BUS327

LITERATURE
REVIEW

Presentation by Dr Mayowa Agboola

 Objectives

Meaning of literature review

Importance of literature review
Sources of literature review
Steps involved in the literature review
Guidelines for review of literature
Things to avoid in the review of the literature
Content of literature review

Presentation by Dr Mayowa Agboola

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 INTRODUCTION
Writing a good research project requires the researcher to understand
the technicality behind the chosen topic.
The researcher needs to have adequate knowledge of the area THEY
WANT to research on.

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 cont'd
This can only be achieved through a review of
related literature on the chosen topic.
A review of the relevant literature, therefore,
guides all good research and writing. A
researcher’s literature review is the mechanism
by which his or her research is viewed as a
cumulative process. That makes it an integral
component of the scientific process.

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cont'd
Literature means writings while the body
of literature is all the published writings
in the area of research.
Body of literature is a collection of
published information and data relevant to
a research question and research problem.

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 cont'd

Choosing a research topic

helps a researcher to
know the area and
direction to source the
relevant literature.

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what is literature review?

Literature review is an essential part

of any academic research project.
The review is a careful examination of
a body of literature pointing towards
providing answers to a research
topic's research questions and
problem.

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cont'd

It is the gathering of information as

regards the chosen topic of a research
project that will enable one to
address the stated research
questions.
Identification of the research problem
is not an end in itself.

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cont'd

It is the identification of a gap

in the literature.
It helps researchers to know
the area he or she will channel
the search of the relevant
literature.

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cont'd

It is a process that involve a

systemic identification,
location and analysis of
documents that has
information about the
researcher’s area of interest
(Oshodi, Asikhia and Asikhia,
2007).

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cont'd

It is a process because it follows

some steps in which the researcher
tries to identify, locate and evaluate
previous studies and make
observations, options and
comments related to the research
(Oshodi, Asikhia and Asikhia, 2007).

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Importance of Literature Review

Oshodi, Asikhia and Asikhia (2007) outlined

the following as the importance of literature
review;
1. Definition of research problems: A
review of related literature helps
the researcher properly define or
state his or her research problems
to focus on the chosen topic.

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cont'd

2. Variable identification:
Literature review will help a
researcher identify the
important and unimportant
variables related to the research
topic.

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cont'd

3. Determination of the relationships

between the variables: It is important to
know the relationships between the
identified variables. A literature review
helps the researcher to do this so as to
distinguish between independent and
dependent variables

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cont'd

4. Historical trends of the topic:

Literature review helps a researcher to
identify the past works that relate to the
study. This is important as it will help he
or she to be able to identify gaps in
literature, have proper insight on the
subject area, understand the reason(s)
behind the research hypothesis, identify
the significance of the study and scope of
the study.

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cont'd

5. Structure of the research

design: Literature review helps
a researcher to formulate the
strategies and design the
structure required to carry out
the research for quick
completion of the study.

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cont'd

6. Determination of the
measuring instruments: Review
of relevant literature helps a
research to determine the
instruments necessary for the
data collection.

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cont'd

7. Researcher’s Focus: A review

of literature helps the
researcher to be focused and
determine the areas of
limitation and delimitation of
the study.

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cont'd

8. Discovering of the research

findings: Literature review helps
a researcher to discover and
interpret the findings of the study
so as to draw inference as
regards recommendations and
conclusion of the study.

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Sources of Literature Review

THERE ARE BASICALLY TWO MAJOR

SOURCES OF LITERATURE REVIEW;

PRIMARY SECONDARY
SOURCES SOURCES

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 primary sources

PRIMARY SOURCES OF
LITERATURE REVIEW ENABLE
A RESEARCHER TO HAVE
DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE
EVENT OR THE
PHENOMENON UNDER
OBSERVATION FOR
INFORMATION GATHERING.

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 cont'd

In most cases, students’

research reports and
researchers’ reports
published or unpublished are
very good examples of
primary sources of literature
review

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 secondary sources

The secondary sources of literature review

typically include scholarly journals, scholarly
books, authoritative databases. It also
includes newspapers, magazines,
periodicals, encyclopedias, dictionaries,
educational index, other books, films, and
audio and video tapes, and other secondary
sources that have to do with the research
topic.

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 Steps involved in
Literature Review
A review of several pieces of literature allows
a researcher to gain more knowledge about
the area under study, find out theories that
relate to the topic, test these theories to
explain the world and which might even let
the researcher predict the future of the
phenomena successfully.

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 cont'd

According to Hassan (1995), cited in

(Oshodi, Asikhia and Asikhia (2007), the
following steps are involved in the
literature review:
Operationalise the topic to identify
the variables involved.
Break the research problems of the
study into manageable units based on
the hypotheses.

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 cont'd

Identify the sources for the

materials for the review.
Search out the titles and abstracts
related to the topic through
published articles, unpublished
articles, dissertations or thesis.

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 cont'd
Concentration on the primary
sources and documents to
ensure accuracy of the
information gathered.
Abstracting the different
articles sourced so as to
sumamarize articles or
materials in a concise manner.

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 cont'd
Analyze the reference materials
according to the researcher’s
topic and identified variables.
Determine the relationships
between the analysed
references to identify
similarities and differences
among them and avoid
contradictions that could arise
in the study.

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 cont'd
Discuss reference materials that
are general in nature before
specific ones.
Make a brief summary of the
literature and its implication to
the study area.
Identify gaps in the literature
and make suggestions for
further studies.

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Guidelines for Review of
Literature According to Ary et al (1972) cited
in Ojo (2005), the following are the
guidelines for the review of relevant
literature;
Begin with the most recent
studies in the area of the study
Start with the abstract to
determine the relevance of the
article.
Note the sections that are
related to the research
questions.

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cont'd
Make notes on file cards
Write out a complete bibliography
for each work.
Indicate the parts of the note that
are direct quotations from the
author and the ones to paraphrase.
Ensure ALL citations (both direct or
paraphrased quotations) are
referenced to avoid the case of
plagiarism.

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 Things to avoid in Literature
Review
Do not rely totally on secondary
materials
Do not be in a hurry to conclude
or finish your research work. This
is why appropriate time is
allocated to students’ project
writing.
Do not concentrate only on one
source in search of information
for your literature review. Ensure
all sources are covered.

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 cont'd

Avoid the procrastination of

writing your references at a
later time.
Avoid copying or writing all
someone’s opinion in the
articles sourced into your work
in the name of literature review.

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 cont'd

Avoid concentrating only on

the findings of other people’s
work and using them as your
findings.
Avoid writing a too-narrow or
too-broad literature review.

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 cont'd

BY ALL MEANS, AVOID

PLAGIARISM: That is using
someone’s opinion,
statement, comments, ideas,
findings, suggestions,
recommendations, conclusion
and style of writing as if they
are yours.

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 Features of a good
Literature Review
The following are the features of
a good literature review
1. Focused
2. Concise
3. Logical
4. Properly Developed
5. Integrative
6. Current

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Content of Literature Review
The content of a literature review helps the
researcher to search out answers to these
questions:
What is known about the subject?
What is the chronology of the
development of knowledge about the
subject?
Are there any gaps in knowledge of the
subject? Which openings for research
have been identified by other
researchers? How do I intend to bridge
the gaps?

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cont'd
Is there a consensus on relevant
issues? Or is there significant
debate on issues? What are the
various positions?
What is the most fruitful
direction I can see for the
research due to the literature
review? What directions are
indicated by the work of other
researchers?

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 cont'd
The content of a literature review
is, therefore, a function of its
components:
a search through the literature
and
the writing of the review.

In writing the review, the researcher should

endeavour to communicate the following;
Conceptual Framework: This
contains all the themes, sub-
themes and concepts that have
to do with the variables of the
topic.
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 cont'd
​

Theoretical Framework:
This contains the theories
that underpin the research
work. Theorists involved,
researchers that have used
and the application of the
theory to the current study.
Empirical Framework: This
contains the views of different
authors and researchers as
regards the topic under study.
This must be related to the
specific objectives of the study.

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 CONCLUSION
Although in research, nothing is absolutely black or white.
The researcher is the only person that can determine what is
satisfactory, relevant, significant or important in the context of his or
her research.

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 THANK YOU

41 Presentation by Dr Mayowa Agboola