Managing your literature review BECERA Conference, February 2011

Caroline SharpNational Foundation for Educational Research

Literature Review

Is a research method

In which the ‘data’ is existing literature

Provides a synthesis/overview of evidence in a particular area

The NFER Approach to Literature Review

Adopts clear parameters, questions and protocols

Ensures that all decisions are documented

Uses a ‘best evidence’ approach

Adopts a consistent approach to summarising evidence

Stages of a Literature Review1. Purpose &

definition

2. Finding & selecting material

3. Summarising & assessing the

evidence

4. Analysis (synthesis &

interpretation)

5. Reporting & impact

1. Purpose and definition: example ‘parameters’

Review questions: to shape purpose and focus

Time period

Geographical scope

Age range/educational Level

Keywords

Types of literature

Bibliographic databases

Websites and search engines

Bibliographies (reference harvesting)

Hand-searching

Experts & professional networks

2. Finding and selecting material

Selecting material for inclusion

Decide on your criteria

Use all the available information to judge relevance

If in doubt, find out more

Prioritise and keep records

3. Summarising using a structure

Study purpose

Type of literature

Country/area

Sample characteristics

Methods

Key findings

Author’s conclusions and recommendations

Reviewer’s comments

Judging quality

Is the design suitable for the questions?

Is the sample appropriate (size, composition)?

Are the methods sound?

Did they ask the right questions of the right people?

Judging quality (cont’d)

Is the analysis well conducted (does it add up)?

Are the conclusions based on the evidence?

Is key information missing?

Do the authors address weaknesses?

Use quality frameworks (e.g. Cabinet Office ‘Magenta Book’, 2010; Farrington et al., 2002)

4. Analysis and synthesis

A best evidence approach:

Relies on the best studies (relevance, design and quality)

Discards evidence from less good studies

Comments on the quality of the evidence-base

4. Analysis and synthesis

Divide your best evidence into themes

Relate these to your key questions

Bring together the evidence on a single theme/using similar methods

Answer the questions (or understand why you can’t)

Identify gaps

5. Reporting and impact

Think purpose and audience

Consider alternatives to text (e.g. quotes, tables, graphs, maps)

Identify gaps

Include a search strategy and full reference list

Things that will take time

Devising your search strategy

Obtaining inter-library loans (££)

Reading and summarising

Obtaining further references

Updating searches

Analysis and writing

Checking references

Helping to stay on track

Plan your time

Avoid secondary references

Keep accurate notes

Read, summarise and reference as you go

Enjoy!