LEARNING FROM OTHERS AND REVIEWING THE LITERATURE

Lesson 4

Meaning of Review of Related Literature

Literature is an oral or written record of man’s significant experiences that are
artistically conveyed in a prosaic manner. Embodied in any literary work like essay, novel,
journal, story, biography, etc. are man’s best thoughts and feelings about the world.
These recorded or preserved world perceptions of man are expressed directly and
indirectly. Direct expressions of man’s knowledge of the world are in books, periodicals,
and online reading materials. Indirect expressions are his inferences or reflections of his
surroundings that are not written or spoken at all (Ridley, 2012).
A review of related literature is an analysis of man’s written or spoken knowledge
of the world. You examine representations of man’s thinking about the world to determine
the connection of your research with what people already know about it. In your analysis
or reading of recorded knowledge, you just do not catalog ideas in your research paper,
but also interpret them or merge your thinking with the author’s ideas. Hence, in doing
the RRL, you deal with both formal or direct and informal or indirect expressions of man’s
knowledge. Fusing your world understanding with the authors’ world perceptions enables
you to get a good analysis of existing written works that are related to your research
study (Wallman, 2014).

Purposes of Review of Related Literature (RRL)

• To obtain background knowledge of your research
• To relate your study to the current condition or situation of the world
• To show the capacity of your research to introduce new knowledge
• To expand, prove or disprove the findings of previous research studies
• To increase your understanding of the underling theories, principles or concepts
of your research
• To explain technical terms involved in your study
• To highlight the significance of your work with the evidence it gathered to support
the conclusion of your research
• To avoid repeating previous research studies
• To recommend the necessity of further research on a certain topic
Styles or Approaches of RRL or Review of Related Literature

1. Traditional Review of Literature

To do a review of literature in a traditional way is to summarize present forms of
knowledge on a specific subject. Your aim here is to give an expanded or new
understanding of an existing work. Being necessarily descriptive, interpretative,
evaluative, and methodically unclear and uncertain, a traditional review is prone
to your subjectivity. This kind of review does not require you to describe your
method of reviewing literature but expects you to state your intentions in
conducting the review and to name the sources of information.
2. Systematic Review of Literature
As indicated by its name, systematic, which means methodical, is a style of RRL
that involves sequential acts of a review of related literature. A systematic review
of literature is a rigorous way of obtaining data from written works. It is a bias-
free style that every researcher wanting to be a research expert should experience.
Limiting itself to peer-reviewed journals, academically written works, and
quantitative assessment of data through statistical methods, this style of literature
review ensures objectivity in every stage of the research (Fraenbell, 2012).

Literature is dispersed all throughout the research paper. However as a separate

section, the literature review is usually organized this way:
➢ Discussion of literature on the phenomenon being studied
➢ Discussion of previous studies done on the topic, their methods and main
findings
➢ Discussion on relevant theories about the topic
➢ Synthesis of the literature review and critical issues in the current existing
body of knowledge

THE PROCESS OF REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Your search for knowledge happens in every stage of your research work, but it is
in the research stage of review of related literature where you spend considerable time
searching knowledge about the topic. Exposed to various sources of knowledge and
conditioned by a timeframe of the research work, it is necessary that you adopt a certain
method in reviewing or reading varied works of literature that are related to your research
problem or topic. Going methodical in your review of related literature means you have
to go through the following related stages of the process of review of related literature
that are true for any style of review (traditional or systematic) that you want to adopt
(Lappuci, 2013; Robyler, 2013; Freinbell, 2012).
Stage 1- Search for Literature
This is the stage of review of related literature where you devote much of your
time in looking for sources of knowledge, data, or information to answer your research
questions or to support your assumptions about your research topic.
Types of Literature Sources
a. General References: These are sources that are first accessed by
researchers to give them wide sources of knowledge or information about
location of other sources
b. Primary Sources: These provide first-hand information about the experts’
and other researchers’ publications. These publications contain findings that
are directly communicated to the readers and interested parties.
c. Secondary Sources: These are written by authors that describe another
researcher’s works. These materials or documents may contain only
summaries or interpretations of the research reports rather than complete
description of them. Secondary sources have the most number of materials
such as Internet, books, peer-reviewed articles in journals, published literary
reviews, grey literature (unpublished and non-peer reviewed materials like
theses, dissertations, leaflets, posters, research studies in progress and
others)
*Note: Websites like Wikipedia and social media networks are not dependable sources
of information.

Stage 2- Reading the Source Material

Reading, understanding, or making the materials meaningful to you is what will
preoccupy you on the second stage of reading RRL. You can only benefit much from
your reading activities if you confront the reading materials with the help of your HOTS.
In understanding the sources of knowledge with your HOTS, you need to think
interpretatively through these ways of inferential thinking: predicting, generalizing,
concluding, and assuming. On top of these should be your ability to criticize or evaluate,
apply, and create things about what you have read. Hence, reading or making sense of
the source materials does not only make you list down ideas from the materials, but also
permits you to modify, construct, or reconstruct ideas based on a certain principle,
theory, pattern, method, or theme underlying your research.
Stage 3- Writing the Review
Connect and organize your evaluated and gathered sources by paraphrasing or
summarizing them. You also fuse use your own opinions with the authors’ ideas based
on the focus, theme or theory connected to your research. Write your RRL analytically,
argumentatively or critically and express your genuine or opinionated knowledge about
your topic.
Good Opening Sentences in Writing RRL
Examples of better article openings manifesting critical thinking through analysis,
comparison and contrast of ideas and findings are as follows:
One early work by (Castro, 2017) proves that...
Another study on the topic by (Torres, 2017) maintains that...
The latest study by (Gomez, 2018) reveals that...
A research study by (Rivera, 2017) explains that…
Coming from various books on literature review writing are the following transitional
devices and active verbs to link or express authors’ ideas in your paper. Using correct
words to link ideas will make you synthesize your literature review, in a way that
evidence coming from various sources of data, will present an overall understanding of
the context or of the present circumstances affecting the research problem.
➢ Transitional devices – also, additionally, again, similarly, a similar opinion,
however, conversely, on the other hand, nevertheless, a contrasting opinion, a
different approach, etc.
➢ Active verbs – analyze, argues, assess, assert, assume, claim, compare,
contrast, conclude, criticize, debate, defend, define, demonstrate, discuss,
distinguish, differentiate, evaluate, examine, emphasize, expand, explain, exhibit,
identify, illustrate, imply, indicate, judge, justify, narrate, outline, persuade,
propose, question, relate to, report, review, suggest, summarize.
Cardinal Principle in Research: “Acknowledge or recognize the owners of any form of
knowledge you intend to include in your research paper” (Hammersely & Traianou,
2012).

STANDARD STYLES IN REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE, CITATION, OR

REFERENCES
In reviewing related literature, you come to read varieties of reading materials
containing knowledge related to your research. It is a fact that these ideas, including the
language structures to express these ideas, belong to other people. They are not yours.
One cardinal principle in research is acknowledging or recognizing the owners of any form
of knowledge you intend to include in your research paper. Doing this practice signals
not just honesty and courtesy to learned people whose ideas lend information to your
paper, but also indicates your appreciation for their contribution to the field (Hammersely,
2013)
The following are the three terms used to express your appreciation for or
recognition of people’s ownership of borrowed ideas (Sharp 2012):
1. Acknowledgment – the beginning portion of the work that identifies
individuals who have contributed something for the production of the paper
2. References or Bibliography – a complete list of all reading materials,
including books, journals, periodicals, etc. from where the borrowed ideas
came from

3. Citation or In-text Citation – references within the main body of the text,
specifically in Review of Related Literature

Purposes of Citation
• To give importance and respect to other people for what they know about
• To give authority, validity and credibility to other people's claims, conclusions and
arguments
• To prove your broad and extensive reading of authentic and relevant materials
about your topic
• To help readers find or contact the sources of ideas easily
• To permit readers to check the accuracy of your work
• To save yourself from plagiarism

CITING SOURCES USING THE APA CITATION

APA is one of many referencing styles used in academic writing. APA stands for
American Psychological Association.
 I. General format for In-Text Citation (citation in the text of the
review of literature):
FOR SINGLE AUTHOR:
Author (year) Example: Perez (2002) suggested that…
(Author, year) Example: A study confirmed that caffeine can have significant effects on
mood and performance (Perez, 2002).
FOR TWO AUTHORS:
Author and author (year) Example: Research by Perez and Santos (2002) support…
(Author & author, year) Example: A study confirmed that caffeine can have significant
effects on mood and performance (Perez & Santos, 2002).
FOR THREE OR MORE AUTHORS: List only the first author ’s name followed by “et
al.”
Author et al. (year) Example: Research by Perez et al. (2002) support…
(Author et al., year) Example: A study confirmed that caffeine can have significant
effects on mood and performance (Perez et al., 2002).
FOR ORGANIZATION AS AUTHOR:
Organization (year) Example: According to the American Psychological Association
(2000),...
(Organization, year) or (Organization [abbreviation], year)
Example:
First citation: (American Psychological Association [APA], 2000)
Second citation: (APA, 2000)
CITING INDIRECT SOURCES
If you use a source that was cited in another source, name the original source in your
signal phrase. List the secondary source in your reference list and include the secondary
source in the parentheses. If you know the year of the original source, include it in the
citation.
Examples:
Johnson (1985) argued that... (as cited in Smith, 2003, p. 102).
(Johnson, 1985, as cited in Smith, 2003, p. 102).
 II. Elements required and general format for References:
FOR BOOKS:
Author(s) or editor(s). (year). Title of the book: Subtitle of book (Edition). City, State
abbreviation or Country of publication: Publisher.
Example:
Simban, J.H. (2012). Essentials of Hydroponics Farming. Cebu City, Philippines: Digital
Books.
Smart, I. M., Miller, T., & Fox, R. (2015). Fun with psychology: An introduction (2nd
ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
FOR ENCYCLOPEDIC WORK:
Title of Article. (Date). Title of the encyclopedia (Vol.#, pagination). Location: Publisher.
Example:
Musical instruments. (2010). In Collier Encyclopedia (Vol. 9, pp. 6-8). Chicago:
Britannica Publishing.
FOR DISSERTATION/ THESIS:
(Author,A. A.(Year). Title of dissertation or thesis (Unpublished doctoral dissertation or
master’s thesis).Name of the Institution, Location.
Example:
Oplas, N. G. (2015). Integration of social media in social studies curriculum
(Unpublished Master’s Thesis). UNO-Recoletos, Bacolod City.
FOR BOOK FOUND ONLINE:
Author, A.A. (2015). Title of the book (edition). doi: xxxx or Retrieved from http://
www. xxx
Example:
Sayre, R.K. , & Wodon, Q. (2015). Investment in early childhood development. doi:
10.1596/978-1-4648-0403-8
Buchanan, J.M. (2017). Democracy in deficit. Retrieved from
http://www.econlib.org/library/Buchanan/.html
FOR JOURNAL FORMAT:
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date). Title of the article. Title of the Journal,
volume(issue #), page number.
Example:
Smart, I. M., & Gear, L. (2010, May). Education reforms. Education Journal, 22(3), 130-
134.
FOR JOURNAL ONLINE ARTICLE WITH DOI
Author, A. A. (date). Title of the Article. Title of the Journal, volume(issue#),
Pagination. doi: 10.xxx xxx
Example:
Schoeman, H. (2009). Establishing a process for the creation of genetically modified
bacteria. Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 55 (8), 990-1002. doi: 10.1139/W09-
039
FOR ONLINE JOURNAL ARTICLE WITHOUT DOI USE RETRIEVED FROM
Author, A. A. (date). Title of the Article. Title of the Journal, volume(issue#),
pagination. Retrieved from URL.
Example:
Matthews, L. (2010). Columbia: U.S. acknowledges funding for fumigations in national
parks and protected areas. Amazon Update, 2(3), 98. Retrieved from
http://amazonalliance.org.html
FOR MAGAZINE FORMAT:
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year, Month, Day). Title of the article. Title of the
Journal, volume (issue #), page number.
Example:
Henry, W. A. (2015, March 3). Making the grade in today’s school. Time, 135(2), 15-20.
FOR MAGAZINE FOUND ONLINE:
Glausiusz, J. (2007, November). Better planet: Can a maligned pesticide save
lives? Discover Magazine, 20. Retrieved from http://discovermagazine.com/

FOR NEWSPAPER FORMAT:

With author:
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of the article. Title of the Newspaper, volume
(issue#), pagination
No author:
Title of the article. (Year, Month Day). Title of the Newspaper, volume (issue#),
pagination
Example:
With author:
Mercado, V. (2016, May 3). Digong warns drug pushers. The Philippine Star, 34 (87),
pp. 1, 4-5.
No author:
Freedom of information signed. (2016 July 24). The Philippine Daily Inquirer, 22 (2), p.
5.

FOR NEWSPAPER FOUND ONLINE:

Mitchell, T. (2009, June 5). Men's health. USA Today. Retrieved
from http://www.usatoday.com/
Basic Rules:
1. The reference list is arranged in alphabetical order of the authors’ last names.
2. If there is more than one work by the same author, order them by publication
date – oldest to newest.
3. The first line of the reference list entry is left-hand justified, while all subsequent
lines are consistently indented (hanging indention).
 4. Capitalize only the first word of the title and of the subtitle, if there is one, plus
any proper names – i. e. only those words that would normally be capitalized.
5. Italicize the title of the book, the title of the journal/serial and the title of the
web document.
6. Do not create separate lists for each type of information source. Books, articles,
web documents, brochures, etc. are all arranged alphabetically in one list.

STYLES OF CITATION
A. Integral Citation
This is one way of citing or referring to the author whose ideas appear in your
work. You are using active verbs like claim, assert, state , etc. to report the author's
ideas. This expresses the author's mental position, attitude, stand, or opinion in relation
to the information referred to. Often used in social sciences or any subjects belonging
to the soft sciences. Example:

APA MLA
One study by Manalo (2015) reveals... One study by (Manalo 70)
The latest work by Lee (2015) asserts... The latest work by (Lee 123)
According to Abad et al. (2015) context is... According to (Abad et al.: 54)

B. Non-Integral Citation
Contrary to the integral citation, this second citation style downplays the strength
of the writer's personal characteristics. The stress is given to the piece of information
rather than to the owner of the ideas. Examples:

APA
The Code of Ethics for Intercultural Competence give four ways by which people from different
cultural background can harmoniously relate themselves with one another (De la Cruz, 2015).
The other components of Intercultural Competence which are also present in SFG are: context
(Harold, 2015), appropriateness (Villar, Marcos, Atienza, 2016; Santos, and Daez, 2016), and
emotions (Flores, 2016).

PATTERNS OF CITATION
A. Summary
The citation in this case is a shortened version of the original text that is expressed in
your own language. Making the text short, you have to pick out only the most
important ideas or aspects of the text.
 B. Paraphrase
This is the antithesis of the first one because instead of shortening the form of the text,
you explain what the text means using your own words. In doing so, it is possible that
your explanations may decrease or exceed the number of words of the original text.

C. Short Direct Quotation

Only a part of the author’s sentence, the whole sentence, or several sentences, not
exceeding 40 words, is what you can quote or repeat in writing through this citation
pattern. Since this makes you copy the exact words of the writer, it is necessary that
you give the number of the page where the readers can find the copied words.
Example:
Contexts is influenced by these four factors: “language, culture, institutions, and
ideologies.” (Aranda, 2015, p.8)

D. Long Direct Quotation/Block Quotation/ Extract

Named in many ways, this citation pattern makes you copy the author's exact words
numbering from 40 up to 100 words. Under APA, the limit is eight lines. Placed at the
center of the page with no indention, the copied lines look like they compose a stanza
of a poem.
EXAMPLE:
The latest study by Hizon (2015) reveals the social nature of language. Stressing
this nature of language, he says:
Language features a result from the way people use language to meet their social needs. In their
interactions, they use language to describe, compare, agree, explain, disagree, and so on. (p.38)

E. Tense of Verbs for Reporting

Active verbs are effective words to use in reporting authors’ ideas. Present their
ideas in any of these tenses: present, simple past, or present perfect tense. The APA
system, however, prefers the use of present perfect tense.
Examples:
Present tense – Marcos explains...
Past tense – Marcos explained...
Present perfect tense – Marcos has explained...
 ETHICAL STANDARDS IN WRITING RELATED LITERATURE

There are three broad issues that need to be considered when writing the literature review.

1. Plagiarism
Plagiarism is an act of claiming another’s work or copying a portion of someone else’s
writing. If copying another researcher’s ideas cannot be avoided, proper citation must
be done. In most universities, plagiarism is a breach of the student code of conduct and
can result in failure of the course subjects or even expulsion from the institution. To
avoid such consequences, care and adequate referencing must be observed in writing
any academic or research documents.

2. Self-Plagiarism
Self-plagiarism is defined when the researchers reuse their own work or data in a new
written product without letting the readers know that the manuscript already appeared
in another literature. The practice of text recycling, copyright infringement and
publishing what is substantially the same paper in more than one research journal
without any indication that it has been published already, or dividing an extensive study
into smaller published researches are major problems on self-plagiarism.

3. Copyright
For researchers who want their papers published in conventional journals, the usual
agreement is for the copyright of the researcher’s work to be transferred to the
publisher of the journal. In this case, the publisher of the journal can reproduce and
distribute the research legally. However, most journals nowadays maintain the
researcher’s ownership, but both parties agreed on the journal’s right to publish and
reuse the manuscript. In case of “Open Access” journals, researchers agree to allow free
dissemination of one’s work without their permission.