Presented by
Monique Flaccavento
OISE Library
October 28, 2009



What is a literature review? What is its
purpose?
How does a literature review differ from
an academic research paper?
Steps in the research process

Finding relevant literature

Writing your literature review
“an account of what has been published on
a topic by accredited scholars and
researchers”
Dena Taylor,
Health Sciences Writing Centre,
University of Toronto
http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/specific-types-ofwriting/literature-review
“a piece of discursive prose, not a list
describing or summarizing one piece of
literature after another”
Dena Taylor,
Health Sciences Writing Centre,
University of Toronto
http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/specific-types-ofwriting/literature-review
“[It] may be a self-contained unit -- an end
in itself -- or a preface to and rationale for
engaging in primary research.”
The Writing Centre,
University of Wisconsin-Madison
http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html
“A review is a required part of grant and
research proposals and often a chapter in
theses and dissertations.”
The Writing Centre,
University of Wisconsin-Madison
http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html
“Generally, the purpose of a review is to
analyze critically a segment of a
published body of knowledge through
summary, classification, and comparison
of prior research studies, reviews of
literature, and theoretical articles.”
The Writing Centre,
University of Wisconsin-Madison
http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html
The literature review helps a researcher
identify gaps in a body of knowledge
worthy of further research.
The literature review:
“summarizes and evaluates existing
knowledge on a particular topic. Its
purpose is to produce a position on the
state of that knowledge; this is the thesis”
Machi, Lawrence A. & Brenda T. McEvoy. (2009).
The Literature review: Six steps to success.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, p. 2
“the main focus of an academic research
paper is to support your own argument”
The Writing Centre
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/literature_review.html
“the focus of a literature review is to
summarize and synthesize the arguments
and ideas of others.”
The Writing Centre
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/literature_review.html
1. Identify your topic. Formulate a clear
research question.
2. Identify keywords and descriptors or
subject headings.
3. Make a list of the catalogues, databases
/ indexes, and websites you plan to
search.
4. Search:


library catalogues (for books,
encyclopaedias, reports, journals,
theses, etc.)
article databases available through UTL
(such as ERIC, PsycInfo, PAIS
International, Source OECD); Data
Library site

Theses (catalogue, T-Space, Dissertations
and Theses: Full-Text, AMICUS (LAC))
 CIDEC
R&D Database
(http://cide.oise.utoronto.ca/database.php)


Google Scholar
Websites – Government, United Nations
organizations, etc.
5. Refine, focus, or expand your topic as
well as your keywords and descriptors
6. Scan the literature and critically
appraise sources to determine which are
the most relevant to your research.
Who is the author? Is he / she a respected
and / or well-cited scholar in the field?
Has the article / study been published in a
scholarly / academic / peer-reviewed
journal? Has the book been published
by a reputable publisher?
Is the author of the website a reputable
organization / individual? How current is
the information? When was it last
updated?
Are the research methods employed
sound?
Is there bias in the article?
 Consider
using a citation index (Scopus
or Web of Knowledge) or Google Scholar
to help you determine which articles are
seminal works in your field.
Remember, though, that this is not the only
criteria which should be used to measure
an article’s “worth”.



Check your course outline for a list of
well-respected CIDE journals
Search Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory to
determine if a journal is scholarly
(“refereed”)
Some databases allow you to limit your
searches to peer-reviewed / scholarly
articles
Try not to exclude articles which are
contrary to your point of view.
7. Revise your topic. You may need to
broaden or narrow the scope of your
research problem, and refine your
keywords / descriptors / subject
headings
8. Survey the literature: summarize the
most relevant articles / research
9. Create a “literature map”. Group or
organize the literature hierarchically, by
theme / by important concepts / etc.
10. Synthesize the literature. Ask yourself
what is known about this issue, what
major themes have emerged in the
literature, and what gaps remain in the
body of knowledge.
A clear, concise guide is available online:
http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html
The guide includes suggestions regarding
what should be included in the
introduction, the body, and the conclusion
of your literature review.
Another excellent resource is:
Machi, Lawrence A. & Brenda T. McEvoy.
(2009). The Literature review: Six steps to
success. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
(call number 001.4 M149L).
1 copy of this book is available on short
term loan at the OISE Library (Available
at the Circulation Desk).
In person:
at the Reference Desk
By phone:
416-978-1860
By email:
askeloise@oise.utoronto.ca
Via live chat: askON
Or, book an in-depth reference
consultation…
Monique Flaccavento
416-978-1867
monique.flaccavento@utoronto.ca