literature reviews & scholarly work

Question 1

empirical paper

Answer 1

Presents data collection and/or analysis of existing data

Question 2

theoretical paper

Answer 2

Focuses on advancing or critiquing theory, with little to no
new empirical data

Question 3

review article

Answer 3

Synthesizes existing research, may or may not follow a strict
systematic protocol

Question 4

systematic review

Answer 4

Uses explicit, replicable methods to identify, select, and
critically appraise all relevant research.

Question 5

peer review

Answer 5

Formal process where other experts evaluate the quality and validity of a study or
paper.

Question 6

gray literature

Answer 6

Sources not published through traditional commercial or academic avenues (e.g.,
policy briefs, government reports, white papers)

Question 7

would you choose empirical or theoretical if you wanted to collect new data on stress in the workplace

Answer 7

empirical -> to collect new data
theoretical -> if focus was analyzing existing literature, refining stress-related theories, or proposing conceptual frameworks and not collecting new data

Question 8

why is the peer review process important for maintaining research qualities

Answer 8

Ensures Accuracy and Credibility
Maintains Academic Integrity
Promotes Rigorous Methodology
Encourages Constructive Feedback and Improvement
Prevents Misinformation and Bias
Enhances the Reputation of Sociological Research

Question 8

peer review process

Answer 8

experts evaluate before paper is released (submission -> editorial review -> peer evaluation -> reviewer feedback -> decision if accept, revise, or reject paper -> revisions and resubmission)

Question 9

what additional steps might a systematic review involve than review articles

Answer 9

Defining the research question (e.g., using PICO framework).
Developing a search strategy with specific databases and keywords.
Setting inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Conducting a comprehensive literature search.
Screening and selecting studies through a two-step process.
Assessing study quality (risk of bias assessment).
Extracting and analyzing data systematically.
Synthesizing findings into themes or statistical summaries.
Reporting findings transparently (e.g., PRISMA guidelines).
Updating the review periodically with new research.

Question 10

Why might researchers include gray literature in a
comprehensive literature review?

Answer 10

reduce publication bias, increase reviews’ comprehensiveness and timeliness, and foster a balanced picture of available evidence