Chapter 4

The Critical Literature Review

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 Literature Review
• A literature review is “the selection of
available documents … on the topic, which
contain information, ideas, data and evidence
… and the effective evaluation of these
documents in relation to the research being
proposed” (Hart, 1998, p. 13).

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 Literature Review
• A literature review should do several things:

1. Summarize the results of past research on

the topic.
2. Identify areas of controversies.
3. Identify unanswered questions (research
gaps).

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 Functions Literature Review
• Research builds on existing knowledge
• One does “reinvent the wheel”
• Find out what variables are important to consider
• Introduce relevant terminology/provide
definitions
• Provide arguments for the proposed relationships
• Testability and replicability are enhanced.
• Research findings are related to findings of
others.
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 Ask yourself
• What is the scope of my literature review? What types of publications am I using
(e.g., journals, books, government documents, popular media)? What discipline
am I working in (e.g., psychology, sociology, political science)?

• How good was my search? Has my search been wide enough to ensure I've found
all the relevant material? Has it been narrow enough to exclude irrelevant
material? Is the number of sources I've used appropriate? Are they current?

• Have I critically analyzed the literature I use? Instead of just listing and
summarizing items, do I assess them, discussing strengths and weaknesses?

• Have I cited and discussed studies contrary to my perspective?

• Will the reader find my literature review relevant, appropriate, and useful?

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 Documentation of Lit Review
Your conducting research on leadership. You can
use one of the following strategies to organize your
lit review section:
• Organizing your writing by time (chronology)-
you first discuss early leadership theories such as
the Great Man Theory (19th century) than you
discuss Behavioral theories (1950s). Than you
move on to contingency theories (1960s and 70s),
transformational theory (1990s) and finally
servant and ethical leadership.
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 Documentation of Lit Review
• Organizing your writing by issue or theme- For
example, contingency theories versus
deterministic theories. Another example could
be behavior-based versus trait-based theories
of leadership.

• Chose the strategy that makes sense to your

purpose.

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 Literature sources
• Textbooks
• Academic and professional journals
• Theses
• Conference proceedings
• Unpublished manuscripts
• Reports of government departments and
corporations
• Newspapers
• The Internet
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