Workshop for Literature Review
What is a Literature Review
• It is an evaluation and comparison of various
pieces of research.
• It shows the reader what:
– previous research has been done in your field,
– critiques previous methodology,
– evaluates prior studies to show information gap
which will be filled with your own research.
Why do a Literature Review
• Avoid making the same mistakes as others
• Carry on where others have reached
• Increase your breath of knowledge in your
subject area
• Identify key works, information and needs in
your area
• Identify and learn terminology
• Position your own work in context
• Identify opposing views
• Demonstrate that you can access research in
the field
• Identify methods relevant to your research
• Identify studies that are worth replicating or
improving
• Find experts in your field in whom you could
contact.
Source : http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Blue%20Guides/Literature%20Review.pdf
What is a critical Review?
• The common misconception is that a “critical review”
needs to be a negative criticism of an article.
• A critical review requires you to question the
information and opinions in an article and present your
own evaluation or judgement of it.
What do we mean by evaluation or judgement?
• We are asking you to identify the strengths and
weaknesses of the article you have chosen.
• This is usually based on specific criteria such as the
significance of the study and its contribution to the
field or the research methodology that was used.
Example of a critical review
• For an example exert – see this website
• https://student.unsw.edu.au/sample-extracts
Journal Article Analysis
1.
Find and select a journal article published in 2010, 2011
or 2012 on a subject matter of (i) emotions at work, (ii)
emotional intelligence, (iii) values or (iv) motivation.
2.
A suitable journal article:
• Is a Research paper (ie. Not a literature review or a metadata
report)
• Is peer reviewed
• Has been cited by other researchers
• Has in-text references and reference list (or bibliography)
• Has quantitative or qualitative data
• Is of a reasonable length (at least 8 pages long)
3. Read the article in detail and note the key
themes.
– What is the author proposing / hypothesising /
researching?
– How has the research been conducted?
– What are the key findings?
4.
Critically evaluate the article
– Clarity of ideas - Has the author(s) presented their
case clearly? How have the data and findings been
obtained? Is the integrity of the method acceptable,
repeatable, etc?
– Adequacy of literature review - Have other reputable
texts been evaluated? Are there evidence of claims?
Are there limitations or bias?
– Contribution to theory – Are there new discoveries?
Does it reinforce current thought? Does it contradict
current thought? <- This is where you source for other
relevant articles that you can apply here.
– Contribution to practice – Can the findings be
applied? Are the findings useful?
5. Source for additional articles that will support or
oppose the key findings of the article. This
assignment requires you to find at least 8 relevant
journal articles to support your analysis.
6. Take notes from the additional articles, keeping
in mind the key themes or findings from the original
article that you are reviewing.
7.
Ensure that you have finished taking notes
before you proceed with writing your literature
review.
How do you write the report?
1. Introduction
• Aim (purpose), scope and limitations
• Set context
• Outline of report structure
2. Describe and summarise the key themes of the
article.
• What is the author proposing / hypothesising /
researching?
• How has the research been conducted?
• What are the key findings?
3. Critically evaluate the article – this is the most
important section of the report as it will test your
knowledge of the subject matter and how well you
have researched it. This is where you include other
articles that you have researched.
• Develop your line of argument about the article
• How well was the paper was researched?
• What is the integrity, reliability and repeatability
of the research – data collection, analysis and
conclusion?
• Can the findings be used? Is the idea supported?
Is it a new concept? Does it reinforce other
findings, etc.
4. Conclusion
• Restate your position/key message
• State your opinion of the article
Example of an introduction
Source: https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/lsu/content/2_assessmenttasks/assess_tuts/lit_review_LL/writing.html
Example of referring from another
source
Example from own analysis
Where to find references
As students of Flinders University, you have free access to a
number of databases for journals, articles, conference papers,
newspaper articles, textbooks, reference books etc.
You can access databases online at:
- Go to www.Flinders.edu.au (or http://multisearch.flinders.edu.au:8331/V/?func=find-db-1)
- Click on the Library tab.
- Click on Databases
- Choose your database you want to search from. For
example, ProQuest, Business Periodicals Index
Retrospective, AEM (Informit), ABS, Econlit, Factiva, Wiley
Interscience
- You can then start your search once you are in the
database.
Academic writing style
• Formal academic writing is quite different
from informal spoken English. The differences
can best be seen from a number of examples:
Source: http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Yellow%20Guides/Formal%20&%20Informal%20Language.pdf
Useful on-line resource for Academic
Writing
http://www.flinders.edu.au/currentstudents/slc/study-resources/studyresources.cfm
Contact details
• If you would like any further information or
have any questions from today please contact
• Heather Dawson-Howard
(heather.dawsonhoward@flinders.com.au)
• Oliver Yeo (oliver.yeo@flinders.com.au)