Research Methodology BE-5305 Literature Review

Introduction Literature review surveys sources relevant to a particular issue, area of research or theory providing a description, summary, and critical evaluation of each work e.g from: Scholarly articles Books Dissertations and Thesis Conference Proceedings

Stages of Literature Review Problem formulation Literature Search Data Evaluation Analysis and Interpretation Pt1. which TOPIC or FIELD is being EXAMINED and WHAT are its COMPONENTS and ISSUES. Pt2. Finding MATERIALS RELEVANT to subject explored. Pt.3 Determining which literature MAKES A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO the UNDERSTANDING of the TOPIC. Pt.4 DISCUSSING the FINDINGS and CONCLUSIONS of PERTINENT LITERATURE

Elements of Literature Review Overview of the subject, issue or theory under consideration, along with the objectives of the lit. review Division of works under review into categories (support vs against) Explanation of how each work is similar to and how it varies form the others Conclusions Pt.2 e.g those in SUPPORT of a particular position, those AGAINST, and those OFFERING ALTERNATIVE THESES ENTIRELY Pt.4 As to which PIECES ARE BEST CONSIDERED IN THEIR ARGUMENT, are MOST CONVINCING in their OPINIONS, and make GREATEST CONTRIBUTION to the UNDERSTANDING AND DEVELOPMNET of their area of research.

Consideration should be given to.. Provenance- author’s credentials Objectivity Persuasiveness Value Pt. 1– what are the AUTHOR’S CREDENTIALS? Are the ARGUMENTS SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE? Pt2. Is the AUTHOR’S PERSPECTIVE EVEN-HANDED or PREJUDICIAL. Is CONTRARY DATA CONSIDERED or IGNORED to PROVE AUTHOR’s POINT. Pt.3- Are the ARGUMENTS and CONCLUSIONS CONVINCING?

Purpose of Lit. Review Place each work in the context of its contribution to the understanding of the subject under review Describe the relationship of each work to others Identify new ways to interpret, and shed light on any gaps Resolve conflicts Point the way forward for further research

Why do we need good lit. review? To demonstrate that you know the field. To justify the reason for your research To allow you to establish your theoretical framework and methodological focus Pt1. must report more than you have read and understood. Need to read it CRITICALLY and to WRITE it in such a way that shows YOU HAVE FEEL FOR THE AREA. You know MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES ARE and their RELEVANCE TO YOUR WORK Know the CONTROVERSIES and what has been NEGLECTED. Pt.2 DEMONSTRATE that you know the field. Must be able to CONVINCE reader that what you do is IMPORTANT and needs to be done Pt.3 Even if you are PROPOSING a NEW THEORY or METHOD, you are doing so IN RELATION to what has been done.

Starting point.. Pursue recent review articles Too much to handle Very little there Doing something new Limiting yourself to too narrow an area Not a worthwhile area of research Pt.1. At this stage, there seems to be MASSES of literature relevant to your research. The more you CAN CLOSE IN on WHAT YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION ACTUALLY IS, the more you will be able to have A BASIS FOR SELECTING RELEVANT AREA OF LIT. Pt.2.1 Doing somethg new NOT SURPRISING there’s LITTLE AROUND. Pt2.2 Not appreciating that RELEVANT MATERIAL COULD JUST BE AROUND THE CORNER in a CLOSELY RELATED FIELD. Pt2.3 Need to consult your supervisor on next plan of action.

Quality of Literature Is the problem clearly spelled out? Are the results presented new? Was the research influential? How large a sample was used? How convincing is the argument made? How were the results analyzed? What perspective are they coming from? Are the generalizations justified by the evidence on which they are made? What is the significance of this research? What are the assumptions behind the research? Is the methodology well justified as the most appropriate to study the problem? Is the theoretical basis transparent? In critically evaluating, you are looking for : (i) Strengths, significance and contributions (ii) Limitations, flaws and weaknesses (iii) Whole lines of enquiry Your final literature review WILL NOT BE A COMPILATION OF SUMMARIES but an EVALUATION. This will reflect your capacity for CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Simple way to do lit. review Start with a series of paragraphs??? “Green (1975) discovered….”; “In 1978, Black conducted experiments and discovered that …”; “Later Brown (1980) illustrated this in ….” NO!!! This demonstrates neither your understanding of the literature nor your ability to evaluate other people’s work

This way is better….. “There seems to be general agreement on x, (for example, White 1987, Brown 1980, Black 1978, Green 1975) but Green (1975) sees x as a consequence of y, while Black (1978) puts x and y as having no effects on one another. While Green’s work has some limitations in that it…, its main value lies in….” This shows that you have thought about it, can synthesize the work and pass judgement on the relative merits of research conducted in your field Maybe at an earlier stage, or in your first version of your LR, you NEEDED A SUMMARY OF WHO DID WHAT but in the final version.. Approaching it in this way forces you to MAKE JUDGEMENTS, and furthermore to DISTINGUISH YOUR THOUGHTS FROM ASSESSMENT MADE BY OTHERS.

Mind Mapping On x and y.. Green 1975 y x x no relp to y Relationship of x and y Black 1978 xy

Table Comparisons on ‘x’ and ‘y’ White 1987 Brown 1980, Black 1978 Green 1975) x (main findings) x is * xy y as a consequence of x yx x as a consequence of y No rel.p x and y no effects on one another Conclusions

Look back… 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? What is the scope of my literature review? How good was my information seeking? Have I critically analyzed the literature I use? Have I cited and discussed studies contrary to my perspective? Will the reader find my literature review relevant, appropriate and useful? Pt2. Am I LOOKING at ISSUES of THEORY? METHODOLOGY? POLICY? QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH (effectiveness of new procedure)? Qualitative research (e.g studies?) Pt.3 Scope? What type of PUBLICATIONS am I USING? Journals, books, govt docs, popular media? What DISCIPLINE? Sociology, Economics? Pt.4. Has my SEARCH BEEN WIDE ENOUGH that I have found all RELEVANT MATERIAL or TOO NARROW that I have EXCLUDED SOME

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