Review of Literature

(RRL)
Lecture for November 28, 2020
Research Seminar and Practicum, 2nd & 4th Saturday
One of the most important components of a good
investigatory research paper is a properly planned,
adeptly conceptualized, and well written Review of
Related Literature.
What is a review of literature?

 A review may be a self-contained unit-- an end in itself -- or a preface to and

rationale for engaging in primary research. A review is a required part of grant
and research proposals and often a chapter in theses and dissertations.
 The review of literature is a summary of all the reviews from various research
literatures related to the current study carried out by a researcher.
 It helps to discover what is already known about the research problem and what
more has to be done
What is a review of literature?

 An assessment of a body of research that addresses a research

question.
 An organized written presentation of what has been published on a
topic by the scholars (Burns and Grove, 2005).
 An Account of what has been published by accredited scholars and
researchers (Taylor, 2011).
Why a review of related literature?

 The review of related literature briefly summarizes studies directly

related to your research.
 Usually it includes the purpose, procedures, major findings and
recommendations for further study of various researches conducted
in the past.
 It discusses relevant information, reviews most recent findings, and
identifies gaps in existing knowledge about the problem or area
being studied.
Why a review of related literature?

 Through an extensive review of research you can learn

which procedures and techniques have proved useful and
those that seem less promising.
 A thorough search of related studies also avoids
unintentional replication of studies that have already been
concluded in the past.
RRL Objectives

 determines what is known and not known about a subject, concept, or problem.
 determines gaps, consistencies, and inconsistencies in the literature about a subject,
concept, or problem.
 discovers unanswered questions about a subject, concept, or problem.
 Promotes development of new practice ort protocol in the discipline
 Generates useful research questions and hypothesis for the discipline
 Describes the strength of the research methods/ designs and the instruments used
Chapter II Parts (EVSU Format)

 Related Literature
 Related Studies
 Theoretical/Conceptual Framework
 Hypothesis (null or research) or Assumptions
 Definition of Terms
Organization of ROL

A literature review is a piece of discursive prose, not a list describing or summarizing

one piece of literature after another. It should have a single organizing principle:

 Thematic - organize around a topic or issue

 Chronological - sections for each vital time period
 Methodological - focus on the methods used by the researchers/writers
A Final Checklist (self survey)

 Have you indicated the purpose of the review?

 Have you emphasized recent developments?
 Is there a logic to the way you organized the material?
 Does the amount of detail included on an issue relate to its importance?
 Have you been sufficiently critical of design and methodological issues?
 Have you indicated when results were conflicting or inconclusive and discussed
possible reasons?
 Has your summary of the current literature contributed to the reader's
understanding of the problems?
Some tips on Structure of ROL

 A common error in literature reviews is for writers to present material from one author,
followed by information from another, then another.... The way in which you group authors
and link ideas will help avoid this problem. To group authors who draw similar
conclusions, you can use linking words such as:
• also
• additionally
• again
• Similarly
USE MULTIPLE CITATIONS to put together parallel ideas and findings.
When authors disagree, linking words that indicate contrast will
show how you have analyzed their work.

 Words such as however, conversely, on the other hand, nonetheless

will indicate to your reader how you have analyzed the material. At other times, you may want
to qualify an author's work (using such words as specifically, usually, or generally) or use an
example (thus, namely, to illustrate).
In this way you ensure that you are synthesizing the material, not just describing the work
already carried out in your field.
Another major problem is that literature reviews are often written as if they stand alone,
without links to the rest of the paper. There needs to be a clear relationship between the
literature review and the methodology to follow.