Writing a Literature Review

1. Writing a Literature Review Dr. Jan van Aalst The University of Hong Kong

2. Literature review The research processA simple model • Identifying the problem • Review the literature • Design the study • Collect the data • Analyze the data • Draw conclusions • Identify implications In practice It’s not this linear. Research is more reflexive and iterative … findings may lead you to collect additional data or read more literature.

3. Literature review Identify the problem • Describe the educational problem • What questions are suggested by this problem? • What type of research would be needed to answer or address these questions? • Theoretical or empirical • Explanation-seeking versus other types • Specific or generalizable

4. Literature review Review the literature • Systematically review what has been investigated in the area of your problem • Identify strengths & weaknesses • Identify gaps in knowledge • Find out how scholars think about your problem • Fine-tune your questions • Develop an argument why your study will be important (rationale)

5. Literature review Review the literatureHierarchy of research reports

6. Literature review Writing the literature review • Start with breadth to show the general area • See Boote and Bell (2005) • Accurate representation over time • The majority of papers should be from after 2000 • But don’t ignore important earlier work from 1980s and 1990s • Develop a focus on a well-defined problem

7. Literature review Writing the literature review Work backwards • Start with the conclusion: the need for research that you understand • Then explain everything the reader needs to know to be persuaded of this conclusion • Relate the need for research to the field • Use your understanding of the literature to build an argument for the conclusion • Finished paper should start broad to show knowledge of the field but ends with a clear conclusion

8. Literature review Common Problems • Too brief, too long, out of proportion • Missing important literature • Biased, unbalanced selections or opinions • Close paraphrasing and plagiarism • Too descriptive, lacking insight • Linkage between parts and coherence

9. Literature review On plagiarism • Using the work of others without proper acknowledgement • Be careful with lifting sentences or more from your sources – even if you cannot express it better • It’s better to write your argument from what you know and use citations and quotes to support your argument

10. Literature review An example of plagiarismClose paraphrasing The between subgroup interconnectivity referred to the phenomenon that factors in different subgroups were interrelated to each other. For example, one of the internal factors, acknowledging values of participation, was related to the three outcome factors: helping novice teachers become confident educators, assisting in overcoming teacher isolation, and meeting teachers’ individual needs. The acknowledgment of these outcome values encouraged members to more actively participate in the community. (Hur & Hara, 2007)

11. Literature review Further reading • Machi, L. A., & McEvoy, L. A. (2009). The literature review: 6 steps to success. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press/SAGE.