Writing a Review Paper

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  

 ‘I not only use all the brains that I have,
but all that I can borrow.’
- Woodrow Wilson
Research may be done alone –
but it is never done in isolation.
The production of new
knowledge is fundamentally
dependent on past knowledge.

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Which type of publication?

• Research paper in peer-reviewed

journals (preferably with high impact
factor)
• Short communication
• Review articles (usually highly cited)

3  
Abd  Karim  Alias@2009  
 Which type of publication?

• Conference proceedings (often not

refereed, fewer citations)
• Popular articles (to promote your
activity)
• Letter to editor

4  
Abd  Karim  Alias@2009  
Impact Factors for different types of article

Abd  Karim  Alias@2013   5  

What is a review paper?

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 A review paper is…

‘a succint review of a specific topic that

provide sufficient and in-depth
interpretation and synthesis of
published work’

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Meta-Analysis

…is a method of combining results of

several studies into a summary
conclusion, using quantitative strategies…
intended to answer a focused question.
‘A research study about research studies…

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Why is review paper very popular?

•  It provides extensive review of

previously published literature and to
put them into perspective
•  It offers critical evaluation of the
published literature

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Why is review paper very popular?
•  It creates an understanding
of the topic
•  Identify gap in knowledge
•  It provides a new approach/
perspective that would stimulate
further research

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

Generate your
OWN IDEA!

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Review paper is more than annotated
bibliographies! You are not trying to list
all the material published, but to
synthesize and evaluate it so as to provide
a new approach or stimulate further
research

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 What is literature?

‘…a collection of all the

scholarly writings on a topic.’

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 What is literature review?
Study
1
ORIGIN
AL
WORK
Your own idea will connect to the
ORIGINA
developing
L WORK
knowledge
Study
10 Study
network in the
2
Study
field
X

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

What is literature review?

‘…a systematic…method for

identifying, evaluating and interpreting
the…work produced by researchers,
scholars and practitioners.’

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

What is literature review?

Literature is about telling a

story…kind of a chain story
where each writer starts with a
partial story created previously
by others and expand on it…the
existing literature is the story so
far…

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Before deciding to write a review
paper, ask the following questions:

Do I know my stuff
sufficiently?

Abd  Karim  Alias@2013  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Before deciding to write a review
paper, ask the following questions:

Which journal to
publish by review?

Abd  Karim  Alias@2013  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Before deciding to write a review
paper, ask the following questions:

Would it be
considered at all?

Abd  Karim  Alias@2013  [akarim@usm.my]  

•  Do a thorough literature search
•  Consult the Journal Editor

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Write a convincing
cover letter & explain…

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Consulting with the Journal Editor
•  Rationale why you want to write about the
topic;
•  Explain how you would handle the subject
matter;
•  Explain why you are qualified to write on the
proposed topic;
•  Estimated length (incl. no of figures & tables);
•  Estimated date of completion.

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

Approach to doing
a literature review

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 How to review the literature?
READ PUBLISHED WORK INTERPRETATION SYNTHESIS
Creation of an
Study a wide range of Explain the
“integrated whole”
print- and web-based significance & interpret
– Coherent
materials. the evidence
argument of the
presented in each
topic that you are
piece of literature – not
reviewing.
simply listing what
others have written.

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

Approach to doing a literature review

It is impossible to read all the research ever

published in your area…

The key is…be selective in

what you read – or else
you’ll get drown in too
much information!

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 See the wood for the trees…

Filtering & sorting the essentials

from the irrelevant…
26  
Image  source:  hAp://  sciencebhakta.wordpress.com   Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  
 The range of literature to explore

•  Background material which is of broadly

relevance to your topic
•  Literature and research studies which
address issues that are closely related
to your topic
•  Literature which is directly related to
your topic

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Searching & reading strategy (example)

Industrial
Halal gelatin Halal gelatin in
application of
alternatives in food industry
gelatin
industry

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Searching & reading strategy
Field specific papers

More Less
specific, specific, less
more recent recent

Q u a n ti ty o f
relevant pu
blications

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Components of lit. review…
§  Background information
•  Introduce topic
•  Describe scope &
organization
•  Review past & present
literature
•  Clarify purpose

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

Hmm…where do I look for
resources for my
literature review?

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Literature sources
Sources & organizations
providing publications
Academic libraries
Public libraries
National libraries
Museums
Archives
Special collections
Commercial organizations
Commercial databases
(SCOPUS, Web of
knowledge, Springerlink)

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Literature sources

Tools for searching

published works & data
Library catalogues
Subject indexes
Subject abstracts
Bibliographies
Encyclopedia
Internet directories
Internet search engines

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Literature sources
Sources where research &
information is published
Textbooks
Articles
Theses
Government publications
Legal & professional
publications
Trade literature
Conference papers
Monographs
Statistics

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Managing the literature

Organizing information

Summarize, tabulate
Use bibliographic
software (Endnote)

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

Analyzing & “digesting’ the literature

Analyzing information

Note taking
Summarizing the key
findings
Extracting critical facts/
arguments
Examine evidence
Understand interpretation

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Reading critically & analytically
Things to extract from each piece of reading material

Definitions Justification
Concepts
Problem Ways of
Arguments
Theory thinking
Standpoint
Hypothesis Events
Evidence
Techniques Motives
Perspective
Interpretations Politics
Styles
Conclusions

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Skills for “digesting” the literature
Select, differentiate, Dissecting data into their
ANALYSIS break up constituent part.

Integrate, combine, Rearranging the elements

SYNTHESIS formulate, reorganize
derived from analysis to
identify relationship.
Interpreting & distinguishing
Understand, between different types of
COMPREHENSION data , theory & argument to
distinguish, explain
describe the substance of an
idea
Describing the principles, uses,
KNOWLEDGE Define, classify, describe & function of rules, method,
etc.
Adapted from Hart, 1998
Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  
 Components of lit. review…

§  Theory
•  All research has a precedent
•  Integrate key points & make
appropriate inferences
•  Be aware of relationship to
your topic

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Components of lit. review…
§  Critical appraisal/synthesis
•  Not jus a list of the work of
others
•  Identify issues highlighted
•  Highlight differences &
similarities
•  Identify consensus

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

Any critical review should incorporate…

§  A citing of all key studies in the

subject area
§  A selection & synthesis of
existing arguments to form a new
perspective

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

Any critical review should incorporate…

§  An assessment of the strengths

& weaknesses of some of the
theories
§  A clear understanding of the
topic

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]  

 Length of review

§  Comprehensive review (up to

12,000 words)
§  Concise review (approx. 5,000
words)

Abd  Karim  Alias@2010  [akarim@usm.my]