Literature Reviews

Why?

• Provide you with background information• Provide you with a theoretical base• Helps clarify/sharpen your problem• Provide you with possible methodologies;

keeps you from reinventing the wheel• Gives you a basis for comparison• Inspires confidence in the reader

How?

• Think about your problem• Make a basic outline of what you may need to

research• Search those areas

Databases

• Use key words• ERIC• Wilson• Other data bases

Primary Sources

• Go to the original articles• If everybody cites a study, find it• Use the lit. rev. of other studies as a guide

Published Lit. Reviews

• Review of Educational Research• Handbook of Research in Teaching– Provide summaries and bibliographies– Source of articles for background information

Internet

• Google Scholar• Open Access Journals• Beware—not all that is posted is reviewed

Journals

• Get empirical studies NOT OPINION articles• Use research not practitioner journals– Do they present data?– Do they outline their methods?

Books

• Dated and long• Use sparingly

When am I done???

• Same names and articles keep reappearing• You are getting nothing new• Your framework is logical and sufficient• Making a synthesis, not a collection!• Keep your eyes open throughout the

“research journey”• PS Reference List v. Bibliography

Start Reading

• Use the abstract• Keep track of which articles you really want to

read• Copy call number/complete citations• Direct quotations need page numbers (so also

note direct quotations from paraphrasing)

Reading

• Notes or complete copy?• Note taking - cards or computer? • Read sections or entire paper?• Evaluate as you read—take notes• Code what you read as you read it (to match

outline)• Tweak your outline if necessary

Writing your Lit. Review

Recall purpose

• Organize

• Synthesize

• Evaluate

what others have done

Writing Lit. Rev.

1. Make an outline2. Ensure a logical flow3. Group similar articles and compare

What do they have in commonWhat is differentPresent summary of what is known

Cont.

4. Use direct quote sparingly (paraphrase but cite)

5. Conclude with a brief summary and6.Implications for your study to7.Transition to the next chapter

APA

• Follow the guidelines of APA in your paper.• Hints to using it for references are on the class

Pilot web site.• Another good reference can be found at

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

ClosureAt the end of today• You should have a question.• You should be able to find literature on your

topic.• You should know how to write a literature

review