EEE : 6108

ENGINEERING
RESEARCH
METHODOLO
GY. Lecture 3

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 Literature Search and Review
• A literature review synthesizes the key theories and results in a particular field of study.

• It describes, evaluates and critiques a large number of resources, then demonstrates how
work in that area evolved and discusses the influences that made a difference.
• Reviewing the literature can be time consuming, daunting and frustrating, but it is also
rewarding.
• Preliminary literature review can assist you in formulating your research problem,
establishing the theoretical roots of your study, clarifying your ideas and developing
your research methodology.
• During research, the literature review serves to enhance and consolidate your own
knowledge base and helps you to integrate your findings with the existing body of
knowledge 2
 Purpose of Literature Survey
• It provides a theoretical background to your study.

• It brings clarity and focus to your research problem.

• It helps you develop and improve your methodology.

• It helps you establish the links between what you are proposing to examine and
what has already been studied. ( To understand where you are going, it is important
to understand what came before you.)
• It enables you to show how your findings have contributed to the existing body of
knowledge in your profession. (It helps you to integrate your research findings into
the existing body of knowledge).

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• It helps you broaden your knowledge base in your research area.

• It demonstrates to the reader that you are aware of up-to-date and important
knowledge on your topic.
• In a literature review, you demonstrate that you have read and understood previous
and current research in the your area of study.
• Literature search is a systematic and thorough search of all types of published
literature in order to identify a breadth of good quality references relevant to a
specific topic for review.
• The success of a research project is dependent on a thorough review of the
academic literature. 4
• Writing a literature review involves the following three steps:
1. Define your research topic: you must define your topic and components of your
topic

2. Search the relevant literature on your topic: use search tools (such as
the
library catalogue, databases, bibliographies) to find materials about your topic

3. Evaluate what you have found: read and evaluate what you have found in order
to determine which material makes a significant contribution to the understanding
of the topic.

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 Preparing a literature review thus involves…..
• Searching for reliable, accurate and up-to-date material on your selected topic or
subject
• Reading and summarizing the key points from this literature

• Synthesizing these key ideas, theories and concepts into a summary of what is
known
• Discussing and evaluating these ideas, theories and concepts

• Identifying particular areas of debate or controversy

• Preparing the ground for the application of these ideas to new research

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 Benefits of a good literature search
• This will prevent you from duplicating work which has already been done.

• By synthesizing information from previous studies, you will be able to provide a

stronger background, justification and discussion of your own study.
• Relevant studies can provide valuable insights and tips to make your own study
better, such as the best methodology or data analysis methods to use.
• You will be able to find gaps and weaknesses in the existing research and thereby
come up with useful and meaningful research questions.

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 Literature Search
• Ensure you review reliable, accurate and up-to-date literature material.

• Know the key publications in your area.

• Knowing where and how to get such material is very crucial.

• There are three broad resources for literature:

 Books,

 Theses/dissertations

 Technical journals and magazines/conference proceedings

 IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing

 IEEE Signal Processing Magazine

 IEEE Wireless Communications

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Technical Journals

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Journal
s

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 Tips for effective search of journal articles….

• Define your keywords

• Start your search-tools for searching

• Follow the citations

• Keep a written record of your searches

• Keeping up with literature

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 Literature Review
• Review implies the careful selection of literature relevant to your topic and the
presentation, interpretation, classification and evaluation of literature.

Literature review is NOT:

1. A summary of previous works - It is not a case of accepting blindly what experts

have said and simply summarizing it.
• It is a case of using the information you find to inform and develop your work
while applying a critical assessment to the work that other people have done.
• Literature review is a critical, analytical account of the literature
pertaining a research topic. Organised around ideas or arguments

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• 2. An annotated bibliography - In an annotated bibliography the writer presents a summary
and critical evaluation of each article or scholarly resource, one by one. There is little or no
connection made between the various articles or resources. A literature review is organised
around ideas or arguments.
• 3. An essay -In an essay a student is given a topic to discuss or a question to answer and the
writing is organised around responding to that topic or question. The essay progresses in a
linear way, where the student presents his/her first point, followed by an explanation which is
supported by the literature. The student then moves on to the second point and so on.
• 4. A presentation of your own argument, but its a synthesis of the arguments of others

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 In the literature review, you WILL…..
• Not answer a question

• Identify a gap in existing knowledge, that is, you will identify what we still need to
know about this topic or issue.
• Compare and contrast different authors’ views on an issue

• Note areas in which authors are in disagreement

• Highlight gaps

• Identify any particular shortcomings of past research

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 When reviewing a literature, look specifically for…,
a) The key point(s) discussed by the author:
b) What evidence has the author produced to support this central idea?
c) How convincing are the reasons given for the authors point of view?
d) Could the evidence be interpreted in other ways?
e) What is the author’s research method (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, experimental,
etc.)?
f) What assumptions are made by the author? Are they valid or they
can be criticized?
g) Has the author critically evaluated the other literature in the field?
h) Is the research data valid i.e. based on a reliable method and accurate
information?
i) What are the strengths and limitations of this study?
j) What does this literature contribute to my own topic or thesis?
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• The literature review itself, however, does not present new primary scholarly
findings.

A literature review might be:

• A stand alone review article: Review articles provide an overview of recent
research focused on an issue or problem. Review articles are often published in
academic journals or as conference proceedings. This:
 Evaluates and synthesises existing literature related to a specific issue (i.e. shows
overlaps and gaps, implications, limitations). In other words, creates a picture
about what is known and unknown in the research area.
 Makes recommendations for further research to address gaps
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• A section or chapter of a research proposal or research report. This:
 Provides a theoretical context or framework for the research being undertaken.

 Evaluates and synthesises existing literature related to a research question or

objective (i.e. shows key themes, overlaps, gaps, implications, significance,
limitations). In other words, creates a picture about what is known and unknown in
the research area.
 Clearly identifies the gap in the body of knowledge that the proposed research will
attempt to fill.
 Provides a rationale or justification for the research being proposed (in a proposal)
or reported on (in a research report).
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 Research Gap

• The main purpose of doing a literature review is to identify a gap or gaps in the

literature pertaining the topic.

• When doing the literature review, be original and you should strive to show clearly

how the previous research is conflicting or lacking in some way.

• This lack is called a “gap”, and your research should strive to “fill” the gap

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 Classification of Research Gaps

1. Theory-based gaps: Occurs when a theory or an aspect of a theory has not been
investigated thoroughly, or not been tested in a particular way.

2. Methodological gap: Occurs when a research design or methodology has not

been applied to a particular phenomenon.

3. Analytical gap: Occurs when a phenomenon has not been investigated using a
particular analytical approach i.e., qualitative vs. quantitative.

4. Knowledge-based gap: Most common, occurs when we don't know (enough)

about a phenomenon.

5. Relationship-based: Occurs when we know about certain issues or

variables
well, but are unsure about their relationship. 1
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