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Research
Methods STA630
VU
Lesson
8
REVIEW
OF LITERATURE
A
literature review is based on the
assumption that knowledge
accumulates and that we learn
from and
build
on what others have done. Scientific
research is a collective effort of
many researchers who
share
their
results with one another and
who pursue knowledge as a
community.
Today's
studies build on those of
yesterday. Researchers read
studies to compare, replicate, or
criticize
them
for weaknesses.
Goals
of a Literature Review
Reviews
vary in scope and depth.
Different kinds of reviews
are stronger at fulfilling different
goals of
review.
The goals of review are:
1.
To demonstrate a
familiarity with a body of knowledge
and establish credibility. A
review tells
the
reader that the researcher
knows the research in an area and
knows the major issues. A
good
review
increases a reader's confidence in the
researcher's professional competence,
ability, and
background.
2.
To
know the path of prior research
and how a current research
project is linked to it. A
review
outlines
the direction, ability, and background of
research on a question and shows
the
development
of knowledge. A good review
places a research project in a
context and
demonstrates
its relevance by making connections to a
body of knowledge.
3.
To
integrate and summarize what
is known in an area. A
review pulls together and
synthesizes
different
results. A good review
points out areas where prior
studies agree, where
they
disagree,
and where major questions remain. It
collects what is known to a point in
time and
indicates
the direction for future
research. No reinventing the wheel. No
wastage of effort.
4.
To
learn from others and
stimulate new ideas. A
review tells what others
have found so that a
researcher
can benefit from the efforts
of others. A good review
identifies blind alleys
and
suggests
hypotheses for replication. It
divulges procedures, techniques, and
research designs
worth
copying so that a researcher
can better focus hypotheses and
gain new insights.
5.
Identification
of variables. Important
variables that are likely to
influence the problem
situation
are
not left out of the
study.
6.
Helps
in developing theoretical
framework.
7.
Helps
in developing theoretical
framework.
Types
of Reviews
When
beginning a review, researcher
may decide on a topic or field of
knowledge to examine,
how
much
depth to go into, and the
kind of review to conduct. There
are six types of
review:
1.
Self-study
reviews increase the
reader's confidence. A
review that only
demonstrates
familiarity
with an area is rarely
published but it often is
part of an educational program.
In
addition
to giving others confidence in a
reviewer's command of field, it
has the side benefit
of
building
the reviewer's self
confidence.
2.
Context
reviews place
a specific project in the big picture.
One
of the goals of review is
creating
a link to a developing body of
knowledge. This is a background or
context review. It
introduces
the rest of a research and
establishes the significance and
relevance of a research
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Research
Methods STA630
VU
question.
It tells the reader how a
project fits into the big
picture and its implications
for a field
of
knowledge. The review can
summarize how the current
research continues a developing
line
of
thought, or it can point to a
question or unresolved conflict in
prior research to be
addressed.
3.
Historical
review traces
the development of an issue over time.
It
traces the development of an
idea
or shows how a particular
issue or theory has evolved
over time. Researchers
conduct
historical
review only on the most
important ideas in a
field.
4.
Theoretical
reviews compare
how different theories
address an issue. It
present different
theories
that purport to explain the
same thing, then evaluates
how well each accounts
for
findings.
In addition to examining the consistency
of predictions with findings, a
theoretical
review
may compare theories for the
soundness of their assumptions,
logical consistency, and
scope
of explanation. Researchers also
use it to integrate two theories or
extend a theory to
new
issues.
It sometimes forms a hybrid the
historical theoretical
review.
5.
Integrative review summarizes
what is known at a point in
time. It
presents the current state
of
knowledge
and pulls together disparate
research reports in a fast growing area
of knowledge.
6.
Methodological reviews point
out how methodology varies by study.
In
it researcher evaluates
the
methodological strength of past studies.
It describes conflicting results and
shows how
different
research designs, samples,
measures, and so on account for
different results.
Where
to find the Research
Literature
·
Computer:
on line systems.
·
Scholarly
journals.
·
Books
containing reports of original
research, or collection of research
articles. READERS or
Book
of Readings.
·
Dissertations.
·
Government
documents.
·
Policy
reports and presented papers.
·
Bibliographic
indexes.
Referencing
Electronic Sources:
·
Ahmad,
B. (2005) Technology
and immediacy of information. [on
line]
Available
http://www.bnet.act.com
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