The need to uncover Essay Example

problem. Ultimately, the literature review serves as a crucial tool for critically assessing published materials.

According to the APA Publication Manual (1994), the purpose of a literature review is to educate readers about significant patterns and trends in the studied literature. In order to achieve this goal, the author suggests that a literature review performs several functions, including defining and clarifying a topic or problem, summarizing prior research to inform readers about current research status, identifying relationships, contradictions, gaps, and inconsistencies in existing literature, as well as proposing next steps for addressing the topic or solving the problem (p. 5).

Essentially, a literature review offers insight into the literature relevant to a specific subject or field. It provides an overview of the discussions, prominent authors, prevalent hypotheses and theories, research questions, and methodologies that are useful. The literature review is not primary research; instead, it focuses on reporting about existing research. It does not defend the significance of the research topic since the reader would expect its relevance to have been established.

The purpose of a literature review is not to provide a mere list or summary of papers. Rather, it should be focused on ideas and concepts, not just the sources as with an annotated bibliography. To effectively execute this, the researcher should evaluate earlier studies and analyze their strengths and limitations. In addition, they should consider the recurring themes and issues depicted in the sources.

The purpose of writing a literature review is to inform the reader about established knowledge and ideas regarding a topic, including their strengths and weaknesses. The literature review should be framed by a guiding concept, such as the research objective,

problem or issue, or argumentative thesis. It discusses published information within a particular subject area and sometimes within a specific time period. Typically, a literature review combines summary and synthesis, with the former providing a recap of essential source information and the latter reorganizing or combining interpretations to offer new insights.

A literature review has the potential to follow the intellectual development of a field, covering key debates and providing advice on the most pertinent sources. It can serve as a useful overview or a starting point for researchers with time constraints. Professionals can use literature reviews as reports to stay current in their field, while scholars can demonstrate their credibility through the depth and breadth of their review.

The literature of the field is crucial for many research papers, requiring a comprehensive understanding. Investigation relies on literature reviews, which involve collecting, comprehending, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating quality literature to establish a solid foundation for a topic and research method (Webster & Watson, 2002). Researchers must understand the role of literature review in improving their understanding of phenomena and communicating findings to readers (Leedy & Ormrod, 2005) before beginning.

The definition of research highlights two important factors: firstly, it must add to the current understanding of a phenomenon and secondly, it must communicate new discoveries effectively. Before commencing a research project, it is crucial to assess the existing knowledge in the relevant field (Iivari et al., 2004). This involves conducting a literature review in a structured manner after identifying a topic for research.

A practical approach that can produce informative reviews is recommended to enhance informed practice (Hek and Langton, 2000). According to

Newell and Burnard (2006), reviewers should prioritize comprehensiveness and relevance. The authors emphasize that the narrower the search topic or question, the more specific and focused the review outcome will be. A broad topic may result in either an excessively long or a superficial review. Therefore, it is preferable to commence with a narrow and precise topic and expand as needed during the review process. Trimming down content can be challenging, especially under time constraints. Presently, literature searches are typically performed using electronic databases and computer technology.

The use of computer databases provides a convenient and efficient way of accessing large amounts of information as opposed to manual search techniques (Younger, 2004). There are different types of electronic databases available that cater to specific fields of information. It is crucial to determine which databases are relevant to the research topic to achieve desirable results. Literature reviews and systematic reviews can also serve as valuable sources of data since they provide an overview of existing research that can aid in evaluating its applicability to current work. Journal searches can also be conducted based on the subject matter to ensure comprehensive coverage.

Although books may be considered less up-to-date than journals as sources of information because of their longer publication process, they are still a valuable and acceptable source. It is crucial to keep track of the search keywords and methods used when conducting a literature search, as they will be necessary when detailing the search process later on (Timmins and McCabe, 2005).

Younger (2004) suggests considering how much time should be allocated for the search. Once appropriate literature related to the topic has been gathered, the analysis and synthesis

stages can begin. Although the focus of the literature may vary depending on the overall purpose, useful strategies for these stages can aid in constructing and writing the review. Firstly, conducting a first read of the collected articles is important to gain an in-depth knowledge on the research topic.

Most articles include a summary or abstract in the beginning to facilitate the process of deciding whether further reading is needed. After an initial overview, it's important to return to the article and undertake a more structured and thorough review using a system like PQRS suggested by Cohen (1990), which stands for preview, question, read, and summarize. This approach keeps the reviewer consistent and focused and makes it easier to retrieve information, especially when dealing with a large number of publications.

Incorporating comments or key thoughts about the researcher's response to a reviewed article can be beneficial. To maintain good record keeping, it is recommended to include the source and full reference. Hek and Langton (2000) emphasized quality, credibility, and accuracy as criteria for literature review. Quality and credibility pertain to the journal, peer review processes, author(s) standing, and the claims being made.

Evaluating content involves determining its accuracy and alignment with existing knowledge on a topic. Summarizing an article, including important ideas, comments, strengths, and weaknesses, is the final appraisal stage. The summary needs to be written in the researcher's own words to ensure clear comprehension and provide a solid foundation for writing a review.

To effectively communicate the results of a literature appraisal, it is important to carefully consider the structure and writing of the review. The ability to convey knowledge in a clear and consistent manner

is key to a successful literature review. This can be achieved by avoiding long, confusing words and minimizing the use of jargon, while keeping sentences short and focused on conveying a single message. Additionally, spelling and grammar should be accurate and consistent with the particular form of English used throughout the research process.

In order to ensure a thorough literature review, it is essential to organize the material objectively and structure it properly. To achieve this, the researcher must be logical and include key elements such as an introduction, body, and conclusion (Burns and Grove, 2007). Additionally, when constructing the review, word limits should be taken into account because the length of literature reviews can vary. Lastly, if the review stands alone, an abstract may be required.

In their 1998 work, Hendry and Farley recommend that the abstract should provide a brief overview of the review's findings and be included at the end. The introduction must specify the review's objective, briefly explain the topic being studied, present pertinent sources of literature and search keywords, and define any restrictions or criteria for inclusion/exclusion. Additionally, in this initial section it is crucial to indicate whether there was a shortage or surplus of research on the subject.

The main body of the report focuses on the various techniques presented by Carnell and Daly (2001) for discussing and presenting literature findings. These methods are aimed at providing an understanding of the extent and depth of the research, as well as assessing the credibility of arguments.

The main body of a literature review can be structured thematically, chronologically, by analyzing theoretical and methodological aspects, or dividing it into two sections. However, regardless of

the chosen structure, important considerations must be taken into account. It is crucial to thoroughly examine primary literature related to the topic in the main body. If discussing empirical or research literature, evaluating methodologies used is necessary.

It is important to be cautious when conducting a review to avoid solely describing a collection of studies and making broad statements about the certainty of research. Polit and Beck (2006) recommend using tentative language when discussing a study's findings rather than making definitive statements. Furthermore, maintaining objectivity about the literature is crucial and personal opinions regarding the quality of research should not be included.

The significance of a review extends beyond quoting or describing information; rather, it hinges on the writer's ability to examine accessible data about the subject matter. The writer must perform a crucial assessment of primary sources and bring attention to any discrepancies or contradictions found in the literature. Moreover, discussing both positive and negative aspects of the body of literature is vital. As a reviewer, summarizing and evaluating evidence is essential by emphasizing similarities and differences while providing reasonable explanations for identified inconsistencies (Colling, 2003; Polit and Beck, 2006).

When writing a review, it is crucial to offer a concise overview of the results, clarify why more investigation is needed, and if appropriate, link any knowledge deficiencies with the proposed goal of upcoming studies. Moreover, all reviews must contain suggestions for practical implementation, educational aims, and further research.

In academic writing, it is essential to provide proper acknowledgement of all sourced materials used during the research process. This includes books, articles, reports and other forms of media consulted during a literature review. The conclusion of a literature

review should consist of a comprehensive list containing all aforementioned sources. It is imperative for every citation in the text to be included in the reference list and vice versa whether the review is conducted for a course or publication.

It is crucial to acknowledge the significance of an all-inclusive and precise reference list as it can prove to be a valuable resource for individuals conducting research on a particular subject (Coughlan et al, 2007). Overall, performing a literature review is imperative in refining research questions by identifying variations in current knowledge. Moreover, it can encourage the creation of innovative research concepts while enhancing comprehension of a specific topic. Ultimately, carrying out a literature review can aid inexperienced researchers in selecting appropriate study designs, data collection methods, and analysis tools for future research undertakings.

The kind of literature reviews to use depends on the purpose of conducting them.