Lecture 3

Literature Review
BY

Stephen Boateng
Dpt. Of Management Studies

Contact Information: [email protected]

UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND

TECHNOLOGY

Course Code: 451

 Meaning of Literature Review
Literature refers to the knowledge of a particular area of
investigation of any discipline which includes theoretical, practical
and its research studies.

The term ‘review’ means to organize the knowledge of the specific

area of research to evolve an edifice of knowledge to show that his
study would be an addition to this field.

Literature Review is a synthesis of available resources and materials

with a strong relation to the topic in question, accompanied by a
description and a critical evaluation and comparative analysis of
each work.

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 Meaning of Literature Review Cont.
According to W.R. Borg:
• “The literature in any field forms the foundation upon which all future work
will be built. If we fail to build the foundation of knowledge provided by the
review of literature our work is likely to be shallow and naive and will often
duplicate work that has already been done better by some one else.”

According to John W. Best:

• “Practically all human knowledge can be found in books and libraries. Unlike
other animals that must start a new with each generation, man builds upon the
accumulated and recorded knowledge of the past. His constant adding to the
vast store of knowledge makes possible progress in all areas of human
endeavour.”

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 The Two Phases of Literature Review
1. Includes identifying all the relevant published material in the
problem area and reading that part of it with which we are not
thoroughly familiar.
– We develop the foundation of ideas and results on which our own
study will be built.

2. It involves writing this foundation of ideas into a section of the

research report. This section is for the joint benefit of the
researchers and readers.
– For the researcher, it establishes the background in the field.
– For the readers it provides a summary of the thinking and research
necessary for them to understand the study.

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 Functions of Literature Review

 To provide foundation for the research. Literature Review

provides a theoretical background to your study.
 It helps you establish the links between what you are proposing
to examine and what has already been studied.
 It enables you to show how your findings have contributed to
the existing body of knowledge in your profession.
 It helps you to integrate your research findings into the existing
body of knowledge.

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 IN RELATION TO YOUR TOPIC, THE
LITERATURE REVIEW CAN HELP IN FOUR
WAYS.

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 1. Bringing clarity and focus to your research problem
The literature review involves a paradox.
• On the one hand, you cannot effectively undertake a literature search without
some idea of the problem you wish to investigate.
• On the other hand, the literature review can play an extremely important role
in shaping your research problem because the process of reviewing the
literature helps you to understand the subject area better and thus helps you
to conceptualize your research problem clearly and precisely and makes it
more relevant and pertinent to your field of enquiry.
• When reviewing the literature you learn
• what aspects of your subject area have been examined by others,
• what they have found out about these aspects,
• what gaps they have identified and
• what suggestions they have made for further research.

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 2. Improving your research methodology

Going through the literature acquaints you with the methodologies that
have been used by others to find answers to research questions similar to
the one you are investigating.

• A literature review tells you if others have used procedures and

methods similar to the ones that you are proposing, which procedures
and methods have worked well for them and what problems they have
faced with them.
– By becoming aware of any problems and pitfalls, you will be better
positioned to select a methodology that is capable of providing valid
answers to your research question.
– This will increase your confidence in the methodology you plan to use
and will equip you to defend its use.

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 3. Broadening your knowledge base in your research area

The most important function of the literature review is to ensure you read
widely around the subject area in which you intend to conduct your
research study.

• It is important that you know what other researchers have found in

regard to the same or similar questions, what theories have been put
forward and what gaps exist in the relevant body of knowledge.
– When you undertake a research project you are expected to be an expert in
your area of research.
– A thorough literature review helps you to fulfil this expectation.

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 4. Enabling you to contextualize your findings

Another important reason for doing a literature review is that it helps you to
understand how the findings of your study fit into the existing body of knowledge.
• Obtaining answers to your research questions is comparatively easy: the
difficult part is examining how your findings fit into the existing body of
knowledge.
– How do answers to your research questions compare with what others have found?
– What contribution have you been able to make to the existing body of
knowledge?
– How are your findings different from those of others?
Undertaking a literature review will enable you to compare your findings with
those of others and answer these questions. It is important to place your findings in
the context of what is already known in your field of enquiry.

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 How to Review the Literature
There are four steps involved in conducting a
literature review:
1. Searching for the existing literature in your area
of study.

2. Reviewing the selected literature.

3. Developing a theoretical framework.

4. Developing a conceptual framework.

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 Searching for the existing literature
To search effectively for the literature in your field of enquiry,
• Have at least some idea of the broad subject area and of the problem you
wish to investigate, in order to set parameters for your search.
• Next, compile a bibliography for this broad area.

There are three sources that you can use to prepare a bibliography:
a) Books;
b) Journals;
c) Conference papers
d) the Internet or website materials.

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 Books
• Select 10–15 books that you think are appropriate for your topic
– Examine the bibliography of each one.
– Go through the bibliographies carefully to identify the books common to several of
them.
– If a book has been referenced by a number of authors, you should include it in your
reading list.
– Prepare a final list of books that you consider essential reading.

• Having prepared your reading list,

– locate these books in your library or borrow them from other sources.
– Examine their contents to double-check that they really are relevant to your topic.
– If you find that a book is not relevant to your research, delete it from your reading
list.
– If you find that something in a book’s contents is relevant to your topic, make an
annotated bibliography.
– An annotated bibliography contains a brief abstract of the aspects covered in a book
and your own notes of its relevance.
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 Journals
• Identify any useful journals and articles,
– Prepare a list of those you want to examine, by journal.
– Select one of these journals and, starting with the latest issue, examine its contents
page to see if there is an article of relevance to your research topic.
– If you feel that a particular article is of interest to you, read its abstract.
– If you think you are likely to use it, depending upon your financial resources, either
photocopy it, or prepare a summary and record its reference for later use.

Each of these indexing, abstracting and citation services is available in print, or

accessible through the Internet. In most libraries, information on books, journals
and abstracts is stored on computers. In each case the information is classified by
subject, author and title. You may also have the keywords option (author/keyword;
title/keyword; subject/keyword; expert/keyword; or just keywords).

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 The Internet
An Internet search is carried out through search engines, of which there are
many, though the most commonly used are Google and Yahoo. Searching
through the Internet is very similar to the search for books and articles in a
library using an electronic catalogue, as it is based on the use of keywords.

An Internet search basically identifies all material in the database of a

search engine that contains the keywords you specify, either individually or
in combination. It is important that you choose words or combinations of
words that other people are likely to use.

According to Gilbert (2008), ‘Most search facilities use Boolean logic,

which allows three types of basic search “AND”, “OR” and “NOT”.’ With
practice you will become more efficient and effective in using keywords in
combination with AND, OR and NOT, and so learn to narrow your search to
help you identify the most relevant references.
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 Reviewing The Selected Literature
Now that you have identified several books and articles as useful,
the next step is to start reading them critically to pull together
themes (heading) and issues that are of relevance to your study. Use
separate sheets of paper for each theme or issue you identify as you
go through selected books and articles.

As you read further, go on slotting the information where it

logically belongs under the themes so far developed. Keep in mind
that you may need to add more themes as you go along.

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 LITERATURE REVIEW TABLE

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 • Note whether the knowledge relevant to
your theoretical framework has been
confirmed beyond doubt.
• Note the theories put forward, the
criticisms of these and their basis, the
methodologies adopted (study design,
While going sample size and its characteristics,
through the measurement procedures, etc.) and the
literature you criticisms of them.
should carefully and • Examine to what extent the findings can
critically examine it be generalised to other situations.
with respect to the • Notice where there are significant
differences of opinion among researchers
following aspects: and give your opinion about the validity
of these differences.
• Ascertain the areas in which little or
nothing is known – the gaps that exist in
the body of knowledge.

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 Developing a theoretical framework
As you start reading the literature, you will soon discover that the problem
you wish to investigate has its roots in a number of theories that have been
developed from different perspectives. The information obtained from
different books and journals now needs to be sorted under the main themes
and theories, highlighting agreements and disagreements among the authors
and identifying the unanswered questions or gaps. You will also realise that
the literature deals with a number of aspects that have a direct or indirect
bearing on your research topic. Use these aspects as a basis for developing
your theoretical framework.
Literature pertinent to your study may deal with two types of information:
1. Universal;
2. More specific
(i.e. local trends or a specific programme).
In writing about such information you should start with the general
information, gradually narrowing it down to the specific.

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 Developing a Conceptual Framework
• The conceptual framework is the basis of your research problem. It
stems from the theoretical framework and usually focuses on the
section(s) which become the basis of your study.

• Whereas the theoretical framework consists of the theories or issues in

which your study is embedded, the conceptual framework describes the
aspects you selected from the theoretical framework to become the
basis of your enquiry.

Hence the conceptual framework grows out of the theoretical framework

and relates to the specific research problem.

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 Developing a Conceptual Frameworks

Source: Raisian, K. and Yahaya, J., 2015, August. A Research Framework for Environmental
Quarry System.". In 2nd International Research Management & Innovation Conference
(IRMIC 2015) LANGKAWI (pp. 26-27).
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 Writing About The Literature Reviewed
Two of the broad functions of a literature review are
i. to provide a theoretical background to your study an
ii. to enable you to contextualize your findings in relation to the existing
body of knowledge in addition to refining your methodology.
In order to fulfil the first purpose, you should identify and describe various
theories relevant to your field; and specify gaps in existing knowledge in
the area, recent advances in the area of study, current trends and so on.
While reading the literature for theoretical background of your study, you
will realise that certain themes have emerged.
– List the main ones, converting them into subheadings. These subheadings
should be precise, descriptive of the theme in question and follow a logical
progression.

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 Writing About The Literature Reviewed
The second broad function of the literature review – contextualising the
findings of your study – requires you to compare very systematically your
findings with those made by others.

Quote from these studies to show how your findings contradict, confirm or
add to them. It places your findings in the context of what others have
found out providing complete reference in an acceptable format.

This function is undertaken, as mentioned earlier, when writing about your

findings, that is after analysis of your data.

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 Writing About The Literature Reviewed

The writeup must be accurately referenced using the Harvard

Referencing Style which is accepted by UMAT.

After an average of 50 words, there should be a unique reference

provided.

Avoid using a single or same reference in your work or in a whole page.

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 Practical Class
How to search and
Review Literature.

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 Keywords
From research problem formulation class these are the keywords
generated: sodium, paint industry, evaporation, specific gravity and
crystallisation.

SOME ESSENTIAL DATABASES

Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/

Sage Publications: https://journals.sagepub.com/

Wiley Online Library: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/

Institute of Electronic & Electrical Engineer

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/home.jsp
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 How To Download A Paper
1. Read through the abstract
2. Read through the conclusion
3. Download a paper (PDF)

Read each paper cover to cover and write your findings in a book.
- Complete the literature table.

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