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Why?
a. Literature review helps to find new ways to figure out any ambiguity or
flaws in earlier researches.
b. A literature review portrays the link of each work to the others.
c. Literature review resolves any contradictory findings, or gaps in previous
studies.
d. Most importantly, literature review leads the way forward for further
research.
e. It adds the understanding and knowledge of the particular field.
PROBLEM FORMULATION
First of all, the component issues of topic of literature review to examine or
research are determined.
LITERATURE SEARCH
Finding materials are collected relevant to the subject being explored to write
the literature review.
DATA APPRAISAL
It is determined that which literature makes a worth mentioning contribution to
the understanding of the topic of literature review.
ANALYSIS
Finally, the findings of relevant literature are analyzed to conclude and include in
literature review.
6 CRUCIAL TIPS ON
HOW TO WRITE A LITERATURE REVIEW?
Apply these tips to write a good literature review:
i. You need to keep entire and exact records and references of what you
read and find during research.
ii. Learn the required citation style.
iii. Make notes or summaries of the articles, books journals, papers whatever
you read.
iv. You must infer and read between the lines when go through any written
work.
v. Broaden your vision and develop your own ideas without worrying that it
might not be accepted. Just don’t be relaxed with copying previous work.
vi. Divide the literature review into different thematic parts which will help
you to focus.
vii. Read the leading published material and search for the current issues for
the latest information.
RESOURCES TO DEVELOP
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
There is a wide range of sources to develop your literature review. These
resources include:
Introduction:
Define the topic, together with your reason for selecting the topic. You could also
point out overall trends, gaps, particular themes etc.
1. Body:
In body, you discuss your sources. There are some way to in which you
could organize your discussion:
a. Chronologically:
b. Thematically:
c. Methodologically
2. Conclusion:
To revise and check of any flaw or lack in literature review, answer to these
questions:
"It is not always possible for the researcher to formulate his problem
simply, clearly, and completely. He often may only have a rather general,
diffuse, even confused, notion of the problem...a problem, then is an
interrogative sentence or statement that asks: What relation exists
between two or more variables?"
DEFINING A PROBLEM
The nature of the relationship between or among the factors generating the
problem may take any of several forms, e.g.:
1. provocative exception
2. contradictory evidence
3. moot alternatives, i.e., knowledge void
4. action-knowledge conflict
5. knowledge-action conflict
6. other
Interacting Proposition
1. provocative exception
2. conflicting evidence
5. action-action conflict
6. theoretical conflict
In the study of flowers implied by the principal proposition (above) about flowers
unerringly complying with Darwin's law, the researcher might note that, after
two decades of carefully labeling and observing 3,500 individual flowers in plots
of Pink Lady's Slipper orchids commonly found in New England, "this orchid is
entirely hostile to bees, only 23 instances of pollination have ever been
observed, none have become nectar producers to attract bees. and they have no
discernible means of self reproduction common to other plants with that
capability. Yet they continue to thrive far beyond the life expectancy of any
known variety when in fact all but 23 should be extinct." This orchid is an
enigma, a provocative exception to Darwin's law, and the researcher is well on
his way to a multi-million dollar National Science Foundation grant to resolve the
enigma of how it is that this particular plant can thrive in spite of the laws of
nature. But that grant will not be forthcoming until he/she identifies the most
fruitful focus for the investigation and the payoff that stands to be gained
Speculative Proposition
A final function of the problem section of the proposal is to justify the utility,
significance, or interest of the problem. Resources and time are always scarce. It
is of great importance from the point of view of a potential funding agency or a
graduate student's advisor (or committee) and from the researcher's own point
of view, that priority be given to problems of urgency or utility.
While I'm at it, one of the things mentioned in the previous paragraph --definition
of terms-- is a feature of dissertation culture that won't die but probably should.
If you use terminology in the problem statement narrative with which readers
(and you) are likely to have difficulty nailing down with regard to the precise
meaning, make every effort to weave the meaning into the narrative where it
occurs naturally or deal with it in locations where operational definitions are
required (e.g., procedures). Typically, doctoral dissertation committee members
will receive a proposal with a "Definition of Terms" section tacked on at the end
of the section where it is too late and out of context from the reader's point of
view, and they are forced to flip pages in pursuit of that enlightenment. See
Gall, Borg & Gall, p. 96 (1996) on this issue.
Exercise
Here is a link to the header and first few paragraphs from an article published by
Harold Wiglensky in Educaton Policy Analysis Archives. Using the discussion
above, identify the essential ingredients of a problem statement and try to
articulate the logic of the argument he uses to establish the existence of the
problem. How are the functions of the problem statement reflected in this
example? Here is another by George Kuh of Indiana University from the same
source.
Supplementary Readings
Gall, Meredith, Borg, Walter & Gall, Joyce (2003). Educational Research: An
Introduction (Chapter 2), Allyn and Bacon (Seventh Edition).
Kaplan, Abraham (1964). The Conduct of Inquiry (Chapter 1). San Francisco:
Chandler.
Merriam, Sharan (1988). Case Study Research in Education. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass, ch. 3.
1. This having been said, Kerlinger was none the less a pioneer and giant among
behavioral scientists. Note also that the authors of an otherwise useful text
(Ruderstam & Newton, 1992), are just as unclear on this issue. They, however,
have some excellent suggestions for doctoral students seeking a topic worthy of
study.