Review Of The Literature: Chapter 2 Introduction

Review Of The Literaturechapter 2introduction Topic Subject Or Subj

Review of the Literature Chapter 2 Introduction • Topic – subject or subject matter of a study – e.g., “faculty teaching,†“organizational creativity,†“psychological stress†• Conduct literature review about the topic – Worth studying? – Scope? – Can be studied 3 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Research Topic • Gain insight into the topic by – Drafting a working title • “My study is about…†– Posing a brief question • What needs to be answered? 4 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 • First step is to examine research on the topic • How does this project contribute to the literature? • New topic, new elements, replication with new participants? 5 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Research Topic • The topic can be researched if – You have access to participants – You have resources to collect and analyze information • The topic should be researched if – The research will add to the literature about the topic – Scholars will be interested in the topic – A study of it will advance your personal goals 6 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Research Topic The Literature Review • Shares the results of other studies • Relates the study to the larger dialogue in the literature • Provides a framework for establishing the importance of the study • Provides a benchmark for comparing the results to other findings 7 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The use of the literature: • Seek opinion of adviser or faculty members • Tell the reader you are aware of literature • Literature reviews take several forms: – Integrate what others have done and said – Criticize previous scholarly works – Bridge between related topics – Identify the central issues in the field 8 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review 9 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review The use of the literature: • In quantitative studies, researchers use literature to: – Provide direction to the research questions and hypotheses – Introduce a problem – Introduce and describe the theory that will be used – Examine the usefulness of the theory – Compare results with existing literature or predictions 10 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review The use of the literature: • In mixed methods studies, researchers use the literature: – In either a quantitative or qualitative approach – In each phase, consistent with either the quantitative or qualitative approach – Relative to the intended audience 11 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review Steps in conducting a literature review: • Identify key words • Search databases • Identify about 50 research reports in articles or books • Collect those that are central to your topic • Design a literature map • Draft summaries of relevant articles • Write a literature review, organizing it by important concepts 12 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review Searching computerized databases: • Computerized databases of the literature are available the Internet • Databases provide access to journal articles, conference papers and dissertations on a wealth of topics 13 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review Searching computerized databases: • Some of these online databases include: - ERIC - ProQuest - EBSCO - Sociological Abstracts - PsycINFO - PubMed - Science Direct - Google scholar - SSCI 14 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review Searching computerized databases: • Use both free databases and those available in your academic library • Search several databases, even those outside your field • Use guides to terms to locate articles • Locate articles close to your topic and use their terms in your search • Use databases that provide access to full text 15 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review A priority for selecting literature material: • Start with broad syntheses (such as encyclopedias) if you are new to the topic • Turn to journal articles in national journals – Best source for research reports • Next, consider books • Then examine conference papers • Scan for dissertations • Lastly, consider reports on the web 16 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review A literature map of the research • A literature map is a visual summary of existing research on a topic • The structure of the literature map may be: – Hierarchical pattern – Flowchart layout – Series of circles • Write a narrative description 17 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review 18 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review Abstracting studies: • Abstracts summarize major elements of the article • For research studies: – Mention the problem – State the central purpose – State information about the population and sample – Review key results – Point out methodological flaws (if a critique or methods review) 19 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review Abstracting studies: • For nonempirical studies (essays, opinions, etc.) – Mention the problem – Identify the central theme – State the major conclusions – Mention flaws in reasoning or logic (if a methodological review) 20 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review 21 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review 22 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review 23 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review Style manuals: • Style manuals provide guidelines for producing scholarly work and include directions on: – Citing references in-text – End-of-text references – Creating headings – Footnotes (not used in all style manuals) – Presenting tables and figures • Reminder: Consistently use the chosen style manual 24 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review Definition of terms • Identify and define terms that readers need to understand a proposal • Define terms introduced in all sections of the research plan: – Title of the study – Problem statement – Purpose statement – Research questions, hypotheses, or objectives – Literature review – Theory base of the study – Methods section 25 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review Definition of terms • Qualitative studies – Inductive and evolutionary in nature – The definition of terms may appear later in the written report, perhaps in the data analysis • Quantitative studies – Deductive with a fixed set of objectives – All relevant terms are comprehensively defined earlier in the study 26 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review Definition of terms • Mixed methods studies – Follows the use of quantitative or qualitative approach – Clarify terms related to mixed methods 27 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review Definition of terms • Define terms when they first appear in the manuscript • Use specific operational definitions • Do not define terms using everyday language, be guided by the literature • Define terms so that they accomplish different goals • One may use a definition of terms section in the manuscript 28 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review 29 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review 30 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review A quantitative or mixed methods literature review: • Introduce the review with a statement about the organization of the sections • Review literature about the independent variables • Review literature about the dependent variables • Review literature that relates the independent variables to the dependent variables 31 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review A quantitative or mixed methods literature review: • Provide a summary – Highlight important studies – Capture major themes – Suggest why more research is needed – Advance how the proposed study will fill this need 32 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018 The Literature Review Summary • Identify your topic through a brief title or central research question • Use the literature to – Present similar studies – Relate the study to the literature – Provide a framework for comparison • Different purpose depending on approach • Search databases using key terms 33 Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018

Paper For Above instruction

The process of conducting a comprehensive literature review is fundamental to establishing a solid foundation for any research project. It involves systematically exploring existing scholarly work related to the study’s topic, analyzing relevant findings, and positioning the new research within the broader academic conversation. The goal is to understand what has already been studied, identify gaps or unresolved questions, and justify the significance of the current investigation (Creswell, 2018).

The first step in a literature review is to define the research topic clearly, which can be achieved by drafting a working title that reflects the focus of the study. For instance, a researcher might choose a title like "Faculty Teaching Effectiveness in Higher Education" or "Organizational Creativity in Tech Firms." Accompanying this, posing specific research questions helps narrow the scope and guides the review process by clarifying what needs to be answered. These initial steps help in framing the scope of the review and ensuring that the literature search remains targeted and relevant (Creswell, 2018).

Engaging with existing literature begins with examining prior research studies, which offers insights into the topic's current state and informs the researcher about what has been accomplished and what remains to be explored. This process involves searching academic databases such as ERIC, ProQuest, EBSCO, PsycINFO, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and SSCI, utilizing keywords related to the topic. It is crucial to select approximately 50 central reports, articles, books, and conference papers that are most relevant to the study's focus. Developing a literature map—a visual or conceptual representation—helps organize these sources according to themes, relationships, or chronological order, enabling a clearer understanding of the research landscape (Creswell, 2018).

The literature map can be a hierarchical diagram, flowchart, or series of interconnected circles, accompanied by a narrative description that synthesizes the main findings from the sources. Abstracting studies by summarizing their major elements—including research problems, central purposes, sample populations, key results, and methodological considerations—facilitates a deeper understanding of the evidence base. When dealing with nonempirical works like essays or theoretical papers, summaries should focus on the central themes, conclusions, and identified flaws or gaps (Creswell, 2018).

The next step involves critically analyzing the literature to identify recurring themes, areas of consensus, debates, and gaps. This can be achieved by integrating previous findings, highlighting contradictions, and bridging related topics. The review should be organized logically, often starting with broader syntheses—such as encyclopedias—and then narrowing down to journal articles, books, conference papers, dissertations, and web reports. Selecting literature should prioritize journals with rigorous peer review, as they provide the most credible and high-quality research evidence (Creswell, 2018).

Style manuals like APA, MLA, or Chicago provide essential guidelines for citing sources, formatting references, and organizing the review systematically and consistently. Defining key terms that are central to the study is vital for clarity. These definitions should be operational and based on the literature, avoiding everyday language, especially in quantitative studies where precise measurement is required. For qualitative and mixed-methods research, definitions may be introduced later, often during data analysis or in a dedicated section, to reflect their contextual use (Creswell, 2018).

The literature review also involves weaving together the sources to highlight relationships between variables, such as independent and dependent variables, especially in quantitative and mixed methods studies. Organizing the review around these variables helps clarify the theoretical framework and demonstrates how the current research advances the field. Conclusions from the review should highlight major themes, identify gaps, and justify why the proposed study is necessary, emphasizing its potential contribution to existing knowledge (Creswell, 2018).

Ultimately, a well-conducted literature review establishes the rationale for the research, situates it within the scholarly dialogue, and provides a benchmark for interpreting future findings. It is an ongoing process that requires critical thinking, strategic searching, and synthesis of diverse sources to produce a comprehensive overview that supports the entire research process.

References

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