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critical reading and writing for postgraduates
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Why the literature is important in empirical studies

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Until now we have focused on conducting a Critical Literature Review. But

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dissertations usually involve not only literature reviews but also the collec-
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Second Edition Second Edition Second Edition Second tion and analysis of your own new data. So how may Critical Literature
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Second Edition Second Edition Second Edition Second As a critical reader, you will have noticed how the published literature can
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erature review in its own right, but also when it is used contextually to
Critical Reading present new evidence from an empirical study or to develop a theoretical
argument. The literature offers an immensely rich (though not unlimited)
source of evidence, ranging over theory, empirical research and engagement
with practice, and extending way beyond the direct experience that any sin-
gle individual could have. You will value authors’ references to the literature
and Writing for
demonstrating that their claims are consistent with what others have found,
or demonstrating, through a critical evaluation of previous literature, some
Postgraduates flaw or limitation in previous studies that their work is designed to address.
In short, a skilled use of the literature by authors is part of the reason why
you find their claims about their own research findings convincing.
As a self-critical writer (whether of reviews, essays or other written
products) you will consciously search the literature for whatever useful
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evidence you can find there. You will employ this evidence as part of your
warranting to make the claims in the conclusion of your own argument as
convincing as possible for your target audience. You may already have
Mike Wallace and Alison Wray
experience of relating a limited amount of literature to a piece of data that
you had been given or had collected yourself. However, it is only with an
extended piece of work such as a dissertation or thesis that the challenge
is fully confronted.

The reality of the study process versus the written account

Students often remark that their finished dissertation was not quite what
they had originally expected. This is hardly surprising, given the amount of
knowledge and research skill that they learn along the way. The expectation
placed on some students to propose an empirical project before they have read
much literature may give them a particularly difficult challenge, since a
worthwhile investigation should be inspired by, and build on, existing
research. It makes sense to allow for the likelihood that your ideas will change
during the study process. But equally, it is worth trying to minimize the
chances of having radically to re-think your investigation and written account
by clearly establishing your research focus early on.

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