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Educational Research. Chapter 4. Role of Related Literature. Enables the researcher to define the “frontiers” of their field Enables the researcher to place their questions in perspective Enables the researcher to limit their question and to clarify and define the concepts of the study
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EducationalResearch Chapter 4
Role of Related Literature • Enables the researcher to define the “frontiers” of their field • Enables the researcher to place their questions in perspective • Enables the researcher to limit their question and to clarify and define the concepts of the study • Enables the researcher to have insight into the reasons for contradictory results in an area – example of three goal orientations (mastery, performance, avoidance) • Enables the researcher to learn which methodologies have proved useful and which seem less promising
Role of Related Literature cont • A thorough search avoids unintentional replication of previous studies • A review of previous research places the researcher in a better position to interpret the significance of their own results
Organizing the Related Literature • If you have searched on-line databases, keep the search histories • Print the studies so you have the actual material + your summary/evaluation of the study • Reference the study at the top of your summary/evaluation write-up • Include the study in your reference list – remember to follow APA format; for Internet need the URL, Web address, the date you accessed the electronic source • Read the abstract or summary first to see if relevant
Organizing the Related Literature cont • Organize the information by topic, concepts; if not relevant – do not include • Within each topic, organize the studies in terms of publication date (the most recent first) and then work backwards through the earlier studies. • Before taking notes – skim the report to find those sections that are related to the topic/research question • Read the study • Make notes on the studies (follow the outline for Guidelines for Evaluating Research Articles) in a word processing program, so you can move them around or cluster with other notes on related research
Organizing Related Literature cont. • Indicate which parts of the notes are direct quotations (remember to jot down the page number) and which are your own paraphrase