RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Unit- II
What is Literature review

A literature review can be an informative, critical, and useful synthesis of a

particular topic. It can identify what is known (and unknown) in the subject area,

identify areas of controversy or debate, and help formulate questions that need

further research. There are several commonly used formats for literature reviews,

including systematic reviews conducted as primary research projects; reviews

written as an introduction and foundation for a research study, such as a thesis or

dissertation; and reviews as secondary data analysis research projects. Regardless

of the type, a good review is characterized by the author’s efforts to evaluate and

critically analyze the relevant work in

A literature review is a comprehensive summary of previous research on a topic. The
literature review surveys scholarly articles, books, and other sources relevant to a particular
area of research. The review should enumerate, describe, summarize, objectively evaluate and
clarify this previous research. It should give a theoretical base for the research and help you
(the author) determine the nature of your research. The literature review acknowledges the
work of previous researchers, and in so doing, assures the reader that your work has been well
conceived. It is assumed that by mentioning a previous work in the field of study, that the
author has read, evaluated, and assimiliated that work into the work at hand.
A literature review creates a "landscape" for the reader, giving her or him a full understanding
of the developments in the field. This landscape informs the reader that the author has indeed
assimilated all (or the vast majority of) previous, significant works in the field into her or his
research.
"In writing the literature review, the purpose is to convey to the reader what knowledge and
ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. The
literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (eg. your research objective, the
problem or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list
of the material available, or a set of summaries
 Effective literature studies approaches
A systematic literature review is a means of identifying, evaluating and
interpreting all available research relevant to a particular research
question, or topic area, or phenomenon of interest. Individual studies
contributing to a systematic review are called primary studies;
a systematic review is a form a secondary study.
With so much information available, searching and locating good
literature on your topic can be challenging. Five steps will provide a
sense of how researchers proceed in reviewing the literature are:
1. Identify key terms to use in your search for literature.
2. Locate literature about a topic by consulting several types of
materials and databases, including those available at an academic
library and on the Internet.
3. Critically evaluate and select the literature for your review.
4. Organize the literature you have selected by abstracting or taking
notes on the literature and developing a visual diagram of it.
5. Write a literature review that reports summaries of the literature for
inclusion in your research report.
 • A systematic review is a literature review focused on
a research question that tries to identify, appraise,
select and synthesize all high quality research evidence
relevant to that question.
Reasons for Performing Systematic Reviews
• To summarise the existing evidence concerning a
treatment or technology e.g. to summarise the
empirical evidence of the benefits and limitations of a
specific agile method. • To identify any gaps in current
research in order to suggest areas for further
investigation. • To provide a framework/background in
order to appropriately position new research activities.
However, systematic reviews can also be undertaken to
examine the extent to which empirical evidence
supports/contradicts theoretical hypotheses, or even
to assist the generation of new hypotheses
Types of Literature Reviews
There are several commonly used formats for literature reviews that will be discussed in brief.
However, this article will concentrate on the literature review as a secondary data analysis
leading to a publishable piece of work.
Systematic Reviews
The systematic review is related to the meta-analysis, which is an attempt to quantitatively
condense the results from several papers into a single statistic [5]. Creating a systematic
review allows for increased power and precision in estimating effects and risks. In addition,
the systematic review is an invaluable practice tool. Large quantities of information can be
evaluated and synthesized into a shorter document. This allows clinicians to keep abreast of
new developments without having to track down and read several long reports. Organizations
or policy makers can use systematic reviews to help formulate guidelines to promote the use
of best evidence in practice
Secondary Data Analysis Projects
This type of review is a research project in its own right and therefore should be conducted
with appropriate rigour. The secondary data review can be undertaken whether there is little
known about a subject or where there is a wealth of information available. Either way, the
researcher should begin with a clear statement of purpose or a research question [1]. The
approach to organizing and analyzing the data acquired in the secondary data search is more
qualitative in nature and the material is often organized by theme
. Introduction to a Primary Research Topic
The literature review is used to set the scene for a primary research topic and therefore can
be fairly concise. This preliminary evaluation should also serve to convince the reader that
the researcher has considered the previous published work on the topic and that the new
research they have conducted is important and adds to this body of knowledge. The
argument moves from a broad and general appraisal to a more specific examination of the
pertinent issues [8]. This sort of review is essential to introduce the study and provides a
foundation for the author to formulate a discussion of the results.
 WHAT IS PLAGIARISM?
When an individual lifts someone else’s intellectual works such as ideas, opinions, art
designs, or writings as such or in a modified form and passes them off as his/her own original
work with or without permission, it is called plagiarism. This is nothing but some kind of
kidnapping or stealing as the etymology of the word shows. Plagiarism committed by
students, teachers, and scientists is a major problem in academic and research institutions.
The failure on their part to acknowledge other people’s ideas and statements must be viewed
as an academic offence. The word plagiarism is frightening to the students as quite often they
are caught and penalized for unintentional plagiarism! In most instances, they do so as they
are not aware or not taught properly how to make plagiarism-free materials.
Plagiarism: how many types?
n the academic world, plagiarism happens in many ways. For example, when students write
an assignment, seminar paper, or thesis, they may copy whole paragraphs or sentences
from books and articles and use them as such for their works. Such kinds of copying texts,
ideas, concepts, research results, statistical tables, computer programmes designs, images,
sounds, or any combination of these come under the purview of plagiarism. The extent of
plagiarism can range from copying a single sentence or a part of it to a whole work as one’s
own. The following are explicit examples of plagiarism.

1. Copying sentences or paragraphs from books and articles without quotation marks
2. Copying from Internet sources through “cut and paste”
3. Taking credit for a work created or done by somebody else
4. Making simple grammatical or word-order cosmetic changes to borrowed material
and representing it as one’s own work
5. Imperfect paraphrasing of the works of another person with minor changes, keeping
the meaning, form, and progression of ideas of the original
6. Patching up works of others into a new one
7. Producing a written work as independent work when it has actually been produced
with unacknowledged help of another person.
8. Using any of your own previously published works such as texts, articles, and
research results, and make it look new (self-plagiarism)
The above types of plagiarism can be grouped into seven categories; of these, AMA
(2007) lists four types— direct plagiarism, mosaic plagiarism, paraphrase plagiarism, and
insufficient acknowledgment. Along with these, three more common types can be added—
complete plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and accidental plagiarism.
Direct plagiarism: In direct plagiarism, copying of whole paragraphs or longer
passages from another source is done without quotation marks as though it is their creation.
This type of plagiarism can be detected easily by using plagiarism checking software and
comparing similarity index.
Paraphrase plagiarism: Probably, this is the most common type of plagiarism,
wherein, the author paraphrases or restates a part of someone else's work, but without citing
the source.
Mosaic plagiarism: This is a case of appropriating phrases from other sources or
using synonyms to change some words or parts of a sentence; but general structure of the
work remains the same. This kind of patch writing, whether intentional or not, is not a good
academic practice.
Insufficient acknowledgment: In certain works, the authors may have mentioned the
original source of only part of what has been taken or they may not have cited the source
suitably. In both cases, the authors failed to acknowledge adequately, and the reader would
not understand what is original and what has been borrowed.
Complete plagiarism: If you appropriate someone else’s article as such and publish it
under your name, it is a case of complete plagiarism. It is the most heinous form of
plagiarism. Students sometimes commit complete plagiarism, for example, by submitting a
copy of the assignment of another student as his/her own.

Self-plagiarism: This occurs when the author uses his/her own previous works such
as texts, articles, and research results for a new work without mentioning that they have been
published before. Most students publish papers based on their Masters and Doctoral thesis
work, and these are permitted and encouraged. However, if the individual is producing a
paper using the data of works already published, it is a clear case of self-plagiarism.

Accidental plagiarism: This is unintentional and includes the problems such as

neglecting to cite the sources, misquoting the sources, or inadvertently using the source by
similar words, groups of words, or sentence structure without attribution. Sometimes
 To avoid inadvertent plagiarism, get familiar with good academic practices including
the art of good technical writing. Use proper language and styles, and learn to paraphrase
properly. Learn to use citation in the correct format, both in-text citation and listing of
sources Careful preparation of notes with full details of authors and publications is essential
for proper citation. You can also use a suitable plagiarism checking software (free or priced)
to detect and correct plagiarized materials, which inadvertently crept into your work.
Some popular techniques to avoid plagiarism are discussed below under the
following heads. When you attempt an essay, research paper, or other works such as text
books you may have to use some or all of these techniques.
❖Acknowledge sources appropriately

❖Paraphrasing

❖Direct and indirect quotations

❖Summarizing

❖Evaluation of text

❖Use of plagiarism checking software

Report Writing in Research Methodology:
A report is a well-written formal document that briefly describes the process and
findings of a research. It outlines the systematic investigation, recommendations, and
gaps that need further inquiry. A well-crafted research report tells you about all the
main areas of a research process. In this article, we will talk about how to write a
report in research methodology.
Importance of a report in research methodology
Below are some points that make the report crucial in research methodology:
Knowledge transfer
A report contributes to the existing knowledge. Through this report, we can
communicate effectively with the findings of the investigation.
Identification of knowledge gaps
A research report identifies knowledge gaps that can be investigated further. The
report shows what and how much has been done.
presents information precisely
A research report makes you able to show research information in a concise and
precise manner.
Time-efficient
A report is a time-efficient document because you don’t have to spend much time
detailing the findings. Rather, it is written briefly and you can send it through email to
the concerned people.
Structure of a report in research methodology
You can write the report in the following structure:
Title
The title of your research should point to the objectives, aims, and findings of your systematic
investigation.
Table of contents
The table of contents will make the readers able to navigate your research report.
Abstract
In the abstract section, the reader can have an overview of the important aspects of research
such as method, data collection, and findings. While writing the abstract you should follow the
format of 5ws and 1H; what, where, when, who, why, and how.
Introduction
You can write aims and the problems that become the cause of your research. You should also
indicate whether you have achieved your objectives of the research or it requires further work.
Literature review
In a literature review, you will write a survey that highlights existing knowledge about the
research topic. In the literature review, you can present the research hypothesis and its
implications.
Investigation
In this portion of the investigation, write in-depth information briefly about the research
process that includes methodology, data collection, sample, research subjects, and analysis.
Findings
In this portion, you are expected to show the results and findings of your systematic
investigation.
Discussion
Now, you will further explain the results of the research that you outlined earlier. Justify for
each finding and show whether the outcomes are according to the hypothesis or not.
Conclusion
Finally, you will write a summary of your research in which you will talk about the whole report
of research methodology.
Reference and appendices
In this section, mention all the primary and secondary sources used during research.
PREPARING A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Before any research project begins, detailed plans are essential. Designing and planning a
whole research project involves choosing a researchable, significant topic and preparing a
well developed research proposal. Both of these activities need to be carried out under the
guidance of your supervisor/s and the earlier this planning takes place in your candidature the
better. During this time your supervisors will advise on methodological issues and reading
material that will help you to refine your research project. Ultimately, a good proposal serves
as a valuable direction finder that helps the researcher to get going on their project with more
confidence. After admission to candidature, you as a higher degree research student are
required to refine your preliminary research proposal and present for approval a more
detailed proposal. This will occur within the first six months of candidature for full-time
students and within twelve months for part-time students, either preceding or as part of your
Confirmation of Candidature, a process which ensures that only research studies that meet
the rigor required will be allowed to proceed. Choosing and developing a researchable topic
and securing a tight fit between methodological framework and nature of the problem to be
researched involves a high level of conceptualisation. Discussions and negotiations between
you and you supervisor at this stage are therefore of vital importance.
 Creating a good research proposal Most novice researchers ask what an outline of a proposal
might look like. If exemplars of good proposals are available, it will pay you to study these
before you set out developing yours. You would do well to keep the following principles in
mind when developing your proposal:
1. A good proposal explains clearly three elements – what research is intended, why it is
being researched and how the researcher proposes to carry out the research
2. . 2. A good proposal is straightforward. The first words are of vital importance. They need
to get to the point directly without ‘beating around the bush’. There should be a succinct
statement of what the study proposes to do at the start (written in the future tense),
something like, ‘This study will examine …’ or ‘This study aims to …’.
3. 3. A good proposal uses clear and precise language. While not meant to be a literary
masterpiece, all readers with a knowledge of the subject need to be able to understand
exactly what is meant in the most concise language possible
4. . A good proposal should be clearly organised. It should be written in simple, logical, prose
with clear headings and subheadings to mark out major sections. What follows is a general
guide for putting together a more highly developed proposal in the social sciences areas.
Guidelines for creating a well developed research proposal
The following elements are important to include: Research topic
• Title of the project
• Nature of the problem or issue under examination (the focus of the study)
• Proposed aims and objectives and research questions/hypotheses Background and
context of the study
• How did the problem or issue arise?
• Why is this an important area to study? The significance of the study needs to be
stated and comments on the practical and/or theoretical value of the research included.
• Include any underlying assumptions.
• Provide definitions of key terms or concepts used.
• Point out the limitations imposed (the boundaries set). Methodology
• A tight fit between aims of the study and research strategy chosen must be evident.
• Include statements on:
• research strategy (e.g., qualitative, quantitative) and justification for approach;
• research methods (e.g. survey, case study, ethnography, experimental);
• tools of data collection (e.g., questionnaire, interviews, focus groups, documentary
analysis);
• location and availability of data;
• methods of data analysis and interpretation;
• ethical implications (if relevant); and
• any problems that may be encountered in the conduct of the research.
Literature review (or a general introduction to the topic of 3-5 pages if in experimental
sciences)
• Familiarity with the relevant literature needs to be demonstrated.
• A précis of relevant literature needs to include: – what is already known on the topic; –
what gaps need to be filled; – how the study relates to, builds on or differs from previous
work in the topic area; and – theoretical considerations (what theory/ies from the literature
would help to develop a meaningful conceptual or analytical framework?) Proposed
timeline/milestones A schedule indicating plans from commencement right through to
submission needs to be provided. Resources needed and available Resources needed
should be listed, their availability checked and a budget proposed before beginning the
project. Select bibliography or references 4 When you have completed preparing your
proposal, it would be a good idea to self-evaluate what you have produced. A checklist for
doing so appears in what follows.