Writing a Literature Review What is a Literature Review?  A comprehensive review of all published research that is relevant to your proposed investigation  It is guided by your research objectives.  An overview of the significant literature from the last 3-5 years,  It informs your area of interest Purpose of a literature review  Conveys the depth and breadth of research that has been accomplished in a subject.  Provides a platform for further research/investigation.  Provides a theoretical base which will inform practice in a particular field/area. How does it fit into the research process?  Building on a body of information (knowledge) that has already been established…  …and putting your ‘stone’ (new research) on the top. Questions to keep in mind  What is already known about the subject/are there any gaps in the literature?  Who are the significant research personalities or experts in the field?  Is there consensus about the topic?  How can you best use the literature to inform future action? Store Synthesise Search Undertaking a Literature Review The 3 ‘S’ process Store Synthesise Search Search  Define the (research) topic e.g. Climate change in Southeast Asia  Start with a search word related to your topic, then compile a list of keywords e.g. ‘climate change’ and ‘Southeast Asia’.  Now look for some other key words for these main concepts. e.g. ‘climate change’= global warming, environmental damage and ‘Southeast Asia’ = Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia etc. Try: Global warming, pollution, carbon emissions, environmental damage … What should you do once you find the article?  Search Databases. Choose Proquest or any other databases recommended by your lecturer  Type in your key words After locating the source, look at the article:  abstract  contents page, and  introductory paragraphs to quickly decide if this article will be suitable for your literature review. How to synthesize  Examine the research critically – is it reliable and valid? Read, evaluate analyse all the works.  Select different viewpoints, not just those supporting your own view.  Compare and contrast the various studies.  Create the link between previous studies, and your own proposed research/or the problem you are investigating.  Give your own opinion. Writing your review - using the correct ‘voice’  Write in such a way as to clearly distinguish between the writer’s voice (yours) and the voice of the source from which you are quoting.   Use reporting verbs to achieve this (e.g. some writers believe…./others suggest). Using reporting verbs Use the appropriate ‘reporting’ verbs to indicate that you are quoting the work of others, for example…..  Verbs relating to research: study/ investigate/ explore...  Verbs relating to discourse: state/ explain/ argue/ discuss/ note/ point out…  Evaluative reporting verbs: Contend/ assume... Comparing and contrasting Comparison:  Similarly/ ..both../..is supported by../.also.. Contrast:  In contrast/on the other hand/however/ Your evaluation Making sense of the literature reviewed:  This means that….  The literature therefore supports the implementation of …  Identification of the gaps…  However, there are few studies which…  What is needed, therefore, is…..  There is a need for more evidence-based research to inform…….. Language use in a literature review Some writers see the dissemination of standards fostered through the induction and development of novice members into the discipline and community (Trowler & Knight, 2000). However, Ecclestone’s (2001) work points out that ‘the assessment decisions of “experts” and “competents” need as much intensive moderation as ‘novices’ (p. 312) suggesting that the process of establishing standards is complex and fluid. Others assume that close-knit academic communities based either on discipline or department exist and, inevitably, common standards are established and applied as part of the disciplinary discourse (Elwood & Klenowski, 2002). Several writers (see Winter, 1994; Holroyd, 2000) suggest that while academic communities in the past were able to establish common standards the system is now under threat for a variety of reasons including fragmentation of programmes of study, increased interdisciplinary work and larger workloads. It follows that new mechanisms are needed to ensure the establishment of common standards. Source: Price, M. (2005) Assessment standards: the role of communities of practice and the scholarship of assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 30(3), 215-230. A word about referencing.... You need to reference:  direct quotations from your sources, and paraphrases  another person’s ideas, theories or distinctive writing style  statistical material, maps, diagrams [remember: you must give references for every idea, fact and quote you include in your work which does not ‘belong’ to you. Failure to do this constitutes plagiarism, which is taken seriously by universities.] Why reference?  To show you have researched the topic, and are familiar with the latest developments in your area of study.  To acknowledge the work of others (for example, experts in your field). References Swales, John and Christine Feak. 2000. English in today’s research world. A writing guide. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press. Brick, Jean. 2006. A student’s guide to studying at university. Sydney: National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research.