Literature ReviewsThe scope of the course:a.Literatureb.Literature Reviewc.Form and construction of literature review

Literature: -Referring to any collection of materials on a topic -Being anything from phamlets to articles

Literature Review-A review does not necessarily mean that a reader wants the reviewer to give his/her own personal preference of the sources reviewed.-It discusses published information in a particular subject area, and sometimes within a certain time period.-It can be just a simple summary of the sources.-It usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis. A summary: is a recap of the important information of the source. While a synthesis is

While a synthesis is a re-organization or a reshuffling of that information. -It might give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations.-It might trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates.-It may evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most relevant.

A literature review vs. an academic research paperAn academic research paper focuses on developing a new argument, and a research paper will contain a literature review as one of its parts.The literature in a research paper is used as a foundation and as support for a new insight contributed. The focus of a literature review, however, is to summarize and synthesize the arguments and ideas of others without adding new contributions.

The significances of writing literature reviews- They provide us with a handy guide to a particular topic.- They can give us an overview or act as a stepping stone

in the case of having limited time to conduct research.- They are useful reports that keep them up to date with

what is current in the field.- Their depth and breadth emphasizes the credibility of

the writer in his or her field.- They also provide a solid background for a research

paper’s investigation.- Comprehensive knowledge of the literature of the field

is essential to most research papers.

The writers of literature reviewsa. Occasionally written in humanitiesb. Mostly written in sciences and social sciencesc. Constituting a section of the paper of

experiment and lab reports.d. Being written as a paper in itself.

Things to be done before writing the literature review

a. Clarify. Seeking clarification from instructor.b. Find models. Looking for other literature

reviews in the area of interest and read them to get a sense of the types of themes being looked for in one’s own research. Use the word ‘review’ along with topic terms or reference section of sources.

c. Narrow one’s the topic. Setting the topic narrower makes it easy to limit the number of sources that need to be read.

Consider the currency of the topic- The use of current information is required for

some disciplines. - Treatments for medical problems in sciences are

constantly changing according to the latest studies.

- A review in humanities/social sciences requires a survey of the history of literature.

- Sorting through some literature reviews on the field serves as a means of considering what is currently of interest or not.

Strategies for writing the literature reviewa. Find a focus. A literature review is organized around

ideas, not the sources themselves would be organized.b. Construct a working thesis statement. The focus

found is used to construct a thesis statement. The thesis statement here does not necessarily argue for a position or opinion, but for a particular perspective on the maerial.

Examples: The current trend in treatment for congestive heart failure

combines surgery and medicine. More and more cultural studies scholars are accepting

media as a subject worthy of academic consideration.

c. Consider organization. The most effective way of presenting the information should be determined. The most important topics/sub topics should be chosen and also the order of presenting them. The organization of the review should be developed:-Cover the basic categories like: an introduction, the body of interview, a conclusion/recommendation section.-Organize the body. It deals with the way how the sources will be presented. The presentation can be chronological, thematic or methodological, by publication, or by trend.

Begin composing the literature reviewHaving settled on a general pattern of organization, each section is ready to be written. The guidelines that should be followed during the writing stage are:a.Use evidence. The interpretation of the available sources must be backed up with evidence to show the validity of what is being said.b. Be selective. Select only the most important points in each source to highlight in the review. The information chosen should relate directly to the focus of the review, whether it is thematic, methodological, or chronological.

c. Use quotes sparingly. The choice of direct or indirect quotes depends on the survey nature of the literature review, whether it allows for in-depth discussion or detailed quotes from the text or not. d. Summarize and synthesize. The sources must be summarized and synthesized within each paragraph as well as throughout the review. The sources can be synthesized by rephrasing their significance and relating them to the writer’s own work. e. Keep your own voice. While the literature presents others’ ideas, the writer’s voice should remain front and center. This is done by starting and ending the paragraph with the writer’s own idea and the writer’s own words.

f. Use caution when paraphrasing. When paraphrasing a source of others, be sure to represent the author’s information or opinions accurately and in your own words.g. Revise, revise, and revise. - Check over the review again to see that it follows the assignment and the outline. - Rewrite or rework the language of the review. - Be sure to use terminology familiar to the audience by getting rid of unnecessary jargon or slang. - Double check that you have documented the sources and formatted the review appropriately.h. Works consulted