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ADP ADP Dissertation Dissertation Workshop Workshop

Session TwoSession Two

Reviewing the LiteratureReviewing the Literature

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What is the literature What is the literature review for?review for?

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What is the literature What is the literature review for?review for?

• It allows you to analyse and It allows you to analyse and evaluate what others have done, evaluate what others have done, drawing together different drawing together different aspects and strandsaspects and strands which which relate to your work.relate to your work.

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Thinking & ReadingThinking & Reading

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Thinking & ReadingThinking & Reading

• What specific questions do I want to explore?What specific questions do I want to explore?• Who are the key writers in this area?Who are the key writers in this area?• What are the main issues amongst writers on What are the main issues amongst writers on

the topic?the topic?• What is my position in relation to these issues?What is my position in relation to these issues?• How does the literature relate to my topic?How does the literature relate to my topic?• Do I have any references from before 1990? If Do I have any references from before 1990? If

so, what is the reason for this?so, what is the reason for this?• In what ways is my research different to what In what ways is my research different to what

has already been studied?has already been studied?

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Learning from past Learning from past dissertationsdissertations

Read the Read the abstractabstract then the then the contents pagecontents page of the dissertation entitled, of the dissertation entitled, EAP EAP Instruction, Critical Analysis and Four Instruction, Critical Analysis and Four Asian Postgraduate Students: The Case Asian Postgraduate Students: The Case Against Deterministic Thinking, Against Deterministic Thinking, to ensure to ensure you understand the purpose of the you understand the purpose of the dissertation.dissertation.

Where would you expect literature to be Where would you expect literature to be reviewed?reviewed?

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Key features of a Key features of a literature reviewliterature review

• Group One: read chapter 2 Group One: read chapter 2

• Group Two: read chapter 4 Group Two: read chapter 4

1) Find examples of where he refers 1) Find examples of where he refers to other authors’ work.to other authors’ work.

2) How is his literature review 2) How is his literature review organised? organised?

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Themes Themes

Note that the review of the Note that the review of the literature is arranged according to literature is arranged according to themes: themes:

• Cultural influences on writing Cultural influences on writing practicespractices

• Critical AnalysisCritical Analysis• EthnographyEthnography• Critical Discourse AnalysisCritical Discourse Analysis

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The importance of The importance of organising the LR organising the LR

thematically thematically • This provides you with a structure to This provides you with a structure to

shape the dissertation and ensures shape the dissertation and ensures that you will foreground the that you will foreground the ideas ideas that are shared or developed by that are shared or developed by different writers rather than simply different writers rather than simply list what he or she said list what he or she said

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Literature Review move Literature Review move structure structure

• What is a What is a movemove??• What is move structure for? What is move structure for?

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Move 1: Establishing one Move 1: Establishing one part of the territory of one’s part of the territory of one’s

own research own research • Strategy 1A:Strategy 1A: surveying the existing state surveying the existing state

of knowledge and non-research practicesof knowledge and non-research practices

• Strategy 1B:Strategy 1B: claiming the centrality of claiming the centrality of the theme reviewed the theme reviewed

• Strategy 1C:Strategy 1C: surveying the research surveying the research activities, including findings and claimsactivities, including findings and claims

See examples from HO ‘Literature Review Move Structure’

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Move 2: Creating research Move 2: Creating research niche (in response to Move niche (in response to Move

1) 1) • Strategy 2A: Strategy 2A: counter-claimingcounter-claiming

• Strategy 2B:Strategy 2B: gap-indicating gap-indicating

• Strategy 2C:Strategy 2C: making confirmative claims making confirmative claims

• Strategy 2D:Strategy 2D: asserting the relevancy of the asserting the relevancy of the surveyed claims to your own researchsurveyed claims to your own research

• Strategy 2E:Strategy 2E: abstracting or synthesizing abstracting or synthesizing the theoretical framework / position the theoretical framework / position

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Move 3: Occupying the Move 3: Occupying the research niche (optional)research niche (optional)

• Strategy 3A:Strategy 3A: announcing research aims, announcing research aims, focuses, research questions or hypothesesfocuses, research questions or hypotheses

• Strategy 3B:Strategy 3B: announcing theoretical announcing theoretical positions / theoretical frameworkspositions / theoretical frameworks

• Strategy 3C:Strategy 3C: announcing research design / announcing research design / processesprocesses

• Strategy 3D:Strategy 3D: announcing interpretations of announcing interpretations of terminology used in the thesisterminology used in the thesis

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How do moves work How do moves work together?together?

• Read 2.2 in Read 2.2 in EAP Instruction, Critical EAP Instruction, Critical Analysis and Four Asian Analysis and Four Asian Postgraduate Students: The Case Postgraduate Students: The Case Against Deterministic ThinkingAgainst Deterministic Thinking

• Mark three moves (some move(s) Mark three moves (some move(s) may appear more than once in one may appear more than once in one theme)theme)

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2.2 The importance of critical analysis in Western tertiary contexts2.2 The importance of critical analysis in Western tertiary contexts A less controversial topic is the centrality of critical A less controversial topic is the centrality of critical

analysis in Western tertiary contexts. While not wishing to adopt analysis in Western tertiary contexts. While not wishing to adopt an ‘autonomous’ approach (Street 1984 as quoted in Coleman an ‘autonomous’ approach (Street 1984 as quoted in Coleman 1996: 1-2) and automatically assume that critical analysis is 1996: 1-2) and automatically assume that critical analysis is universally admired in every department in every Western universally admired in every department in every Western university, there is considerable evidence of how much university, there is considerable evidence of how much importance is attached to the concept in Western universities. importance is attached to the concept in Western universities. For instance, Woodward-Kron (2002), using Lea and Street’s For instance, Woodward-Kron (2002), using Lea and Street’s (1999) identification of three levels of practice in higher (1999) identification of three levels of practice in higher education – institutional, disciplinary and individual – argues education – institutional, disciplinary and individual – argues cogently that in Australia, ‘the valuing of critical analysis in the cogently that in Australia, ‘the valuing of critical analysis in the academy is evident at all of these three levels’ (Woodward-Kron academy is evident at all of these three levels’ (Woodward-Kron 2002: 123).2002: 123). A similar caseA similar case could be made for the UK, and in could be made for the UK, and in particular at Lancaster University – particular at Lancaster University – the site of this studythe site of this study. For . For example, at the institutional level, critical analysis is frequently example, at the institutional level, critical analysis is frequently viewed as a desirable attribute of graduates. Thus according to viewed as a desirable attribute of graduates. Thus according to Lancaster University’s website, ‘critical reasoning’ is named as a Lancaster University’s website, ‘critical reasoning’ is named as a ‘key graduate skill’ (‘key graduate skill’ (http://careersmain.lancs.ac.uk/grad-http://careersmain.lancs.ac.uk/grad-skillship.htmskillship.htm).). Meanwhile, Entwistle, who was interested in Meanwhile, Entwistle, who was interested in examining educational objectives in higher education by examining educational objectives in higher education by interviewing lecturers at Lancaster University, found that the interviewing lecturers at Lancaster University, found that the ‘unifying theme of lecturer’s view about the main purposes of ‘unifying theme of lecturer’s view about the main purposes of university education can be summarised by the term university education can be summarised by the term critical critical thinkingthinking’ (Entwistle 1984: 4 as quited in Coleman 1996: 4).’ (Entwistle 1984: 4 as quited in Coleman 1996: 4).

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At a disciplinary level of practice,At a disciplinary level of practice, Wall Wall investigated the writing demands placed on MSc investigated the writing demands placed on MSc students in the Department of Economics at Lancaster students in the Department of Economics at Lancaster University.Through interviews with subject teachers, University.Through interviews with subject teachers, she found that ‘critical ability’ came second in she found that ‘critical ability’ came second in importance only to ‘knowledge of subject matter’ in importance only to ‘knowledge of subject matter’ in factors viewed ‘as important to the marking of factors viewed ‘as important to the marking of Economics essays’ (Wall 1981: 29).Economics essays’ (Wall 1981: 29). While While I recogniseI recognise that different departments have different criteria for that different departments have different criteria for assessment of written work, a cursory glance at the assessment of written work, a cursory glance at the Faculty of Social Science guidelines for written work Faculty of Social Science guidelines for written work on MA schemes of study, reveals that ‘critical on MA schemes of study, reveals that ‘critical discussion of relevant readings’ is a key aspect of discussion of relevant readings’ is a key aspect of students’ work ‘which may be take into account during students’ work ‘which may be take into account during assessment.’assessment.’ Moreover, at the individual level of Moreover, at the individual level of practice, the need for critical analysis is also apparent practice, the need for critical analysis is also apparent in evaluative commentary in marker feedback (Spinks in evaluative commentary in marker feedback (Spinks 1988 as quoted in Woodward-Kron 2002: 124).1988 as quoted in Woodward-Kron 2002: 124). Thus Thus out of the twelve essaysout of the twelve essays I looked at as part of this I looked at as part of this studystudy, three contained marker comments referring , three contained marker comments referring specifically to the concept of critical analysis.specifically to the concept of critical analysis.

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Common difficulties of Lit Common difficulties of Lit Review writing Review writing

• Too many details of individual Too many details of individual studies without making studies without making generalisation.generalisation.

• General statements and their General statements and their supporting specific details or supporting specific details or examples are not directly related.examples are not directly related.

• Lack of evaluations to the studies Lack of evaluations to the studies cited.cited.

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Writing sample - Writing sample - problematicproblematic • Research (Gimenez, 2000; Vergaro, 2002;

Vergaro, 2004; van Mulken & van der Meer, 2005) has shown that discourse and rhetorical strategies in written communication between or among companies have formulaic or standardized forms to present information appropriately and to obtain compliance by a given readership in a specific business context. Vergaro (2004) analyzes the rhetorical differences of 69 sales promotion letters. Vergaro indicates that what the texts actually do is more significant than how the text is worded. This observation is similar to the notion proposed by van Mulken & van der Meer (2005) of the analysis of company replies to customer inquiries. Van Mulken & van der Meer point out that, to build the ‘rapport’ with potential customers, companies intentionally use rhetorical strategies such as hedges and passive voices to invite readers to take further actions.

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The key features of The key features of literature reviewsliterature reviews

• relevant and focussed relevant and focussed • up to dateup to date• the research gap is identifiedthe research gap is identified• the organisation and contents are the organisation and contents are

signposted in an introductory paragraphsignposted in an introductory paragraph• organised organised thematicallythematically• the different themes are drawn together the different themes are drawn together

in a conclusion.in a conclusion.• criticalcritical

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My own dissertationMy own dissertation

• What are the themes I can use to What are the themes I can use to organise my reading/review?organise my reading/review?

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Getting startedGetting started

• Write (at least ) one paragraph Write (at least ) one paragraph based on your reading so far. Use based on your reading so far. Use the three moves model. the three moves model.

• Bring this paragraph to next week’s Bring this paragraph to next week’s session.session.

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Useful ReferencesUseful ReferencesCentral Queensland University Central Queensland University

www.library.cqu.edu.au/tutorials/litreviewpageswww.library.cqu.edu.au/tutorials/litreviewpages/ / writing.htmwriting.htm

Cooley & Lewkowicz (2003)Cooley & Lewkowicz (2003) Dissertation Writing Dissertation Writing in Practicein Practice. Hong Kong: HKUP. Hong Kong: HKUP

Neal R (2003) Neal R (2003) EAP Instruction, Critical Analysis EAP Instruction, Critical Analysis and Four Asian Postgraduate Students: The and Four Asian Postgraduate Students: The Case Against Deterministic Thinking. Case Against Deterministic Thinking. Lancaster Lancaster University MA Dissertation (unpublished)University MA Dissertation (unpublished)