Review of Literature

What is Review of Literature? 



Review of literature is a summary of current theoretical and scientific knowledge about particular problem, which includes what is known and not known about the problem.  

Definition

The Review of literature is traditionally considered as a systematic and critical review of the most important scholarly literature on a particular topic -Wood & Haber(1994)










Purposes of ROL


1.To determine what is known and what is not known regarding a subject.
2.To clarify the research problem and topic.
3.Verify the significance of the problem or topic
4.To determine the gaps, consistencies and inconsistencies in the problem topic
5.To select the objectives of the study
6.To develop strong knowledge base regarding the study area.
7.To describe relevant theories.
8.To develop definitions of major variables.
9.To facilitate development of appropriate research design and methodology
10.To specify the research hypothesis and statistical methods.
11. To identify limitations and assumptions.
12. To promote revision and development of new practice protocols and policies.
13. To determine the need for replication of study.
14.To direct tool construction and data collection process.
15.To facilitate interpretation, discussion and communication of research.
 
Location of ROL
•Indexes
–Health sciences indexes contain vast stores of health science literature.
–One can use any index to begin the search for relevant references with most recent issue of the index and proceed backwards.

•Abstracts
–Abstract journals provide summary of articles which have appeared in other journals.
–Helps researcher to keep track of useful information being published in a particular area.
–Having an abstract helps in deciding whether a particular reference is worth pursuing.

•Computer searches
–A computer search provides the researcher with a list of references with complete bibliographic information and abstracts as well.
–New studies may appear online one month before their appearance in printed form.
•Books
–Valuable resource for locating discussions of theoretical issues and also contain numerous references to other sources of information.
•Bibliographies
–Compilations of references found in books, journals on some particular topic.  

Sources of ROL
•Primary Source
–It is the description of an investigation written by the person who conducted it.
–Most preferred as it contains more details and objectivity
Eg: Thesis, journal articles.

•Secondary Source
–It is a description of studies prepared by some one other than the researcher.
–Useful in providing bibliographic information on relevant primary sources.
–Fails to provide sufficient detail about research studies.
–Rarely possible to achieve complete objectivity in summarizing written materials.

Eg: Review articles.



Method of Literature Review

•Once the researcher has located, read and categorized all of the major references relevant to the problem, final task is to organize and report the materials covered.
•Should not be series of quotes or series of abstracts
•Organize and summarize the studies to make a systematic foundation for the study.
•Should point out both consistencies and contraindications in the literature.
•Relevant studies should be described in detail including information about sample, data collection procedure, findings and conclusions.
•Its important to summarize the report in once own’s words.
•The literature review should conclude with a summary of what has been studied, how adequate the investigations have been, gaps and areas of research inactivity and also the need for the study that the researcher plans to conduct.