Before you start with your literature review it is important to have a discussion with your supervisor and decide on:
Research Topic/ Research Question:
Clearly define and articulated questions or hypotheses that your research aims to answer. Do a preliminary literature review to ensure that your research question is unanswered. Conduct an initial review of existing literature to confirm that your research question remains unanswered. This process will help concentrate your literature search on your specific topic, allowing you to identify and engage with literature that supports your research questions or hypotheses.
Research Methodology:
This encompasses the overall approach, strategy, or framework that guides the entire research process. It outlines the systematic plan for conducting research, from the formulation of research questions or hypotheses to the interpretation of results. Identify the research methods used in your field during your preliminary literature review. Once identified, use the library to find relevant books to assist you with this process.
Variables and Measurement:
Identifying and defining the variables of interest and determining how they will be measured. The variables will form part of your search strategies that you will use to find relevant literature.
Publication Date Range:
Literature Age (no limited / up 5 years old)
All your literature must be in support of your research question(s), research design and your variables as this ensures that you create an effective search strategy.
Sage Research Methods Online focuses on research methodology and will guide you through your research process with the Project Planner. The Methods Map will enable you to explore all the research methods available so that you can choose one suitable for your research.
The Unisa Institutional Repository stores completed theses and dissertations and you can look at subject-specific examples to see how students have conducted their research.
SAGE Research Methods supports beginning and advanced researchers in every step of a research project, from writing a research question, choosing a method, gathering and analyzing data, to writing up and publishing the findings.
With information on the full range of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods for the social and behavioral sciences, as well as many methods commonly used in the hard sciences, the book, reference, and journal content in SAGE Research Methods help researchers of all levels conduct their research
A literature review is a critical component of research that involve a comprehensive examination and synthesis of existing literature on a particular topic. Different types of literature reviews serve varying purposes and follow distinct methodologies and researchers choose the type of literature review based on the research question, goals, and the nature of the available literature. The selected type informs the review's structure, methodology, and depth of analysis.
Description: This type provides a comprehensive overview and summary of the existing literature on a specific topic without a specific methodological approach. It is often narrative in nature, discussing key findings and themes.
Purpose: To offer a broad understanding of the current state of knowledge on a topic.
Focuses on the development, refinement, or critique of theoretical frameworks in a specific field. It explores the evolution of theoretical perspectives over time.
Purpose: To contribute to theoretical development and understanding.
A structured and rigorous review that follows a predefined protocol or systematic methodology for literature selection, data extraction, and analysis. It aims to minimize bias and ensure a thorough and replicable process.
Purpose: To answer a specific research question with a transparent and reproducible approach.
A rapid review is a condensed form of literature review designed to accelerate the process of synthesizing knowledge compared to traditional systematic reviews. It aims to streamline the review process by simplifying or omitting certain components of systematic reviews while maintaining rigor and reliability. Rapid reviews are particularly useful for time-sensitive decision-making scenarios where timely access to synthesized evidence is essential. Unlike systematic reviews, rapid reviews target high-quality and authoritative resources to provide expedited yet credible insights and quickly reviewing and summarizing evidence to inform decision-making or policy.
Purpose: To provide timely information in situations where a traditional review might take too long.
A preliminary assessment of the potential size and scope of available research literature on a specific topic. It aims to identify gaps in the literature and clarify key concepts.
Purpose: To map the existing literature and inform the design of future research studies.
A review that synthesizes both quantitative and qualitative research evidence to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a research question or topic.
Purpose: To offer a holistic view by incorporating diverse types of research.
An approach used in qualitative research that involves synthesizing and interpreting findings from multiple qualitative studies. It goes beyond summarization to identify common themes or patterns.
Purpose: To generate new insights or theories by integrating qualitative findings.
An evaluative review that assesses the strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of existing literature. It may involve a critical appraisal of study methodologies and findings.
Purpose: To assess the quality of research and identify areas for improvement.
Various search techniques are available for locating literature on your research topic. Incorrect utilization of these search techniques may result in an inaccurate list of references and the potential exclusion of crucial publications. Contact your personal librarian, Melanie Malan for guidance.
The following search techniques can be used to search for literature on your research topic and can be included or excluded depending on the quality of the retrieved list of publications:
KEYWORD SEARCHING
Identify relevant keywords and phrases related to your research topic. Use these terms when searching in databases, library catalogs, or search engines. It is important to strike a balance by selecting terms that capture the core concepts of your research without being too restrictive or inclusive. Using too specific search terms may result in missing relevant literature, while overly broad terms may lead to an overwhelming number of irrelevant results.
Experiment with synonyms and variations of your keywords to see which keywords will retrieve the most relevant list of publications.
PHRASE SEARCHING
Enclose phrases in quotation marks to search for two or more exact word sequences. This can be useful when searching for specific terms or concepts.
Example: Search "strategy as practice" or "service delivery" to find articles with this exact phrase.
USE BOOLEAN OPERATORS TO LIMIT OR EXPAND YOUR SEARCH
Combine or exclude terms using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to refine search results and retrieve more precise results.
Example: "climate change" AND impact will retrieve articles containing both terms.
Misusing or neglecting Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) can impact the precision and recall of your search and it is important to clearly define the relationships between your keywords using appropriate Boolean operators to ensure accurate and relevant results.
TRUNCATION AND WILDCARD SYMBOLS
Use truncation (*) and wildcard symbols (?) to search for variations of a word. Truncation allows for multiple endings of a word, while a wildcard represents a single character.
Example: Search strateg* to find results containing strategic, strategy, strategically etc.
SUBJECT HEADINGS / AUTHOR KEYWORDS / DESCRIPTORS:
Utilize controlled vocabulary or subject headings assigned to articles and books in databases that can help you find publications specifically related to your topic. Combine keyword searching and subject heading searching to ensure that you don't miss relevant publications. Take note of Author Keywords that can be found on articles. This can guide you to keywords used in your research area.
DATABASE FILTERS AND LIMITS:
Use database filters and limiters to narrow down results based on criteria such as publication date, document type, language, or source type. Explore advanced search options to access these filters.
Failing to use filters or limits within databases may lead to an overwhelming number of irrelevant results.
CITATION TRACKING:
Identify key articles on your topic, and then review their reference lists to find additional relevant sources. This technique is known as citation tracking. Overlooking citation tracking can result in missed opportunities to discover additional relevant literature.
Use citation databases like Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar to track citations easily.
The following search techniques can be used to search for literature on your research topic and can be included or excluded depending on the quality of the retrieved list of publications:
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Keyword Searching: Identify relevant keywords and phrases related to your research topic. Use these terms when searching in databases, library catalogs, or search engines. It is important to strike a balance by selecting terms that capture the core concepts of your research without being too restrictive or inclusive. Using too specific search terms may result in missing relevant literature, while overly broad terms may lead to an overwhelming number of irrelevant results. Experiment with synonyms and variations of your keywords to see which keywords will retrieved the most relevant list of publications. |
Phrase Searching: Enclose phrases in quotation marks to search for two or more exact word sequences. This can be useful when searching for specific terms or concepts. |
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Boolean Operators: Combine or exclude terms using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to refine search results and retrieve more precise results. Misusing or neglecting Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) can impact the precision and recall of your search and it is important to clearly define the relationships between your keywords using appropriate Boolean operators to ensure accurate and relevant results. |
Truncation and Wildcard Symbols: Description: Use truncation (*) and wildcard symbols (?) to search for variations of a word. Truncation allows for multiple endings of a word, while a wildcard represents a single character. |
Setting up alerts is a crucial and efficient practice when conducting a literature review. Here are several reasons highlighting the importance of using alerts in this context:
STAY UPDATED WITH NEW RESEARCH IN YOUR FIELD:
Literature in many fields is dynamic, with new research and publications emerging regularly. Setting up alerts ensures that you are promptly informed about the latest studies, allowing you to stay current with developments in your research field.
TIME EFFICIENCY:
Manually searching for new literature can be time-consuming. Alerts automate the process, saving you valuable time. Instead of regularly checking databases or journals for updates, alerts notify you when new content relevant to your topics of interest is available.
EARLY ACCESS TO KEY PUBLICATION:
Some research findings are highly anticipated, especially in rapidly evolving fields. By setting up alerts, you can gain early access to important publications that can influence your research.
EFFICIENT MONITORING OF CITATIONS:
Alerts can also be set up to monitor citations of key papers. This helps you track how your foundational or seminal works are being cited, providing insights into the impact and influence of your own research.
IDENTIFICATION OF EMERGING TRENDS:
By consistently receiving alerts, you can identify emerging trends, new methodologies, or shifts in theoretical frameworks within your field. This awareness is valuable for contextualizing your own research within the current academic landscape.
STRATEGIC PLANNING:
You can strategically plan your work based on the information received through alerts. Whether it's adapting your research questions or adjusting methodologies, staying informed helps in making well-informed decisions throughout the research process.
In conclusion, setting up alerts is a practical and efficient way to manage and enhance the literature review process and ensures that you are well-informed, up-to-date, and able to conduct a thorough and relevant review of the existing literature in your research field.
Keeping a comprehensive record of your literature review process not only contributes to the transparency and reliability of your work but also aids in maintaining an organized and efficient workflow. It facilitates collaboration, enables others to assess and build upon your research, and ensures that your literature review is a well-documented and credible contribution to your field.
A preliminary literature review is an essential step in the research process that involves reviewing existing literature on a specific topic before diving into more in-depth research. This preliminary review helps you to gain a foundational understanding of the subject, identify gaps in the literature, and refine your research questions.
Here are the steps involved in conducting a preliminary literature review:
Benefits of a Preliminary Literature Review:
While reading publications found during your preliminary literature review, you will identify various keywords related to your research topic. Use a word cloud to identify the most important keywords in your field. This will inform your search strategy for your comprehensive literature review.
There are various free word cloud generators available. Here are a few of them:
Copy and paste the abstracts of the most important publications that you find into Wordpad.
Depending on the software you can copy and paste all the abstracts into the word cloud generator or save the txt file and upload it to the word cloud generator.
The word cloud will display the most used keywords and those are the most important keywords to use when conducting your in-depth literature review.
Your research methodology is the framework that shapes how a literature review is conducted, from the initial search to the final synthesis of findings. A well-designed and executed methodology enhances the rigor, reliability, and overall quality of the literature review, contributing to the credibility of the entire research project. The research methodology employed greatly influences the depth, breadth, and validity of the literature review.
The research questions or objectives of the study guide the literature review, and the methodology ensures alignment between the review and the broader research goals. A clear and logical connection enhances the overall coherence of the research. The research methodology influences the conclusions drawn from the literature review and, consequently, the implications for future research and practice.
Make use of Sage Research Methods and the library's search engine to find books on research methodology.
SAGE Research Methods supports beginning and advanced researchers in every step of a research project, from writing a research question, choosing a method, gathering and analyzing data, to writing up and publishing the findings.
With information on the full range of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods for the social and behavioral sciences, as well as many methods commonly used in the hard sciences, the book, reference, and journal content in SAGE Research Methods help researchers of all levels conduct their research
Title and Abstract
Fulltext
Remove irrelevant references
Evaluate Sources:
Assess the quality, credibility, and relevance of the identified sources. Look for reputable journals, publishers, and authors.
Note Key Findings and Themes:
Summarize key findings and recurring themes in the literature. Note any gaps, controversies, or unanswered questions.
Create Annotated Bibliography:
Develop an annotated bibliography summarizing each source's main points, methodology, and relevance to your research. This will serve as a reference for future work.
Enhances Writing and Communication:
Develop a clear and concise writing style by synthesizing information from various sources. This skill is valuable when presenting your research findings.
By investing time in a preliminary literature review, researchers can maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of their subsequent research activities. It ensures that the research is well-informed, relevant, and contributes meaningfully to the existing body of knowledge.
Critical reading refers to a systematic and evaluative process of engaging with literature on your research topic. It involves a purposeful examination of the content, structure, and methodology employed by the author in order to assess the reliability, validity, and relevance of the information presented. Critical reading requires you to go beyond passive comprehension and actively analyse the arguments, evidence, and assumptions within a text to identify strengths and weaknesses, evaluate the methodology and sources used, and consider the broader implications of the findings.
Find the purpose of the study, the method(s) and sample used in the study. Note the findings, themes, similarities, uniqueness and the data quality of each.
The following can be used as is, or adapted and added to the document notes area of each publication in RefWorks. These headings can be completed as you read and the notes are searchable in RefWorks.
Purpose of study:
Data collection method(s):
Sample:
Findings:
Themes:
Similarities:
Unique contribution(s)/Findings:
Potential applications or suggestions:
Biases (source of funding and conflicts of interest):
Personal reflection or insight (Clarify how the study contributes to your understanding of the research topic.):
Here are key takeaways and aspects to note when critically reading a paper:
Use RefWorks when doing critical reading: