Writing the Literature Review What is a Literature Review? What are its purposes? How should I produce it? How should I organize it? What are the main pitfalls?

A Literature Review is … the outcome of reading, analyzing, evaluating, and summarizing materials about a specific topic; a critical synthesis of previous research; a lead up to your Research Question / Conceptual Framework

What are its purposes? A Lit Review … shows how what HAS previously BEEN DONE / said about your topic relates to what YOU are going to do/say; establishes the context / conceptual framework of the topic; provides an analytical and critically evaluative stance to the existing literature on the topic; creates interaction between you and the rest of academia.

How should I produce it? Search for literature in the area of your thesis statement When you find an article, determine whether the whole article is worth reading, by: Using key words Reading Article Abstracts Skimming Evaluating and categorizing the relevance of your reading for your study THEN Read the whole article, if you deem it useful.

Evaluating and analysing readings is important, as… you have to prioritize the literature you read. Therefore: Decide which are key sources (=to be read carefully and summarized in your paper), and which are supporting sources (= to be mentioned briefly, as they support/give additional information on what another source says)

How should I produce my Lit Survey? Make comparisons across studies, and identify areas of (dis)similarity with your hypothesis / thesis / Research Questions data methodology/approach research findings interpretations Use a Literature Matrix or Mind Map.

Finally: Write the review Provide an Introduction/Rationale for you Lit Review Indicate scale and structure Write the Body following, for example, the way your argument will be structured. Consider possible reasons for differences / similarities (critique the sources!) Draw Conclusions for your study Sum up main findings from your Literature, and relate them to your study

Writing: Use paragraphs and linking words to increase skim value Group together, into one paragraph / section, sentences that express and develop the same aspect. Unless the paragraph gets very long! Form paragraphs around similarities / differences Use topic sentences in paragraphs Make comparisons/similarities/differences explicit through linking (signposting) words/expressions: Therefore, but, in contrast, as a result, hence, thus That is why, the reason for this is ... Because...,

What are the main pitfalls? ‘Describing’ – NOT analysing / discussing Producing (just) an annotated bibliography Not linking your citations Reporting literature in an arbitrary way Making inappropriate generalizations / irrelevant material Using sources that lack credibility Producing shallow or no criticism / vague linkage to your topic Omitting a contrasting/opposing view Not containing recent research

For every citation / reference in your Literature Review … Ask yourself: ‘Why this? Why here? And make sure your reader gets the answer clearly!