Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
METHODS
LECTURE 3
1
MEANING OF THE
LITERATURE REVIEW
2
THE NATURE OF LITERATURE
CRITICAL REVIEW
The essence of a critical review demands the researcher
to do the following:
Evaluate an academic material or text such as an article,
report, essay or book
It is the information and knowledge in the text that has
got to be evaluated.
There should be a criteria for evaluating the text
9
THE STRUCTURE OF THE
CRITICAL REVIEW (1)
Traditionally it contains three
elements:
A critique of existing works on the topic
Critically analyse the different research work
through which the topic has been studied and the
issues different authors have highlighted as a
result of their work. Identify the different ways
that key definitions, concepts, and models have
been used to develop theory.
10
THE STRUCTURE OF THE
CRITICAL REVIEW (2)
Conclusions about work done to
date on the topic
Draw general conclusions about the overall
direction of work on the topic. Draw specific
conclusions by identifying gaps, fallacies, flaws
and failures in previous work in order to show
the legitimacy of your own approach.
11
THE STRUCTURE OF THE
CRITICAL REVIEW (3)
12
LITERATURE REVIEW VERSUS
SECONDARY DATA
Literature Review Secondary Data
Books and review Data collected by others:
(historical and overview) Researchers - Economic and
Social Data Service (ESDS),
Theoretical peer-reviewed consultancies, Industry bodies
(for example, tobacco
journal papers
industry/oil and gas)
(current thinking)
IMF, WHO
Conference papers
Research Organisations (Mintel)
Empirical peer-reviewed
Government statistics
journal papers
Websites
(current thinking)
13
WHAT SHOULD THE CRITICAL
LITERATURE REVIEW ACHIEVE
Your review will be effective if it:
1. Shows a clear understanding of the topic.
15
HELPFUL POINTS FOR WRITING THE
LITERATURE REVIEW
Skim read the article – Note the key questions the
articles attempts to answer the basic answer it provides
Quickly consider the evaluation criteria
18