Review of Related Literature and Studies

RECAP: The Research Topic y According to Creswell (2009), before searching the literature, identify your topic first, using such strategies as drafting a brief title or stating a central research question. Also consider whether this topic can and should be researched by reviewing whether there is access to participants and resources and whether the topic will add to the literature, be of interest to others, and be consistent with personal goals. y Researchers do their best work when they are genuinely having fun, so dont do boring research when you can choose any topic you like (Bernard, 1994). Why do a Review of Related Literature and Studies? y Reviewing previous work helps us to figure out what has already been studied, the conclusions that were reached, and the remaining unanswered questions (Adler & Clark, 2008). y Reviewing studies justify the importance of the study and creates distinctions between past studies and a proposed study (Creswell, 2009). y Reviewing the accumulated knowledge about a question is an essential early step in the research process, no matter which approach to social science you adopt. As in other areas of life, it is best to find out what is already known about a question before trying to answer it yourself (Neuman, 2006). Goals of a Literature Review (Neuman, 2006) 1. To demonstrate a familiarity with a body of knowledge and establish credibility. A review tells a reader that the researcher knows the research in an area and knows the major issues. A good review increases a readers confidence in the researchers professional competence, ability and background. 2. To show the path of prior research and how a current project is linked to it. A review outlines the direction of research on a question and shows the development of knowledge. A good review places a research project in context and demonstrates its relevance by making connections to a body of knowledge. 3. To integrate and summarize what is known in an area. A review pulls together and synthesizes different results. A good review points out areas where prior studies agree, where they disagree, and where major questions remain. It collects what is known up to a point in time and indicates the direction for future research. 4. To learn from others and stimulate new ideas. A review tells what others have found so that a researcher can benefit from the efforts of others. A good review identifies blind alleys and suggests hypotheses for replication. It divulges procedures, techniques, and research designs worth copying so that a researcher can better focus hypotheses and gain new insights.

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The Use of Literature: Qualitative Study

Table 1 Using Literature in a Qualitative Study (Creswell, 2009)

The Use of Literature: Quantitative/Mixed Methods Study (Creswell, 2009) A quantitative study includes a substantial amount of literature/study at the beginning of the study to provide direction for the research questions and hypotheses, often in a separate section called the Review of Related Literature and Studies. Cooper (1984; as cited in Creswell, 2009) suggests that the reviews can be integrative (in which the researchers summarize broad themes/categories in the literature; see Example 1), theoretical (describes theory that will be used as an explanation for expected relationships, and how the theory relates to the problem) or methodological (focuses on methods and definitions; may provide a summary and a critique of the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology of the studies).

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Example 1 Integrative Review (Villanueva, 2011)

In a mixed methods study, the review should be consistent with the major type of strategy and/or the qualitative or quantitative approach.

Steps in Conducting a Review of Related Literature and Studies (Morris, 2006; Creswell, 2009) 1. Begin by identifying key words about your topic. These key words may emerge in identifying a topic. 2. Next, go to the library and begin searching the OPAC for materials-especially for books and journals related to the topic. You could also do this at home by going to the LORENZO Web Catalog at http://ustlib.ust.edu.ph. Try to locate as much source material as you can. 3. Skim this initial group of sources, and select those that will make a useful contribution to your understanding of the literature. 4. Begin designing a literature map, a visual representation of groupings of the literature on the topic. 5. Also, begin drafting summaries of the most relevant articles. These summaries are combined into the final review for your proposal. Dont forget to use proper citation!

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6. After summarizing the literature, assemble the review, organizing it by important concepts. End the review with a summary of the major themes and suggest how your study further adds to the literature. A Priority List for Selecting Literature Materials (Morris, 2006; Adler & Clark, 2008; Neuman, 2006; Creswell, 2009) In writing a review for a research proposal, you should pick the materials that focus on the most relevant concepts, theories, and findings to provide a context for your own work (Adler & Clark, 2008). 1. Journal Articles (both in print and in electronic formats)-easiest to locate and duplicate 2. Books 3. Recent Conference Papers, Theses and/or Dissertations 4. Government Documents 5. The Internet-however, screen these articles carefully for quality and be cautious about whether they represent rigorous, thoughtful, systematic research suitable for the research. When getting a material from the internet, make sure that the source is reliable and written by experts on the topic (Neuman, 2006). Types of Publications (Neuman, 2006)

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Searching Computerized Database (Creswell, 2009; Neuman, 2006) For the UST Library, we have the OPAC/LORENZO Web Catalog which allows us to search the whole library without the hassle of going through endless shelves. There are various free and commercial database sites online that provide journals in electronic form. As students of the University, we could access different online databases in the library and even off campus. One of these is EBSCO, a multi-disciplinary database, which you could access off campus by asking for ABs username and password at the information.
Bibliography Adler, E. S., & Clark, R. (2008). How It's Done: An Invitation to Social Research. Belmont, CA: Thomson-Wadsworth. Bernard, H. (1994). Research Methods in Anthropology: Qualitative & Qualitative Approaches. Walnut Creek, CA: Atlanta Press. Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Lester, J. D., & Lester, J. (2001). Writing Research Papers. New York: Longman. Lune, H., Dumar, E., & Koppel, R. (2010). Perspectivee in Social Research Methods and Analysis. London: Sage. Morris, T. (2006). Social Work Research. London: Sage Publications. Neuman, W. L. (2006). Social Research Methods. Boston, MA: Pearson. Singleton, R., Straits, B. C., Straits, M. M., & McAllister, R. J. (1988). Approaches to Social Research. New York: Oxford University Press. Villanueva, E. V. (2011). Manila: Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis.

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