Module-2
Literature Review and
Technical Reading
Outline
New and Existing Knowledge, Analysis and Synthesis of Prior Art Bibliographic Databases
Web of Science, Google and Google Scholar, Effective Search
The Way Forward Introduction to Technical Reading Conceptualizing Research
Critical and Creative Reading, Taking Notes While Reading, Reading Mathematics and Algorithms, Reading a
Datasheet
Giving Credit Wherever Due, Citations
Functions and Attributes, Impact of Title and Keywords on Citations, Knowledge Flow through Citation, Citing
Datasets,
Styles for Citations, Acknowledgments and Attributions,
What Should Be Acknowledged, Acknowledgments in, Books Dissertations, Dedication or Acknowledgments.
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Introduction
A literature
• Contextualize the Research Problem
review serves • Background information, relevance
several • Identify Gaps in Knowledge
important • Lack of research or conflicting findings
• Establish Theoretical Framework
purposes in • Conceptual frameworks
academic and • Guide Future Research
• Based on identified gaps and areas needing
research further exploration
writing
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New and Existing Knowledge
•
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New and Existing Knowledge
• An effective review of literature ensures a firm foundation for advancing knowledge
• Facilitates theoretical growth
• Eliminates as areas that might not be of interest
• Opens new avenues of possible work
• A literature review should be able to summarize as to what is already known from the state
of the art
• detail the key concepts and the main factors and the underlying relationships between
those
• Describe any complementary existing approaches
• Enumerate the inconsistencies or shortcomings in the published work
• Identify the reported results that are inconclusive or contradictory
• Provide a compulsive reason to do further work in the field
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Analysis and Synthesis of Prior Art
•
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Analysis and Synthesis of Prior Art
A few criteria that could help the researcher in the evaluation of the
information under study
1. Authority: What are the author’s credentials and affiliation? Who publishes the
information?
2. Accuracy: Based on what one already knows about the topic or from reading other
sources, does the information seem credible? Does the author cite other sources in a
reference list or bibliography, to support the information presented?
3. Scope: Is the source at an appropriate comprehension or research level?
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Bibliographic Databases
• “Bibliographic databases” refer to “abstracting and indexing services” useful
for
• Collecting citation-related information and possibly abstracts of research articles from
scholarly literature
• Making them available through search
• [Link]
• [Link]
Reference is that you have quoted in-text as the sources , in the research
report or assignment. But on the other hand, in the bibliography, is the list of
all the sources you have gone through to conceive the idea.
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Bibliographic Databases
•
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Bibliographic Databases
2. Google Scholar
• Google is a great place to start one’s search when one is starting out on a topic
• It can be helpful in finding freely available information, such as reports from
governments, organizations, companies, and so on
• It’s a “black box” of information
• There are limited search functionality and refinement options
• Google Scholar limits one’s search to scholarly literature
• Some of the results are not actually scholarly
• It is not comprehensive. Some publishers do not make their content available to Google Scholar
• There is limited search functionality and refinement options
• There are search operators that can be used to help narrow down the results
• OR, Brackets/Parentheses ( ), Quotation marks “ ”, Filetype
• [Link]
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Effective Search: The Way Forward
•
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Technical Reading
• It is also important to know where to read from
• The goal is to understand the technical contributions that the authors are making
• It is not the same as reading a newspaper
• It may require rereading the paper multiple times
• There will also be papers where it is not worth reading all the details in the first
instance
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Technical Reading
1. Start out the skimming process by reading the title and keywords
2. Then read the abstract to get an overview of the paper in minimum time
3. Skip most of the paper and go straight to the conclusions to find if the paper is relevant
to the intended purpose
4. Pay attention to graphs, charts, and illustrations. They often convey information more
succinctly than text alone
5. Then go into the Introduction section to know the background information about the
work
6. Results and Discussion sections
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Conceptualizing Research
• Conceptualizing research involves formulating and refining the ideas, questions,
and objectives that guide a research study
• Ph.D. level vs master’s or UG thesis
1. Identify a Research Problem or Topic
2. Conduct a Literature Review
3. Formulate Research Questions or Hypotheses
4. Define the Scope and Objectives
5. Consider the Theoretical Framework
6. Refine and Iterate
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Critical and Creative Reading
• Reading a research paper is a critical process
• Critical reading involves analyzing and evaluating texts to understand their
meaning and significance
• It involves questioning, examining, and challenging the content, structure, and
implications of the material
• Assesses the quality and relevance of evidence, data, or examples provided by the
author to support their claims
• Creative reading involves exploring texts with an imaginative and innovative
mindset
• Focuses on interpreting the text in unique ways and encourages personal expression
and interpretation
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Taking Notes While Reading
• A researcher reads to write and writes well only if the reading skills are good
• The bridge between reading and actually writing a paper is the act of taking notes
• Annotate Margins - Many researchers take notes on the margins of their copies of
papers
• Highlight Key Points - For later use such as definitions, explanations, and concepts
• Summarize Information
• Elucidate the technical merit
• A thorough reading should bring out whether there are new ideas in the paper, or
if existing ideas were implemented through experiments or in a new application,
or if different existing ideas were brought together under a novel framework
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Reading Mathematics and Algorithms
• Mathematics is often the foundation of new advances, for evolution and
development of engineering research and practice
• An engineering researcher generally cannot avoid mathematical derivations or
proofs as part of research work
• Break down complex mathematical expressions into smaller components
• Understand the meaning of each symbol and how they contribute to the overall expression
• Clearly understand the problem that the algorithm is designed to solve
• Algorithms are often presented using pseudocode
• Identify key components of the algorithm, such as loops, conditionals, and recursive calls
• Remember that reading mathematics and algorithms is a skill that improves with
practice
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Reading a Datasheet
• Reading a datasheet is a crucial skill, especially in fields such as electronics,
engineering, and computer science
• A datasheet provides comprehensive information about a particular component or
device, detailing its specifications, features, and usage guidelines
1. Understand the Datasheet Structure
• Introduction, Absolute Maximum Ratings, Electrical Characteristics, Functional Description, Typical
Application Circuit, Pin Configuration, Recommended Operating Conditions, Timing Diagrams
2. Identify Key Specifications
• Pay attention to critical specifications such as voltage ratings, current ratings, frequency
response, and operating temperature range
3. Pinout and Pin Functions
4. Recommended Operating Conditions
• By paying attention to key sections and specifications, you can extract the
necessary information to successfully integrate the component into your projects
or applications
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Citations
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Citations cntd…
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Citations: Functions cntd…
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Citations: Functions cntd…
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Citations: Functions cntd…
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Impact of Title and Keywords on Citations
• The citation rate of any research paper depends on various factors
• Significance and availability of the journal
• Publication types
• Research area
• Importance of the published research work
• Other factors like length of the title, type of the title, and selected keywords
also impact the citation count
• Title is the most important attribute of any research paper
• Main indication of the research area
• A good title is informative, represents a paper effectively to readers, and
gains their attention
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Impact of Title and Keywords on Citations cntd…
• There are three different aspects which provide a particular behavior to the
title
• Types of the title
• Descriptive Titles, Provocative Titles, Statement Titles
• Length of the title
• Presence of specific markers
• Subtitle or Colons, Question Marks or Exclamation Points, Quotation Marks
• Stremersch et al., concluded that title length positively affects the number of
citations
• Sagi and Yechiam, found that highly amusing titles have fewer citations and
pleasant titles have no significant relation with citations
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Impact of Title and Keywords on Citations cntd…
• Article with question-type titles are downloaded more but poorly cited
compared to the descriptive (study topic and design)or declarative titles
(state the study findings)
• Declarative titles are downloaded and cited less than descriptive titles, but
difference is not much
• Longer titles are strongly associated with higher citation rates
• Titles containing a question mark, colon, and reference to a specific
geographical region are associated with lower citation rates
• Keywords represent essential information as well as main content of the
article
• Search engines, journal, digital libraries, and indexing services use keywords for
categorization of the research topic
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Knowledge Flow Through Citation
• The flow of knowledge through citation is a fundamental aspect of scholarly
communication and the academic publishing process
1. Acknowledging Previous Work
• Through citations, they acknowledge and reference the works of other scholars that
have contributed to the understanding of the subject
2. Building on Existing Knowledge
• By citing relevant studies, researchers demonstrate how their work builds upon the
theories, methodologies, and findings of earlier investigations
3. Establishing Credibility and Authority
• Citations provide a mechanism for researchers to establish the credibility and authority
of their own work
4. Providing Context and Support
• Citations are used to provide context and support for the arguments, methods, and
interpretations presented in a research paper
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Knowledge Flow Through Citation
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Co-authorship Network
• The complex interdisciplinary nature of research encourages scholars to
cooperate with each other to grab more advantages through collaboration
• A co-authorship network is a representation of collaborations among
researchers or scholars based on their joint authorship of academic
publications
• Components of a Co-authorship Network
• Nodes (Authors)
• Each researcher involved in the co-authorship network is represented as a node
• Edges (Links)
• Edges connect nodes in the network and represent co-authorship relationships
• Degree centrality measures the number of connections (co-authorships) each
author has
• Analysis of the network can reveal collaboration trends, such as the
emergence of research clusters, interdisciplinary collaborations, or the
evolution of collaboration patterns over time
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Co-authorship Network
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Citing Datasets
• Citing datasets is an important aspect of scholarly and research work,
especially in fields that heavily rely on data analysis and empirical research
• Ascertaining the ownership of data can be a complicated issue especially with
large datasets
• A researcher should obtain necessary permission for using data from a
particular source
• Proper citation of datasets is crucial for transparency, reproducibility, and
giving credit to the creators of the data
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Styles for Citations
• There are several citation styles, each with its own rules and conventions for
formatting citations in academic and scholarly writing
• The choice of citation style depends on the academic discipline, the
publication, or the preferences of the author or institution
• APA (American Psychological Association) Style
• Chicago/Turabian Style
• IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Style
• Harvard Style
• AMA (American Medical Association) Style
• APA (American Psychological Association) Style for Websites and Social Media
• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) style
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
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Styles for Citations - American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
• The ASCE style has specific guidelines for citing various types of sources, including
books, journal articles, conference papers, and online sources
1. Journal Article
• Smith, J., and A. Johnson. 2019. "Analysis of Bridge Performance." Journal of Civil
Engineering 25(3):123-136
2. Book
• R. 2017. Structural Analysis and Design. ASCE Press, Reston, VA.
3. Conference Paper
• Anderson, M., and B. White. 2018. "Innovations in Bridge Construction." Proceedings of
the ASCE Annual Conference, New York, NY, June 10-12, pp. 45-56.
4. Online Document/Report
• ASCE. 2020. Guidelines for Sustainable Infrastructure. American Society of Civil
Engineers, [Link]
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Styles for Citations - American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• The ASME style has specific guidelines for citing various types of sources, including
books, journal articles, conference papers, and online sources
1. Journal Article
• Smith, J., and A. Johnson. 2019. "Heat Transfer in Turbomachinery." Journal of Heat
Transfer 141(3):034501.
2. Book
• Brown, R. 2017. Mechanical Design Fundamentals. ASME Press, New York, NY.
3. Conference Paper
• Anderson, M., and B. White. 2018. "Design Optimization of Gear Systems." Proceedings of the ASME
International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Pittsburgh, PA, November 12-15,
V001T03A043.
4. Online Document/Report
• ASME. 2020. ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. American Society of Mechanical Engineers,
[Link]
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Styles for Citations - American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) citation style is widely
used in the fields of electrical engineering, computer science, and other areas of
engineering
1. Journal Article
• A. Author and B. Author, "Title of the Journal Article," IEEE Transactions on
Engineering, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 123-135, Jun. 2019.
2. Book
• D. Author, Introduction to Electric Circuits, 8th ed. New York, NY: Wiley, 2017.
3. Conference Paper
• C. Author et al., "Title of the Conference Paper," Proc. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and
Automation, Montreal, QC, May 2020, pp. 456-468.
4. Online Document/Report
• E. Author, "Title of the Report," [Online]. Available: [Link] Accessed on: Dec.
15, 2022.
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Acknowledgments and Attributions
• Acknowledgment section is a place to provide a brief appreciation of the
contribution of someone or an organization or funding body to the present work
• Acknowledgment is a common practice to recognize persons or agencies for being
responsible in some form or other for completion of a publishable research
outcome
• Gratitude
• Funding Acknowledgments
• Institutional Support
• Professional Assistance
• Technical Support
• Permission and Consent
• Personal Gratitude
• Attributions involve giving credit to the original creators or sources when using
specific content, ideas, or data in a work
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What Should Be Acknowledged?
• Acknowledgments in a scholarly work serve to express gratitude and recognize the
contributions, support, or resources received from individuals, organizations, or
institutions
• Financial Support and Funding
• Research Advisors and Mentors
• Colleagues and Collaborators
• Technical and Administrative Support
• Institutional Support
• Data Sources and Contributors
• Permission and Consent
• Professional Consultants or Reviewers
• Family and Personal Support
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Acknowledgments in Books/Dissertations
• A page of acknowledgments is usually included at the beginning of a
thesis/dissertation immediately following the table of contents
• These acknowledgments are longer than the one or two sentence statements in
journal papers or articles in conference proceedings
• One should express appreciation in a concise manner and avoid emotive language
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Dedication or Acknowledgments?
• Dedication is almost never used in a journal paper, an article in a conference
proceedings, or a patent, and it is used exclusively in larger documents like books,
thesis, or dissertations
• The tone of a dedication is usually more personal and emotional. It reflects the
author's feelings and sentiments toward the dedicatee
• While acknowledgments are reserved for those who helped out with the book in
some way or another
• The acknowledgments in technical books can be sometimes as brief as the ones in
journal articles
• The acknowledgment section of a technical report may be a paragraph that is
longer than a journal paper but shorter than dissertations
• The length of the acknowledgment may have some correlation with the length of
the document
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