Literature Review Anne René Elsbree California State University San Marcos

How do you review research? When reading an article you need to identify what kind of research it is and how it can help you. Consider: –Research Questions –Methodology –Sample Population & Implications –Findings –Conclusions –How does this inform your work? –How can you use this in your lit rev?

Locate the following in the article and highlight with different colors. Research Questions = pink Lit Review = orange Methodology = yellow Findings = green Conclusions = blue

What can inform your work? Is there anything from this article that can set a foundation for the research you want to do? Is it helpful or contradictory? What would be the key things to share about this? Study information - questions, grounded in what theory (lit rev), methods, findings, conclusions Is your study a replication?

Take another article and repeat the steps. Highlight the following sections: Research Questions = pink Lit Review = orange Methodology = yellow Findings = green Conclusions = blue

Research Article? Not all journal articles are what we want you to consider for your literature review research. Some examples include book reviews and literature reviews. Now they maybe useful to inform your work, but they would be extra. For your article critique only use using research where data was collected from participants, analyzed and reviewed.

Literature Review Approach Think about the researchers from your lit rev sitting and having dinner, what would their conversation be about? What areas might they agree on What areas would they differ? How would they reconcile their differences? What advice would they give you on your research?

Chapter Two Objective To review what is known and not known about topic of study Written in present tense - because literature is perceived as a living

Introduction to Chapter Two Identify problem & restate the research question (Do not repeat your entire Ch 1.) Preview the contents of the chapter Label your methods: qualitative or quantitative, data collection method, participants, tools, design … Use all of the titles of subsection in the introduction as sign posts for the reader to know what is coming.

Overview the Context of Literature Identify the key areas of literature Identify the theoretical framework that this research comes out of or is influenced by Explain how each area connects to the research study Establish writer’s reasons for reviewing the literature & the criteria in analyzing and comparing literature, the organization of the review as well as why certain research is excluded.

Literature Review Areas Provide headings for each research area Group research according to themes Point out trends in research Illustrate multiple author views with distinction, including conflicts in the theory, methodology, evidence and conclusions; or gaps in research or scholarship Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the research summarized Use research from the last decade Use proper APA citation format

Connections to the Literature Summarize literature in the research area(s) Evaluate the research and how it supports this study Point out major methodological flaws or gaps in research, inconsistencies in theory and findings, and areas or issues pertinent to future study. Describe the relationship(s) between the literature areas Make the literature come alive and fresh

Chapter Two Conclusion Summarize key components of Chapter 2 Re-articulates research question Provide a transition to Chapter 3