Systematic Approaches to Literature Reviewing Dr. Mark Matthews Student Learning Development Systematic Approaches to Literature Reviews Dr. Mark Matthews Student Learning Development

Workshop Overview explain elements of the systematic review process explore how these might be used or adapted to support: - a thesis literature review; - approaches to keeping up-to-date with the literature through a PhD

1.What does a Literature Review mean to you ? Discussion

The Literature Review ? “Literature reviews …… introduce a topic, summarise the main issues and provide some illustrative examples. ” from Agree?Disagree?

If they are to be considered a reliable source of research evidence they should record how the primary studies were sought and selected and how they were analysed to produce their conclusions. Readers need to be able to judge whether all of the relevant literature is likely to have been found, and how the quality of studies was assessed. 1 Agree?5Disagree? 10 The Literature Review ?

1.What does a Literature Review mean to you ? 2.What are the 3 main challenges? Discussion

Challenges?

1.What does a Literature Review mean to you? 2.What are the 3 main challenges? 3.Why do we do Literature Reviews? Discussion

Why do them? Identify gaps Avoid re-inventing wheel Build on past work Identify future colleagues Increase your knowledge of the subject Identify key works in your area Provide intellectual context of your work Identify opposing views Demonstrate you can find and analyse research Identify ideas & methods relevant to your work Bourner, 1996

Literature Matters From Holbrook et al (2007) disciplinary perspective connection to findings coverage working understanding critical appraisal scholarliness literature use

Systematic Reviews a review of a clearly formulated question that uses systematic and explicit methods to identify, select and critically appraise relevant research, and to collect and analyse data from the studies that are included within the review. Statistical methods (meta-analysis) may or may not be used to analyse and summarise the results of the included studies. meta-analysis from

Student Learning Development, TCD14 Systematic v.s. Narrative reviews Agreed standards Context and differences High degree of focus Bias of empirical studies Minimise bias  Strengths of both approaches

“For some review topics, however, the strengths of the SR may turn into weaknesses…do not allow for comprehensive coverage” but “narrative reviews do not reveal how the decisions were made about relevance of studies” ‘Balancing the strengths of systematic and narrative reviews’ (Collins & Fauser, 2004) p

Key features of the systematic review process you might want to adopt or adapt– 1.Explicit and transparent methods 2.a standard set of stages 3.Accountable, replicable and updateable

Seven steps (of a Cochrane Review) 1.Formulating a problem 2.Locating and selecting studies 3.Critical appraisal of studies 4.Collecting data 5.Analyzing and presenting results 6.Interpreting results 7.Improving and updating reviews

1. Formulating a Problem

Example Questions? Standard SR question contains subject- intervention- outcome- comparator

Does drinking coffee raise people’s blood pressure (when compared to chocolate)? Standard SR question contains subject- intervention- outcome- comparator

1 Minute Big Picture Interviewer Interview your partner and take brief notes

2. Locating and Finding Research

Where do I start? Previous Theses Review Papers Recent Conference Papers Subject librarian Supervisor

a broad but defined, systematic sweep Defined search terms – record recall and precision Defined search arena - e.g. databases, citation indices, reference lists from primary and review articles, grey literature, conference proceedings, research registers, the internet, individual researchers/practitioners Other broad search limits, e.g. language, date, TIPS! Document the search protocol and record what research was found Systematically manage the search output, e.g. using endnote Phase 1- Identify the Research

Phase 2- Selection select from research using criteria related to your research question Develop inclusion or exclusion statements, these might relate to study outcomes, research design, methods used, population worked with etc. e.g. studies with a mixed population of men and women e.g. random control trials only e.g. maximum exposure time of 10mins TIPS! Document the statements and their purpose (might be pragmatic or research related)

DateDatabaseKeywordsResults 1/11/11 2pm ACM Digital Library Role play, role- play, role playing, role- playing, bodystorming, prototyping 10 articles 4/11/11SpringerLinkRole play, Role-play, Role- playing, Fish bowel 5 articles 1 book 10/11/11Scopus Search Log

Running the search 1.How many titles and abstract can you check? 2.How easy will it be to decide to accept or reject a record? 3.Record the reason for rejection for “Excluded studies”

Don’t stop searching when you’ve stopped searching

3. Critical appraisal of studies “Assessing the quality of methodology is a critical part of the systematic review process” No standard approach but there are hierarchies in fields of study

Student Learning Development, TCD30 3. Critical appraisal of studies What would be appropriate to consider when critically appraising research in your area?

Student Learning Development, TCD31 3. Critical appraisal of studies Authority Validity Accuracy Objectivity Currency - Recency Coverage Location

3. Critical appraisal of studies disciplinary perspective connection to findings coverage working understanding critical appraisal scholarliness literature use disciplinary perspective connection to findings coverage working understanding critical appraisal scholarliness disciplinary perspective connection to findings coverage working understanding critical appraisal scholarliness literature use No standard approach but there are hierarchies in fields of study

Student Learning Development, TCD33 4. Collect data & analyse Evaluate Synthesise results of literature review –Tables to compare –Descriptive –Meta-analysis –Index Cards

Student Learning Development, TCD34 AuthorYearAimMethodsConclusionsCritique

Student Learning Development, TCD36 Write up literature review - Structure Background Purpose/Research question Method Findings Discussion Implications/Recommendations

Remember Not a description of what you found Not a list of relevant research Your review must be directed by your research question

Voice Writer as tour guide - voice

Funnel Method

Writing Style 1.Assess the value of the literature 2.Explain the context research takes place 3.Emphasise limitations of existing research 4.Tell a story

Writing Style Introduction What I will show you? Why? Body Why this area? Don’t leave reader to fill gaps Conclusion What we have seen? How this is relevant to research?

Writing Style Introduction Define your topic & provide context Why are you reviewing literature Explain the structure of the review What is included and not Body Group the literature Provide insight and make connections for reader Proceed from general to specific Conclusion Summarise main points / contributions of literature Evaluate current “State of Art” Gaps? Issues?

Workflow for Literature Reviews 1.Search 2.Assess 3.Read 4.Write

Research evaluation Evaluation and Literature Review

Literature Matters From Holbrook et al (2007) disciplinary perspective connection to findings coverage working understanding critical appraisal scholarliness literature use

Comprehensive Literature Review Coherent synthesis of past and present research in the domain of study Source: Dr Hazel Hall, Napier University What are the main conclusions on previous research in this area? What are the key areas of debate in this area? Which aspects of this work are of most relevance to my study? What are the key concepts in this area? What have been the main research questions? Where is existing knowledge “thin”? How is this topic approached by others? Where are the gaps in literature? What are the main perspectives on this topic in previous research? Do parallel literatures exist for this topic? Which discussions? Which sub- themes? Which writers? Which work is subject to challenge? Who are these “others”? Which existing work could be extended? In which subject areas has the topic been studied?

Other ideas and options Speed reading Endnote Databases in my area Google Alerts

Systematic Approaches to Literature Reviewing Dr. Mark Matthews Student Learning Development Reading Constructing a Good Dissertation Erik Hofstee literature-review.pdf Examiner comment on the literature review in Ph.D. theses Allyson Holbrook et al / Academic Phrasebank uk/sources.htm

SR websites Centre for Evidence-based Conservation - Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (medical) - Cochrane Collaboration (international- medical) - EPPI-Centre, Institute of Education - Social Policy and Social Care - If you read one article, an example here of a review of the ways studies in reviews are appraised - If you prefer power-point, how about this one on mixed method reviews odologicalchallenges.ppt odologicalchallenges.ppt

Systematic Approaches to Literature Reviewing Dr. Mark Matthews Student Learning Development Finding your way in the woods

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