DEFINING THE PROBLEM:
LITERATURE REVIEWS
DEFINING THE PROBLEM
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Decision maker’s objectives
Background of problem
Differentiate problem from symptoms
Determine unit of analysis
Identify relevant variables
State research question
Conduct exploratory research
Develop testable hypotheses
LITERATURE REVIEW: What is it?
• Theoretical base for your research
• Evaluative report of existing literature
• Critical assessment of the current
state of knowledge
What do I do?
• Find out what has already been done
• Discover what has not yet been addressed
• Position your research
• Identify gaps or flaws in existing research
• Suggest methods you should use
• Provide support for your chosen methods
Where to start?
• Select topic
– Achievable, interesting, focused, important
• Determine what you want to know
– Break down into topic areas
• e.g. Student drinking: current behaviour, effects on
health, effects on functioning, motivations, etc.
How to do it?
• Identify key search words and synonyms
– e.g. Charity advertisements, charity appeals, nonprofit
advertising, not-for-profit advertising, nfp, etc.
• Identify information sources
– Books, academic journals, popular press articles,
government documents, conference proceedings, etc.
– ABI Inform is an important management database
• http://www.uleth.ca/lib/; Select “articles”; Select “management”;
Select “connect” for ABI Inform
What should be recorded?
• List of key search words
– What was useful, what wasn’t
• List of databases
– What was useful, what wasn’t
• Bibliography of citations
– Easier than tracking them down again later!
– Annotated: include short summary for later review
– Use APA style from the start
What to use?
• Use general and specific information
– e.g. Recycling:
• Overall recycling trends,
• general consumer motivations for recycling,
• specific local programs.
• Use peer-reviewed academic articles
when possible
– other (gov’t reports, popular press, stats, etc.)
How to evaluate relevance?
• Read abstract, introduction and
conclusion
• Identify “classics”
– articles that are frequently cited
– (look at references)
• Identify authors active in the area
– Search by author name
How to evaluate?
• What are key points?
• Does it relate to research question?
• Assess source quality
– #1 blind peer reviewed (type of publication),
– #2 author (background/training), potential biases (purpose)
• Is method sound? Appropriate?
• Are there apparent flaws/weaknesses?
• Are results consistent with other work?
– If not, why not?
What questions should it answer?
• REVIEW
– What is the current state of knowledge in the area?
– How have others approached the research area?
– What are the key concepts and theories in the area?
• MOVING FORWARD
– What do we still need to find out?
– What is the best way to find that out?
– What would be the importance of your research?
Assignment
• Literature review for your group topic
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Determine what you want to know
Identify search terms
Find several relevant articles
Summarize these
Write the lit review with references
Submit via email to prof. and all group members
The End