Literature Reviews Organizing for your Thesis Proposal

Quantitative & Qualitative Both use literature reviews. Qualitative de-emphasize statistical values. Combining mathematical data from various studies becomes a “meta- analysis” or “meta-analytic review.”

Purpose Discover methods & instruments. Establish a historical context for your study. Establish importance to field. Identify gaps that your study fills.

When writing your review Discuss the importance of topic to the field in the introduction. Importance of topic should be related to your study. Emphasize findings of previous studies, not just methodologies an variables.

Keep Focused Point out trends and themes found. Point out gaps in the literature (that relates to your study). Clarify how your study differs from previous research. Don’t go into great detail on the research being cited.

Focus (cont.) Use peripheral research when there is no literature which relates directly to your research topic. Look beyond Art Education for relevant research. Education Pshycology History Science

Style & Form Avoid first person (I, me, my, the researcher, etc.) Use essay form not annotated list. Use quotations sparingly

Style & Form (cont.) Opinion about projected outcomes should be avoided. This is about what you found This is not about what you think. judgments about study methods in re. your study ok.