Table of Contents
Acknowledgements viii
List of tables and figures ix
Introduction 1
What is a literature review? 2
The literature review at different degree levels 4
Why is it important to undertake a literature review as part of your research? 4
Where do we find the literature review in a dissertation or thesis? 7
Structuring your literature review 14
Choosing a literature review approach 14
Summary 15
Overview 15
The multiple purposes of a literature review 16
The multiple purposes 16
Historical background 18
Contemporary context 19
Theoretical underpinnings 20
Definitions and discussion of terminology used in the research 22
Signalling a gap in previous research and using this to justify your own 24
The significance of a problem for research 25
Reflecting on your own research 27
Summary 28
Sources of information and conducting searches 29
What is a literature search? 29
What are the purposes of a literature search? 30
Sources of information 31
Different types of research 33
Tools for finding relevant sources 34
The process of conducting a literature search 38
The use of key words and Boolean logic 40
Tracking and recording your search 42
Summary 43
Reading and note taking strategies 44
Techniques for reading efficiently 45
Increasing your reading speed 48
Reasons for note taking 49
Techniques for note taking 50
Making connections between different texts: using key words 52
Techniques for writing a summary 53
Applying the principles to your field 58
Summary 59
Reference management: keeping records and organizing information 60
Managing the process 60
Bibliographical software packages 64
Record keeping for your own research 78
Summary 78
Structuring the literature review 80
The processes involved in the creation of a literature review 80
Beginning to write 81
The structure of the literature review 82
Developing the structure of your review 84
Structuring your own literature review 87
The relationship between the introduction and the literature review 87
Reflecting on your own research field 95
Summary 95
In-text citations 96
Why do we reference? 96
What is plagiarism? 97
What type of information requires a reference? 98
Referencing systems 99
Integral and non-integral references 101
Types of citation 105
Choice of reporting verb 108
Tense of reporting verb 109
Choice of tense in the clause or sentence where the information is reported 112
Effective and unacceptable citations 113
Analysing reference techniques in your own research field 115
Summary 116
Being critical 117
The difference between critical reading and critical writing 117
Being critical in writing 118
How different researchers adopt a critical approach in their writing 120
Critical writing in your own research field 129
Summary 130
Foregrounding writer voice 131
What is writer voice? 131
The organization of the text 132
The use of personal pronouns 136
The choice of citation pattern 140
The evaluative potential of different reporting verbs 142
Evaluative adjectives, adverbs and phrases 145
A mixture of evaluative strategies 146
Reflecting on the writer's voice in your own research 147
Summary 148
The continuing process 149
The literature review process 149
Referring to the literature in your discussion chapter 151
Reflecting on making the connections in your own research 158
Summary 159
Conclusion 160
Electronic guides 161
References 162
Index 164
