NOTES ON PR 1 - MODULE 3 LESSON 4 - Writes Coherent Review of Literature
JUMPSTART
Review of Related Literature and the purpose it serves in research This is a written summary of journal articles,
books, and other documents that describes the past and current state of information on the topic of your
research study.
➢ to justify your choice of research question, theoretical or conceptual framework, and method.
➢ to establish the importance of the topic.
➢ to provide background information needed to understand the study.
➢ to show readers you are familiar with significant and/or up-to-date research relevant to the topic; and ➢ to
establish your study as one link in a chain of research that is developing knowledge in your field.
DISCOVER
In writing this section…
o Use the statement of problem as guide to structure and sequence of topics
o Avoid ‘copy/cut and paste; all literature cited must form a coherent whole
o Last part highlights gaps in literature specifically addressed by your study
o Use appropriate format for citations and references
o Cited references should be congruent to bibliography entries
How to come up with effective research review?
Copper (1988) suggests that a good research review must have the following
characteristics:
1. Focus—concentrate on four foci: research theories, methods, outcomes, and practices and applications
o theories helps in looking at the relationships between the variables and concepts being studied with than of
the present ones
o methods help in finding the best methodology and the variables looked into outcomes help in identifying the
gaps of information
o application and practices is more on the implication of the findings to policy, people, knowledge, education, etc.
2. Goal--useful in integrating, resolving, bridging and generalizing the theories and concepts under study.
Explicate the arguments.
3. Coverage—looks on how wide the study must be by looking at sample/population (central and
representative), how exhaustive the sampling was and how they were selected
4. Organization or format—helps in designing the presentation of the literature review, which this can be
historical in format (development of related concepts, theories, or findings), conceptual in format—that is
about the relationship about the concepts that the researcher is looking into, and methodological in format—
that is the presentation more focus on the research methods applied
5. Audience—always consider that your research work is intended to fellow researchers, academicians, and
professionals, thus avoid writing it for general public or for laymen.
Structure of review of literature
Under the APA format, the structure of the literature review must be “continuous in the flow of thought”—
that is the different paragraphs or sections must be linked to one another. They may reinforce the previous
entries or contradict them. Do not categorize the entries into local, national, or international.
It can be composed of the following: introduction, body, and conclusion.
▪ Introduction – give a quick idea of the topic of the literature review as the central theme or organizational
pattern.
▪ Body – contains your discussion of sources.
▪ Conclusion – Discuss what you have drawn from reviewing the literature so far. Where might the discussion
proceed? Under the conclusion part, establish your reason or point of view about the literature or study,
compare and contrast them first and come up with your own point of view why you have included the concept,
theory or findings of the reviewed literature.
Organization of literature review
A general organization looks like a funnel
Broader topics
Subtopics
Studies like yours
How to organize studies:
• Chronological
– By publication date
– By trend
• Thematic – A structure which considers different themes
• Methodological – Focuses on the methods of the researcher, e.g., qualitative versus quantitative approaches
Making links between studies:
Agreements
• Similarly, author B points to…
• Likewise, author C makes the case that…
• Author D also makes this point…
• Again, it is possible to see how author E agrees with author D…
Disagreements
• However, author B points to…
• On the other hand, author C makes the case that…
• Conversely, Author D argues…
• Nevertheless, what author E suggests…
Consider the 5C’s in reviewing and writing.
1. CITE by keeping on the primary focus on the literature
2. COMPARE the various arguments, theories, methodologies, approaches and or
findings expressed in the literature. What the authors agree on? Who employ
similar approaches? What are their findings?
3. CONTRAST the various arguments, themes, methodologies, approaches, and
controversies expressed in the literature. What are the areas of major
disagreement, controversy, or debate?
4. CRITIQUE the literature. Which argument is more persuasive and why? Which
approach, finding or methodology seem the most reliable, valid, or appropriate
and why? Pay attention to the verbs you use to describe on what the author says
or does?
5. CONNECT the literature to your own research area. How does your own work
draw on or depart from the reviewed literature?
BOTTOM LINE: Review of related literature is a discursive prose and not simply
describing and summarizing what has been read and written.
Some important points to consider
GOLDEN RULE
TAKE A READER’S VIEW Write for your audience not for yourself.
TELL A STORY Direct your research, but keep a clear focus in the paper and present
results related to it
BE YOURSELF Write like you are speaking, then revise and polish
MAKE IT SIMPLE Use simple examples to explain complex methodology
MAKE IT CONCRETE Use concrete words and strong verbs. Avoid ambiguous words
MAKE IT SHORT Avoid redundancy and over-explanation
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY Make clear distinction between your work and that of others
MAKE STRONG STATEMENTS Ex. We concluded…instead of –It can be concluded….
BE SELF-CRITICAL Consider uncertainty of conclusions and their implications.
Acknowledge others’ work.