Writing a Literature Review

Dr John Walsh, Shinawatra International University, January

2005

What and Why?

It is an interpretation and synthesis of published reseach.

It shows: You have read and understood the important,

existing literature You can relate your research to the literature It is used to develop your own ideas

Why Critique the Literature?

To learn about itTo reveal areas ripe for developmentTo work out were our ideas come fromDemonstrate we understand what is good

research and what is not

Questions to ask when providing a critique

What were the research aims and objectives?

What were the outcomes of the research?What approaches / methods were used?In what context was the research

conducted?What was its contribution to the field?Does it have any connection to my

research question?

Steps in the Review

Statement of purpose: what are you trying to do?

Definition of terms: important terms – does it have a special meaning in the literature?

Explanation of what will be included and what excluded – so, decide what is important

Critique of literatureExplanation to own research

Style

Name + date + verb Walsh (2004) argues that …. Smith and Jones (1998), in discussing oil

prices, claim that …

Name + date + full stop … other writers consider oil prices to be

irrelevant (Freak 1998; Death and Hell 2001; Urquhart, 2002).

Assignment: Provide a Literature Review for This Research Project

Improving the International Competitiveness of the Thai Export Prawn Market

The End