1. Define the term ‘Review of literature’, how is it different from traditional meaning?

Enumerate the objectives and significance of review of literature.

The phrase ‘review of literature’ consists of two words: Review and Literature.

According to Good, Barr and Scates, “The competent physician must keep
abreast of the latest discoveries in the field of medicine. Obviously the careful
student of education, the research worker and investigator should become
familiar with location and use of sources of educational information.”

Objectives of Review of Literature

1. It provides theories, ideas, explanations or hypothesis which may prove useful

in the formulation of a new problem.

2. It indicates whether the evidence already available solves the problem

adequately without requiring further investigation. It avoids the replication.

3. It provides the sources for hypothesis. The researcher can formulate research
hypothesis on the basis of available studies.

4. It suggests method, procedure, sources of data and statistical techniques

appropriate to the solution of the problem.

5. It locates comparative data and findings useful in the interpretation and

discussion of results. The conclusions drawn in the related studies may be
significantly compared and may be used as the subject for the findings of the
study.

6. It helps in developing experts and general scholarship of the investigator in the

area investigated.

7. It contributes towards the accurate knowledge of the evidence or literature in

one’s area of activity is a good avenue towards making oneself. This knowledge
is an asset ever afterwards, whether one is employed in an institution of higher
learning or a research organization.

Significance of Review of Literature

Bruce W. Tuckman (1978) has enumerated the following purposes of the review:

1. Discovering important variable.

2. Distinguishing what has been done from what needs to be done.

3. Synthesizing the available studies to have perspective.

 4. Determining meanings, relevance of the study and relationship with the study
and its deviation from the available studies.

2. Explain the need and functions of review of literature.

NEED OF REVIEW OF LITERATURE

1. One of the early steps in planning a research work is to review research done
previously in the particular area of interest and relevant area quantitative and
qualitative analysis of this research usually gives the worker an indication of the
direction.

2. It is very essential for every investigator to be up-to-date in his information

about the literature, related to his own problem already done by others. It is
considered the most important pre- requisite to actual planning and conducting
the study.

3. It avoids the replication of the study of findings to take an advantage from

similar or related literature as regards, to methodology, techniques of data
collection, procedure adopted and conclusions drawn. He can justify his own
endeavor in the field.

4. It provides as source of problem of study, an analogy may be drawn for

identifying and selecting his own problem of research. The researcher formulates
his hypothesis on the basis of review of literature. It also provides the rationale
for the study. The results and findings of the study can also be discussed at
length.

The review of literature indicates the clear picture of the problem to be solved.
The scholarship in the field can be developed by reviewing the literature of the
field.

FUNCTIONS OF REVIEW OF LITERATURE

There are five functions of review of literature :
1. The conceptual frame of reference for the contemplated research.
2. An understanding of the status of research in problem area.
3. Clues to the research approach, method, instrumentation and data analysis.
4. An estimate of the probability of success of the contemplated research and the
significance or usefulness of the findings and, assuming the decision is made to
continue.
 5. Specific information required to interpret the definitions, assumptions,
limitations and hypotheses of research.

3. Describe the role of review of literature in historical research and survey,

experimental type of research in education.

In historical research, the researcher does much more than review already
published material; he seeks to discover and to integrate new information which
has never been reported and never considered. The concept and process
implied in the term ‘review of literature’ have such different meanings in historical
as compared with survey and experimental research.

4. Enumerate the sources of review of literature and suggestions, for the use of
library for this purpose.

SOURCES OF REVIEW OF LITERATURE

(1) Books and Text-Books material.

(2) The Periodical literature, and

(3) General references.

1. Books and Text books Material

The most useful list of books published in the English language is the Cumulative
Book Index and Book Review Index, Books Review Digest, Subject Guide to
Books indicates that books are in print or press or forthcoming books. National
Union Catalogue is also useful for this purpose. There are a number of
publications that locate specific references that cover particular area of
knowledge. The Cumulative Book Index is published monthly to provide the
references, all books published in the English Language. Sources of Information
in the social sciences ‘organized’ by subject area and indexed by author and title,
this work contains comprehensive list of reference books and monographs.

2. Periodicals

A periodical is defined as a publication issued in successive parts, usually at

regular intervals, and as a rule, intended to be continued indefinitely. These
include Yearbook, Documents, Almanacs, The Cumulative Book Index,
International Abstracts, Journals, Newspapers, Magazines, International Index to
Periodicals. Periodicals are generally placed in open shelves in the Periodical
room. Their effective use is predicted on the use of an index to identify the
articles on subject matter under the study. The Education Index has served as a
comprehensive index of practically all publications in the area of education.
Education Index. New York, published monthly. Canadian Education Index,
Ottawa published by the Council of Education. Current Index of Journals in
Education, New York, it is published monthly. Index of Doctoral Dissertations
International. Ann Arbor, it is published annually and consolidates all
dissertations accepted American, Canadian and European Universities.
Bibliographic Index, New York, this guide indexes by subject current
bibliographies of published books and educational periodicals both in English and
in foreign languages.

3. Abstracts

Another type of reference guide is the abstract, review, or digest. In addition to

provide a systematized list of reference sources, it includes a summary of the
contents. Usually the brief summaries of research studies are given in the form of
abstract Educational abstracts, International abstracts in humanities.

ERIC Educational Documents Abstracts, Washington DE., this annual publication

includes abstracts of all reports which appeared in Resources in Education for,
the year.

Education Abstracts, psychological Abstracts and Sociological Abstracts are

published including research studies in these disciplines.

A wide variety of indexes and general references can be found to cover almost
any area in which the modern researcher might be interested.

4. Encyclopedias

Encyclopedias provide concise information on a number of subjects written by

specialists. They provide a convenient source of information, and often include
illustrations and bibliographies. Only specialized encyclopedias deal with
restricted areas of knowledge.

Encyclopedia of Educational Research, New York. It is published, every ten

years. It refers to important work on educational problems.

5. Almanacs, Handbooks, Yearbooks and Guides

This general category of references includes those publications that present

rather detailed up-to-date information on a variety of subjects, organized around
a given theme.
They are the types of references that one consults to find specific information,
often of a statistical nature. Generalized sources are listed first, followed by those
with a more specialized emphasis.

‘World Almanac’ Book of Facts, New York: It is source of miscellaneous

information of various subjects.

‘Handbook of Research on Teaching’ Chicago: It provides comprehensive

research on teaching within depth and extensive bibliographies.

‘Education Year Book’, New York: It is annual publication which includes

statistical data on major educational issues and movements with an extensive
bibliography and reference guide.

‘Year Book of Higher Education’ : It provides up-to-date information on all

aspects of higher education in U.S.A., Canada and Mexico.

Mental Measurement Year Book, Highland Park: It provides the most

comprehensive summary on psychological measurement and standardized tests
inventories. It is published every four years.

6. References on International Education

This type of publications deals with education outside the United States.

‘The World Yearbook of Education’, New York: It is issued annually and prepared
under the joint responsibility of University of London and Teachers College of
Columbia University, each issue is devoted to some aspect of international
education.

‘Inter-national Yearbook of Education’, Geneva: The Yearbook presents in

English and

French a review of educational development for the previous year in the United
States, Canada and more than 40 foreign countries.

‘Educational Documentation and Information’, Geneva: It is a quarterly issue

which provides short-descriptive articles on national, international institutions,
documentation and research.

‘International Handbook of Universities’ Paris: This book describes universities

and other higher institutions of bearing in more than 100 countries of the world
and the British Common wealth. It provides information about facilities, history,
structure, academic year, admission, scholarships degree programme, libraries,
teaching staff, publications and language of instruction. There is also a
publication ‘Common wealth Universities Yearbook.’ Edinburgh which provides
information of universities in 23 Common wealth Countries. ‘Higher Education in
Developing Countries.’ Cambridge: It is a selected bibliography on students.
politics and higher education.

7. Specialized Dictionaries

There are specialized dictionaries of education which includes terms, words and
their meanings. ‘Dictionary of Education,’ New York: This educational dictionary
covers technical and professional terms. Foreign educational terms used in
comparative education writings are also included.

Government of India has also prepared a ‘Dictionary of Education’ which includes

technical and professional terms from English to Hindi.

The educational worker often needs information about another educator or a

prominent“ person outside the field of education. These are essential to conduct
an educational research. It requires biographical and auto-biographical
references.

8. ERIC (Educational Research Information Centre)

The current knowledge explosion makes selective data retrieval the key to the
research enterprise as well as to effective educational practice. The major
developments in this regard as they relate to the educational literature are ERIC
(Educational Research Information Centre) and SRIS (School Research
Information Service). ERIC is an attempt to facilitate information exchange and to
increase the value of research to the educational community by simply making its
results readily available in usable form. A related service in SRIS initiated to
provide and ERIC type coverage of educational materials. In our country NCERT
has established a separate ERIC cell to facilitate educational research
community.

9. Microfiche

The development of the microfiche has been one of the most significant
contributions of library services by providing economy and convenience of storing
and displaying of scholarly material.

A microfiche is a sheet of film containing micro-images of printed material. A

copy of film 4" × 6" card countries the material of one hundred printed pages of
9" × 11" size. There are many document- reproduction services that supply
microfiche to libraries upon special order.
 Super-and Ultra Microfiche is the recent development in the field of micro-
printing. It has transformed the process of storage of published material in
libraries of the future. A super microfiche has been developed that contains up to
two pages of printed material on a single 4" × 6" transparent card, the equivalent
of two or more books. An even more spectacular development is the ultra-
microfiche that contains up to 3200 micro-dots on a single card of 4" × 6". When
projected each dot contains the equivalent of several pages.

Thus, seven to ten volumes can be included on a single 4" × 6" transparent card.
Reader printers make hard copy points out of any page in few seconds.

10. Dissertations and Theses

The theses and dissertations which embody the bulk of presenting educational
researches are usually housed by the institutions and universities that award the
authors their advanced degrees. Sometimes these studies are published in
whole or in part in educational journals. The related dissertations and theses are
the main sources of review of literature. the entry ‘dissertations and theses’ issue
of the bibliographic index in the most comprehensive listing of sources to these
research in progress.

11. Newspaper

The current newspapers provide upto-data information and speeches, reports.

Conferences. New developments in field of education. The current events and
educational news are also reported in newspapers. It is also one of the important
sources of review of literature.

5. Describe principles and procedures of review of literature and precautions in

consulting library material

PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The following is the specific procedure through which review can be done
appropriately:

1. It is generally advisable to get first and over all view by consulting a general
source, such as a text-book which is more likely to provide the meaning and
nature of the concepts and variables or theoretical framework of the field. The
logical starting point is to get a clear picture of the problem to be solved. A
textbook usually provides the theoretical aspects of the problem. It is very
essential to develop deep understanding about the variables and the field.
2. After developing the insight about the general nature of his problem, the
investigator should review the empirical researches of the area. The best
reference for this phase is the handbook of research. Encyclopedia of
Educational Research, the Review of Educational Research and International
Abstracts for more up-to-date findings. The researcher’s major concern at this
point should be to get a clear picture of the field as a whole; specific details are
important at this stage. He should start from a topical outline and a temperature
set of classifications, so that whatever he reads can be made meaningful.

3. The research for library material must be systematic and thorough. The
investigator generally should start by collecting his references from the
educational index. When a large number of references are to be copied, they
should be typed because precision is required here.

4. The researcher should take note systematically in the light of such criteria as
uniformity, accuracy and ease of assembly. The notes should be taken on the
card. Each entry should be made separately; references should be recorded with
complete bibliographic data. It should be recorded on front side of the card and
content should be taken below and reverse side of it. Each note should be
recorded carefully and accurately.

5. The investigator should take as complete notes as he might need. On the

other hand, taking unnecessary notes is wasteful. The useful and necessary
material should be recorded precisely. It would be better that similar sources are
gathered.

It is necessary that a general education of each source, rather than simply a

summary of its content be made. Such evaluation is necessary both in presenting
the study in the review of literature, and in using the study as background for the
interpretation of the findings of the study.

6. A major pre-requisite for effective library work is the ability to read at high
speed.

This can only be developed through practice. He must learn to skim material to
see what it has to contribute to the study, only after its reference has been
established, it should be read in detail. Surveying the literature for the purpose of
conducting research is not just ‘a pleasant excursion in the wonderful world of
books’, it is a precise and exacting task of locating specific information for the
specific purpose.

7. The actual note-taking process is always a difficult task for the researcher. He
has to spend long hours in the library taking notes by hand. It is a very tedious
job and leads to importance to carelessness and illegibility. He should make use
of the facilities available in the library for this purpose.

PRECAUTIONS IN LIBRARY USE

1. Avoid intellectual dishonesty and guard against the temptation of appropriating

large portions of the work of another, without acknowledging indebtedness.

2. Guard against being conditioned by the view point of an earlier investigator

and the temptation of blindly following his procedure.

3. In certain cases some studies have no needed to be repeated under similar

conditions in order to secure an adequate check on the results of the first
investigation. Normative survey type of research which deals with current
conditions needs to be replicated on a regular interval in order to keep in touch
with change and developments.

4. Merely listing of previous studies without reviewing them or giving their

characteristics is not enough. A very brief account of each investigation giving at
least the result, the method and the sources of data and the year of research
must be provided in the chapter of a research report.

5. It is always helpful to arrange the previous studies in chronological order so

that the growth of the field is clearly known to the researcher as well as to the
readers.

6. A researcher should have good grasp of library procedures which will help him
to locate books and references needed by him without wasting most of time and
energy. This process can be classified into three categories:

(a) Preliminary Reading, for the birds’ eye view of the whole thing.

(b) Critical Reading: The references and material which seem useful as a result
of preliminary reading are noted down and are read critically and serious
evaluation of the available information and data.