1. MANAGING YOUR LITERATURE CRITICALLY “ A self-reflection on doing research” Dr. Norhalimah Idris D06 – 339 norhalimah@utm.my 07 – 5532090/013 – 3629710 ©Norhalimah Idris

2. What is Literature Review?

3. 3 Three basic areas for consideration: 1.Searching, reading and critically evaluating your literature. 2.Managing your literature – organizing and documenting. 3.Using your literature accordingly. Managing your literature

4. 4 Questions to ask when doing the literature review…..

5. L.R exists in all of your chapters in your thesis. In Chapter 1 – Justifying the topic, identifying gaps and supporting the methods used for data collection and analysis. E.g: The funnel shape. 5 Literature Review in context

6. 6 In Chapter 2 – Focusing on issues/ research done in particular to your topic of interest. In-depth and critically analyzed. In Chapter 3 - Justifying your research methods, techniques for data collection and analysis. Rigorously. Literature Review in context....continued

7. 7 In Chapter 4 – Emphasizing your findings and methods of analysis. In Chapter 5 – Discussions of results – addressing the so what questions i.e. contribution to knowledge of your research findings; i.e. linking your work to the application of such issue to the current practice and the literature. In Chapter 6 – the reflecting part i.e. addressing your limitations and future studies.

8. 8  What to search and where to search?  Google scholar, Scopus, Science Direct – looking for the right keywords and tracing the key literature i.e. key authors and highly cited research within your area of interest. L.R will lead you tracing back and forth of a particular work. Eg: www.google.com  What you search, you must read!  Applying the scanning and speed reading techniques. Searching, reading and critically evaluating your the literature

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10. 10 It will be a very long journey of literature reviewing until your proposal is accepted…. and revisit the literature before submitting your thesis to the examiner!!!!!

11. 11 Searching, reading and critically evaluating your the literature ……..continued What you read you will forget! What you read and write, you will remember! What you read, write and talk about, you will understand!

12. 12 Identifying key literature – being on top of the literature. Scanning and speed reading techniques: E.g: Look at your article(s) * Abstract * Introduction (find the aim, objectives, research questions, hypotheses). * Methodology (the method(s) used, the study focus and analysis done). * Discussions – summary of findings and limitations. Managing your literature – organizing and documenting

13. A typical dialogue between a research student and a supervisor….. Supervisor: So Halimah….tell me what you have done for the last 2 weeks? Halimah: I have read quite a number of literature in the area and I’m still confused, too many literature on this issue, I think I need more time to explore [with tiny drops of sweat at the forehead and giving a very concerned look]. Supervisor: [Sounds like same old reason to me. Smiling and nodding as a gesture of being polite] Okay, hope to see some of your reading on papers please…….. So what to do next? Start documenting! 13 The BIGGEST dilemma…..

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15. 15 Do not procrastinate!!!

16. 1.Prepare a simple table using Words document or Excel. 2.Fill-up the table with the particulars – 3.E.g: Documenting your LR.docDocumenting your LR.doc 4.The benefits of preparing this table:  As a record of all the literature that you have read in a very systematic way. A black and white evidence that you have read tremendously.  Organize the literature according to the development of such issue i.e the earliest to the latest. 16 How to document what you have read?

17.  Assist for report writing or writing up your chapters – For e.g:  References could easily be recorded, imported and exported to the Endnotes, Footnotes or RefWorks.  Avoid future panics if that particular article goes missing in action.  Know who is writing about what, where, what types of research, on which group/industry, using what method to collect data and analyse data and what is found and what are the GAPS (Being on top of the literature). 17 How to document what you have read? …..continued

18. 18  Aim, objectives and research questions sections would help you to identify what are the study focus on. Help to formulate your own research questions or hypotheses. These are mainly addressed in the Introduction – Chapter 1 of your research.  Models/Theory - Evaluating each of the models in terms of strength and weaknesses and the relevance to your topic – To be used in Chapter 2 or Theoretical Framework.  Research Method – Analyzing what have been done using what approach and methods for analysing (Chapter 1 and extensively in Chapter 3). How to document what you have read? …..continued

19.  Analysis – justifying the techniques of any analysis chosen for your study - Chapter 4 (Analysis of Data).  Findings and limitation s– identifying gaps and justifying your topic is researchable, feasible and why your research is required – Chapter 1.  Critical thinking is where you are going to address the context of your research and critically evaluating/criticizing the existing literature. This is where most of your critical thinking will be organized and written in Chapter 2. 19 How to document what you have read? …..continued

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24. 24 Further examples of the usage of such table: summary of critiques on UK approach.doc Synthesis of the criticisms of UK.doc Summary of the literature.doc Figure 9(3) LR.doc

25. 25 A very good book on literature review

26. Thank You Q & A 26