1. Understanding and Critically Appraising the Literature Review
The Pennsylvania state university college of nursing
Nursing 200w

2. What is the Purpose of a Literature Review?
Identifies theoretical and scientific knowledge
Identifies what is known and unknown about a topic
Identifies available evidence for use in practice
Identifies what the current research study can add to the literature

3. What is the Purpose of a Literature Review in Quantitative Studies?
Direct the development and implementation of a study
Cite relevant and current sources
Document background and significance of study
Identify theoretical ideas to guide a study

4. What about Qualitative Research?
Compare and combine study findings with literature
To explain, support, and extend research theory
As a background for research
As a way to formulate research questions
As a source of data

5. What are Typical Sources included in a Literature Review?
Periodicals and Journals
Internet Publications
Conference Proceedings
Theses and Dissertations
Books
Textbooks

6. What are the Two Types of Sources?
Primary sources
In research, written by the person(s) who conducted the research
In theory, written by the theorist(s) who developed the theory
Secondary sources
Paraphrase the works of researchers and theorists.

7. Important Questions When Critically Appraising Literature Reviews
Are primary sources cited in the review?
Are the references current?
Are relevant studies identified and described?
Are relevant theories identified and described?
Are relevant landmark studies described?
Are the studies critiqued?

8. Important Questions When Critically Appraising Literature Reviews
Are sources paraphrased to promote the flow of content?
Is the current knowledge about the research problem described?
Does literature review identify gap(s) in the knowledge base that provides a basis for study?
Is the literature review clearly organized, logically developed, and concise?

9. What Components are in the Literature Review?
What is known and not known about the topic
The focus of the study
Sources must be current—published within the past 5 years
Landmark studies may be included if essential to the background of the problem

10. What Sources are Suitable for a Literature Review?
Academic libraries—The Penn State Libraries
Special libraries—your hospital library, Sigma Theta Tau Center for Nursing Scholarship
Interlibrary loan
Online searches using reputable sources
Public libraries

11. Which Databases are Suitable for Nursing and Allied Health Reviews?
CINAHL
PubMed/Medline
PsychINFO
OVID
EBSCO host

12. Check Your Understanding: Question
What is the primary purpose for reviewing relevant literature?
Delineate the existing knowledge base of an identified problem.
Develop conceptual and operational definitions of variables.
Interpret previous research findings.
Select the research design.

13. Check Your Understanding: Answer
ANSWER: A
A. The literature review includes what is known and not known about the study problem.
B. Conceptual and operational definitions of variables are created by the researcher for the study and, although based on what can be found in the literature, are not the most important reasons for conducting the literature review. The literature review includes what is known and not known about the study problem.
C. The literature review presents what has been found in previous studies. The literature review includes what is known and not known about the study problem.
D. The research design is selected according to the research problem. The literature review includes what is known and not known about the study problem.

14. How are Keywords Determined?
Major concepts or variables of a research problem or topic used to search a database
May be single terms or phrases
Most databases have a thesaurus that can be used to identify keywords.
Each keyword used should be listed in a written search plan.

15. What Information should you record from the Search?
Name of database
Date of search
Exact search strategy used
Number of articles found
Percentage or number out of the total of relevant articles found
This information can be stored in a table.

16. How can you Limit your Search?
English language
The publication dates to recent years (last 5 years is recommended)
To papers that are research
To full-text articles (this can be risky)
Peer-reviewed publications

17. What about an Internet Search?
Search engines provide the means to search the Internet.
Some are better than others. Google Scholar is an excellent search engine.
University libraries provide a list of good search engines.
You may find information on the Internet that is useful to your topic.

18. Advantages and Disadvantages to Information Obtained from the Internet
Advantage: information is more current than that found in books.
Disadvantage: information is uneven in terms of accuracy.
There is no screening process for information put on the Web.
It is important to check the source of any information obtained on the Web to judge its validity.

19. Steps in Writing a Literature Review
Purposes
Document current knowledge of selected topic
Indicate findings ready for use in practice
Outline
Introduction
Empirical literature
Summary

20. What is Included in the Introduction?
Indicates focus or purpose of review
Describes organization of sources
Indicates basis for ordering:
Most important to least
Earliest to most recent
Categories

21. What is included in the Data-Based Literature?
Includes quality studies relevant to topic
For each study, purpose, sample, sample size, design, and specific findings are presented, using paraphrasing rather than direct quotes.
Scholarly, but brief, critique of study’s strengths and weaknesses

22. What is included in the Summary Section?
Concise presentation of research knowledge about selected topic— what is known and not known
Judgment stating whether there is adequate knowledge to direct change in clinical practice
Brief statement of proposed change in practice

23. Questions? Comments?
The end!