Literature Review

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lecture the student will:
Define key terms: literature, literature review, citations
Discuss the purpose of the literature review in quantitative research.
Identify the sources included in a literature review.
Differentiate a primary source from a secondary source.
Identify common data bases. ​
Conduct a computerized search of the literature.
Identify the steps in the literature review process. ​
Write a literature review to promote the use of evidence –based
knowledge in nursing practice.
Critique the literature review section of a published study.
Outlines
Steps of the Quantitative Research Process
Definition ( literature, literature review, citations)
The purpose and Importance of Literature Review
Sources included in a Literature Review
Types of publications
Quality of sources
The Steps of a Literature Review
Critically appraising Literature Review
Demonstration on literature review
Steps of the Quantitative
Research Process
1. Research problem and purpose
2. Review of relevant literature
3. Research objectives, questions, or hypotheses, study variables
4. Study design
5. Population and sample
6. Measurement Methods
7. Data collection
8. Data analysis
9. Discussion of research outcomes
 Literature:
• Is a collection of all of the relevant written
sources on a topic.
• It will include both theoretical and empirical
works.
(Print and non print sources such as books,
chapters of books, journal articles, critique
reviews, abstracts published in conference
proceedings, professional and governmental
reports, and unpublished dissertations)

 Citation
Is the act of quoting a source, paraphrasing
content from a source, using it as an example, or
presenting it as support
What Is a Literature
Review?
A literature review is the process of finding relevant research
reports, critically appraising the studies, and synthesizing the
study results.
The written description of the literature that results from the
process is also called a review of the literature.
Example:
Literature review on the effect of COVID-19 on hospitalized patients
with chronic health conditions in Saudi Arabia. ​
The purpose of Literature
Review
To develop and present a strong knowledge base for the
conduct of the research project.
Literature review in published research reports provide the
background for the problem studied and the review includes:
1. Describing the current knowledge of a practice problem.
2. Identifying the gaps in knowledge base.
3. Explaining how the study being reported contributed to
building knowledge in this area.
 The scope of the literature review must be broad enough to
allow the reader to be become familiar with the research
problem and narrow enough to include only the most
relevant sources.
The purpose of Literature
Review
The purpose of literature review in quantitative research is
conducted to direct the planning and execution of a study.
The major literature review is performed at the beginning of the
research process (before the study is conducted).
A limited review is conducted after the study is completed to
identify studies published since the original literature review,
especially if it has been 1 year or longer since the study began.
Additional articles may be reviewed to find information relevant to
interpreting the findings.
The purpose of Literature
Review
Quantitative research reports may include citations to
relevant sources in all sections of the report.
The researchers include sources in the introduction section to
summarize the background and significance of the research
problem.
Citations about the number of patients affected, cost of
treatment, and consequences in terms of human suffering and
physical health may be included.
Citations are found in introduction/background section,
framework section, methods section (including design,
sampling, tools, statistical analysis) and discussion section.
 Importance of Literature Review

•Determines what is known and unknown about a subject, concept, or

problem.
• Determines gaps, consistencies, and inconsistencies in the literature
about a subject, concept, or problem.
•Discovers conceptual traditions used to examine problems.
• Uncovers research findings that support evidence-based practice.
Generates useful research questions and hypotheses for nursing.
•Determines an appropriate research design, methodology and analysis
for answering the research question(s) or hypothesis(es).
•Determines the need for replication of a study or refinement of a study
Sources included in a Literature
Review
The literature is all written sources relevant to the topic selected including
articles published in periodicals or journals, internet publications,
monographs, encyclopedias, conference papers, theses, dissertations, clinical
journals, textbooks, and other books.
Websites and reports developed by government agencies and professional
organizations are also included.
Each source reviewed by the author and used to write the review is cited.
A citation is the act of quoting a source, paraphrasing content from a source,
using it as an example, or presenting it as support for a position taken.
Each citation should have a corresponding reference in the reference list.
Sources included in a
Literature Review
The reference is documentation of the origin of the cited quote or
paraphrased idea and provides enough information for the reader to
locate the original material.
This information is typically the original author’s name, year, and
title of publication and when necessary, periodical or monograph title,
volume, pages and other location information as required by standard
style writing manuals.
The style developed by the American Psychological Association (APA,
2010)is commonly used in nursing programs and journals.
 APA style
In text citation:
-According to Jones (1998), "students often had difficulty using APA style

-(Jones, Smith, Liu, et al., 2020)

-Research by Wegener and Petty (1994) supports...

Reference List
-Soto, C. J., & John, O. P. (2017). The next big five inventory (BFI-2):
Developing and assessing a hierarchical model with 15 facets to enhance
bandwidth, fidelity, and predictive power. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 113(1), 117-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000096

General Format - Purdue OWL® - Purdue University

Types of publications
Article.
Periodical.
Monograph.
Encyclopedia.
Conference proceedings.
Thesis.
Dissertation.
Clinical journals.
Textbooks.
Website.
Types of publications
Article is a paper about a specific topic and may be published
together with other articles on similar themes in journals
(periodicals), encyclopedias, or edited books. As part of edited book,
articles may be called chapters.
Periodical such as a journal is published over time and is numbered
sequentially for the years published. This sequential numbering is
seen in the year, volume, issue, and page numbering of a journal
(online or in print).
Monograph such as a book on a specific subject, a record of
conference proceedings or a pamphlet usually is a one-time
publication(online or in print).
Types of publications
Encyclopedia is an authoritative compilation of information on
alphabetized topics that may provide background information and lead
to other sources but is rarely cited in academic papers and publications.
Some online encyclopedias are electronic publications that have
undergone the same level of review as published encyclopedias. Other
online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia, are in an open, editable format
and as a result the credibility of the information is variable. Using
Wikipedia as a professional source is controversial, instead it might
provide ideas for other sources.
Conference proceedings are selected and reviewed papers published in
a conference of a major professional organizations.
Types of publications
Thesis is a report of a research project completed by a
postgraduate student part of the requirements for a master’s
degree.
Dissertation is a report of an extensive, sometimes original
research project that is completed as the final requirement of a
doctoral degree. Theses and dissertations can be cited in a
literature review.
Clinical journals are periodicals that include research and non
research articles about practice problems and professional issues.
Types of publications
Textbooks are source of information for academic courses. Other
books on theories, methods, and events may also be cited in a
literature review.
Websites are electronic access to articles and books and are easy
access sources of information. Not all websites are valid and
appropriate for citation in literature review might ends with .com. In
contrast, website prepared and sponsored by governmental
agencies and professional organizations are considered appropriate
references to cite (.org, .gov, .edu)
Content of publications
References cited in literature reviews contains two main types of
content:
Theoretical literature includes concept analyses, theories, and
models that support research problem and purpose. Can be
found in books, periodicals, and monographs.
Empirical literature refers to data derived from research. The
knowledge is based on data from research. Can be found in Data
Base Literature such as published studies in journals, internet or
books and unpublished studies in theses and dissertations.
Quality of sources
Most references cited in quality literature review are primary sources that
are peer reviewed.
Primary source is written by the person who generated or is responsible for
generating the published ideas.
◦ In research, written by the person(s) who conducted the research
◦ In theory, written by the theorist(s) who developed the theory

Secondary sources summarizes or quotes content from primary sources.

Authors of secondary sources paraphrase the works of researchers and
theorists and present their interpretation of what was written by the
primary author.
Secondary sources are used only if primary sources cannot be located or
the secondary source provides creative ideas or organization not found in
the primary source.
Sources of Information in a
Research Literature Review -
Primary sources
Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2013 Feb;27(1):23-31. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2012.07.001. Epub 2012 Dec 21.

Counseling and exercise intervention for smoking

reduction in patients with schizophrenia: a feasibility
study.
Bernard PP1, Esseul EC, Raymond L, Dandonneau L, Xambo JJ, Carayol MS, Ninot GJ.
Abstract
Smoking cessation is possible for individuals with schizophrenia but the relapse rate is high. It is
necessary to develop more flexible approaches to help these patients. The aim of this study was to
examine the feasibility of an intervention approach that integrates counseling and exercise for
participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. A single group prospective design was
used in this study. A sample of inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder participated
in a program called "oxygen group", a program combining five sessions of smoking reduction
counseling and three sessions of moderate intensity exercise over an 8-week period. Tobacco
consumption, motivation, carbon monoxide level, anxiety and depression, smoking self-efficacy,
nicotine dependence and waist circumference were measured pre- and post-intervention.
Participants reported their satisfaction with the study characteristics after completion of the
intervention. Smoking consumption and CO level were assessed at 6-week post-intervention follow-
up. Twelve individuals (mean age 45.7±10.8years) were recruited. Participant attendance was
81.3%. There were no dropouts. Significant decreases were found for tobacco consumption (P=.04)
and CO rate (P=.003) at the end of the intervention and were maintained at 6-week follow-up.
Compared to baseline levels, there were no changes in depression and anxiety. Smoking cessation
motivation increased significantly. This intervention appears feasible and acceptable to patients with
schizophrenia and there were promising findings regarding smoking reduction. Larger trials to test
the intervention are warranted.
 Sources of Information in a
Research Literature Review –
Secondary sources
Ten-Year Research Update Review: Child Sexual Abuse
ABSTRACT
Objective: To provide clinicians with current information on prevalence, risk factors, outcomes, treatment,
and prevention of child sexual abuse (CSA). To examine the best-documented examples of psychopathology
attributable to CSA.
Method: Computer literature searches of Medline and PSYCInfo for key words. All English-language articles
published after 1989 containing empirical data pertaining to CSA were reviewed.
Results: CSA constitutes approximately 10% of officially substantiated child maltreatment cases, numbering
approximately 88,000 in 2000. Adjusted prevalence rates are 16.8% and 7.9% for adult women and men,
respectively. Risk factors include gender, age, disabilities, and parental dysfunction. A range of symptoms and
disorders has been associated with CSA, but depression in adults and sexualized behaviours in children are
the best-documented outcomes. To date, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) of the child and a non
offending parent is the most effective treatment. Prevention efforts have focused on child education to
increase awareness and home visitation to decrease risk factors.
Conclusions: CSA is a significant risk factor for psychopathology, especially depression and substance abuse.
Preliminary research indicates that CBT is effective for some symptoms, but longitudinal follow-up and large-
scale “effectiveness” studies are needed. Prevention programs have promise, but evaluations to date are
limited.
Key Words: sexual abuse, child abuse, prevention, depression, sexualized behaviour
Quality of sources
The origin of the source: Is the source primary or secondary
Peer reviewed: means that the author of research has submitted a
manuscript to a journal editor who identified scholars familiars with the
topic to review the manuscript.
Relevant studies: are those with direct bearing on the problem of concern.
Current/recent studies: are those published within 5 years before
publication of the manuscript.
Seminal/classical studies: are the first studies on a particular topic.
Landmark studies: are significant research projects that have generated
knowledge.
Replication studies: are reproductions or repetitions of a study that
researchers conduct to determine whether the findings of the original study
could be found consistently in different settings with different subjects.
Reviewing the Literature
A. Preparing to review the literature (clarify the purpose, select the
electronic database)

B. Conducting the Literature review (search database, use tables to

document results, refine the research, review abstracts for relevancy, obtain
full copy of included studies, check completeness of bibliographic information )

C. Processing the literature ( read articles, Appraise literature)

D. Writing the review of the literature (organize information, writing
each them in separate paragraph, create reference list)

E. Checking the review and the reference list (compare the sources
cited in the paper with the reference list)
The Steps of a Literature
Review
A. Preparing to review the literature
1. Clarify the purpose of the literature review (course assignments,
research, strength of evidence).
2. Select electronic database and search terms (bibliographic data
base [CINHAL, Medline and Science Direct for current and
empirical or theoretical literature]).
B. Conducting the literature review/search
3. Search the selected databases.
4. Use a table to document the results of your search.
5. Refine your search.
6. Review the abstracts to identify relevant articles.
7. Obtain full-text copies of relevant articles.
8. Ensure that information needed to cite the source is recorded.
The Steps of a Literature
Review
C. Processing the literature
9. Read the articles, focus on main points and highlight important
contents or make notes.
10. Appraise, analyze, and synthesize the literature.
D. Writing the review of the literature
11. Develop an outline to organize information from the review.
12. Write each section of the review.
13. Create the reference list.
14. Check the review and the reference list.
 Reviewing the Literature
Databases frequently used for nursing literature reviews
Name of database Database content

CINAHL Nursing and allied health journals including many full text
articles
MEDLINE Biomedical journals and includes abstracts with links to some full
text sources
PubMed Free access to MEDLINE available to patients and other
consumers
PsychARTICLES Journals published by the American Psychological Association
(APA)and affiliated organizations
Health Source: Journals published for physicians, nurses, and other health care
Nursing/Academic Edition professionals; includes many full text articles and medication
education materials for patients
 REVIEWING THE LITERATURE
Recording Search Information
Name of database
Date of search
Exact search terms and strategy used
Years
Number of articles found
This information can be stored in a table
Database Date of search Search strategy Years Number of articles found

CINAHL 2-10-2016 Patient Safety 2011-2016 28,758

CINAHL 2-10-2016 Patient Safety and 2011-2016 4,758

nurses
 Example of literature
summary table for studies
Author Study Purpose Sample size Study Design Tools/Methods Results
(Year) and site

Bran et al., “Determining 86 patients Experimental Demographic Preoperative hand

2013 the effects of data; VAS for massage has a
hand massage anxiety significant effect
on patients
anxiety in the on patient
ambulatory reported anxiety
surgery setting. Intervention
group had
significantly lower
anxiety (t=4.85;
p=0.000)
REVIEWING THE LITERATURE
Keywords
Major concepts or variables of a research problem or topic used to search a
database
May be single terms or phrase (stress, dementia caregiving stress)
Most databases have a thesaurus that can be used to identify keywords.
Each keyword used should be listed in a written search plan.
Processing the
literature
Processing the literature includes reading the articles and appraising,
analyzing and synthesizing the literature
Read the articles, skim over information provided by the author that is not
relevant to your research problem.
Comprehending and critically appraising sources leads to an understanding
of the current state of knowledge related to research problem.
Highlight the content you consider important or make some notes in the
margins.
Appraise, analyze, and synthesize the literature. Analysis is required to
determine the value of a reference. The synthesis of sources involves
drawing conclusions about what is known.
Writing the review of the
literature
Develop an outline to organize the information from
the review.
Write each section of the review.
Create a reference list.
Check the review and the reference list.
Writing the review of the
literature
Develop an outline to organize the information from
the review.
Depending on the purpose of the literature review, you will
determine what the major sections of the paper will be
Frequently, a comprehensive literature review has Four
sections:
1. Introduction;
2. Discussion of theoretical literature;
3. Discussion of empirical literature; and
4. Summary/conclusion.
The introduction and summary are standard sections.
Writing the review of the
literature
Write each section of the review.
Start each paragraph with a theme sentence that describes
the main idea of the paragraph. Support the main idea with
relevant studies. End each paragraph with a concluding
sentence that transitions to the next claim.
Avoid using direct quotes from an author. Paraphrase the
author ideas into other words (rewording).
At the end of review write a summary of the current
knowledge.
Writing the review of the
literature
Create a reference list.
Many journals and academic institutions use the format developed by
APA (2010).
The sources included in the list of references are only those that were
cited in the paper
Check the review and the reference list.
After completing the review, re read the review aloud and ask a fellow
student to review and provide constructive feedback.
Complete the sources cited in the paper to the reference list.
Be sure that the authors’ names and year of publication match.
Critically appraising
Literature Review
Inclusion of relevant literature.
Currency of sources.
Breadth of review.
Synthesis of strengths and weaknesses of available evidence.
 Class activities
Demonstration on literature review
Examples from Published Studies
(Articles posted on the Blackboard​)
Questions?
References

Grove, S.K., Gray, J.R. (2019). Understanding Nursing Research. 7th

edition. Elsevier Saunders
Thank you