1Project Lecture 2 Study Projects PJS30 Project Coordinator: Rod Jeffcote Lecture 2 : Literature Reviews + How to get a First!

2Project Lecture 2 What is a Literature Review? A Literature Review is the finding, selection and critique of what has been written about the subject matter of your Project. Finding: Literature Search Selection:Choosing what is the most relevant, authoritative work Critique: The comparison, contrasting, evaluation, synthesis and criticism

3Project Lecture 2 What is a Literature Review? For a Study project this might be to: –Look at the history / background of the topic –Find the most authoritative & current literature on the topic and evaluate / critique it –Locate your research question in the context of the literature –look at research methods that could be used (if doing primary research)

4Project Lecture 2 What is a Literature Review? NB.A study project that does not have any primary research can become, in effect, an extended Literature Review

5Project Lecture 2 What is a Literature Review? Literature Search & Review What are the key sources? What are the major issues & debates What are the key concepts, theories and ideas? What research methods are used and why? How is knowledge on this topic structured & organized What are the main questions in this field? History and origins of the topic My evaluation, insight and contribution to the topic Source: (Hart, 1998)

6Project Lecture 2 What is a Literature Review? Analysis v Description You will need to describe many elements in your review but the focus should be on analysis. Analysis is the who, where, what and why of a subject together with the unpicking of it. In amongst this (or at the end) should be your own critique.

7Project Lecture 2 What is a Literature Review? Critique Focussing on the work not the author(s). Comparing, contrasting and evaluating ideas, theories and positions and defending them, or pointing out weaknesses. Being aware of your own position, stance, view, methodological standpoint. Finding fault in fact, argument, evidence, technique or interpretation. Selecting, synthesizing, and re-formulating to form a new idea or view.

8Project Lecture 2 What is a Literature Review? All projects should contain a Literature Review in some shape or form but they will differ according to the Project type and subject matter. Your Supervisor should be able to guide you in the appropriate direction.

9Project Lecture 2 How to get a First ! First class projects generally have (amongst others) the following characteristics: Boldness Novelty Passion Self-confidence

10Project Lecture 2 Writing Your prose style should be: Crisp Clear Well-structured Grammatically correct Jargon-free

11Project Lecture 2 Titles Titles should be clear and appropriate. Don’t worry too much about finding a ‘snappy’ or witty title. Clear, to the point and professional is what you want. A good device is to split the title with a colon :

12Project Lecture 2 Titles Are you lonesome tonight ? : A comparative study of computer dating techniques

13Project Lecture 2 Presentation Though presentation is not marked as such (unless it is so poor as to be unintelligible) it sets the tone. First class projects are invariably well presented in terms of layout, print quality, use of graphics, etc.

14Project Lecture 2 The Abstract Not crucial for marks but it the first thing readers see and it sets the tone. Abstracts should be words. Should be a précis of the whole project (i.e. Research question, methods, contents and conclusions)

15Project Lecture 2 The Abstract Look at Abstracts of published articles and in past projects. Ask your supervisor’s advice You can leave it until the very end of the project

16Project Lecture 2 The Introduction Should set the project in context by laying out the research question with any relevant background information. If you wish to include some personal thoughts and comments here you may do but don’t let them detract from a professional ‘feel’ to the work. Otherwise write in the 3rd person.

17Project Lecture 2 Writing in the 3 rd Person 1 st Person: “I constructed a questionnaire to discover the pattern of distribution.” 3 rd Person “a questionnaire to discover the pattern of distribution was constructed.”

18Project Lecture 2 Main Chapters Should be well structured and flow logically. Should be strong on analysis (how, why, with what effect, etc.) and not dominated by descriptive material (over-reliance on facts and figures).

19Project Lecture 2 Literature Reviews All projects should have a literature review of some sort. These should involve some kind of critical review of the literature in the field. It should be as thorough and up-to-date as possible.

20Project Lecture 2 Literature Reviews Glaring omissions of key theories or texts will lose you marks. Reviews should not be simple ‘re- presentations’ but offer some original interpretation, insight, criticism and point out any gaps that perhaps you intend to fill.

21Project Lecture 2 Literature Reviews First-class projects exhibit the facility to ‘handle’ and ‘play’ with concepts, data, ideas and arguments.

22Project Lecture 2 Primary research Methods appropriate for the data required and the research question. Poor projects gather data that is either not meaningful or is not used effectively. Any statistics should be explained clearly and use figures / graphs.

23Project Lecture 2 Primary research Display results clearly using graphics where possible. Explain why you used this particular methodology / approach. Put large amounts of data / calculations / results, etc in appendices.

24Project Lecture 2 Primary research Evaluate your research to identify strengths and weaknesses. Say clearly how you would change it if you were to do it again and why.

25Project Lecture 2 Case Studies Information and background gleaned from the case will be clear, pertinent and accurate. Avoid superfluous information Cases illustrate and illuminate but they have no statistical significance, so be careful with any general conclusions.

26Project Lecture 2 Conclusions Difficult to get right. They should be appropriate to what you have found out, or built, i.e. not too grandiose nor should they underplay what you have done. Give some pointers to what might be useful in the way of further research, development or direction.

27Project Lecture 2 References and Bibliography First class projects are normally characterized by accurate and appropriate citation of references in the text, and a bibliography that conforms fully to an accepted format. Harvard APA style is the format adopted by the Faculty of Technology.

28Project Lecture 2 References and Bibliography Free leaflets on the Harvard APA style are Available from the Library. See also the Library Website.

29Project Lecture 2 Length Actually not that critical. Many first class projects are very short, and often at the bottom end of the word range. Very few are over length. Quality not quantity is the key !