2. Literature Review?
• A literature review is a critical & an evaluative
summary of the themes, issues and
arguments of a specific clearly defined
research topic obtained from the published
(and unpublished) literature.
• A literature review can be just a simple
summary of the sources.
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3. Literature Review
• A literature review is the effective evaluation
of selected documents on a research topic.
• The purpose of a literature review is for you to
take a critical look at the literature (facts and
views) that already exists in the area you are
researching.
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4. Literature Review
• Reviewing the literature is a continuous
process.
• It begins before a research problem is finalized
and continues until the report is finished.
• We cant undertake effective literature review
unless we have formulated a research
problem.
• Yet literature search plays important role in
helping to formulate research question.
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5. Literature Review
• The literature review is an integral part of
entire research process.
• It makes a valuable contribution to almost
every operational step.
• It has value even before the first step, when
we merely thinking about a research question.
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6. Literature Review
• It helps to establish the theoretical roots of
our study.
• Clarify ideas and develop methodology.
• It serves to enhance and consolidate our
knowledge base.
• It integrate finding with the existing body of
knowledge.
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7. Functions
• It provides a theoretical background to study.
• It reviews the means by which we establish
the links between what we are proposing to
examine.
• It also review what has been studied.
• In other words it help to refine research
methodology able to show how our finding
have contributed to the existing body of
knowledge in profession.
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8. It also helps
• Bring clarity and focus to research problem
• Improve methodology.
• Broaden knowledge base in our research area.
• Contextualize the finding
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9. Bring clarity and focus to research
problem
• Literature review can play an extremely
important role in shaping research problem.
• Process of reviewing helps to understand the
subject area better.
• It helps to conceptualize research problem
clearly.
• It helps to understand the relationship b/w
research problem & body of knowledge in the
area.
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10. Improve Methodology
• A literature review tells you if others have used
procedures and methods similar to the ones that
you are proposing, which procedures and
methods have worked well for them, and what
problems they have faced with them.
• From this we will be better positioned to select a
methodology that is capable for providing valid
answer to research question.
• This will increase confidence in the methodology
we plan to use.
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11. Broaden knowledge base in our
research area
• Read widely around the subject area of the
research .
• It is important that we know what other
researchers have found in regard to same or
similar questions, what theories have been
put forward and what gap exist in the relevnt
body of knowledge .
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12. Procedure for reviewing the literature
It involves four steps
a) Search for existing literature in your area of
study.
b) Review the literature selected.
c) Develop a theoretical framework.
d) Develop a conceptual framework.
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13. Search for existing literature
• Literature can include
– Books
– journal Articles
– internet (electronic journals),
– Newspapers
– Magazines
– Theses
– Conference proceedings
– Reports
– Documentaries.
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15. Review the literature selected
• After identified several books and articles, the
next step is to start reading them critically to
pull together themes and issues that are
associated.
• If we don’t have a theoretical framework of
themes in mind to start with, use separate
sheet of paper for each article or book.
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16. Review the literature selected
• Once we develop a rough framework, slot the
finding from the material so far reviewed into
that framework.
• We may need to add more themes.
• While read critically with particular reference
to following aspects.
– note weather the knowledge relevant to your
theoretical framework has been confirmed
beyond doubt.
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17. Review the literature selected
• Note the theories put forward, the criticisms
of these and their basis, the methodologies
adopted ( study design, sample size and its
characteristics, measurement procedures etc)
and criticism of them.
• Examine to what extent the finding can be
generalized to other situations.
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18. Develop a Theoretical Framework
• As we start reading the literature, we will soon
discover that the problem we wish to
investigate has its roots in a number of
theories that have been developed from
different perspectives.
• The information obtained from different
books and journals now need to be stored
under the main themes & theories.
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19. Develop a theoretical framework
• highlighting agreements & disagreements
among the authors and identifying the
unanswered questions or gaps.
• We will also realize that literature deals with
the number of aspects that have a direct or
indirect bearing on our research topic.
• Use these aspects as a basis for developing
theoretical framework.
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20. Develop a conceptual framework
• Conceptual frameworks can act like maps that
give coherence to empirical inquiry.
• The conceptual frame work is the basis of your
research problem.
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21. In a broader context Hart (1998) lists
the following purposes of a review:
– Distinguishing what has been done from
what needs to be done.
– Discovering important variables relevant to
the topic.
– Synthesizing and gaining a new perspective.
– Identifying relationships between ideas and
practice;
– Establishing the context of the topic or
problem;
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22. Purposes of a Review
– Rationalizing the significance of the problem;
– Enhancing and acquiring the subject vocabulary;
– Understanding the structure of the subject;
– Relating ideas and theory to applications;
– Identifying methodologies and techniques that
have been used;
– Placing the research in a historical context to
show familiarity with state-of-the-art
developments.
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23. Construction of hypotheses and
research questions.
• What type of research has been done in the
area?
• What has been found in previous studies?
• What suggestions do other researchers make for
further study?
• What has not been investigated?
• How can the proposed study add to our
knowledge of the area?
• What research methods were used in previous
studies.
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