LITERATURE REVIEW 1

LITERATURE REVIEW

The review of literature involves the systematic identification, location and analysis of documents containing information related to the research problem being investigated. It should be extensive and thorough because it is aimed at obtaining detailed knowledge of the topic being studied.

Purpose of literature review

Ø   To determine what has already been done related to the research problem being studied. This will help the researcher to:

-     Avoid unnecessary and unintentional duplication.

-     Form the framework within which the research findings are to be interpreted.

-     Demonstrate his or her familiarity with the existing body of knowledge.

Ø   Helps reveal the strategies, procedures and measuring instruments that have been found useful in investigating the problem in question. This will help the researcher to:

-     Avoid mistakes that have been made by other researchers

-     Benefit from other researcher’s experiences

-     Clarify how to use certain procedures, which one may only have learned in theory.

Ø   Helps to suggest other procedures and approaches, which will help, improve the research study.

Ø   Familiarizes the researcher with previous studies, which facilitates interpretation of the results of the study. If there is a contradiction, the literature review might provide rationale for the discrepancy.

Ø   It helps the researcher to limit the research problem and to define it better.

Ø   Helps to determine new approaches and stimulates new ideas. The researcher may be alerted to research possibilities, which have been overlooked in the past.

Ø   Approaches that have been proved to be futile will be revealed through literature review.

Ø   Specific suggestions and recommendations for further research can be found by reviewing literature.

Ø   It pulls together, integrates and summarizes what is known in an area. Thus helping to reveal gaps in information and areas where major questions still remain.

 Steps in carrying out literature review.

1.      Familiarize yourself with the library before beginning the literature review.

2.      Make a list of key words or phrases to guide your literature search.

3.      With the key words and phrases related to the study, one should go to the source of literature.

4.      Summarize the references on cards for easy organisation of the literature.

5.      Once collected, the literature should be analyzed, organized and reported in an orderly manner.

6.      Make an outline of the main topics or themes in order of presentation.

7.      Analyze each reference in terms of the outline made and establish where it will be most relevant.

8.      The literature should be organized in such a way that the more general is covered first before the researcher narrows down to that which is more specific to the research problem.

Sources of literature

 (a)       Primary sources: are direct descriptions of any occurrence by an individual who actually observed or witnessed the occurrence.

 (b)      Secondary source: they include any publications written by an author who was not a direct observer or participant in the events described.

Examples

Ø  Scholarly journals

Ø  Theses and dissertations

Ø  Government documents

Ø  Papers presented at conferences

Ø  Books

Ø  References quoted in books

Ø  International indices

Ø  Abstracts

Ø  Periodicals

Ø  The Africana section of the library

Ø  Reference section of the library

Ø  Grey literature

Ø  Inter-library loan

Ø  The British lending library

Ø  The internet

Ø  MicrofilmTips on good review of literature

Ø Do not conduct a hurried review for fear of overlooking important studies.

Ø Do not rely too heavily on secondary sources.

Ø Check daily newspapers as they contain very educative, current information.

Ø Copy the references correctly in the first place so as to avoid the frustration of trying to retrace a reference later.

Ø Do not only concentrate on findings, check on methodology and measurement of variables.

RESEARCH PROJECT GUIDELINES CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

RESEARCH PROJECT GUIDELINES

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

Arrangement of the chapter

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Review of theoretical Literature

2.3 Analytical Review/Critical Review /Empirical Review of Literature

2.4 Summary and gaps to be filled by the study

2.5 Conceptual framework

Literature review is as indicated in the general format above. The literature should entail examination of what others have said done in the field covered by the study. The past studies should be cited. The idea is to sudy the existing literature on the topic and relate it to the research problem.

Specifically, each subtopic should contain:-

2.1 Introduction

Literature review is a critical look at the existing research that is significant to your project. However, start this chapter with an overview of contents of the chapter. This should be very brief and precise.

2.2 Review of theoretical Literature

This section should discuss current/relevant theory that supports the research problem been studied. For example in marketing problem particularly consumer related, the underlying marketing theory relevant to your project e.g. Consumer behaviour, brand research, customer satisfaction) should be discussed.

2.3 Analytical Review

This literature review section of the proposal should present a review of the literature related to the problem and purpose. The literature review section should therefore be organized or categorized according to the research questions or specific objectives in order to ensure relevance to the research problem. It should be written using appropriate writing style of the American Psychological Association (APA) style Cite 3-5 references per key section in the text. Review the empirical literature relevant to the problem being investigated showing clearly the linkage of literature review to the research questions.

 During literature review, it’s important to note the following points:

·         You should evaluate what has already been done, show the relationships between different works, and show how it relates to your project.

·         Refer to work by recognized experts in your chosen area

·         Consider and discuss work that supports and work that opposes your ideas

·         Make reasoned judgments regarding the value of others’ work to your research

·         Support your arguments with valid evidence in a logical manner

·         Distinguish clearly between facts and opinions

·         Ensure the review is done chronologically

·         The hypothesized variables should be subheadings of the literature review to form a framework that would help in analysis.

·         It is not supposed to be just a summary of other people's work but Critique of the existing literature relevant of the study

·         Review and critique any previous studies. For the review to be critical, you will need to develop critical judgment.

·         Indicate what has been done by other researchers including the methodologies used and identify the emerging research gaps.

2.4 Summary and gaps to be filled by the study

This sub-section is supposed to summarize the literature reviewed and bring out clearly the research gaps identified, if possible in a table format

2.5 Conceptual framework

The Conceptual framework should demonstrate an understanding of what variable influences what.