INRS 7311 Learning Unit 3 : The Literature Review , Conceptualisation and Operationalisation Theme 1 : The Literature Review

Question 1

Explain the purpose of a literature review between 3-8 marks

Answer 1

• Quick definition : Searching for , reading and evaluating studies related to your research .
• Serves a few purposes then , namely :
• Defining key terms and concepts
• Determining the relationship between variables
• Identifying gaps in the information
• Refining the area of study .
• Generate new ideas

Question 2

Discuss different types of literature reviews 8 marks

Answer 2

1 / Historical review = follows the sequence of the literature as to when it was released ,both past to present and vice versa.
2/ Thematic review : Groups literature into different themes/schools of thought .
3/Theoretical review : Links literature to theories and evidence .
4/Empirical review : Focus is on methodologies and empirical evidence used in the studies .

Question 3

Explain the literature review process

Answer 3

*1/ Searching for Literature : Process begins by looking for literature ; ie any published material related to the research topic . Sources can be either primary or secondary .
2/Read literature with a purpose : Evaluate gathered material with the following Q’s ( Who , what , where , why , when )
3/Summarize the literature : Shorten the texts by keeping only the main words .
4/Write your review

Question 4

Explain the criteria a literature review should meet 4-6 marks

Answer 4

• Who ? : Is the author of the source chosen credible and reliable ?
• What ? : How relevant is your chosen source to your subject ?
• Where?: Where did the chosen study occur ? Participants from different areas will respond differently to the same study .
• When ? : When was the chosen source published ?

Question 5

Explain the 3 components of a literature review : 6 marks

Answer 5

• Introduction : Clearly outlines the details of your literature review , and says how it connects to your research .
• Critical review : An analysis of the literature you chose , including similarities , differences strengths and weaknesses and the reasons for these .
• Conclusion : summary of main points of the review . Gives a clear background of your chosen literature and your research issue on the whole .