CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
In this chapter, understanding of the topic as it exists beyond the specific organization being studied is expanded.
The
chapter will present a review of the published literature as it relates
to the topic area. There are several purposes for conducting a review
of the work of other authors and several advantages that can improve the
quality of the Project. Chapter 2 should:
most importantly, be a coherent extension and amplification of the problem definition provided in Chapter 1;
place the problem in a broader context and show how it relates to approaches others have taken to the problem;
demonstrate the validity of the approach selected to solve the problem;
provide
new ideas and approaches that may not have been thought of, possibly
including alternative solutions, ways of ensuring or evaluating
outcomes, or ways of defining objectives and variables;
save
time by avoiding “re-inventing the wheel”—perhaps another researcher
has already tried to solve the same problem or one closely related;
help the researcher identify new sources of information; and
assist in evaluating options by comparing them with the related efforts of other authors.
The Literature Review serves to demonstrate credibility to the reader through sufficient research on the topic.
Number of Documents Reviewed
Students are expected to review enough material so that at least ten articles, studies, etc.,
can be cited in the Literature Review. Students are encouraged to
contact the Project Coordinator if they are having trouble locating
literature relating to their topic.
Other Sources to Consider
There
are many sources other than published books and periodicals that should
be considered in gathering data to review. These include:
materials printed by government agencies;
audiovisual materials (films, audio recordings, etc.);
radio and television programs (transcripts);
transcripts of lectures, public addresses, and interviews;
juried web sites;
letters;
questionnaires and surveys;
case studies; and
course material and texts.
Important Features of Chapter 2
A well-written Literature Review has two important features. It should:
start
with a review of the most broadly related material and continually
narrow its scope until it closes with the information most directly
related to the problem; and
clearly indicate the relationship between the topic and the material being covered in the review.
In short, review the literature, don’t reproduce it. What the student says about the study is more important than what the author says in the study. Try applying these rules to the review:
present one’s own discussion of the article, study, etc.;
paraphrase—give a synopsis of the key points;
use short direct quotations if necessary;
use long quotations only as a last resort, and only for a very good reason; and
apply critical thinking.
Plagiarism
Know and follow the rules for citing the work of other authors. Intentional or unintentional plagiarism will not be tolerated.
When using source materials, consider the following rules of conduct, suggested by James D. Lester in Writing research papers (1987):
Acknowledge borrowed material by introducing the quotation or paraphrase with the name of the authority;
Enclose all quoted materials within quotation marks;
Make
certain paraphrased material is rewritten using one’s own style and
language. The simple rearrangement of sentence patterns is unacceptable;
Provide specific in-text documentation for each borrowed item;
Provide a reference for every source cited in the report; and
Use the APA reference format for all citations.