ studies

• Summarize individual studies /articles according to importance (number of words denotes significance)

• Use clear

– umbrella statements (topic sentences) at beginning of paragraphs

– signposts in each paragraph• Conclude key paragraphs with brief ‘so what’ statements

to aid reader’s understanding of analyses and comparisons

Conclusion

• Summarize major contributions of significant studies – maintain focus established in introduction

• Evaluate current state of knowledge under review e.g.

– flaws in methodology – inconsistencies in theories/finding– areas of pertinent future study

• Provide some insight into relationship between topic of literature review and larger area of study e.g. discipline, profession etc.

Judging the quality of a literature review

High quality dissertation Marginal dissertation

Expert use of the literature in design of the study and discussion of the findings.

Thorough, clear and incisive reporting of the literature, comprehensive and definitive.

Inadequate coverage or focus of the literature in relation to the study.

Inaccuracies and omissions in referencing.

Discussion that was ‘devoid of reference to the literature’.

Literature review: Use and application - Centre for the Study of Research & Training & Impact, University of Newcastle

Some useful links

• UWA library holdings of Masters and PhD theses http://www.library.uwa.edu.au/students/postgraduates/theses

• PhD focused http://www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/sorti/publications/phd-2008.html

• University of Wisconsin http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/CriReadingBook.html

• How to read and engineering research paper http://cseweb.ucsd.edu/~wgg/CSE210/howtoread.html

• Blog by Jo Edmonston, UWA- Graduate Education Officer http://myresearchspace.grs.uwa.edu.au/pgwritinggroup/

Searching for answers?

What are your questions?

•Drop in 1pm - 2pm during semester teaching weeks Reid Library Mon, Wed, Thurs & Science Library Tues & Fri

•Individual consultations – make your appointment and submit your draft at least 2 days prior to when you want your consultation.

•Lunch time workshops (see STUDYSmarter Workshop Calendar)

Contact detailsPhone: 6488 2423 - Student Support Reception www.studysmarter.uwa.edu.austudy.smarter@uwa.edu.aucheryl.lange@uwa.edu.au