Using Figure 1.2 in Ch. 1 of Exploring Research, create a flowchart using Microsoft® Word or a similar program that helps you identify what research design to use for your research question.
to produce a literature review. Perhaps this is a class assignment, a thesis for a master’s
degree, or the foundation research for a doctoral dissertation. Whether approaching this
task for the first time or as an experienced researcher, we all do it for the same reasons: to
increase our skills and knowledge, to learn, to share, and also to have the satisfaction of
completing a successful project. To succeed, you will want to avoid the problem
mentioned by a colleague of the authors: “Some people do not have the patience and
foresight to do it right the first time, but have infinite patience and capacity to do it over,
and over, and over again.”
The good news is that you do not need to reinvent the literature review process. Trial and
error isn’t the only approach. There are known procedures and skills to make this task
easier and more efficient. This book provides a road map to guide you in producing a
literature review that will contribute to your field. Conscientiously using this book will help
you arrive successfully at your destination. Each chapter offers tips and tools from many
sources, including ones from the authors’ experience. Using the six-step process offered
here will make it possible to plan and complete a successful literature review without
wasting time and effort.
Chapter Overview
This introductory chapter presents the key concepts to be mastered to produce a quality
literature review. They are procedure, disposition, and reflection. The chapter begins by
defining the purpose and procedure for doing a literature review. Simply knowing correct
procedure will not guarantee success, however. How you are disposed to engage in this
endeavor and to self-evaluate the quality and accuracy of the work will weigh heavily on
your success. This chapter presents the personal dispositions necessary to complete a
project of this scope and the reflection process used to manage and evaluate the quality
and accuracy of the work.
The Purpose of a Literature Review
As you begin, ask yourself, “Am I trying to present a position, a thesis, that defines the
current state of knowledge about a topic, or am I using the current knowledge about a
topic as the basis for arguing a thesis that defines a research problem for further study?”
Literature reviews have different purposes depending on the nature of the inquiry. If the
purpose of the inquiry is to argue a position about the current state of knowledge on a
topic, then you are doing a simple literature review. If the purpose of the inquiry is to
review the literature to uncover a research problem for further study, then you are doing a
complex literature review.
The simple literature review (Figure I.1) documents, analyzes, and draws conclusions
about what is known about a particular topic. Its purpose is to produce a position on the
state of that knowledge; this is the thesis statement.
Figure I.1 The Simple Literature Review
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The simple literature review begins by selecting and identifying a research interest for
inquiry. This is the preliminary study question. As you proceed, you will narrow and refine
this interest into a research topic, based on an initial exploration of the literature. The
research topic must be a clear and concise statement that defines and describes what will
be researched. Its definition identifies and frames the scope of the literature review. The
literature review canvasses the literature, documenting and cataloging pertinent
knowledge. From this information, it presents an evidence-based analysis of the present
understanding of the topic. The product of the simple literature review is the development
of a case that argues what is known about the topic. The case’s conclusion is a thesis
statement that answers the question posed by the research interest. Many class research
assignments and master’s degree thesis projects require a simple literature review.
Figure I.2 The Complex Literature Review
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The complex literature review (Figure I.2) has a different purpose and additional demands.
It not only presents the current state of knowledge about a topic (the darkened four boxes
of Figure I.2) but must also argue how this knowledge reasonably leads to a problem or to
a question requiring original research.
In the complex literature review, the researcher first addresses the current state of
knowledge about the study question. Then, based on these findings, the researcher
proposes a thesis defining an issue for further study. This thesis becomes the problem or
question of a new research study. The conclusions drawn not only define the research
question but also frame the appropriate methods to be used for conducting the research.
Advanced master’s theses and doctoral dissertations use the complex literature review as
the basis for providing the background statements and the argument for the research
study. The complex literature review is used to write Chapter 1 (Introduction) and Chapter
2 (Review of the Literature) of the standard five-chapter dissertation document. Not having
a quality literature review in hand when developing these chapters will surely result in
numerous unsuccessful attempts. “You can’t write about what you don’t know,” as the
saying goes. The complex literature review is the starting point for research projects such
as dissertations.
While simple reviews and complex reviews seek different outcomes, the manner in which
they uncover knowledge and produce a thesis is similar.
The Literature Review Defined
A literature review is a written argument that supports a thesis position by building a case
from credible evidence obtained from previous research. It provides the context and the
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background about the current knowledge of the topic and lays out a logical case to defend
the conclusions it draws. Here is our definition of a literature review:
A literature review is a written document that presents a logically argued case
founded on a comprehensive understanding of the current state of knowledge
about a topic of study. This case establishes a convincing thesis to answer the
study’s question.
The Literature Review Process
A literature review is an organized way to research a chosen topic. Let’s take the mystery
out of this process. The simple fact is that doing a literature review is an exercise in
applied critical thinking.
Critically thinking about an issue is a deliberate process. First, the subject of the inquiry
must be recognized. It must be clearly defined and described. Once a researcher has a
clear definition of the subject in question, information can now be collected about the
topic. These data are cataloged and organized in such a fashion that some sense can be
made of them. The data can then be interpreted and analyzed to build the evidence or
reasons to form conclusions. The conclusions formed present the logical case for
answering the question first inquired about. Finally, the argument is examined; the
researcher looks for holes in the reasoning and weighs the conclusions drawn against
competing alternatives. Once this process is completed, the answer can be shared with
others.
Figure I.3 shows the steps for conducting a literature review, as matched to the applied
critical-thinking process.
As is critical thinking, doing a literature review is a developmental process in which each
step leads to the next (Figure I.3). Following is a brief explanation of these six steps.
Figure I.3 The Literature Review Is a Critical-Thinking Process
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Step 1. Select a Topic—Recognize and Define the Problem
A successful research topic is usually the offspring of an interest in a practical problem
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