The Literature Review: Six Steps to Success Name: Grant Anderson

Excerpted from Machi, L. A., & McEvoy, B. T. (2012). The literature review: Six steps to success (2nd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.

STEP 1: Select a topic

Exercise 1.1: Discovering the Subject of your interest or issue of concern

1. What is your personal interest or issue?

The effectiveness of air intakes in performance car systems

2. What are the component parts of this interest?

Speed of air entering the automobile
Efficiency of mechanical parts within the intake system, i.e. intake scoop, boost, intake manifold, filter
Cost effectiveness with installation of performance systems

3. Why did you become curious about this question?

Air intakes are one of the best ways to improve performance in a car, and the degrees to which it can be
customized are very open ended.

Exercise 1.2: Understanding the Personal Viewpoint

1. What previous knowledge do you have about your interest?

I understand the basic concepts used within the mechanisms

2. What personal experience do you have that influences you about this issue or interest?
After being able to experience the rush and thrill of riding in and driving in performance vehicles that
utilize this technology, I want to work more and develop the systems within these cars

3. What are your beliefs, biases, and opinions about this interest or issue?
I believe that it is a great thing because it makes cars both faster and more efficient

4. How will you identify and isolate your personal bias, opinion, feelings, and intuition to preserve
a neutral position as a researcher?
This is a non-opinionated idea and concept, so that will not be an issue when developing and conducting
research.

Machi, L. A., & McEvoy, B. T. (2012). The literature review: Six steps to success (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks,
Calif.: Corwin Press.
Exercise 1.3: Limiting the interest of your study

Remember to write your answers in detail so that you end up with a useful reference page.

1. Clearly identify the subject of study interest

The effectiveness of different designs of intake scoops

2. Are you looking at individuals, groups, organizations or producing a product?

Producing a product

3. Specifically name the individuals, groups, organizations or product that you plan to study.
Intake Scoops

Exercise 1.4: Choosing the perspective for the study

1. What academic field best lend themselves to your subject and perspective for research? (If you
are still considering more than one perspective, choose a suitable academic field for each
perspective)
Physics, and Engineering

2. What are the specific knowledge areas of this academic field that will best help in exploring and
defining the research subject?
Fluid Dynamics, Materials Testing

3. What knowledge competency do you have in this academic field?

Intermediate understanding of how to test for material stresses and volumetric flow rates of gases
Adept understanding of physicals concepts and forces experienced

4. What additional knowledge of this academic field do you need to acquire to have a solid
foundation to address this interest?
Research studies on Hood Scoop effectiveness, Understanding of manufacturing of said devices

Machi, L. A., & McEvoy, B. T. (2012). The literature review: Six steps to success (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks,
Calif.: Corwin Press.