LITERATURE REVIEW
1. LITERATURE REVIEW
MODULE THREE
3.0 Introduction
A literature review constitutes an in-depth investigation of current literature
relevant to a specific topic. It offers an extensive overview of prior
research, outlines essential concepts, hypotheses, and approaches, and
underscores deficiencies in knowledge. Through an investigation of relevant
works of literature, researchers acquire a more profound comprehension of the
topic and provide the groundwork for their own work.
The objective of a literature review
is to integrate existing findings, contrast various viewpoints, and assess the
strengths and weaknesses of prior research. This procedure aids in recognizing
trends, issues, and themes need further study. A carefully planned literature
review not only exhibits knowledge of current studies but also establishes the
necessity for further research.
In scholarly writing, literature reviews are essential for contextualizing
research issues, demonstrating arguments with data, and facilitating the
emergence of new concepts. A literature review is a crucial element in research
papers, theses, or dissertations, linking historical
information with prospective investigation.
3.1 Definition
A literature review is a review of academic materials related to a certain
subject. It offers a critical assessment on current understanding, enabling the
identification of pertinent theories, methodologies, and deficiencies in
existing research. A literature review is a comprehensive summary of existing
research on a particular subject. The literature review aims to consolidate
existing knowledge on the issue and, at times, openly identify gaps in
understanding or areas of uncertainty. It encompasses a distinct research
question or problem that it seeks to address. It is not an overview identifying
or summarizing one literary work after another. The chapter is structured
into sections that outline themes or highlight trends, incorporating relevant ideas
that relate to the study issue.
A literature review may function as an independent article, shown by the work of “Francisco Javier Pérez Latre et al. on Social Networks”. Nonetheless, a literature review frequently constitutes a component of a more extensive research publication, exemplified by the work of “Nia Contini et al. on boating-related mortality in the Northwest Territories”.
It is important to note that literature reviews do not constitute a mere overview of a few sources related to your topic. Your evaluation must articulate themes or uncover trends, using appropriate ideas identified in the literature you examined.
Therefore, Literature reviews assist authors and readers in enhancing their understanding of a specific issue by combining relevant information. Literature studies utilize published research to contextualize the issue and may reveal disagreements within the field, identify research gaps, or offer a summary and analysis of existing research on the subject.
Five essential steps exist for composing a literature review:
1. Phase 1- Carry out a literature review.
Prior to initiating your literature search, it is essential to have a well-defined topic. When composing the literature review section of a dissertation, you must investigate literature relevant to the research problem and question. For example, taking a research question:
How has social media affected the way Generation Z feel about their bodies?
Create a keyword list: Make a list of keywords associated with your research question first. List all of the important ideas or factors that you are interested in, along with any synonyms or associated phrases. As you find additional terms throughout your literature search, you can add them to this list.
Examples of keywords include TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and social media, Mental health, body image, perceptions of oneself, self-esteem, Generation Z, teens, adolescents, and young people
Assess sources: Start your source search by using your keywords. The following databases are helpful for finding journals and articles:
· Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)
· Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
· Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
· EBSCO
Boolean operators are another tool you
may use to help focus your search.
To determine whether an article is related to what you're looking for, be sure
to read the abstract. You can locate additional relevant information by looking
through the bibliography of an article or book that you believe to be relevant.
2. Phase 2- Evaluate and select sources.
You are probably not going to get
through every single piece of writing on your topic, so it is important to
figure out which sources really matter for your research question.
When looking at each publication, consider this:
Ö What issue or question is the author tackling?
Ö Can you tell me what the key concepts are and how we define them?
Ö What are the main theories, models, and methods out there?
Ö Is the research sticking to established frameworks, or is it trying something new and innovative?
Ö Can you share what the study found and what conclusions were drawn?
Ö What is the connection between this publication and other works in the field?
Ö Does it support, expand on, or question what we already know?
Ö What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?
It is really important to use credible sources, and do not forget to check out those landmark studies and major theories in your research area.
Document
your observations and reference your sources: Simultaneously
with your reading, you should initiate the writing process. Record notes for
subsequent integration into your literature review.
It is essential to document your sources with citations to prevent plagiarism.
Creating an annotated bibliography might be beneficial, as it involves
compiling complete citation details and composing a summary and analysis
paragraph for each source. This aids in retention of the material and conserves
time in subsequent stages.
Note: Scribbr offers a complimentary APA and MLA citation generator for the rapid creation of accurate and uniform citations. The search to verify your literature review for instances of plagiarism? Utilize Scribbr’s Plagiarism Checker designed for students.
3.
Phase
3-Identify themes, discussions, and deficiencies.
As you start
structuring your literature review's thesis and framework, ensure you
comprehend the interconnections and linkages among the sources you have
examined.
This phase will assist you in determining the framework of your literature
review and, if relevant, demonstrate how your research will augment existing
knowledge. According to your reading and notes, you may want to achieve:
• Patterns and trends (in study of
philosophy, methodology, or outcomes): do particular strategies gain or lose
traction over time?
• Themes: What specific
problems or ideas appear repeatedly in the literature?
• Conflicts,
disputes, and inconsistencies: where do sources diverge?
•
Key
publications: Are there any significant theories or studies that altered the
course of events of the field?
• Gaps: what is
absent from the literature? Are there deficiencies that require attention?
Illustration of trends and weaknesses-Upon examining the
literature about social media and body image, it is observed that:
The majority of study has been on young women;
There is a growing fascination with the visual elements
of social media.
However, there remains a deficiency of comprehensive study on visually-oriented
networks such as Instagram and Snapchat—this represents a gap that you may
explore in your own research. You can do this using the template below.
Table 3.1: Literature Review Outline Template
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Source information |
Research objective |
Problem or gap addressed |
Findings and conclusions |
Limitations or weaknesses |
Implications or suggestions future research |
How your research can fill the gap |
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Lahijan Branch (2016) - URL |
Development of effective learning strategies |
EFL teachers focus on the wrong language skills |
EFL teachers can only help students once their learning difficulties have been identified |
Evaluated sources are possibly outdated |
Teachers should use different strategies for students with different needs |
Look into the most effect EFL teaching method and ways to differentiate |
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4. Phase 4-Provide a detailed framework.
Multiple methodologies exist for structuring the body of a literature review. Depending on the extent of your literature review, you may integrate many methodologies; for instance, your main structure could be thematic while each theme is examined chronologically (progressively).
Chronological: The most straightforward method is to document the
evolution of the subject throughout time. However, if you choose this method,
be aware to refrain from merely enumerating and summarizing sources
sequentially.
Examine patterns, key moments, and significant discussions that have influenced the development of the discipline. Provide your analysis on the mechanisms and reasons for specific developments.
Thematic: Identifying
recurring primary themes allows for the organization of the literature review
into subsections focusing on various aspects of the topic.
For example; In reviewing literature on inequalities in migrant health
outcomes, significant themes include policies regarding health care, language
barriers, cultural perspectives, legal rights, and economic access.
Methodological: When utilizing sources from diverse disciplines employing various research methods, it is advisable to compare the results and conclusions derived from these different methodologies. For instance:
Examine
the outcomes that have arisen in qualitative compared to quantitative research;
Examine the methodologies employed in empirical research compared to those in
theoretical research regarding the topic; and
Classify the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural categories.
Theoretical: A literature review frequently serves as the basis for a theoretical framework. This resource facilitates the testing of diverse theories, models, and definitions of essential concepts.
One may advocate for the significance of a particular theoretical approach or integrate multiple theoretical concepts to establish a framework for research.
5. Draft your literature review.
Similar to any academic writing, your literature review must include an introduction, main body, and conclusion. The content of each section is based upon the purpose of your literature study.
An effective literature review not only summarizes sources but also analyzes, synthesizes, and critically compares to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge on the topic.
3.2 Literature Review Components
Generally, Literature review consists of the following components:
I. Introduction
The opening must explicitly describe the main focus and objective of the literature review, specifying the topic and establishing the scope. If there is any element you do not want to incorporate into your study, please specify in the introduction.
For example: Body image and physical appearance issues are significantly linked to media consumption, especially among young women. Although this topic has received considerable attention, existing research has not fully addressed emerging technologies like TikTok and has predominantly concentrated on the effects of mass media. This paper examines the impact of newer technology, particularly the instant sharing of images, on the mental health of adolescents.
The goal and focus of the literature review should be explicit in the introduction. Provide a brief outline of the academic background and restate your main issue or research question if you are writing the literature review as a component of your dissertation or thesis. You can draw attention to a gap in the literature ("while there has been extensive research on x, few academics have taken y into consideration") or stress how current the topic is ("many recent studies have focused on the problem of x").
II. Body
The body of your literature review may need to be divided into subsections,
depending on its length. Each theme, time period, or analytical approach might
have its own subheading.
You can use the following advice when writing:
Synthesize and summarize: provide a synopsis of each source's key ideas and integrate them into a logical whole.
Evaluate and interpret: do
not only restate the findings of previous researchers; instead, include your
own interpretations when you can, addressing the findings' relevance to the
body of literature.
Critically assess: discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
your sources. Utilize topic sentences and transitional words to establish
links, contrasts, and comparisons in your well-structured paragraphs.
The body must encompass a summary and critical assessment of each source, emphasizing the research design and conclusions drawn. As earlier mention, various structural configurations of the body are:
○ Chronological: outlines the progression of your topic throughout history.
○ Thematic: structures the analysis of your topic based on key themes.
○ Methodological: analysis examines the diverse perspectives that various methodological approaches have contributed to the topic.
○ Theoretical: examines the convergence and divergence of various theoretical perspectives in
relation to your research. Table 3.2 include some of the recommended sentences and connections for summarizing and evaluating sources.
Table3.2: Illustrative framework and sentences
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Aspect |
Example |
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Topic sentence Expresses the topic and central point of your paragraph |
Many studies have focused on the relationship between media consumption and body image issues. |
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Pivotal study Influential study that influences the traditional research landscape for your topic |
The relationship between media depictions and body image concerns is well-established. Analysis by Grabe, Ward and Hyde (2008) concluded that exposure to mass media is linked to body image dissatisfaction among women. |
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Critical evaluation Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of that study |
However, in an era of rapidly evolving digital technologies, the mass media paradigm is no longer sufficient for understanding how adolescents engage with images. The findings of older studies like this one likely do not apply to younger generations. |
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Synthesis Combine findings from research that supports the theory you've introduced |
Several empirical studies have focused on Facebook usage in adolescent girls (Tiggemann & Slater, 2013; Meier & Gray, 2014) and in young adult women (Smith, Hames, & Joiner, 2013; Fardouly et al., 2015; Cohen, Newton-John & Slater, 2017.) Indeed, a systematic review by Holland and Timmerman (2016) confirmed a relationship between social networking and body image for both women and men. Across these studies, there is consistent evidence to suggest that body image issues are influenced not by social media usage in general, but by engagement with the visual and interactive aspects of these platforms. |
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Gap Show where opportunities for further research exist, and how your research would fill those gaps |
Unfortunately, there is a lack of research on more visual-focused social media, such as Instagram and TikTok, which are more popular among younger generations. This paper will analyze the effects of instant photo and video sharing on these platforms on the perceptions of body image amongst adolescents. |
Examples of connecting words: Employing a "point/counterpoint" structure is frequently advantageous, as it integrates diverse perspectives through the use of transitional phrases to enhance the consistency and clarity of your study. Presented below are few examples:
● However,
● In light of,
● Nonetheless,
● Contrary to,
● On the other hand,
● In addition to,
● Additionally,
● Of equal importance, and
● Further/Furthermore etc.
III. Conclusion
In the end, you should summarize the most important things you learned from the
books, article, papers and stress how important they are to your study. After
writing and revising your literature review, make sure you reread it carefully
before turning it in and moving to the next chapter of your study. In order
words, in your conclusion, you should list the main points you learned from the
literature and stress how important they are to your topic. You should also
state your main conclusions and suggest ways to continue researching this area.
Make sure you restate your topic and scope again so the reader knows why the
literature you looked at is important to your study.
For example, existing research has primarily examined the effects of social media use on concerns regarding body image. While it has demonstrated that a relationship does exist, it has not adequately demonstrated how the introduction of instant-sharing platforms such as Instagram Stories and TikTok has changed the situation.
Note: Remember to include the sources that supported your claims in the reference list; there should be a full and accurate citation for every source that you cited.