What is Literature Review?

• Summary and analysis of previous researches

showing how they are linked to the present study.
• Re+ view=look again at what others have done in areas
that are similar, though not necessarily identical to one’s
own area of investigation.
• It is a summary and analysis of previous researches by
showing how they are linked to the present study.
• A thoughtful thematic review of any historical,
theoretical and methodological issues you are dealing with
• Written discursively telling your readers which academic
conversation you are taking part in and why.
• Historical issues-what past work has been done in this
area?
• Methodological issues: how have others tackled similar(or
even very different) problems?
Types of Review
• Integrative
– Drawing conclusions from many separate studies
• Theoretical
– Present different theories to explain a certain
phenomenon, comparing breadth, consistency
and predictions
• Methodological
– Examine research methods that have been
applied to particular problem.
What is the importance of Literature Review?
• It can reveal to you sources of data you never
thought of.
• It can introduce you to eminent scholars
• It can increase your confidence in your selected
topic
• It can reveal investigations similar to yours and it
can now show how other scholars handled
methodological and design issues.
• Literature review helps the researcher to get used
to the related material on the study
• Avoid unnecessary and unintentional duplication
of others researchers' projects-It will help to
contribute to knowledge
• Helps to summarize the results of previous studies
in order for you to use them as data base for your
findings.
• Gives an overview of the field of inquiry on what
has been already said about the topic
• Shows how the prevailing ideas fit into your study
• How your study agrees or differs from them
 It may reveal data sources of that you may not have
known to have existed
• It can reveal methods of dealing with problematic
situations
• It can help you interpret and make sense of your
findings and ultimately help you to tie your results
to the works of those who have preceded you.
Literature Review Process
How to go about Literature Review Process?
• Identify key issues to be addressed by the literature
review i.e
– Clarify the research topic
– Relationships between variables
– Be specific on the problem the literature should
address
• Identify sources of information
– Books, articles, professional papers
• Analyze critically the articles identified
• Create an outline of the review
– Use objectives
• Write review of literature
– Use objectives here
• Reviewing should be critical
– This means not taking things at the face value and
adopting a questioning attitude.
• You might need to ask the following questions of the things
you read:
– What claims and arguments are being made?
– Are the arguments logically consistent(do theymake sense)
– What evidence is cited in support?
– What source(primary and secondary have been used?
– What objections may be raised?
– How does the study fit into the field of research?
Evaluating & Synthesize Literature
• Compare and contrast varying theoretical perspectives on
the topic
• Show how approaches to the topic have changed over time
• Describe general trends in research findings
• Identify discrepant or contradictory findings and suggest
possible explanations for such discrepancies'
• Identify general themes that run throughout the literature
Common Misconceptions
• The literature review does not simply;
– Show that nothing has been written about the
topic
– Show your awareness of the big names in the field
– Provide a summary of all the literature about the topic
– Simply occur at the beginning of the research process
– Occur once all relevant material have been searched or
copied.
What Literature Review should do?
Must;
• Organize information and relate it to the thesis or research
question you are developing
• Synthesize results into what is and isn’t known
• Identify controversy when it appears in the literature
• Develop questions for further research
• Be critical; you are not recording or describing other
peoples work, you are providing a critique by pointing out
the strengths & weaknesses of other research & evaluating
other studies, theories etc with reference to your study.
 How to conduct Research Review?
• It can be conducted objectives by objectives,
research questions by research questions or
according to research hypothesis.
Approach to Conduct an Effective Literature Review
In your literature review, you should:
– clarify your understanding of the field
– explain the rationale for your research
– place your research within a broader context
– evaluate the results of previous research
– define key concepts and ideas
– identify research in related areas that are
– identify relevant methodological issues.
Systematic Review
• A systematic literature review is a means of
identifying, evaluating and interpreting all available
research relevant to a particular research question,
or topic area or phenomenon of interest. Individual
studies contributing to a systematic revieware called
primary studies; a systematic review is a form a
secondary study.
• A systematic review is a literature review focused on a
research question that tries to identify, appraise, select and
synthesize all high quality research evidence relevant to that
question
 Why one should do Systematic Review?
• To summarise the existing evidence concerning a treatment or
technology e.g. to summarise the empirical evidence of the benefits
and limitations of a specific agile method.
• To identify any gaps in current research in order to suggest areas for
further investigation.
• To provide a framework/background in order to appropriately
position new research activities.
Systematic Review Process
Common errors in Reviewing Literature
• Harried review of literature in order to get started
on the research project
• Overconcentration on secondary sources
• Overconcentration on the findings and
overlooking valuable information on methods
and measures.
• Overlooking other sources such as; news papers,
and popular magazines which often contain articles
on education topics.
How to do good Literature Review?

• Do not conduct a hurried review for fear of overlooking

important information

• Do not rely too heavily on secondary sources

• Many people concentrate only on findings from journals

when reviewing literature.

• Endeavour to read about the methodology used

• It is important to check daily newspapers because they

contain very educative and current information .
Sources of Literature Review
Effective Literature Analysis
Analysing and synthesizing the literature
• After collecting enough Literature on the topic you have chosen
from various sources, you have to analyze and Synthesize them
(ie., break it down and identify the important information in it and
then synthesize the collection of articles ,integrate them and identify
the conclusions that can be drawn from the articles as a group).
• The researcher should do a filtering operation on the various articles
collected as to useful or not. Keep aside such articles which are not
of immediate concern.
• Research tools are available to carry out these activities.
•
Guidelines to Literature Review
• Avoid temptation to include everything

• Must plan and clearly define the topic and research

objectives

• Start with the most recent studies because they rely on new
discoveries in knowledge

• Indicate any thought that comes to your mind

Eg., what you donot understand, points you disagree/agree
with etc