The literature review

Research Methods

General tools of research

o o o o o o Library resources Computer Measurement techniques Statistics Human mind Language

Why Lit Review?

Researchers need to know about their topic & be an authority on the subject Offers new ideas, perspectives and approaches you may not have considered Gives info re: other researchers in your field Good contacts

Purpose of a literature review

Helps map and define your research topic Presents a balanced view Justifies your research question

Provides literature for you to compare your findings with at the end.
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Scholarly Writing
The Literature Review shows you know where your research fits in with others. DO NOT editorialize just the facts!

DO connect your study to what you find in the review. DO make certain that every review relates to YOUR study -- and show us HOW.
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 Planting the seeds that will grow your study from those that came before it.

Upwards of 100sources; 30-50 pages. Primarily from current peer-reviewed and refereed journals.
Citing appropriate literature to provide a rationale for the studys research design, instruments, and methods of data collection, analysis, and conclusions.

Why a literature review?

Critical evaluation of published material(APA 6th ed):
(1) provide knowledge of the problem area, (2) clearly identify the need for the proposed study, (3) identify gaps and strengths in previous scholarly studies, (Patton, 2003, Sep).

The Role of the Review

Insight into other methodologies and designs Reveal sources of data

look again (re + view) Measurement tools Assist interpretation of your findings

Bolster your confidence

Lit Rev
Reveals other sources of data Introduces measurement tools used by others Shows methods of handling similar problems Helps you to interpret and make sense of your findings

Reviewing the relevant literature

Analyze then synthesize source Organize information in a topical order Identify sections & subsections Look for gaps and ways to bridge them

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Components of the lit review

The search Finding too much Not finding enough Taking notes thoroughly Write a lot Identify keywords Review your notes Write, edit & rewrite

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Knowing when to quit

Repetitive patterns in materials you are finding Dj vu No new viewpoints

The Lit Review Report

A survey of the existing information dealing with your topics & subtopics Establish a clear understanding of key concepts & methods Clarifies scope, main issues and questions Report referenced information on relevant topics

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Evaluating
Compare and contrast varying theoretical perspectives on the topic Show how approaches to the topic have changed over time

Describe general trends in research findings

Identify discrepant or contradictory findings, and suggest possible explanations for such discrepancies Identify general themes that run throughout the literature

Language of the review

Choose the right words in reviewing the literature

In contrast, in spite of, although, however

In addition, furthermore, moreover, another aspect

Studies suggest that, perhaps, it would seem that

The objective is to show, demonstrate, establish, argue, reason, discus, debate, examine, explore

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Citing sources
Why do we cite sources of information? Give credit, Book sources information are on the title page

American Psychological Association (APA). (2001). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.) Washington, DC.
Magazines & journals have information inside

Internet sources: http://www.psywww.com/resource/APA%20Research%20Style%Crib%20Sh eet.htm Google author

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What a Lit Review IS NOT

A Review of Literature is NOT a summary or an abstract of articles. It is not an annotated bibliography.

It is not a rehashing of another authors work APA 5th no more than 500 words or tables + figures (see section 8.07) w/o obtaining copyright permission

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What a Lit Review IS

An analysis and synthesis of primary source materials, written in a specific style that summarizes theoretical and empirical issues of the problem on the basis of previous investigations in an effort to identify relationships, contradictions, inconsistencies and gaps
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What you WILL Do in the Lit Review:

Your will compare, contrast, critique, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the major theorists' ideas critically. Show your that you have examined and interpreted their work from a critical viewpoint. Important footnote: As you read about these theories,
your reader wants to know that you've read the original works

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Questions to be answered:
What

is already known about this issue/problem?

What useful data already exists that informs your efforts. What is missing from the literature that your study will provide? Why is your approach (method) an excellent way to solve the problem?
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Overview
Give the big picture of the subject Explain how all the individual topics fit together issue issue metho
d

theory

issue issue
My Study

Use Past tense.

issue
issues

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How to find Sources

Look for key authors within the field by looking at bibliographies of research articles pertaining to your topicbig name authors will be found often within these bibliographies.

Computer literature searches-- universities usually have extensive on-line libraries with text and citation databases- interlibrary loan is an excellent source for journals not accessible via the Internet
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Finding Sources

Write or call key authors-- ask for reprints of articles or book chapters.

Look at literature in other disciplines-many topics overlap with various disciplines- thus further support of the study might be found in other disciplines

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Scholarly Journals
Generally have a sober, serious look.

Scholarly journals always cite their sources in the form of footnotes or bibliographies.
Articles are written by a scholar in the field or by someone who has done research in the field. Often present empirical data to test hypotheses or answer research questions.

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Scholarly Journals
The language of scholarly journals is that of the discipline covered. It assumes some scholarly background on the part of the reader. The main purpose of a scholarly journal is to report on original research in order to make such information available to the rest of the scholarly world. Many scholarly journals, though by no means all, are published by a specific professional organization.

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Keep track of sources

Searched categories

Scholarly Journals
234 9
251 103 96 423 132 11

Dissertations
39 20
585 5 111 689 99 435

Books

Values (includes congruency) Values & team performance

Leadership (includes styles, behavior etc) Leadership styles and team performance Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Transformational leadership Rokeach & values Teams (include functional/dysfunctional)

21 7
62 11 26 268 47 28

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Sample Introduction
This chapter presents the theoretical literature on achievement motivation that served as the foundation for the study. The chapter begins with an historical review of the experimental and quasiexperimental research that examines the foundation and development of achievement goal theory from its earliest form in the 1950s through the present.

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Sample - Introduction
The next section explores the complex aspects of achievement goal theory, introducing and examining the primary orientations of mastery goal orientation and performance goal orientation and their impact on academic achievement and intrinsic motivation.

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Sample Introduction
Also, the chapter examines the on-going debate in the achievement motivation literature regarding the adaptive and maladaptive qualities of performance goals. Finally, the chapter examines the classroom implications of achievement goal theory and concludes with a developmental perspective of achievement goals.

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Make Certain You

Show different view points. Explain why these may be misguided. Use primarily current peer-reviewed and refereed journal articles. You include all germinal work related to your problem and topic. Integrate sources do not present one view, then another, then another
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Literature Review Schematic:

Context for the study

Type of setting, ind / group / system Cultural setting Etc.

Potential design:
Possible Method/s Sample size

Area of Original Contribution Related Dissertations Contemporary authors

* *
Sub-field

Major Fields

Core constructs, Terms, etc. Germinal authors

Most Relevant Fields of Literature, e.g.

servant leadership, org culture, personality theory May be depicted as more overlapping and interdependent or less aligned in which case the actual study brings them together from different angles. 31

What to include:
1. What was done? Was it effective? 2. When did this take place? 3. What was the accepted belief at this time? 4. Where did this study or event take place? 5. How does this relate to your study?
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What to include:
6. Who was involved? 7. What methodologies were used? Were they appropriate? 8. What were the limitations? How were these limitations addressed? 9. What type of instruments were used?

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What to include:
10. What was the sample and population studied? 11. What did this add to the knowledge or solution of the problem? 12. What recommendations were made?

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 13. Who was affected by this study or program? 14. What are the similarities between this study and your study? 15. Was this an appropriate means of dealing with the problem? 16. How does this study relate to your study?
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What to include:

Use the right words in reporting the literature Introducing contrasts In contrast In spite of Although However Adding ideas

in addition
Furthermore Moreover Another reason/ aspect/ example

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 As demonstrated in the foregoing literature review, Dweck (1986) and Nicholls (1984) models of achievement goal orientation laid the foundation for much of the research that has been conducted over the last 15-20 years in the realm of achievement motivation (Harackiewicz et al., 1998; Pintrich, 2000). These models are useful for understanding how attitudes relate to behavior in achievement situations. The above review has offered an historical review of the experimental and quasi-experimental literature that lead to the development and refinement of achievement goal theory.

Summarize

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Summarize
Also examined was the current debate in the literature regarding which types of achievement goals promote optimal motivation. While a number of theorists endorsed a mastery goal perspective, focusing on the adaptive consequences of mastery goals and the maladaptive consequences of performance goals (Ames, 1992; Meece et al., 1988), others endorsed a multiple goal perspective in which both mastery and performance goals can be beneficial (Barron & Harackiewicz, 2001; Covington, 2000; Harackiewicz et al., 1998).

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Summarize
Finally, the literature review addressed the impact of achievement goals in the classroom and offered a developmental perspective of achievement goals, thereby disclosing a gap in the literature concerning student age and achievement goal orientation at the collegiate level. This study addressed this gap in the literature by examining the relationship between achievement goal orientation and student age in physician assistant students.

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Grassroots Leadership: Common People with Uncommon Values

Research Question: Why do common people become grassroots leaders?

LR - Three Parts: Historic overview of leadership theories. Emerging values-based leadership theory. Grassroots leadership process.

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Grassroots Leadership: Common People with Uncommon Values - Outline

Theories to be examined Great Man Theory Trait/Behavior Theory Situational Theory Path-Goal Theory

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Grassroots Leadership: Common People with Uncommon Values

Transformational Leadership Theory (Burns, 1978)

Role of Values (Rokeach) Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow) Stages of Moral Development (Kohlberg) Servant Leadership (Greenleaf, 1977) Stewardship (Brock, 1993)

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Other sources use sparingly

Dissertations "Secondary sources, although useful to some degree, should be considered hearsay." White papers Personal communications Popular journals, magazines, newspaper articles Popular media
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Guidelines for critiquing

A. Title
Did the title describe the study? Did the key words serve as key elements of the article? Was it concise and free of distracting phrases?

B.

The abstract

Did the abstract summarize the study? Did it reveal the independent and dependent variables? Was there sufficient information to warrant further reading?

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Introduction
Was the research problem clearly defined? Is the problem significant enough to warrant the study? Are the hypotheses and/or research questions clearly stated? Do the hypotheses and/or research questions seem logical? Does the Lit Review lead logically into the Methodology?
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Discussion and conclusion

Are the findings discussed in terms of the research problems? Are implications for future research identified? Are the general conclusions warranted in light of the results?

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CRITIQUE An aid to good lit review

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Stages in critical Reading of research articles-LoBiondo-Wood et al 92002)

4 stages/levels of understanding Preliminary understanding/skimming Comprehensive understanding Analysis understanding/breaking into parts Synthesis understanding
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http://www2.msstate.edu/~bsc2/guidelines.htm

GUIDELINES FOR CRITIQUING RESEARCH ARTICLE

A. Title 1. Did the title describe the study? 2. Did the key words of the title serve as key elements of the article? 3. Was the title concise, i.e., free of distracting or extraneous phrases?
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 B. Abstract

4. Did the abstract summarize the studys purpose, methods, and findings?

5. Did the abstract reveal the independent and dependent variables under study? 6. Were there any major premises or findings presented in the article that were not mentioned in the abstract? 7. Did the abstract provide you with sufficient information to determine whether you would be interested in reading the entire article?
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 C. Introduction

8. Was the research problem clearly identified? 9. Is the problem significant enough to warrant the study that was conducted? 10. Did the authors present a theoretical rationale for the study?

11. Is the conceptual framework of the study appropriate in light of the research problem?
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 12. Do the authors hypotheses and/or research questions seem logical in light of the conceptual framework and research problem? 13. Are hypotheses and research questions clearly stated? Are they directional? 14. Overall, does the literature review lead logically into the Method section?

 D. Method

15. Is the sample clearly described, in terms of size, relevant characteristics, selection and assignment procedures, and whether any inducements were used to solicit subjects? 16. Do the instruments described seem appropriate as measures of the variables under study?

17. Have the authors included sufficient information about the psychometric properties (e.g. reliability and validity) of the instruments?
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 18. Are the materials used in conducting the study or in collecting data clearly described? 19. Are the studys scientific procedures thoroughly described in chronological order? 20. Is the design of the study identified (or made evident)? 21. Do the design and procedures seem appropriate in light of the research problem, conceptual framework, and research questions/hypotheses? 22. Overall, does the method section provide sufficient information to replicate the study?
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 E. Results
23. Is the results section clearly written and well organized?

24. Are data coding and analysis appropriate in light of the studys design and hypotheses?

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Results
25. Are the results directly connected to the hypotheses? 26. Are tables and figures clearly labeled? Well-organized? Necessary (nonduplicative of text)? 27. Are salient results connected directly to hypotheses?
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 F. Discussion and Conclusion

28. Are the limitations of the study delineated? 29. Are findings discussed in terms of the research problem, conceptual framework, and hypotheses? 30. Are implications for future research and/or rehabilitation counseling practice identified? 31. Are the authors general conclusions warranted in light of the results?

 G. References

32. Is the reference list sufficiently current?

33. Do works cited reflect the breadth of existing literature regarding the topic of the study?
34. Are bibliographic citations used appropriately in the text?
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 H. General Impressions 35. Is the article well written and organized? 36. Does the study address an important problem in the lives of people with disabilities? 37. What are the most important things you learned from this article? 38. What do you see as the most compelling strengths of this study? 39. How might this study be improved?

Writing
Read Evaluated

Organized Synthesized
Write!

Writing Guidelines
Get the proper psychological orientation Have a plan Emphasize relatedness Give credit where credit is due Review the literature. Dont reproduce it! Summarize what you have said. Remember: first draft last draft Ask others for advice and feedback

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Thank You!

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