CONDUCTING A REVIEW
OF LITERATURE
Advanced Research
Dr. MB Vergara
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
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1. To understand the benefits of conducting a
literature review.
2. To identify sources and strategies for
locating related literature.
3. To conduct an actual, systematic, and
efficient literature search.
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4. To evaluate, organize, and synthesize a
review.
5. To write a clear and cohesive review of
literature.
6. To observe the American Psychological
Association (APA, 6th) format.
BENEFITS OF CONDUCTING A
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LITERATURE REVIEW
1. It can offer new ideas, perspectives, and
approaches that may not have occurred to
you.
2. It can inform you about other researchers
who conduct work in the same area.
3. It can show you how others have handled
methodological and design issues in studies
similar to your own.
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4. It can reveal sources of data that you may
not have known existed.
5. It can introduce you to measurement tools
that other researchers have developed and
used effectively.
6. It can reveal methods of dealing with
problem situations that may be similar to
difficulties you are facing.
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7. It can help you interpret and make sense of
your findings and, ultimately, help you tie your
results to the work of those who have
preceded you.
8. It will bolster your confidence that your
topic is one worth studying, because you will
find that others have invested considerable
time, effort, and resources in studying it.
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In short: the more you know about
investigations and perspectives
related to your topic, the more
effectively you can tackle your own
research problem.
LOCATING RELATED LITERATURE:
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SOURCES AND STRATEGIES
1. Identify one or more keywords.
2. Use the library catalog.
3. Use indexes, abstracts, and other general
references.
4. Use the library’s online databases.
5. Search the world wide web.
6. Examine citations and reference lists of
those who have gone before you.
CONDUCTING A LITERATURE SEARCH
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1. Write the problem in its entirety at the top
of the page.
2. Write each subproblem in its entirety.
3. Identify the important words and phrases
in each subproblem.
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4. Translate these words and phrases into
specific topics you must learn more about—
these become your “agenda” as you conduct
the literature search.
5. Go to the online library to seek out
resources related to your agenda.
6. Read! Read! READ!
USING YOUR LIBRARY TIME
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EFFICIENTLY
1. Go to the online library armed with data-
gathering tools.
2. Identify the materials (books, articles, etc.)
you want to read, and determine if they are
available in your library.
3. Develop an organized plan of attack for
finding the sources you’ve identified.
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4. Track down your sources.
5. Record all basic information as you read
each source.
6. Identify strategies for obtaining sources that
are not immediately available.
BEGINNING YOUR LITERATURE
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REVIEW
1. Write your research problem.
2. Identify the subproblems.
3. Construct a set of paper note-taking forms
or an electronic database.
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4. Go to the online library with your
information-gathering system.
5. 5. Track down your references.
6. Write complete and accurate citations of
your references and make a conscious effort to
faithfully use the APA (6th ed) format.
EVALUATING, ORGANIZING, AND
SYNTHESIZING LITERATURE REVIEW
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1. Never take other people’s conclusions at
face value; determine for yourself whether
their conclusions are justified based on the
data presented.
2. Organize the ideas you encounter during
your review.
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3. Synthesize what you’ve learned from your
review:
Compare and contrast varying theoretical
positions on the topic.
Show how approaches to the topic have
changed over time.
Describe general trends in the research
findings.
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Identifyand explain discrepant or
contradictory findings.
Identify general themes that run throughout
the literature.
(E.g., Article 7 - Acculturative Stress.pdf
WRITING A CLEAR AND COHESIVE
LITERATURE REVIEW
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1. Get the proper psychological orientation.
2. Have a plan.
3. Emphasize relatedness (i.e., how the
literature is related to the problem).
4. Give credit where credit is due; use
appropriate citations.
WRITING A CLEAR AND COHESIVE
LITERATURE REVIEW
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5. Review the literature, don’t reproduce it.
6. Summarize what you’ve said.
7. Remember that your first draft will never be
your last draft.
8. Faithfully follow the APA (6th ed) format.
[End of Lecture. Thank you.]
