CHAPTER 4
What is Literature Review?
A literature review provides an overview of what has been
written about a specific topic. The review of literature
includes practically all the information and data which are
authoritative and relevant to the topic of the study as in the
case of research and similar scholarly undertakings. The
literature can cover a range of sources, namely:
 Journal articles
 Monographs
 Computerized databases
 Conference proceedings
 Theses and dissertations
 Empirical studies
 Government reports and reports from other bodies
 Historical records
 Statistical handbooks
Since there are varying sources from which you can
deduce, base and derive literature review, here are some
questions that can help lead you to your choices.
1. Have you clearly indicated the scope and purpose of the
review?
2. Have you included a balanced coverage of what is
available?
3. Have you included enough materials to show the
development and limitations in this area?
4. Have you included the most recent and relevant studies?
5. Have you indicated the source of some literature by
referencing accurately?
6. Have you used mostly primary sources or appropriate
secondary sources?
Why do a Literature Review?
Literature reviews may be great way to help you
come up with enriching your research idea. There are also
means of ensuring that your idea/s has not been researched
on by someone else. Hence, there is a need to conduct a
literature review. Depster and Hannah (2016) provide some
reasons why a review is done. These are the following:
 To indicate the research that has been conducted in area
before, to ensure that you’re not reinventing the wheel’.
 To demonstrate that you’re aware of important and recent
studies in your study area. This way, you ensure that you
haven’t missed an important study that makes your
research idea seem less brilliant than you first imagined.
Why do a Literature Review?
 To ensure that you haven’t missed literature detailing a
novel way for you to conduct your study, or pointing you
to a data-collection tool that is most appropriate for your
study.
 To explain the theoretical background to your proposed
research project.
 To demonstrate your ability to critically analyse the
literature in your study area. This indicates that your
research idea is based on a good understanding of
previous research in the area, and it also demonstrates
your ability to highlight the existing gap or any
disagreements in the research that your study addresses.
Kinds of Literature Review
 Traditional – referred to as narrative literature review, it
provides a quick overview of current studies. It helps explain
why your study is important in the context of literature, and can
also help you identify areas that need further research.
 Integrative – This review synthesizes from different
approaches (Whittemore & Knafl, 2005) This approach allows
for the integration of qualitative with quantitative studies.
 Syntactic – This review synthesizes high quality empirical
information to answer a given research question. Conducting a
systematic review involves following rigorous, predefined
protocols “that minimize bias and ensure transparency”
(guides.library.edu/c.php?48030 p=3053671).
 Scoping – This review involves a broad research question that
explores the current evidence base (Armstrong, Hall, Doyle &
Waters, 2011). It can help inform areas that are appropriate for a
systematic review.
Characteristics of a Good Literature Review
1.
2.
3.
4.
Must be as recent as possible.
Materials must be as objective and unbiased as possible.
Materials must be relevant to the study.
Materials must be not too few but nor too many.
Remember: A good literature review needs a clear line of
argument. Use your critical observed. A good literature
review shown the following characteristics:
 Focused – it presents only ideas and reports on studies that
are closely related to the topic.
 Concise – the ideas should be presented economically.
 Logical – the flow within and among paragraphs should
be a smooth, logical progression from one idea to the next.
 Developed – the ideas are fully and completely written.
 Integrative – it shows how ideas are related and how all
reviewed materials contribute to your topic.
 Current – it exhibits up-to-date information related to your
study.
Types of Sources
The other element in selecting relevant materials for the
literature review is the types of sources with which you have to be
familiar with. Searching for information related to the research
being undertaken needs time and much thought. The sources can
be classified into the following:
1. Primary sources – publication in which researchers report the
results of their study. Findings are communicated by the author
directly to the readers. Most materials that fall under this type
are journals which are usually published monthly, quarterly or
bi-annually. Each article deals with a particular research or
study.
2. Secondary sources – publications in which authors describe
the work of others (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2008). Textbook is a
familiar example of this type. This is also used for different
courses offered in the curriculum. Other examples used are
encyclopedias, research review and yearbooks.
WRITING COHERENT REVIEW OF LITERATURE
This lesson aims to guide you in writing a literature
review coherently. Literature as in any form of writing
demands the observance of coherence. The review is usually
presented in a traditional narrative way through summary and
synthesis becoming a body of her own words to avoid
presenting the whole material as a quotation or a series of
quotations. A literature review is not annotated bibliography in
which you summarize briefly each article that you have
reviewed or researched on.
Structure of a Literature Review
Use the three main components consistent across literature reviews
namely:
the
introduction,
body
and
conclusion.
(research.usaask.ca/documents/Effective_Learning_Reviews.pdf)
The introduction is often a single paragraph that introduces the
general topic and provides scholarly or societal (e.g. policy,
practice) context for the review. It also identifies the overall
statement of knowledge about the topic (e.g. methodology,
evidence, problem or opportunity.
Body – of the literature review, you need to address previous
research on the topic grouped according to theme, theoretical,
perspective, method used or chronological development. This
section draws together the significance of previous individual
studies by highlighting the main themes, issues and knowledge
gaps. You must connect the literature to the proposed research
objectives within this parts and describe previous work you have
to accomplished related to your proposed study.
Structure of a Literature Review
The Conclusion to the literature is often a single paragraph
that provides a summary statement of the overall state of
knowledge about the topic. This section should reconnect
ideas to your introduction. It should establish the potential
significance or importance of your proposed study relative to
the current state of knowledge.
Remember to use accurate in text citations. A literature
review must contain and correct citations for every source.