Advanced Diploma

Research Methodology and Project

Literature Review

 Dr N. Dlangamandla
 Email: dlangamandlan@cput.ac.za
 10 August 2023
 Chapter 2

Literature Review
Outline
 Information literacy
 Theory: Literature Review
 Writing the literature review
 Reflecting on your work
 Common shortfalls
 References
 Summary
 Tips: Extracting information
 Exercise
 Concluding remarks
RESEARCH –quick recap
 Research in common parlance refers to a search for
knowledge

 Organised and systematic method of finding answers

- Systematic - process broken into clear steps that leads to conclusions
- Organised - planned structure/method to reach conclusions
- Organised and systematic method of finding answers

 Successful when we find answers

- No questions
- No research
RESEARCH –quick recap
 Primary Research
- Do own experiment/questionnaire/conducting of interviews

 Secondary research
- Using information someone else generated
Information Literacy

Being literate
about
information
Information Literacy
 Know how to look for information
 Reference the source of your information
• Harvard style

 Understand the nature of information

• Dynamic and fast-changing because of modern technology

 Evaluate your information

• Decide if it is meaningful, believable, reputable, up to date and accurate

 Know how to organise and manage the information

• Note all your references to sources of information our information

 Know how to use information correctly and appropriately•

• helps you to develop your critical thinking and analytical skills
Information Literacy
 Data are facts

 Information is the meaning of data

 Knowledge is the awareness of these facts/information

through experience

 Wisdom – application of knowledge to effect

improvement
Literature Review

What is a literature review?

Literature Review
A research facilitator, used to shape and direct the study

• A process that involves finding, reading, understanding and

forming conclusions about published research and theory on
a particular topic

• A critical analysis of selected existing information/theories

relevant to the research problem/topic

• The vehicle to document evidence of your knowledge of the

research field/topic/problem
Literature Review
A crucial, integral part of the research process and
dissertation

It is NOT just an annotated bibliography, series of quotes or

list of references.
Literature Review

http://dkit.ie.libguides.com/literaturereview
The purpose of a literature review
There are several reasons for conducting a good literature
review, the most important being (some of these may overlap)

• To identify the problem properly and justify the need for the
research – what has been researched already and what
could/should still be investigated?

• To demonstrate knowledge of the topic and show where

the research will fit into/fill gaps in the existing body of
knowledge

• To evaluate the significance of the topic/research problem

The purpose of a literature review
• To set the boundaries for the research (scope,
delineation) i.e. limiting, justifying and evaluating the
feasibility of the proposed research

• To establish a theoretical framework and minimise

incorrect or ineffective execution of the research

• To identify the key concepts and variables relevant to the

topic/research problem and the relationships between
them

• To identify appropriate methods and techniques to do the

research (suitable research methodology)
The purpose of a literature review

• To trigger creative, new thinking and ideas to solve the

research problem and so show how the research can add
to the existing knowledge

• To provide a basis for comparison when interpreting

existing data and new findings

• To provide a basis on which to compare new findings with

previously published data when discussing the results of
the research, in order to highlight advances that have been
made
Criteria for a literature review
Criteria to apply in conducting a literature review depend to
some extent on the nature of the study, but are broadly

• It is generally not appropriate to cover all literature

associated with the topic / research problem - extract and
analyse only literature that is relevant to your topic/
research problem

• How specific should it be - must focus on the topic/

research problem.

• Is the literature reviewed credible and does it have

authority – are authoritative authors in the field (within the
context of the study) included?
Criteria for a literature review

• Does it accurately represent current thinking and writing by

these recognised experts in the field?

• Are the references/data relevant and available?

Types of information
The types of information required are
• Facts, statistics and research findings
• Theory
• Interpretation of results
• Methods and procedures: what has been used before –
was it appropriate, did it result in the desired outcomes?

• Sources of information can be Primary or Secondary

• Primary sources are those written by people who actually
did the work - concentrate on these
• Secondary sources are those that summarise, quote or
provide data for example from primary sources
Sources of information
Use only credible, authoritative sources of information. These will
generally be
• Journal articles – start by reviewing those published within the last two
years
• Books
• Conference proceedings
• Government and corporate reports – usefulness depends on the topic,
but could indicate current thinking and research directions for which
funding is available

• Theses and dissertations – but be cautious and analyse critically

• Computer databases – might be available to provide for example good
secondary data; abstracts of similar work

• Credible internet sites – much useful information is available, but be very

careful and check the credibility carefully
Depth and breadth
The literature review must be of adequate depth and breadth
Depth of a literature review
Refers to the number and quality of sources start by reviewing those
published within the last two years

Breadth of a literature review

Indicates the number of different topics examined

If it is too broad then irrelevant sources will be reviewed

If it lacks sufficient depth and breadth, then important sources
will be overlooked
Try to achieve a balance between extracting sufficient
knowledge, but not making the review too broad
General considerations
The literature review is not to find a topic, but to refine the topic
• Use it to define the scope and parameters of your own research at the
start
Consider what sort of information is relevant to your topic
Decide on a search strategy
Allow enough time to follow it through

Identify good key words for your search

Then search systematically

Read selected publications thoroughly (critically) and understand the

information contained in them
NB! Keep a complete record of all references, meetings, quotes etc. so
you can cite and list them fully and accurately
Use the method prescribed by the university (CPUT - Harvard method)
See the slides on plagiarism
General considerations
Try to complete about 90% of the literature review as the
first part of the study

Update, extend and complete it as the work progresses

Make sure the layout (structure) of the literature review is

logical and coherent, so the direction of your work is
evident
Trigger questions
As you progress with the literature review, ask and respond to
questions such as
• What literature has been consulted – is it adequate and up to
date?
• What searches have been done in last 2 weeks - any new
areas?
• What have I read recently - have I made time to read anything?
• Have I learnt anything from the literature in the last 2 weeks?
• Has my understanding of what I am researching changed at all?
• Will what I’ve read influence my research?
• Has it given me any ideas which I should consider and
incorporate?
• Do I need to reconsider how what I have read fits into my
research?
• Have I written up what I have read and recorded the details fully?
Writing the literature review
Plan
• Focus on the topic/research problem
• Develop an outline of the review as early as possible
• Structure the information logically, grouping it by topic/sub-topic
(referred to as a Thematic*) in accordance with there search
question, aims and objectives
Start writing immediately – refinements and restructuring can be
done later. In the introduction
 Clearly define the topic/research problem

 Give a summary of current theories/knowledge wrt the

topic/research problem – highlight different theories, as well as
trends and gaps in the knowledge
 Briefly describe the structure and purpose of the review

*not the only way, but the best way in this case
 Writing the literature review
Write thoughtfully, analysing and synthesizing information

 Do not just give a collection of quotes and conclusions, but provide

acritical review of previous works, stating the objectives and
showing the importance and benefit of these works.

 Identify and document how others have tried to solve the

topic/research problem and the methods they used

 Show what contribution previous works have made to the

topic/research
Writing the literature review

Summarise in your own words only the relevant parts of the

references consulted, without changing the meaning, so that you

 Correctly convey the current state of knowledge on the topic

 Indicate the relationships between literature and the various

aspects of your focus/topic
Writing the literature review
Write thoughtfully, analysing and synthesizing information

 Do not just give a collection of quotes and conclusions, but

provide acritical review of previous works, stating the objectives
and showing the importance and benefit of these works.

 Identify and document how others have tried to solve the

topic/research problem and the methods they used

 Show what contribution previous works have made to the

topic/research
Writing the literature review
Keep the review as objective as possible
 Reflect all sides of an issue in a balanced way and identify the
strengths and weaknesses of the references reviewed
 Do not omit references that conflict with your hypothesis or
personal values

Direct quotes may be used, but [see Plagiarism notes]

 Do so sparingly and keep them as short as possible

 Reproduce them exactly and do not use them out of context

Always give full credit to all authors for anything taken directly
or indirectly from their work [see Plagiarism notes]
 Use the Harvard method of citation [University policy]
Writing the literature review
Conclude the literature review with a summary of the findings
of previous work, making sure that you

 Describe the extent of current knowledge i.e. sum up the major

contributions of the reviewed literature

 Based on this, point out things such as gaps in knowledge

relevant to your topic/research problem, incorrect research
methods that have been used, errors/inaccuracies in theories
and poor findings

 End the review with a summary of the relationships between

existing literature and your topic/research problem, thus
leading into your own work
Self-evaluation questions
Critique your literature review, asking the following questions
 Is the review comprehensive and up to date?

 Is the focus of the review correct and relevant to the study?

(could be on research outcomes, methods used or theories)

 Has the goal of the review been achieved? (could be to

synthesise all previous research; to identify key issues and
critically review how these have been addressed in previous
research)
 Are all ideas/arguments/theories etc. wrt the topic/research
problem presented, so that the review sufficiently objective?

 What perspective has been adopted? Are you arguing for a

particular viewpoint or applying a range of previous work to
your problem?
Self-evaluation questions
 Is there enough sound research-based evidence?

 Is the use of secondary sources excessive?

 Does it critically appraise the contribution of key sources?

 Is the review organised logically? (could it for example be

arranged conceptually (thematically), historically or by previous
methodologies) [see Slide 19]
Common shortfalls
 Fails to link the knowledge extracted from the literature to the
topic/research problem
 There is no proper introduction to the review
 Too much emphasis on outdated material and/or secondary
sources

Has not reviewed the most appropriate/best sources on the topic –

landmark/important studies have been omitted

 It’s just a list of bibliographic citations or bibliographic search

 It’s just a survey to outline existing knowledge
 It’s just a vehicle for learning and exploring
Common shortfalls
 The review gives too narrow a perspective of the problem
(parochial – too limited or narrow outlook or scope)

 There is insufficient or no discrimination between relevant and

irrelevant material
 The review inadequately combines and critically evaluates
reviewed material to form a whole picture of the study – i.e.
lacks synthesis

 It is too short and superficial – does not present alternative

views/interpretations/theories

 It is poorly structured

 It does not adequately prove the relevance of your research

Common shortfalls
 Not all references in the “List of References” are cited in the
text and references are cited that are not listed - be consistent
and cross check

 The Harvard method is not used [University policy]

 Text quoted directly from references is not enclosed within

inverted commas [see plagiarism slides]

 Tables and figures taken from references are not cited in their
captions

 There is no proper summary (conclusion) to the review

Referencing
Relevant references used to compile the literature review must be
included

Referencing must be according to the Harvard Citation Style

[University policy - see “Harvard for Dummies” and examples]

Refer to references in your text by

Author’s surname (year of publication) Brunner (1972) or
(Author’s surname, year of publication) (Brunner, 1972) as
appropriate Example: “….yield stress is high enough to statically
support them (Pullum, 1999; Cooke, 2002).This implies….”

Harvard method: in the “List of references” list first in

alphabetical order and within that by year of publication
Referencing
If the same author is cited more than once for a given year, use
the letters a, b, c to distinguish between the articles

Referencing When referencing certain pages only, place a colon

after the date followed by the page numbers (Jones and McKay,
2015: p2 -13)

If an article has more than three authors, use only the first author’s
name in text, followed by the words “et al” - Except for the first
time it is cited, when all the names must be given (Wilson et al.,
2014). Give all names in References

Only the Harvard Style will be accepted

Examples of how to record references
Xiao, D., Mosley, P.A. & Cornish, A. 1997. Library services on the
World Wide Web. The Public Access Computer Systems Review,
8(4).http://www.info.lib.uh.edu/pr/v8/n4/xiao8n4.html [21June1999]
[example of journal article on WWW]

Brunner, H. 1972. Hieroglyphic writing: the Egyptian legacy. 3rd

rev. ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [example of 3rd edition
of a book, single author]

Henderson, R.S., Smith, P.G., Rossiter, I. & King, P.Q. 1987. The
tenets of moral philosophy. New York: Van Nostrand [example of
a book, multiple authors]

Kruger, J.P. 1988. Sexism in advertising. Communicare, 7(3):12-

15, March 11. [example of journal article]
Examples of how to record references

Puttnam, R.A. 1981. The place of values in a world of facts. In

Duff, A. & Smithson, W.O. (eds). The nature of the physical
universe. Engelwood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall: 124-139 [example
of use of one chapter (written by Puttnam) in a book, and
book edited by Duff & Smithson. Page numbers refer to
chapter consulted]

Truter, M. 1994. The role of the court interpreter in the new South
Africa. Proceedings of the 1994 Conference of the South African
Institute of Translators, Bloemfontein, 18-23 June 1994: 34-45.
Johannesburg, The Institute. [example of conference
proceedings]
Examples of how to record references

Theron, C. 1997. Letter to the Town Clerk of Stellenbosch, 5 May.

[example of correspondence]

Smuts, D. 1987. Interview with author on 4 August 1987, Cape

Town. [example of interview]

Van Aswegan, E.S. 2000. English literature: from Beowulf to

Virginia Woolf. Cape Town: Cape Technikon. [Unpublished course
notes] [example of course notes]

Pringle, G.S. 1982. The allegorical novels of JM Coetzee.

Unpublished PhD dissertation, Rhodes University, Grahamstown.
[example of thesis/dissertation]
Summary

Identify gaps

Frame the questions

Develop theory

Methodology

Possible solution

Trigger new ideas

Finding information/sources
Where to look/who to ask for information:
University libraries
Textbooks, journals, conference proceedings, newspapers, magazines
Databases to which the university subscribes
Subject librarian is available to help with search – make use of this service

World Wide Web

Available search engines
Use sparingly – but does provide access to much credible information

Interviews
Qualitative research – surveys
Personal discussions/communications (supervisor, experts in field)
Extracting information from sources
What is needed?
What is the motivation for the study?
What is being investigated?

Equipment, standard test procedures, alternative methods,

other people’s views

Are findings similar or different?

Is the work complementary e.g. extension of someone else’s

work?

Test results
What can I get out of it?
What results were obtained?

What do they mean – how were they correlated?

What is being said about the results?

Find ways to compare information

What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is broadly defined as the use of other peoples’
writing, ideas, data, graphs, equipment design, software etc.
(even with their consent) but without full acknowledgement
i.e. presenting information/using ideas as if they are your own

Compromises integrity of perpetrator and university and

undermines the value of qualifications
Is unethical and dishonest
A very serious offence
University has a strict policy on plagiarism – not tolerated at
all and offenders dealt with severely
CPUT Policy document
Adapted from: https://student.unsw.edu.au/academic-skills;
http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism by students is sometimes deliberate, but more usually it is
unintentional, because they

Don’t record the required details when reviewing literature/making notes

and then omit them from their work
Genuinely don’t understand plagiarism and the implications

Both are unacceptable and will be sanctioned

Means no learning has occurred
You are responsible for making sure you understand what
constitutes plagiarism
Ignorance is not an excuse

Adapted from: https://student.unsw.edu.au/academic-skills;

http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills
Different forms of plagiarism
Plagiarism occurs mainly as
Copying - Failure to use quotation marks for wording that is exactly the same
as in a reference and/or failure to fully acknowledge a source; failure to
acknowledge other types of information e.g. ideas, drawings, software,
website material obtained from someone else

Paraphrasing – Even with acknowledgement, using exact wording from a

source without quotation marks; making only minor changes to the wording
and structure of source material

Over-use – Even with acknowledgement, excessive use of long quotes;

compiling quotes and paraphrases from different sources into your own
paragraphs without referencing them properly

Adapted from: https://student.unsw.edu.au/academic-skills;

http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills
Different forms of plagiarism
Plagiarism occurs mainly as
Collusion – working with other students on assignments for which this is not
allowed, leading to submission of work that is not your own; failing to
acknowledge assistance that substantially influences your work/writing
(excludes formal supervision and proof reading); completing work for another
student, possibly for payment

Incorrect or missing citation – Citing (in-text reference to) sources that

have not been used, including ‘secondary’ sources; providing incorrect
details; not listing references or including references that have not been used
or cited

Self-plagiarism – Re-submitting your own work that has previously been

submitted (partial or in full) for other requirements, thus implying it is new
work; re-using your own published work without citing it properly

Adapted from: https://student.unsw.edu.au/academic-skills;

http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills
Example of plagiarism
Jane Good all Embroiled in Plagiarism and Misconduct Allegations
Posted by Jonathan Bailey on Apr 2, 2013 10:54:00 AM

Famed primatologist Jane Goodall was scheduled to release

her new book “Seeds of Hope: Wisdom and Wonder from the
World of Plants” on April 30th, however, following a
Washington Post article that found a dozen unattributed
passages in the book, the book’s publisher, Grand Central, has
announced that it is holding the book back until it can “correct
any unintentional errors.”

And the errors seem to be legion in the book. The unattributed

passages include text from Wikipedia, the Choice Organic
Teas and an astrology site, to name a few.
http://www.ithenticate.com/plagiarism-detectionblog/bid/92597/Jane-Goodall-Embroiled-in-
Plagiarism-and- Misconduct-Allegations#.VmFeNXYrJmM
Jane Good all Embroiled in Plagiarism and Misconduct Allegations
Posted by Jonathan Bailey on Apr 2, 2013 10:54:00 AM

Initially, it appeared that the book would not be delayed at all.

Instead, Goodall promised to fix the issues in future editions of
the book and address the mistakes on her blog. However, she
and her publisher have since reversed course with Goodall
saying that, “My goal is to ensure that when this book is
released it is not only up to the highest of standards, but also
that the focus be on the crucial messages it conveys.”
Jane Good all Embroiled in Plagiarism and Misconduct Allegations
Posted by Jonathan Bailey on Apr 2, 2013 10:54:00 AM

However, it appears that, even as Goodall works to correct the

book, the scope of the scandal is growing. The Daily Beast
recently posted an article saying that, “A quick check of other
passages, randomly selected, suggest that there are many
more instances of plagiarism that went undiscovered by the
Post.” The article specifically points out several occasions
where Goodall appears to give the impression she interviewed
a person when the quotes were actually pulled from earlier
articles.
Avoiding plagiarism
Plagiarism can best be avoided by learning and practicing
accepted academic skills, which include
• Reading skills

• Taking notes properly

• Developing critical thinking/analytical skills

• Citing and referencing authors correctly and fully

• Doing thorough research and using available library

resources

• Proper management of your time/activities

Avoiding plagiarism
These all work together, but take time and require
dedication and effort on your part.

Developing these skills

 Will teach you to think independently

 Will result in learning, the satisfaction of having

integrity and of producing good, credible work Proper
management of your time/activities
Further reading and references
Excellent notes and down-loadable documents (from
which these slides were adapted) on these academic skills
can be found at the references listed below
 Read these at the outset of your research endeavour to get
a good, in-depth understanding of these skills

References
https://student.unsw.edu.au/academic-skills
http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills
http://honorcouncil.georgetown.edu/whatisplagiarism
http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pub/integrity/pages/intro/index.htm
Further reading and references
These notes were compiled from the references listed in Slide 57
and below
Hofstee, E. 2006. Constructing a good dissertation: A practical guide
to finishing a Master’s, MBA or PhD on schedule. EPE.

Van Aswegen, E. 2008. Harvard for Beginners. www.CPUT.ac.za (and

on Project management and dissertation website
https://sites.google.com/site/pjm400ab/).

Kapp, C. 2001. Workshop - Postgraduate supervision Cape

Technikon. Course notes.
Leedy, P & Ormrod, JE. 2001. Practical research: Planning and
design. 7th ed. Merril Prentice Hall
http://www.writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html
Further reading and references
http://www.writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html
http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/researchcourse/conducting.html
http://www2.smumn.edu/deptpages/tcwritingcenter/forms_of_writing/Li
tRevMatrix_TC.pdf

Literature Reviews: Using a Matrix to Organize Research, The

Writing Center, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Schools of
Graduate & Professional Programs, Minneapolis

http://jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/student/student_grad/docs/How to Write
an Effective Literature Review.pdf

Mart´ınez, S. How to Write an Effective Literature Review.

“Literature Review” from the Asian Inst. of Technology.
Further reading and references
http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=14&n=13
Randolph, J.J. 2009. A Guide to Writing the Dissertation
Literature Review. Practical Assessment, research &
Evaluation, Vol. 14, Number 13. ISSN 1531- 7714

https://www.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/oxford/field/fielddocument/
Using%20sources.pdf

Using Sources. Nesbitt-Johnston Writing centre, Hamilton

Collage, Clinton, NY 13323Randolph, J.J. 2009. A Guide to
Writing the Dissertation Literature Review. Practical