The Literature Review

The Learning Centre, UNSW

http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/

Linda Burnett

Overview Introduction Writing in your discipline Features of Literature Review (LR) structure Writer’s stance and voice language

Writing in your discipline

Is there a characteristic style of writing? How are texts structured?

How are arguments put together? What’s used as evidence?

How is language used? E.g. Is the first person I used? How? Is there a typical terminology?

(Craswell, 2005)

(adapted from G.Craswell, 2005)

Identifying writing practices 1. Find a good example of the type of

writing you have to do, such as an essay or report. Ask your lecturer or tutor for a good model, or for references to well-written articles or books.

2. Spend an hour each week reading with a focus on how the writer discusses the content, not what s/he says.

3. Select one aspect to focus on: the language, style, structure or treatment of information. (Craswell, 2005)

How do you feel about the process? When you think about doing a literature review what image or metaphor comes to mind?

What best reflects your feelings or experience?

(Kamler and Thomson, 2006)

Like a dinner party?

You, the researcher, invite the scholars You choose the menu and cook the dinner As host, you make space for the guests to talk

about their work but in relation to your work which lies on the table

(abridged from B. Kamler and P. Thomson, 2006, p.38)

Getting started

What do I know about my research topic?

What I am looking for in the literature is?

What are the schools of thought in the literature?

The great debates in my area are …? (Adapted from R. Murray, R., 2002, p.103)

Critical synopsis of a text Why am I reading this? What are the authors trying to do in

writing this? What are they saying that is relevant to

my needs? How convincing is it? What use can I make of this? (Wallace and Wray, 2006, pp.50-2)

Key tasks of literature review Outline the nature of the field or fields relevant to

the research question Identify major debates and define contentious

terms Establish which studies, ideas, and/or methods

are most pertinent to the study Locate gaps in the field Create the justification for your research, and

identify the contribution your study will make.(Kamler & Thomson, 2006)

Mapping the field: step one Use short outline of work Or use recent papers, especially review

articles, to get references to start.

Mapping the field: step 2

Group key works on the basis of their theoretical approach.

Order by time. Indicate the links between them. Add to or change this as your knowledge of

the field grows.

Finding your place in the field

Where do you place your research in the field of relevant literature?

From the map to the review Structure your LR by:

Chronology ‘classic’ studies Topic Distant to close relevance

Look at LRs in your discipline - – ask your supervisor for references or search on the Library website:

http://subjectguides.library.unsw.edu.au/content.php?pid=69088&sid=1991684

 

Typical moves in a LR See handout

Typical ‘moves’ in thesis introduction

Move 1 Establishing a research territory

Move 2 Establishing a niche (elaborated in LR)

Move 3 Occupying the niche (Swales & Feak, 1994)

Establishing the gap Example: Although considerable research has

been carried out on the relationship between voting intentions and party affiliations, very little attention has been given to family political history.

Move 2: Establishing a niche

by indicating a gap in the previous research, raising question about it or extending previous knowledge in some way

by identifying a problem/need by counter-claiming by continuing a tradition

(Swales & Feak, 1994)

Move 2

The language of ‘gap statements’ is typically evaluative in a negative way.

Language which identifies weaknesses in the writing of others needs to be used with care.

(Paltridge & Starfield, 2007, pp.87, 89)

Typical ‘gap’ words and phrases

Verbs disregarded neglected to consider failed to consider overestimated ignored overlooked been limited to suffered from misinterpreted underestimated Adjectives controversial questionable incomplete unconvincing inconclusive unsatisfactory Noun phrases Little information/attention/work/data/research Few studies/investigation/researchers/attempts Non studies/data/calculations None of these studies/ findings/calculations Other forms However/while It remains unclear It would be of interest to

(Paltridge & Starfield, 2007, p.88)

Contrastive or concessive expressions

Despite + noun phrase or –ing form of verb

Even though + noun + verb

Reporting verbs and phrases Neutral expressions: describe, show,

discuss, report Verbs that indicate author’s thinking:

propose, hypothesise, predict, conclude Verbs that indicate what author did:

develop, examine, investigate, find, observe, study, analyse, use

Check whether the verb is followed by that or by a noun

The language of criticism and of discussion sections –imprecise/speculative verbs

Suggest (that) Imply (that Infer (that) Interpret Assume (that)

Appear (that/to) Lead Seem to Support …. (that)

Linguistic strategies for seeking acceptance of claims

Strategy Function Egs

Hedges withhold writer’s full commitment to proposition

might; perhaps;

possible; about

Attitude markers

express writer's attitude towards a proposition

Unfortunately; surprisingly

Hedges mainly largely substantially typically most/mostly

probably to some extent more or less in part/partly approximately

Having a strong writer’s voice Writing about your writing (meta-discourse). Use of I Refer to your central argument throughout the

thesis Topic sentences Theme/rheme: Generally, what you put in the

theme (the first part) of a sentence is what gets most prominence.

Citation pattern

Writer’s voice 1: topic sentence

States the main point

Develops the argument in an essay

Is in the writer’s voice; (don’t include a quotation or begin with reference to another author).

Is usually the first sentence

Citation pattern See handout

Writer’s voice 2: theme and rhemeTheme: the words and phrases at the beginning of

a clause.Rheme: everything thing else in the clause,

including the verb.

E.g. Wider reading develops understanding of a particular topic.

Understanding of a particular topic develops with wider reading.

(adapted from B. Kamler and P. Thomson, 2006)

Writer’s voice: texts

Theme/rheme in the LR

Mia’s LR

Communication of writer’s voice See handout

Model literature review See handout

What examiners look for: All key literature is included (no

oversight) The focus of the LR is clear Not ‘everything I’ve ever read’ All sources are relevant Study located in context of previous

research

References Craswell,G, 2005, Writing for Academic Success: A Postgraduate

Guide, Sage, London. Dunleavy, P 2003, Authoring a PhD: how to plan, draft,write and

finish a doctoral thesis or dissertation, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, Great Britain.

Kamler, B & Thomson, P 2006, Helping doctoral students write: Pedagogies for supervision, Routledge, London,

Murray, R. (2002) How to write a thesis. Open University Press, Maidenhead, Great Britain.

Paltridge, B & Starfield, S, 2007, Thesis and dissertation writing in a second language, Routledge, London.

Ridley, D, 2008, The Literature Review: A step-by-step guide for students, Sage, London.