Researching & Writing a Literature Review Karen Ciccone NCSU Libraries

In being asked to write a literature review, you may hear the following phrases:  “What does the literature show us?”  “Connect your ideas to the literature.”  “Survey the literature on the topic.” What is the literature?

“The literature” is the published record of the research that has been done in a field. It can be compared to a conversation or “chain story” in which each person who contributes picks up where someone else left off.  Indexed and searchable using library databases, Google Scholar  Accessed through paid library subscriptions

Digging Into the Literature A B C = Major works

Digging Into the Literature A B C D = = Major works Studies that rely on the major works

Digging Into the Literature A B C D = = Major works Studies that build on Ideas in major works = New major work

Your literature review is the specific story that sets the background for and shows the importance of your research.  It is not merely a summary of what has been done before!  It is a conceptual framework presenting your own understanding of the literature and setting the context for your own work.

The literature review portion of your thesis also serves to:  Demonstrate your knowledge of your topic and the field  Ensure that your research has not been done before  Point the way to future research

Overview of the Process Topic: choose, explore, focus Collect Information: search databases, find articles, evaluate and select articles RefWorks: download articles from searches, use to create the paper’s bibliography Read Articles: analyze articles, synthesize information into a new conceptual framework (not just a series of article descriptions) – take detailed notes and write an evolving draft as you go along! Write and Revise Paper, and Create Bibliography

Questions “What are the components of a literature review?”

Questions “What are the components of a literature review?”  introduction providing context  overview of key concepts and important papers  discussion of critical gaps and disagreements in the literature

Models of Paper Structures “Stringing” Model: how you might organize a simple summary paper Introduction  Paragraph 1: Summary or description of article 1  Paragraph 2: Summary or description of article 2  Paragraph 3: Summary or description of article 3  Paragraph 4: Summary or description of article 4 Summary and conclusions This is not a good model for a literature review! “Synthesis” Model: one way you might organize your literature review Introduction--Introduce context, topic, importance, research questions, overview  Theme A: Introduce concept or theme, discuss/compare the relevant parts of papers 1, 3, and 4  Theme B: Introduce concept or theme, discuss/compare the relevant parts of papers 2,4, and 5  Theme C: Introduce concept or theme, discuss/compare the relevant parts of papers 5 and 6 Final paragraphs --Summarize and highlight conclusions, unresolved issues, identify possible next steps in research and/or practice.

Questions “Is there a particular step-by-step process to follow?”

Read Synthetically  Identify major themes or concepts in the literature  Classify papers, or paper sections, by topic, method, theme  Compare and contrast papers What are the relationships between sources? Where are there disagreements? What work still needs to be done?  Outline your conceptual framework in an evolving draft

A Synthesis Matrix Tool to aid in synthesizing information from several sources Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3 Concept 4 James, et al. xxxxx Chungxxxxx Levyxxxxxxxxx

Some Tips for Writing Don’t wait until you’ve finished searching the literature – write your thoughts as you read. Start with the easier sections (probably not the introduction). Take detailed notes, including complete citations. Get feedback, and don’t take it too personally. Aim for a style that is clear, simple, and straightforward.

Questions “How do I know when I have found enough information?” “How do I know when I have done a thorough review of the major works on a topic?”

Collecting Information 1. Find books on your topic. Review the works cited. 2. Search the major index for your field, indexes for related fields, and Google Scholar. Determine scope of topic within your discipline Round out understanding with terms and concepts from other disciplines Use database alerts to stay abreast 3. Search a citation database (Web of Science) Identify seminal papers Trace citations back and forward to find related works Use citation alerts for important papers

Talk to your advisor. Share your list of references and ask if there are others you should be sure to read and include. … make sure to include your advisor’s work that pertains to your research!

Questions “What’s the best way to keep your references organized?” “Is there software to help you with the process?”

Housekeeping Tips Document searches, including search terms and topics covered in each database  Save searches and set up alerts Always get the complete citation information, and use a consistent format in referring to authors and papers, e.g. (Smith 1990) Use a writing system that helps you avoid inadvertent plagiarism, i.e., cite and use quotes when needed Use a citation management system, such as RefWorks or Zotero

Ask Questions! Your advisor is there to help you. Librarians are there to help you:

Other workshops Literature Searching  How to identify good databases  Maximizing your use of them Citation Management  How to save and organize your references  How to format your citations