writing+a+literature+review

LD U:\Library\Literature Review\Writing a Literature Review.pptx

The Literature Review

Guidelines for SuccessAdapted from a presentation by Eleanor Smith of North Carolina State University and

from the book Writing Literature Reviews by Jose L. Galvan


What is a Literature Review?

A literature review • Surveys scholarly sources relevant to a particular

issue, area of research, or theory• Provides a description, summary, and critical

evaluation of each work• Offers an overview of significant literature published

on a topic

(from http://writingalitreview.pbwiki.com/What-a-Literature-Review-IS-and-IS-NOT)

http://writingalitreview.pbwiki.com/What-a-Literature-Review-IS-and-IS-NOT

http://writingalitreview.pbwiki.com/What-a-Literature-Review-IS-and-IS-NOT


Digging Into the Literature

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Major works

Studies that rely onthe major works



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Major works

Studies that build on Ideas in major works

= New major work


Guideline 1: Identify the problem but avoid global statements

• Nursing education is important to both the health care system in the United States and to health world-wide. Without a high quality education nurses will be unprepared for the next millennium.

OR


Guideline 1: Identify the problem but avoid global statements

• The infusion of critical thinking skills in nursing education has been a worldwide quest of nurse educators to ensure quality improvement and quality assurance in practice. There is a great need for facilitation of critical thinking in the preparation and assessment of nurse learners to care for patients with complex culturally diverse health care needs and their families.1

1Excerpt from MM Chibeli, Facilitating critical thinking within the nursing process framework: a literature review, Health SA Gesondheid, Volume 12, Issue 4, December 2007, pgs. 69-89


Guideline 2: Indicate why particular studies are important

• It represented a critical turning point in the development of research in that field

• It launched a new research methodology

Example: According to the most comprehensive study to date (Jones, 2005), based on comparative analysis of programs in 10 states…


Guideline 3: Be specific when discussing time frames

• Avoid using phrases like “In recent years there has been an increased interest in…”


Guideline 3: Be specific when discussing time frames

• Example: Health promotion programs for employees have been studied extensively. However, most published studies have examined the effects of health promotion programs in large corporations, with fewer studies of smaller companies (Pelletier, 2005). Executives realize the importance of reducing health care costs to improve their financial outlook and often recognize the positive effects health promotion programs can have on absenteeism, employee turnover, and general job satisfaction (Goetzel, Ozminkowski, Asciutto, Chouinard, & Barrett, 2001). 2

2 L. Johnson and S.A. Denham, " Structuring successful interventions in employee health programs." AAOHN Journal Volume 56, Issue 6, pgs. 231-40


Guideline 4: If citing a ground-breaking study identify it as such

• Example: “The first content analysis (emphasis added) of gender biases in magazine advertisements was published by Courteny and Lockerretz (1971). Those authors found that magazine advertisements reflected four general stereotypes…” 3

3 D. Neptune and S. Plous, “Racial and gender biases in magazine advertising.” Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21. pgs. 627-44.


Guideline 5: Discuss other literature reviews on your topic

• If you find another literature review on your topic, ask yourself these questions:

– How is the other review different?

– What benefits will readers gain by reading it?


Guideline 6: Justify assertions such as “no studies were found”

• “Gaps” in the research do occur, but also tell the reader the following:– where you searched, i.e. what databases you

looked at – What parameters like dates you used in your

searches

Tell the reader that you found a gap based on your specific research strategy


Guideline 7: Avoid lengthy lists of general references

• Compare these two versions:Numerous writers have indicated that children in single-parent households are at greater risk for academic underachievement than children form two-parent households (Smith, 1991, Jones, 1987, Roberts, 1997, Berry, 2000, Strauss, 2001, Johnson, 2003, Edwards, 2005, Robinson, 2006).


Guideline 7: Avoid lengthy lists of general references

• Compare these two versions:Numerous writers have suggested that children in single-parent households are at greater risk for academic underachievement than children form two-parent households (see, for example, Smith, 1991, and Jones, 1987). Three recent studies have provided strong empirical support for this contention (Johnson, 2003, Edwards, 2005, Robinson, 2006). Of these, the study by Edwards is the strongest because it used a country-wide sample…


Guideline 8: Cite results that are contradictory separately

• Sometimes studies on the same topic produce contradictory results. Compare the two examples and think about which one is a better way to cite conflicting results:

Previous studies have found anywhere from 40% (Ross, 1999, Smith, 2002 ) to 70% (Jones, 2004, Bradshaw, 2006 )of college students have reported downloading copyright-protected material from the web.


Guideline 8: Cite results that are contradictory separately

Previous studies have found anywhere from 40% to 70% of college students have reported downloading copyright-protected material from the web (Ross, 1999, Smith, 2002, Jones, 2004, Bradshaw, 2006).


Resources

• Check the library’s wiki on writing a literature review at www.writingalitreview.pbwiki.com

• You can find this presentation there and the wiki is updated frequently, so check back often for the most current information

http://www.writingalitreview.pbwiki.com/

writing+a+literature+review

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