Research Skills Week 5

HOW TO WRITE A
LITERATURE REVIEW
GOSIA DREWNIOK
 What you already know

What is a literature review?

Why do we write it?

 What this lecture will be about

How to write a literature review

Preparation
Writing process
Critical thinking
Incorporating sources and referencing
What to do when you finish writing
From: www.librarydevelopment.group.shef.ac.uk
 Sources

Secondary

Peer-reviewed
Saunders et al. (2009)
 How to start

Read, read, read!

Take notes – to remember details and give reference
Read critically
BEING CRITICAL (academic sense) – not
negative, but able to distinguish fact from opinion,
and make own judgements, able to evaluate.
 Critical Reading

1. What was the point of producing this text?

2. What is the main message they want me to get?
3. What does the author want me to accept, or believe,
or do?
4. What reasons have they offered for me to accept
this?
5. Do I agree with his/her position?
 Critical Reading - Context

Literature exists in context. How do you work with this? You

find its relevance in progression:
1. When was it written?

Put the things you refer to in date order.

2. Where was it written?
Another country/culture?
What does this mean?
3. Audience?
For whom was it written?
 What to include in the review?

Focus on chosen key words

Follow your interest
Think of an argument (your point of view/position)
 Argument

Three elements necessary:

 A point of view, otherwise known as a ‘position’.
 An attempt to persuade others to accept your point of view.
 Reasons to support the point of view.

You need these three for a successful literature review.

 Topic?

No given topic BUT

Follow your interest
NOT 4 unrelated sources, but a narrative/story
 Writing

Basic structure
Introduction  Body  Conclusion

Paragraphs
New paragraph with every new point/idea

Connections
Linking words/signposting
e.g. addition, contrast, reason
 Linking words

 Connect similar opinions: ‘Similarly’, ‘equally’, ‘likewise’, ‘in the same

way’...
 To strengthen: ‘in addition’, ‘besides’, ‘too’, ‘moreover’, ‘furthermore’, ‘it is
different’, ‘besides’…
 To alternate: ‘others argue’ (which others? – give reference)
‘alternatively’, ‘it could/might be argued that’…
 To rebut: ‘however’, ‘on the other hand’, ‘nonetheless’, ‘notwithstanding’…
 To contradict: ‘although’, ‘conversely’, ‘in contrast to’, ‘on the one hand
___ (followed by) on the other hand’ ____
 To indicate a consequence: ‘as a result’, ‘as a consequence of’, ‘hence’,
‘thus’, ‘consequently’, because of this’…
 To round-off or conclude: ‘therefore’, ‘in conclusion’, ‘thus’, ‘we can
see’…
 Incorporating Sources

3 ways
1. Direct quote (word by word) in “..” or ‘…’
2. Paraphrasing – using someone else’s
idea/argument/point, but put in your own words.
3. Summary – presenting the main point of someone
else’s idea/argument (without details)
Note: All three ways require an in-text reference!
 Paraphrase

Include all details

Use your own words
Change words (look for synonyms), structure, order
(if possible)
Example:
Memory is the capacity for storing and retrieving
information.

Memory is the facility for keeping and recovering

data.
 Summary

Use your own words

Change words (look for synonyms), structure, order (if
possible)
No details
Example: The climatic conditions prevailing in the
British Isles show a pattern of alternating and
unpredictable periods of dry and wet weather,
accompanied by a similarly irregular cycle of
temperature changes.

British weather is changeable.

 Sources

Don’t just report

Try to evaluate (critical thinking! – you don’t have to
agree with the author)
Try to comment
Try to use various verbs and phrases, not just ‘says’
How?  using reporting verbs
 Reporting verbs

Different meanings – showing author’s attitude, e.g.

‘states’ - the author has made a simple statement of fact,
which you may or may not agree with.
‘points out/notes/observes’ - the author has made a
simple statement of fact, which you most probably agree
with.
‘claims’ - the author has made a simple statement of fact,
with which you do not agree.
 ‘argues’ - the author has tried to persuade readers that
something is true by using evidence and logic, but you do
not want to say yet whether you agree or not.
 Other Examples

to claim to identify

to challenge to show
to argue to list
to describe to state
to define to suggest
to demonstrate to maintain
to discuss to refute
to highlight
 Academic Style

Be formal – avoid words like ‘fantastic’ or ‘horrible’

Avoid ‘we’ – who is ‘we’?
Don’t overuse ‘I’ – OK when emphasising your
opinion, but not necessary  everything you say it’s
your opinion unless you quote a source
Opinion is not enough – explain, give reasons
 Literature Review is a Narrative

Your literature review should ‘flow’ (read well)

Divide into paragraphs
Use linking words
Think about the order in which you mention your
sources
 you’re writing the literature review to be read –
make sure it’s readable and that it flows!
 You’ve written it; what’s next?

Read it
If possible – put it aside for a day or two, and come
back later
Does it make sense? Is it logical? (‘flow’)
Remember your aim
Check grammar, spelling, in-text referencing
Compile a list of references
 Referencing

Harvard APA style List – all the details,

Two types needed – ‘in- sources in alphabetical
text’ and list at the end order (A-Z), starting
In-text – name (family with family name
name only) + year +
page
 List of References – example:

DREWNIOK, M. M. (2012) Language of Fashion.

London: Routledge.
DUNN, A. G. (2013) ‘Philosophy of fashion
branding: a case study’ In The Journal of Fashion
Marketing and Management Vol. 20 (3), pp. 120-
147.
MILLETTE, H. (2013) ‘We need fashion revolution!’
In MILLS, M. K. and HOPPER, C. (eds.) New Trends
in Fashion Research. Southampton: Southampton
University Press, pp. 30-56.
 How is it marked?

Content (number and quality of sources)

Structure
Style, Language, Critical Analysis
Format
Citations and Referencing
 Useful source

BAILEY, S. (2011) Academic Writing (4th Ed.) London

and New York: Routledge.

Paraphrasing – section 1.6 p. 50

Summarising – section 1.7 p. 56
References and quotations – section 1.8 p. 62
Combining sources – section 1.9 p. 72

Note: book available on paper (WSA and Hartley

Library, and as an e-book).
 Seminar this week

Please bring your computers to class