RES 1N Prefinal Module 2

Learning Objectives:
1. Write a comprehensive literature review.

Lesson Content
Writing the Review of Related Literature

Related Literature
• Composed of discussions of facts and principles to which the present study is related
• Materials which are usually printed and found in books, encyclopedias, professional journals,
magazines, newspapers, and other publications

The RRL is “the use of ideas in the literature to justify the particular approach to the topic, the selection of
methods, and demonstration that this research contributes something new. (Hart, 1998)”

1. It helps shape the research

- earlier studies can help you identify a research problem;
- broaden your knowledge in the research area;
- provides important clues/leads to help you determine the topic of inquiry;
- shows “what is already known” vs. “what needs to be known”;
- provides the foundation and justification for your research problem;

2. It provides the bigger picture

- shares with the reader the results of other studies that are closely related to the proposed study;
-relates the proposed study to the on-going conversation on the topic;
- provides the reader a benchmark for comparing your study with other studies;
- helps the reader identify & appreciate the value-added information of your study (originality).

IMPORTANCE, PURPOSES, AND FUNCTIONS OF RELATED LITERATURE

1. It helps or guides the researcher in searching for or selecting a better research problem or topic
2. It helps the investigator understand his topic or research better.
3. It ensures that there will be no duplication of other studies.
4. It provides the conceptual or theoretical framework of the planned research
5. It gives the researcher a feeling of confidence
6. It provides information about the research methods used
7. It provides findings and conclusions of past investigations

CHARACTERISTICS OF RELATED LITERATURE MATERIALS

1. The surveyed materials must be as recent as possible

2. Materials reviewed must be objective and unbiased
3. Materials surveyed must be relevant to the study
4. Surveyed materials must have been based upon genuinely original and true facts or data to make them valid
and reliable.

HOW TO CONDUCT THE REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

• Visit the school library or other libraries in the vicinity. Browse over books, magazines,
journals, etc. Be patient.
 • Do a computer-aided search through an electronic database.
– Google Scholar
– Website of journals; Botanicus

• Ask for reprints from experts

• Take down notes on index card or research notebook. Begin organizing your notes by
devising sections and headings such as:
a. General Information
b. Methods in other studies
c. Support for Objectives 1 and 2.
d. Results to compare with mine.
e. Pros and cons of controversy

• write all bibliographic information, i.e.,

author(s), complete title, publisher, date and place of publication, and so on

HOW TO WRITE THE REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

1. Use headings arranged in logical order to indicate main points

2. Avoid too long introduction to your main topic.
3. Include information that are directly related and relevant to your topic.
4. A maximum of half-page (double-space) must constitute one paragraph
5. Do not copy in to the information from your source. No more than 10% of the entire paper is allowed for
direct quotation.
6. Give due credit to the real source of your data. Cite the authors at the end of the sentence.
7. Paraphrase using your own words and style the data gathered.
8. Summarize important points from your sources and relate them to your topic.
9. Reinforce your data with selected figures or statistics from your course.

Characteristics of the Review

1. The text of the review should be brief and to the point. To ensure brevity and conciseness, you have to
summarize or paraphrase important points. Avoid direct quotations of the author’s ideas or the results of the
studies you are reviewing.

2. Have a plan on how you are to present the review. Prepare an outline before finally writing the review. This
will ensure coherence and unity of ideas presented. The problem you are going to work on can serve as your
outline for discussion of related literature and studies that are relevant to your proposed research.

3. Emphasize relatedness. Keep the reader aware of the manner in which the literature you are discussing is
related to your problem and try to point out what that relationship is.

4. Review the literature, don’t reproduce it. Refrain from copying verbatim what authors and researchers say.
Critically review and discuss the literature in relation to your research work.

Approaches in writing the review

1. Chronological
Literature and studies are presented according to the year they were written.
Sample outline:
A. Introduction
B. Recent literature & studies
C. Least recent literature & studies
D. Synthesis of the review

2. Thematic
Literature and studies with the same findings are grouped together.

Sample outline:
A. Introduction
B. Studies on independent variable
C. Studies on major dependent variables
D. Synthesis of the review

3. Country of origin
Literature and studies are categorized based on the country/continent where they came from.

Sample outline:
A. Introduction
B. Foreign studies
C. Local studies
D. Synthesis of the review

Synthesis of the Literature and Studies

The synthesis of the reviewed literature and studies points out the similarities and differences of the
reviewed studies to the present study in terms of the specific problem, theoretical framework of the study,
variables methodology, statistical analysis, etc. in this part, the researcher does not need to stipulate anymore
the year of publication or date in which the study has been conducted.

Some notes:
• It is in the introduction where you make your readers aware of your approach in presenting the
related literature;
• It is the synthesis where you specify the uniqueness of your study vis-à-vis the literature you
had just discussed in the review.

References:
Bautista, Victoria (2000). Research and Public Management. UP Open University: Los Baños.

Creswell, John (1994). Research Design: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Sage Publications:
California.

Hart, C. (1998). Doing a literature review: Releasing thesocial science research imagination.

London,UK: Sage Publications.