Learning Objectives

Up on completion of this chapter, the learner will be

able to:
 Define literature review
 Discuss the purposes & sources of literature review
 Identify the types of searches in electronic
databases
& key electronic databases for nurse researchers
 Explain basic issues in retrieving and screening
references
 Sketch flow of tasks in a literature review
 Discuss components of written literature review
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 What is a Literature and Literature Review?

• A literature refers to all written materials

relevant to the problem under study

• A literature review is the searching,

retrieving, reading, analysis, and summary of

scholarly materials about a particular problem
under study
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 What is a “Literature Review”?
“The selection of available documents (both published and
unpublished) on the topic, which contains information, ideas,

data, and evidence written from a particular stand point to

fulfill certain aims or express certain views on the nature of the

topic and how it is to be investigated, and the effective

evaluation of these documents in relation to the research being

proposed.”

(Hart, 2003, p.3)

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 Review of Literature
Why Literature Review?
Orients to what is already known, including
identification of:
1. Assumptions about certain aspects of the
phenomenon being studied methodologies
and findings
2. Provides a conceptual or theoretical
framework for the study

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 Why Literature Review?--- Cont.

3. Indicates a research approach

4. Research design

5. Measurement instruments

6. Statistical analysis

7. Prevents duplication of works already done

8. Provides convincing argument for why a

particular research project is needed

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Purposes of a Literature Review
Purposes for researchers (examples):
1. Identification of a research problem
2. Orientation to what is known and not known
3. Determination of gaps or inconsistencies in a
body of research
4. Assistance with interpretation of findings

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 Purpose cont----

purposes for non researchers:

1. Acquiring knowledge on a topic
2. Evaluating current practices
3. Developing evidence-based clinical
4. protocols and interventions

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 Sources of Literature

1. Individuals , Groups , and Organizations

2. Published information

®e.g., Books, Journal articles, other

reports

3. Unpublished information

®e.g.,Student thesis
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 Where can we find these different sources?

• Various national and international systems

can be consulted:
1.Community level
1. Key informant interviews
2. Written sources
3. Newspapers, books, articles, etc.
4. Clinic or hospital based data

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 Sources of Literature --- Cont.

5. Clinical observation

6. Report of critical incidents

7. Local surveys and service reports

8. Statistics issued at regional/local levels

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 Sources of Literature --- Cont.

2. National level
• Articles from national journals, books
identified at university or other national
libraries
• Special collections
® e.g., news paper clippings, archival records,
library
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 Sources of Literature --- Cont.
Documentation, reports and raw data from:
• The Ministry of Health

®e.g., 5-year plans

• Central Statistical Agency

®e.g., census, Demographic

• Health Survey, Statistical Abstract, etc.

• Non-governmental organizations
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 Sources of Literature --- Cont.

3. International level
Information from:
• Bilateral and multilateral organizations
®e.g., IDRC, USAID, UNICEF, WHO, etc.
• Computerized database search
®e.g., PubMed
CINAHL
PsychoInfo, etc.

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 Sources of Literature,,,,,,,
Journal articles:
 These are good sources, especially for upto-date information.

 They are frequently used in literature reviews because they

offer a relatively concise, upto-date format for research.

 Depending on the publication, these materials may be refereed

materials.

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 Sources of --- Continued

 Non-refereed materials such as Trade

Journals, or magazines use less rigorous

standards of screening prior to publication.

 Non-refereed materials may not be checked as

intensely as refereed materials, but many can

still be considered useful, although not for

scientific literature and research.

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 Sources of --- Continued
Books:
• Remember that books tend to be less up-to-
date, as it takes longer for a book to be
published than for a journal article.

• They are still likely to be useful for including in

your literature review as they offer a good
starting point from which to find more detailed
and upto-date sources of information.

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 Sources of --- Continued

Conference proceedings:
• These can be useful in providing the latest

research, or research that has not been published.

• They are also helpful in providing information

about people in different research areas, and so

can be helpful in tracking down other work by

the same researchers.

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 Sources of --- Continued

Government/corporate reports:
• Many government departments and
corporations commission carry out research.

• Their published findings can provide a useful

source of information, depending on your field
of study.

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 Sources of --- Continued
Internet:
• The fastest-growing source of information is on the
Internet.
• Bear in mind that anyone can post information
the Internet so the quality may not be reliable
• The information you find may be intended for a
general audience and so not be suitable for
inclusion in your literature review
(information for a general audience is usually less
detailed)
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 Sources of Literature --- Cont.
All the mentioned sources can be grouped as
either primary or secondary sources
1. Primary source
®materials written by the person who
conducted the study or developed the
theory
2. Secondary source
®materials that summarizes the original work
of others
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 Summarizing the Information

The identified literature:

Should first be skimmed, and then read
systematically.
• Then important information from each
literature should be summarized or recorded
using a matrix system
• Critique the literature as you summarize it
® identify the strength and weakness the
research design
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 Literature Review as a Process
.

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 Types of Searches in Electronic Databases

1.Subject search:
• Search for topics or key words in the
database
2.Text word search:
• Search for specific words in text fields of
the database record
3.Author search:
• Search for a specific researcher
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 Retrieving and Screening References

• Principal reliance on primary sources

(research reports written by researchers who
conducted the study)

• Less reliance on secondary sources (summaries

of studies by others)

• Peripheral use of anecdotal reports, opinion

articles, case reports
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 Assessing the Literature Pieces

• In assessing each piece, consideration should be given

to:
1. Provenance
®What are the author's credentials?
2. Are the author's arguments supported by evidence (e.g.
primary historical material, case studies, narratives,
statistics, recent scientific findings)?
3. 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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 Assessing the --- Continued

4.Persuasiveness
®is the author's thesis convincing?
5. Value
®Does the work ultimately contribute in any
significant way to an understanding of the
subject of my research?

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 Writing Literature

Three components:
• The introduction
• The body
• The conclusion

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 Writing the Introduction
In the introduction:
• Define or identify the general topic, issue, or
area of concern, thus providing an appropriate
context for reviewing the literature.

• Point out overall trends in what has been

published about the topic; or conflicts in theory,
methodology, evidence, and conclusions; or gaps
in research

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 .

Establish the writer's reason (point of

view) for reviewing the literature;
explain the criteria to be used in
analyzing and comparing literature

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 Writing the Body

In the body:
• Group research studies and other types of

literature (reviews, theoretical articles, case

studies,etc.) according to common

denominators or themes

• Make comparisons and analyses.

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 writing the Conclusion
In the conclusion:
• Summarize major contributions of significant
studies and articles to the body of knowledge
under review, maintaining the focus established
in the introduction.

• Evaluate the current "state of the art“ pointing

out major methodological flaws or gaps in
research, inconsistencies in theory and findings,
and areas or issues pertinent to future study.
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 .

• Conclude by providing some insight into the

relationship between the central topic of the
literature review and a larger area of study
(rationale)

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 Assigment
Write guide line for the following referencing styles
1. Vancouver referencing
2. Harvard referencing
3. APA referencing

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