Building the Literature Review
Dr. Erica Cirillo-McCarthy
Assistant Director of Graduate and ADEP Writing
California Lutheran University Writing Center
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What, why, how of literature reviews
Creating a research space
Example of short literature review
Example and exercise of literature review as a section
of a journal article
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WHAT?
◦ A concise overview of the literature relevant to the topic
◦ A carefully considered presentation of previous research
◦ Articulation of the conversation surrounding your topic
◦ A weaving or braiding of established theories and studies along
with an evaluation and critique of these theories and studies
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WHY?
◦ Establish your authority and credibility as an author
◦ Delineate the parameters around the research space YOU want
to analyze further
◦ Invite the reader to see previous research as you see it
◦ Carve out the space for your research
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HOW?
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Gather and evaluate sources
Describe and critique/evaluate previous studies/theories
Go to the original source
Establish a taxonomy of theories and previous studies
Impose order on previous studies for your reader
Rhetorically consider what your audience needs to know first,
second, third…
◦ Identify and articulate the relationship between previous
research, the contradiction, the gaps and inconsistencies
◦ Articulate the next step in research (it could be your study or a
planned future study)
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Organize the Sources thematically- e.g. those that support
one position or rely on one theory, those against the position
or contradictory theories, or those that offer an alternative
study and theory, or methodologically.
Connect Sources - explain how each source relates to other
sources – what’s the conversation and how has it played out
traditionally? Where do these sources fit into the larger
conversation?
Critique & Conclude - discuss which sources are most
effective in supporting their position and which sources
contribute the most to the understanding and development
of the research on the topic. What is missing? What has
been overlooked? Where does your research contribute to
the conversation?
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Move 1. Establishing a Territory
◦ Step 1. Claiming centrality (or importance, relevance,
problematic)
and/or
◦ Step 2. Making topic generalization(s)
and/or
◦ Step 3. Reviewing items of previous research (obligatory)
Example: Presenting a cohesive, sustainable business identity has
become an important and immediate goal in many industries. (Steps
1 and 2) According to Jones1 and Smith2, certain corporations are
considered leaders in sustainable practices, such as Ben & Jerry’s
Ice Cream, IBM, and Disney. (Step 3)
1Robert
Jones, “Sustainability as a Marketing Tool,” Journal of Business 15 (2011): 32-38.
Smith, “Corporate Identity and the Green Movement,” Journal of Marketing 12 (2010): 116-122.
2William
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Move 2. Establishing a Niche
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Step 1A. Counter-claiming or
Step 1B. Indicating a gap or
Step 1C. Question-raising or
Step 1D. Continuing a tradition or extending previous
knowledge (obligatory)
Example (cont). However, for many companies, there is a vast
difference between their explicit “green” identity and their
actual “green” practices. (Step 1B) This paper reviews previous
research on three Fortune 50 companies’ sustainability
statements and extends that research by analyzing the
companies’ green mission statements alongside their green
practices. (Step 1D)
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Move 3. Occupying the Niche
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Step 1A. Outlining purposes (obligatory) or
Step 1B. Announcing present research (in some fields)
Step 2. Announcing principal findings (in some fields)
Step 3. Indicating Research Article structure (in some fields)
Example (cont). The purpose of this paper is to extrapolate from
these three case studies and discover if top companies are moving
towards green practices or if they use green rhetoric in their
identity and mission statements in order to attract and retain
green customers. (Step 1A)
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Presenting a green business identity has become an important and
immediate goal in many industries. According to Jones1 and Smith2,
certain corporations are considered leaders in sustainable practices,
such as Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, IBM, and Disney. However, for
many companies, there is a vast difference between their explicit
“green” identity and their actual “green” practices. This paper looks at
previous research on three Fortune 50 companies’ sustainability
statements and extends that research by analyzing the companies’
green mission statements alongside their green practices. The purpose
of this paper is to extrapolate from these three case studies and
discover if top companies are moving towards green practices or if
they use green rhetoric in their identity and mission statements in
order to attract and retain green customers.
1Robert
Jones, “”Sustainability as a Marketing Tool,” Journal of Business 15 (2011): 32-38.
Smith, “Corporate Identity and the Green Movement,” Journal of Marketing 12 (2010): 116-122.
2William
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Presenting a green business identity has become an important and
immediate goal in many industries. According to Jones (2011) and
Smith (2009), certain corporations are considered leaders in
sustainable practices, such as Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, IBM, and
Disney. However, for many companies, there is a vast difference
between their explicit “green” identity and their actual “green”
practices. This paper reviews previous research on three Fortune 50
companies’ sustainability statements and extends that research by
analyzing the companies’ green mission statements alongside their
green practices. The purpose of this paper is to extrapolate from these
three case studies to discover if top companies are moving towards
green practices or if they use green rhetoric in their identity and
mission statements in order to attract and retain green customers.
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Handout – “Writing a Short Literature Review”
Discussion/Application to your sources
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See handout 2: “Is She “Man Enough”? Women
Candidates, Executive Political Offices, and News
Coverage” Exercise
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Start early and write often!
Come to the Writing Center to work through your ideas
with a tutor: www.callutheran.edu/writing_center
Go to your professor’s office hours to work through
your sources and connections
Work in a writing group. Gather a few like-minded,
supportive people to create weekly/bi-weekly writing
goals and hold each other accountable
Remember that everyone, even published authors,
follow the writing process: revision, revision, revision!
References:
Meeks, Lindsay. “Is She “Man Enough”? Women Candidates, Executive Political
Offices, and News Coverage.” Journal of Communication 62.1 (Feb 2012) 175-193.
Swales, John M. & Christine B. Feak. Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and
Skills. Ann Arbor: Univ. of Michigan Press, 2004.