LITERATURE REVIEW

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 MODULE 2:
LITERATURE REVIEW
What Is Literature Review?
Why The Need For Literature Review?
How To Carry Out A Literature Review?

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 What is Literature Review
 Literature Review Is A Critical
Look At:

 “Existing Research OR Project Work

That Is Closely:
 Related / Relevant / Linked To The
Very Work That You Are Undertaking”

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 What is Literature Review Cont’d
 Literature Review Is:
 “An Examination (Not An Information Dumping) Of Research / Project
Works That Have Been Conducted In A Particular Field Of Study”.

 “The Selection & Evaluation Of Available Documents (Both

Published & Unpublished) On A Given Topic,
 Which Contain Information, Ideas, Data & Evidence” About the
Who/What You Are Studying.

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 What is Literature Review Cont’d

This Selection Is Written From A Particular Point of View:

To Fulfill Certain Aim & Objectives Or
Express Certain Views On The Nature Of A Topic
How It Is To Be Investigated & Analyzed,
The Effective Evaluation Of These Documents
• In Relation To A Proposed Research / Project Work

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 Why Literature Review?

The General Purposes of LR Are to:

1. Help Define A Research Problem
2. Find A Gap,
3. Ask Questions / Make Hypotheses
4. Continue Previous Research/Project Work,
5. Explore Counter-claims
6. Contribute To Literature Published On A Topic
7. Etc.

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 Why Literature Review? Cont’d

 A Literature Review Is A Necessity In Research

 Without This Sub-Process,

One Won’t Know If A Problem Has Been

Solved & How It Was Solved

Or What Related Research Is Already

Underway

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 Why do a Literature Review?
 “Although We Need To Summarize Relevant
Researches,
It Is Vital That We Evaluate These Works, Show
The Relationships B/n Different Studies/Works,
Show How Other Works Relate To Our Works”.
 Overview Of The Subject, Issue Or Theory Under
Consideration,
 Along With The Objectives Of The Literature Review

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 Why do a Literature Review?
Division Of Works Under Review Into
Categories, E.g.:
Those In Support Of A Particular Position,
Those Against It &
Those Offering Alternative Entirely

 Explanation Of How Each Work Is Similar To & How It

Varies From Other Studies/Works
In Order To Identify Gaps In Literature
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Conclusions As To:
Which Issues Are
• Best Considered In Their Argument,
• Most Convincing Of Their Opinions, &

Make The Greatest Contribution To The

Understanding & Development Of Their Area Of
Research
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Model Of Literature Review

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 Importance of Literature Review

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 Procedures of Literature Review

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 THE PROCESS FLOW CONSISTS OF
THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES

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 Common Weaknesses / Bad L. Review

 The Review Made Is A Mere Description Of Various

Materials:
 Without Making Efforts To Show The Relation B/n The
Studies & Main Objective Of The Research Topic;

 Students Tend To “Copy & Paste” any materials into

their Lit Review Write-up,
This Is Forbidding/Prohibited In Research / PW

 Original Works Should Be Cited & Quoted;

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 Common Weaknesses
 Journals Or Reports That Are Included Are Not
Critically Evaluated.

 Hence, Critically Evaluate:

 The Research Problems, Objectives, Questions / Hypotheses &
Significance of any existing work you review
 The Methodology & Methods Used,
 The Results, Findings, Conclusions & Limitations
 Finally, Recommendations Made For Future Studies

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 How To Conduct The Literature Review

When Performing Review:

 Start Searching Professional Journals, Existing PWs
 Begin With The Most Recent Articles You Can Find
 Keep Track Of Relevant Articles In A Bibliography.
 Don’t Be Discouraged If Work On The Topic Is
Already Underway.
• You Can Work On A Different Aspect/Dimension Of It

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 Search for Resources

 Look For Current Books & Articles/Journals

 Use Research Databases To Find:
Articles, Thesis / Dissertations, Conference /
Congress Papers & Proceedings, Etc.
 Search The WWW For:
Gov’t Agency Sites, Publishers, Technical Reports,
Etc.
 Stay Informed, Get Alerts

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 »Author Credibility
 What Are The Author's Credentials?
• Are The Author's Arguments Supported By
Evidence? E.g.,
– Primary & Secondary Data
– Historical Materials,
– Case Studies,
– Narratives,
– Statistics,
– Recent Scientific Findings)?

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Author Objectivity:
Is The Author's Perspective Even-handed
Or Prejudicial?
Is Contrary Data Considered, Or
Is Certain Pertinent Information Ignored To
Prove The Author's Point?

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 Evaluating Journal Articles

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 Summary
 LR Shows:
 What Has Been Done In A Research Field
 How The Intended Study Relates To Earlier
Research.
 LR Consists Of:
 Research Results & Findings
 Propositions / Proposals / Theories &
 Opinions/Positions Of Researchers In The Field

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 Summary Cont’d
Literature Review:
 Delimits / Scopes The Study,
 Relates The Methods Used By Other Researchers,
 Considers Limitations &Recommendations Of Earlier
Works
 Provides The Basis For The Intended Research Task.

 All Journals & Research Articles Reviewed Should

Be Critically Evaluated.

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 Summary Cont’d

 LR Can Reveal:
 Methods Of Dealing With The Research Problem That May
Be Similar To The Difficulties You Are Facing.

 LR Will Increase Confidence In Your Research Topic:

 If You Find Other Researchers Have Interests In Your Topic
&
 Other Researchers Have Invested Time & Effort In Solving
Problems In The Field /Area You Are Studying.

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 THE END OF
LECTURE No.2A

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