Reviewing Literature Prof Della Freeth: Pro-Director (Learning & Teaching) Improving health worldwide

To know what has already been done or is already known To give you ideas To learn how to do certain things To focus your reading and your research study To identify ‘your’ gap in the literature To examine you work in relation to others’ work Why search for and review literature?

(normally Chapter 2) To identify the gap in knowledge your thesis addresses – Thus, it ends with your research question(s) The role of the literature review chapter in the thesis

Systematic Review – e.g. The Cochrane Library iews.html iews.html Realist Synthesis – Popular in policy work & improvement science e.g. Best-evidence review – e.g. ‘Best evidence medical education’ (BEME) Narrative review – traditional, lots of sources, e.g. Some styles of literature review

First thing you start …. … last thing you finish. When?

Sufficiently systematically for the task at hand As efficiently as you can … learn to get more efficient Be prepared to present and defend your search strategy Update periodically and definitely at the end. How?

Learn to use bibliographic referencing software: it saves time in the end. Keep all the details you may need about every source you read every time: it saves time in the end. – Note female authors, so you don’t write about them as ‘he’ Keep brief notes on the key points you think you will use from a source: it saves time in the end Briefly note why you think you will not make use of some things you read: it saves time in the end Keep excellent records: it saves time in the end

Read-Think-Write [repeat] What to do with what you have found

Try to read one research paper or one book chapter every working day throughout your degree Don't forget to search & read between thesis submission & your viva More advice!