Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion Quarter 3 – Module 5: Synthesizing Review of Related Literature

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master the nature of Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion. The scope of this
module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are
arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course.

This is comprised of two different lessons that are congruent to one another. These are the following:

At the end of the lessons, you are expected to:

1. evaluate the information cited on your RRL;

2. identify the gaps, themes, and ideas conveyed by the sources on your RRL; and
3. write down the synthesis of your Review of Related Literature.

Lesson 1 Synthesizing Review of Related Literature

As the researcher progresses on the paper that she writes, it is just right that she must conduct a synthesis of RRL for her to be able to identify the strength and
weaknesses of each of the sources that she has cite on her manuscript. Most of the student-researcher nowadays takes a hard time to scholarly synthesize an
information.

Let us discuss in a comprehensible way on how you will synthesize all the information that you have on your Review of Related Literature.

Synthesizing an RRL must demonstrate a critical analysis of the papers or sources that the researcher collected, as well as, it must show the ability of the
researcher to integrate the results of her analysis on Chapter II. A synthesis must also be evaluated and weighed critically. Moreover, it is an advanced reading
technique or skill that requires critical analysis, creativity, and insightful mind of a researcher. It also contrasts and combines information and ideas from the
gathered sources of the researcher. It also gives an integration of information from different sources to highlight important points of connection and
relatedness, to address similarities and According differences and draw conclusion. Synthesizing a collection of RRL combines parts and elements from a variety
of sources into one unified and integrated entity.

How to synthesize a review of Related Literature?

In a person’s daily routine, they always experience synthesizing information from different sources, such as from the stories you have heard from a new source
and discussions about the same topic with others.

Below are the steps on how to synthesize a Review of Related Literature.

1. Digest the material and understand the content of the sources.

In this process, you have to determine and identify similarities among the articles by group in terms of concepts, patterns, and relationship. You may ask these
questions within yourself.

-Did the author used similar conceptual and theoretical framework, sample participants, methodologies, or instruments and procedures to collect data?

-How and in what way are the findings similar?

-Are there any studies that served as an extension of another study?

Remember you should be noting not only the articles that are similar but how they are similar.

2. Review and critically analyze the sources.

This second step may determine the differences and contradictions among the articles by group. You can ask these questions to yourself.

-Did the authors used different conceptual and theoretical framework, sample participants, methodologies, or instruments and procedures to collect data?
-How and in what ways are the findings different and contradictory?

3. Synthesize the content of the information that you have gathered.

It means going beyond your critique to determine the relationships or patterns among sources, identifying then comparing and contrasting common concepts or
themes.
This step determines general observations and conclusions about each topic given the relationship inferred from the group of articles within each topic. It also
determines the existence of any reoccurring concepts, relationships, patterns, or themes and if any of these are in need of further inquiry.

For instance, on your three different sources you have found out different themes such as theme A, theme B, and theme C. You might compare and contrast
things on those three themes that emerged on your sources. Consequently, it may also happen that there is one seminal study done that all other researchers
expanded upon. If you will to ask if there are overall themes that are used in a review of related literature, the answer is whatever the theme or pattern
appeared on your information gathered, try to infer beyond what was indicated on your collection of sources. In order for you to have a well-developed
synthesis of your study, one must use their ability of having the “higher ordered thinking skills”. Through your HOTS you will be able to write objectively and
constructively. Also, you can provide ideas clearly, logically organized, and focused writing.

Note: A key element to make a good synthesis of review of related literature is the integration, which is about making connections between and among ideas
and concepts. It is about applying what you have researching within a larger framework, thereby providing you a new way of looking onto a phenomenon.
Here is a diagram which will help you synthesize and analyze your literature review.

Method Results

Using mlearning apps

To address the attrition issue Online literature review
and use of cloud
and increase the learning
services.
Panigrahi et.al. outcome
(2018

A strong positive
To examine performance in an Data of Measures of
What is the background of the relationship between
online course in relationship to interaction and presence and
researcher’s
Picciano participant?
(2002) students perception of
student’s interaction. measures of performance their interaction in the
-accessibility on the internet
course

Example of Synthesis of Review of Related Literature

The studies mentioned above, focussed on finding out the connection of students performance while students were engaged in an online class. They further
noted that while a student has an access to education using online media, it may gleaned that a student can perform well on his academics. In addition, both of
the studies above shown that there is really an impact between students’ performance and online distance learning.