Literature Review

1. Literature Review Brought to you by the Center for Teaching and Learning

2. A successful literature review: • Synthesizes material from several sources on the same question/research topic. • Assesses the state of existing knowledge on a topic by comparing studies in terms of assumptions about the research question, experimental method, data analysis, any conclusions drawn, and to raise questions for further research.

3. A literature review is done before you start the research because • Familiarity with the knowledge in the field allows you to define the boundaries and availability of the field. • Understanding of the theory driving the field allows you to place your research question into context. • Familiarizes you with the assessment and research methods proven successful in the field. • Familiarity prevents duplication of the same information (prevents you from being unoriginal). • Familiarity of the knowledge in the field allows you to analyze the significance of your additional research.

4. Research Checklist • Do you have relevant sources? • Are your sources from scholarly academic journals or books? • Can you offer justification for using popular sources?

5. Description, Analysis, and Evaluation • Analyze each source in terms of (1) rhetorical context, (2) issues, (3) thesis, (4) arguments, and (5) response. • Briefly (in 1-2 sentences) describe the significance of each source.

6. Synthesize and Organize • Have you found the bases of comparison by examining: • Point of view • Definition of terms • Common ground • Factors studied • Issues that divide

7. Prewrite Checklist • Construct an outline by writing full sentences to describe the significance or effect of the comparisons. • Organize your comparisons in logical order.

8. Writing the Literature Review: Introduction • Engage the reader in your topic • State the issue (research question) • Progressively narrow topic to specific lines of research • State the thesis that expresses your assessment of the state of knowledge on the issue • Describe an organizational strategy or outline of progression

9. Body should include: • Description of each study/source • Evaluation of each study/source • Meaningful headings/sub-headings that organize the paper • Paragraphs that compare/contrast important factors (assumptions, interpretations of results, theories, hypothesis, speculations, etc.)

10. Conclusion • Summary of what researchers have shown • Evaluation of the work done • Strengths and weaknesses • Questions for further study

11. Common errors in reviewing literature • Hurrying through review to get started could mean that you will miss something that will improve your research. • Relying too heavily upon secondary sources. • Concentrating on findings rather than methods. • Overlooking sources other than academic journals. Don’t forget newspaper articles, magazines, blogs, etc. • Searching too broad or too narrow of a topic. • Inaccuracy in the compiling of bibliographic information.

12. Further Information • Contact the CTL for a one-to-one appointment, either online or in person. • ctlwrite@uis.edu • 217-206-6503