These slides were prepared for the first NCTL session with MSc Nutrition and Dietetics students at Massey University in 2018.

1. Introduction to NCTL Services & lit review
writing for MSc in Nutrition & Dietetics
National Centre for Teaching & Learning
See these slides online at: tinyurl.com/2018MSclitreview

2. NCTL services
CONTENTS
Lit review style
Lit review
structure

3. NCTL services

4. POSTGRAD SKILLS WORKSHOPS
SEE tinyurl.com/nctlworkshops
n.b. Academic Writing is also available as a live on-campus workshop on
Saturday March 3rd 9.00 am – 1.00 pm in SNW200 .

5. VIDEOS tinyurl.com/nctlvideos

6. OWLL owll.massey.ac.nz
Click on Academic Support on Stream for more
details of NCTL Services (including the Academic Q & A)

7. ACADEMIC Q & A
(see under Academic Support on Stream)

8. DROP-IN SERVICE and by APPOINTMENT
For more details, see tinyurl.com/masseynctlhome
Request an appointment at ctlalb@massey.ac.nz
ctlman@massey.ac.nz
ctlwel@massey.ac.nz
GET FEEDBACK ON YOUR DRAFTS

9. Attend a library workshop: tinyurl.com/masseylibraryworkshops
See a subject librarian: tinyurl.com/masseylibrarian
Thesis writing video: tinyurl.com/masseythesisvideo
Lit review writing video: tinyurl.com/masseylitreviewvideo
APA referencing guide: tinyurl.com/masseyapainteractive
Endnote guide & download: tinyurl.com/masseyendnote
Health & Counselling: tinyurl.com/masseywellness
OTHER USEFUL LINKS

10. TWO RECOMMENDED BOOKS
• Excellent text on literature review
Hart, C. (1998). Doing a literature review. London,
England: Sage Publications.
• Academic writing text
Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. B. (1994). Academic writing for
graduate students. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of
Michigan Press.

11. Lit Review structure

12. A literature review places your research
in context and explains why it needs to
be done.
Therefore, it typically summarises:
• theoretical models
• key concepts (e.g. determinants, strategies etc)
• seminal and recent studies
• relevant findings and their implications for knowledge
and practice
• gaps or problems in existing knowledge
In other words, the literature review creates
a research space which your study will
occupy.

13. How your study fills the
research gap(s)
Objectives of your research
Provide the reader with a context/setting for your research
General problem requiring attention & evidence of significance
Critical overview of existing research
in your specific topic area
What do we already know from existing research?
Which aspects require further research?
- where are the gaps in existing research?
- which gap is your research filling? Why?
Therefore
Use of an arginine-enriched oral supplement in the healing of pressure
ulcers in patients with spinal chord injuries: An observational study
Narrow down to specific aspect of the problem
Your specific topic area – what does the research
say about its connection with the problem?
Pressure ulcers (PUs)
in patients with spinal
chord injuries (SCIs)
Nutritional supplements
in wound healing and
in healing PUs
Arginine-containing
supplements in wound
healing
Arginine-containing
supplements in PU healing
Arginine-containing supplements
in PU healing in SCI patient group
(only one study)
More evidence required....
The current study therefore...

14. Two common strategies for structuring literature review
chapters (and the sections that make them up)
From general
to specific
From past to
present
(chronological)

15. Cognitive
development of
children with
disorder X
Intervention A for
children with
disorder X
Parental
involvement in
intervention A
Barriers to and
facilitators of
parental
involvement in
intervention A
Early approaches to
assessment of individuals
with disorder X
Post-war approaches to
assessment of individuals
with disorder X
Sociocultural changes in
perceptions of disability
in the late 20thc
Development of the ICF
Implications of the ICF
for assessment of
individuals with disorder
X
Examples of these two strategies from lit reviews
written by Massey students

16. MSc Lit Review Structure
– Example 1

17. MSc Lit Review Structure
– Example 2

18. MSc Lit Review Structure
– Example 3

19. Excellent rationale for your project.
Relevant links to field of practice.
Effective synthesis of research findings.
A brief explanation of … would be helpful – it is important that
you do not write with too much assumed knowledge.
This is very wordy and it’s not clear how it related to your RQs.
How did they measure this? A little more information would be
helpful.
Needs to be more critical.
Examples of feedback on literature reviews
from Massey supervisors

20. Lit review style

21. SUMMARISING

22. On the next slide is an extract from an academic journal article.
Let’s see how we can summarise the main points, so that this can
go into a literature review chapter or section on strengths-based
practice in SW in NZ.
90% of the time, when you incorporate ideas from your
research, you’ll need to summarise these in your own words.
This FOUR-STEP process is the most effective way to do this:
a) highlight the relevant information
b) turn this into brief notes
c) close the original text
d) expand your notes into one or more linked sentences

23. A strengths-based model can be a suitable approach to social work
practice with migrants, families and communities (Sisnerous et al.,
2008). This approach is focused on the strengths, possibility and
resilience of individuals and their families, rather than addressing
their deficits and weaknesses (Saleebey, 2006). For Korean
migrants, the transnational community is a vital source of strength,
opportunities, resilience and belonging. To meet the needs of
migrants and their families, it is important for practitioners to work
with groups, organisations and other institutions at the community
level (Berg-Weger, 2010). This community-level social work
practice, based on the strengths-based approach, can be extended
to macro practice in the transnational context within which Korean
clients are positioned. The roles of social work practitioners with
migrant communities can range from empowering clients and their
families, to utilising the community’s own resources, and to
promoting the participation and inclusion of migrant clients in their
host society.
Original text (Hong-Jae & Anglem, 2012, p. 38)
Hong-Jae, P., & Anglem, J. (2012). The 'transnationality' of Koreans, Korean families and
Korean communities in Aotearoa New Zealand--implications for social work
practice. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work Review, 24(1), 31-40.

24. A strengths-based model can be a suitable approach to social work
practice with migrants, families and communities (Sisnerous et al.,
2008). This approach is focused on the strengths, possibility and
resilience of individuals and their families, rather than addressing
their deficits and weaknesses (Saleebey, 2006). For Korean
migrants, the transnational community is a vital source of strength,
opportunities, resilience and belonging. To meet the needs of
migrants and their families, it is important for practitioners to work
with groups, organisations and other institutions at the community
level (Berg-Weger, 2010). This community-level social work
practice, based on the strengths-based approach, can be extended
to macro practice in the transnational context within which Korean
clients are positioned. The roles of social work practitioners with
migrant communities can range from empowering clients and their
families, to utilising the community’s own resources, and to
promoting the participation and inclusion of migrant clients in their
host society.
1. Highlight main points

25. • SWs can use a strengths-based approach with
migrants
• Focus on resilience, ops, belonging
• Work with groups + insts at comm level
• empower clients, use comm res, promote incl +
part.
2. Make brief notes

26. Several benefits have been identified in the use of a
strengths-based approach to social work practice
with migrant communities in New Zealand /
Aotearoa. These communities are already a source of
resilience and a sense of belonging for migrants.
Therefore, by working with and through these
communities, social workers can both empower
individual clients and promote broader social
inclusion and participation (Hong-Jae, & Anglem, 2012).
3. Expand these notes into linked sentences

27. Sample phrases from lit reviews written by Massey students
Researchers have defined xxxx as …. (Cummings & Gowings, 2002;
Pype & Slipper, 2012).
The Z approach is a behavioural treatment programme designed to
…. (Noh-All, 2014)
X is a disorder of the ______ characterised by ____ (Shortt &
Sweet, 2009)
In the late 20th century, the … movement led to a shift in perspectives
among many clinicians with regard to …. Individuals with X were no
longer viewed as ... (Esselty, 2005)
With the introduction of Y models, there has been a growing trend
towards ….

28. In the literature, A and B approaches have been the most influential
in the assessment of X (Black & Decker, 2008). More recently, D
approaches have gained attention within clinical practice (Toyle &
Trubble, 2015).
Figure 1 illustrates the components (boxes) and connections
between components (arrows) involved in …. (Cee & Billieve, 2016).
Each component is …
Models of …. provide theoretically-grounded predictions of … For
example, ….
Increasingly sophisticated models such as … have been developed;
however, they are typically confined to …
In contrast to previous …., the A Classification System (Brayne,
2003) recognises six subtypes of disorder X: xxxxx. The system has
remained the dominant diagnostic paradigm owing to ….
Z models no longer view A as … but as … (Wright, 2002; Whing &
Apraire, 2015).

29. Proponents of this approach acknowledge that …
Bigg and Little (2004) suggest that … is likely to ….
To develop appropriate treatment plans, it has been argued that
there is a need for … (Lowd & Kleer, 2011).
There are a number of evidence-based treatments available to
address … However, while these treatments are effective, practical
constraints such as ….. mean that …. Devising more efficient
treatments for … should facilitate …
A variety of terms are used in the literature to describe approach Z
Approach Z can be used across a range of activities involving
communication and therefore …

30. Factor A appears to be critical for positive outcomes for …. in children.
However, there has been little research into ….
Plugg and Sockitt (2009) found that approach Z can provide
opportunities for …
The Z approach has an evidence base comprising ….. (Locke, Stock
and Barrill, 2010)
A study by Cobley et al. (2010) showed the importance of using a
treatment that … The authors identified that …
Wille and Aweigh (2003) demonstrated the usefulness of … approach
A for disorder B in a ….. study ….
Parents of children using device B reported … (Hinge & Brackitt, 2010)
Leizee-Buoy (2000) found that nearly half of the parents he surveyed
reported … ; however, the survey did not ask for information about ….
Therefore, it is difficult to determine …
To sum up, research about the use of approach Z has reported
positive outcomes for language development in children with disorder
Y; however, further research is required to explore ….

31. Create a research space for your study by referring
to gaps or limitations in current knowledge throughout
the literature review
Summarise these gaps / limitations in conclusion
paragraphs at the end of each section
“Build an argument, not a library”
(Rudestam & Newton, as cited in Punch, 2006)
Punch, K. F. (2006). Developing Effective Research Proposals. London: Sage Publications.

32. CARS 1: Paragraph introducing area of interest
Catechins, derived from both green tea (Mukhtar & Ahmad 2000)
and red wine (Waterhouse, 2002), are a family of flavonoid
polyphenols associated with chemopreventive effects on colon,
skin, lung, prostate, and breast cancers (Butt & Sultan, 2009).
They are also associated with numerous cardiovascular benefits,
such as decreased inflammation and platelet adhesion, increased
endothelial nitric oxide activity, and improved blood lipid profile
(Babu & Liu, 2008). Although the addition of catechins and
other polyphenols can increase the functionality of a
product, they can also elicit significant levels of bitterness and
astringency (Peleg et al., 1999) — attributes generally associated
with lower consumer acceptance (Lesschaeve & Noble, 2005) —
which may reduce the uptake of these products in the market and
place limits on the concentration of polyphenolic compounds that
can be used in their formulation. These considerations have led
to renewed interest in strategies to moderate the perception of
bitterness and astringency elicited by these and related functional
ingredients (Guadette, & Pickering, 2012).
Linking phrase
signalling
transition to
problem
(sub-area of
topic)
Gap / opportunity
linked to writer’s
own topic area
Summary of
topic:
attributes of X

33. Sharp et al. (2013) conducted an observational case
study of eating behaviours of children with ASC. The
participants were a convenience sample of 30 children
with ASD aged 3-8 (23 males; 7 females). Their
caregivers completed the BAMBI questionnaire and FPI
and were observed with children during mealtime. The
children were offered items from each food group in
puree and table textures and, if necessary, prompted
or helped to eat. Data was collected on acceptance of
food, disruptions (such as pushing away the spoon)
and negative vocalizations. Reliability was enhanced by
a detailed protocol and inclusionary criteria. 80% of
parents reported concerns with their child’s eating and
that 40% of the foods on the FPI were rejected by their
children, with vegetables the most common food
avoided. During observation, children accepted less
than half of bites, 43% demonstrated disruptive
behaviours and 33% negative vocalizations. However,
the lack of a control group, reduced comparability
with behaviours of typically developing children
towards non-preferred foods.
CARS 2: Paragraph summary & evaluation of a key study
Linking phrase
signalling
transition to
limitation
Summary of key
points:
Focus +
Method +
Findings

34. Owing to the limited interventional data in the area of the nutritional
treatment of PU, evidence-based guidelines have been unable to support
the therapeutic use of arginine to enhance wound healing.16,17 To date,
only one research study has examined the benefit of arginine-containing
supplements on PU healing in the SCI patient group.18 This
aforementioned study found a statistically significant twofold greater rate
of PU healing in 18 SCI patients consuming an arginine-containing
supplement compared with an historical control group who were all part
of the same community spinal outreach service. More evidence is
required to identify effective dietary interventions in this population
before the use of specialised arginine-containing supplements or other
specific nutrients to promote wound healing can be endorsed. The current
study therefore aimed to compare the rate and time-to-healing of PU in
SCI patients consuming a specialised arginine, zinc and vitamin C
supplement, and those receiving a similar standard of nutrition care, but
not consuming the same nutritional supplement until full wound healing.
Which phrases highlight the gap in existing knowledge?
Narrow down
to study/studies
closest to your
own
Identify
specific need
for your study
Explain specific
purpose of
your study
CARS 3: Summary of the gap which your study aims to fill

36. You’ll see questions on the screen – e.g.
After a few seconds, you’ll be given four
possible answers – e.g.

37. You need to select the correct answer
by pressing the appropriate square on your
smartphone or tablet.
You’ll receive points not only for correct answers
but also according to the speed of your selection.

38. • Open kahoot.it
in your browser
• Enter the game pin
which I will show you
in a minute
• Enter your nickname
(and you will see it
appear on the public
screen)
To join the quiz you need to:

39. THANKS FOR COMING ALONG!
Before you leave, please complete the feedback form at:
tinyurl.com/nutanddie2018