Scientific Literature Review

Overview: What is a Scientific Literature Review? How to write a Scientific Literature Review? Coherent Literature Reviews Final Tips

What is a Scientific Literature Review?

Scientific Literature Review: A scientific literature review is a critical account of what has been published on a topic by accredited researchers. It may be: A stand-alone assignment An introduction to an essay, report, thesis chapter, etc. Rationale for engaging in primary research. Part of research/grant proposals Writing a literature review will: Improve your topic knowledge Provide insight on your topic to others Demonstrate your data search abilities Demonstrate your critical analysis skills Demonstrate your communication/writing skills

Scientific Literature Review: A scientific literature review is not: A brief summary of each research article that you review Biased towards the outcome you would like for your research The purpose? Scientific knowledge is not static Significant output of scientific publications Difficult to examine every single new paper in detail Scientists rely on regular summaries of the recent literature Literature reviews can lead to new insights It is important to understand how knowledge in a particular field is changing/developing Compared to 1991, in 2008 three, eight, and forty times more papers were indexed in Web of Science on malaria, obesity, and biodiversity. Scientific knowledge changes as scientists conduct their research, replicate the research of other scientists, and report their findings it is very important to be aware of the controversies in the discipline.

Scientific Literature Review: A scientific literature review should: Critically analyse a selected topic using a published body of knowledge through summary, classification, and comparison of prior research studies, reviews of literature, etc. Be related directly to the topic you are developing Provide a clear statement of the topic or problem Provide a clear range of research on the topic Provide an evaluation of the research Present results into a summary of what is and is not known Provide an indication of what further research is necessary Identify areas of controversy in the literature What is in a scientific literature review?

Scientific Literature Review: What is in a scientific literature review? Typically 3 sections! Introduction: An overview of the topic under consideration, along with the objectives of the literature review. Main body: Collates research into topical areas. Provide explanation of how research articles are similar to and vary from the other. Conclusion: Discuss the research with the best outcome, most convincing in its argument, which makes the greatest contribution to the understanding and development of topic under research…. … AND WHY YOU INCLUDED THAT INFORMATION??!! TIP: Wordcount Introduction = 10% Main Body = 80% Conclusion = 10%

A Scientific Literature Review? How To Write A Scientific Literature Review?

How to Write a Scientific Literature Review? Development of the literature review requires four stages: 1. Problem formulation - which topic is being examined and what are its component issues? 2. Literature search - identifying relevant research 3. Data evaluation - determining which literature makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the topic 4. Analysis and interpretation - discussing the findings and conclusions of pertinent literature

1. Problem Formation Ask yourself questions like these: What is the specific thesis, problem, or research question that my literature review helps to define? What type of literature review am I conducting? Am I looking at issues of Theory? Methodology? Quantitative research (e.g. on the effectiveness of a new procedure)? Qualitative research (e.g., studies of loneliness among migrant workers)? What is the scope of my literature review? What types of publications am I using (e.g., journals, books, government documents, popular media)? What discipline am I working in (e.g. biomedical devices, disease detection methods, biological pathways, lasers)?

2. Literature Search & 3. Data Evaluation In assessing each source, consideration should be given to: Provenance - Author's credentials? Are the author's arguments supported by evidence (case studies, statistics, recent scientific findings, good experiments)? Objectivity - Is the author's perspective fair? Is contrary data considered? Is information ignored to prove the author's point? Persuasiveness – Is some of the author's theses/data more or less convincing? Value - Are the author's data/conclusions convincing? Does the work contribute in a significant way to an understanding of the field? TIP: Take notes while reading! Impressions Interesting research Key Studies Contradictory Information

4. Analysis and Interpretation How good was my information seeking? Has my search been wide enough to ensure all relevant material is included? Has it been narrow enough to exclude irrelevant material? Is the number of sources I've used appropriate for the length of my paper? Have I critically analysed the literature I use? Do I follow through a set of concepts and compare appropriate information? Instead of just listing and summarizing research, do I assess them, discussing strengths and weaknesses? Have I cited and discussed studies contrary to my perspective? Will the reader find my literature review relevant, appropriate, interesting and useful?

Scientific Literature Reviews Coherent Scientific Literature Reviews

Coherent Scientific Literature Reviews Aim for: Clear and cohesive essay that integrates the key details of the literature and communicates your point of view Use subheadings, especially in long reviews Use transitions to help trace your argument If your topic teaches across disciplines, consider reviewing studies from each discipline separately Check the flow of your argument for coherence TIP: Use the Essay Structure Template available online: DCU Website Student Learning Online Resources Essay Template

Writing the Introduction Define or identify the general topic, issue, or area of concern, thus providing an appropriate context for reviewing the literature. Point out overall trends in what has been published about the topic; or conflicts in theory, methodology, evidence, and conclusions; or gaps in research and scholarship; or a single problem or new perspective of immediate interest. Establish your point of view for reviewing the literature; explain the criteria to be used in analyzing and comparing literature and the organization of the review. TIP: Use Introductions & Conclusions available online: DCU Website Student Learning Online Resources Introductions & Conclusions

Writing the Main Body Group research topics according to common denominators and back up main points with research including reviews, research articles, theoretical articles, case studies, etc.). Summarize individual studies or articles with as much or as little detail as each merits, remembering that space (length) denotes significance. Provide strong "umbrella" sentences at beginnings of paragraphs, "signposts" throughout, and brief “why I included this information" summary sentences at end of paragraphs. TIP: Use the Paragraphing & Signposting Doc available online: DCU Website Student Learning Online Resources Paragraphing Signposting

Writing the Conclusion Summarize major contributions of research and articles to the body of knowledge under review, maintaining the focus established in the introduction. Evaluate the main body of information reviewed, pointing out major flaws/gaps/inconsistencies in research and issues pertinent to future study. Conclude by providing some insight into the relationship between the central topic of the literature review and the proposed scientific endeavour. Provide closure so that the path of the argument ends with a conclusion of some kind. NOTE: A literature review in a thesis or dissertation usually leads to the research questions that will be addressed. How you end the review, however, will depend on your reason for writing it. If the review was written to stand alone, as is the case of a term paper or a review article for publication, the conclusion needs to make clear how the material in the body of the review has supported the assertion or proposition presented in the introduction

Final Note – TIPS!! A scientific literature review should: Be a piece of discursive prose Organize the literature review into sections that present topics, including relevant theory. Not list all the material published, but instead show evaluation according to the guiding concept of your thesis or research question Show you understand the relevance and significance of the different publications, and how they relate to each other. Discursive prose proceeds to a conclusion by reason or argument. Reference to prior literature is a defining feature of scholarly and research writing.

Final Note – TIPS!! A scientific literature review should not be: A list describing or summarizing one piece of literature after another. It's usually a bad sign to see every paragraph beginning with the name of a researcher.

QUESTIONS???

Acknowledgements This presentation was prepared based on the resources kindly made available online by: University of Santa Cruz http://guides.library.ucsc.edu/c.php?g=119714&p=780881 University of Toronto http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/specific-types-of-writing/literature-review University of Minnesota Duluth http://www.duluth.umn.edu/~hrallis/guides/researching/litreview.html The University of Wisconsin - Madison Writing Centre http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html Monash University http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/science/lit-review/index.xml