WRITING A LITERATURE REVIEW JSGS Professional Workshop Series

WRITING A LITERATURE REVIEW JSGS Professional Workshop Series Copyright ©Heather Mc. Whinney, 2016 www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES WORKSHOP LEARNING OUTCOMES By the end of this workshop, you should be able to: o Understand the purpose and role of a literature review. o Create a research space for your own study in a literature review. o Organize a literature review into themes. o Write a successful synthesis, identifying relationships among studies. o Use linking words to help identify relationships in your writing. www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 2

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES WHAT IS A LITERATURE REVIEW? o The term “the literature” is the body of scholarly work on a particular topic. o A literature review is a formal analysis and critique. It surveys, highlights, summarizes, synthesizes, interprets, and critiques this body of work. o Literature reviews are a key part of proposals, research papers and reports. o Literature reviews have strict conventions. They are even formulaic. 1 www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 3

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES TYPES OF LITERATURE REVIEWS o Literature review – a key part of proposals, theses, dissertations, and reports o Review paper – a published article that synthesizes the work that has been done on a particular topic. o Mini-literature review – an assignment that asks you to explore a restricted number of publications in answering a particular question. www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 4

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES THE LITERATURE REVIEW AS A PART OF A PAPER o The purpose of most academic writing is to argue for the merits of a particular position or conclusion. o The literature review is the foundation and the rationale for your argument. o The literature review reveals what is known about your topic. o It exposes gaps, shortcomings, inconsistencies, and debates in this knowledge. o The literature review shows how these shortcomings led to your own research questions. In this way, you build a case for your own study. www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 5

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES THE ROLE OF A LITERATURE REVIEW o To explain how and why you chose your research question. o To identify the problem from which your research emerges. o To identify a gap or problem in the literature. o To explain why you chose the proposed study and research method. o To demonstrate how the literature supports and explains the choices you have made about your study. o To synthesize and critique this literature. 2 www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 6

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES PLACEMENT OF THE LITERATURE REVIEW o The literature review appears near the beginning of a paper or proposal. o Often the introduction contains a brief overview of the literature. o This overview is typically elaborated on in a special section of the paper, which contains a more thorough literature review. www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 7

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES THE TASK OF WRITING A LITERATURE REVIEW The task of writing a literature review consists of three main parts: o identifying relevant literature, o organizing the literature, and o organizing and writing the review itself. www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 8

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES ORGANIZING THE LITERATURE THAT YOU FIND www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 9

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES ORGANIZING THE LITERATURE THAT YOU FIND o Use a system that allows you to reorder your ideas. o University of Saskatchewan Professor Ron Cooley suggests using Power. Point slides because you can sort them with the “slide sorter” function. o Consider colour coding to help separate ideas and evidence and to show relationships among studies. o To avoid plagiarism, use a system to identify direct quotations and sentences and paragraphs that you have paraphrased. 3 www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 10

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES ORGANIZING THE LITERATURE THAT YOU FIND (continued) o Organize information in a way that makes sense for your purpose, research questions and objectives. o Use a chart to reveal connections between studies and your questions. o Find an organizing principle for the chart that works for your purpose. www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 11

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES POSSIBLE ORGANIZING PRINCIPLES FOR YOUR CHART o research findings o theoretical approach o causes of or reasons for something o effects of something o type of study o methodology www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 12

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES PLANNING AND ORGANIZING YOUR REVIEW www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 13

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES STARTING WITH A THEMATIC ORGANIZATION o The best way to organize your literature review is by theme or topic. o Ron Cooley suggests thinking of the organization of a literature review like Russian “nesting” dolls. o Start with large themes and ideas, inside which are nested sub-ideas and components. o The sub-themes may emerge as you write your first draft. 4 www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 14

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES CREATING A CONSISTENT HEADING STRUCTURE o Before you begin to write your literature review, consider the heading scheme you plan to use. o I suggest that you use a numbered system like the on the next slide. o This system will help you keep track of your themes and sub-themes as you write your drafts. www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 15

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES ORGANIZING YOUR HEADING STRUCTURE 1. Introduction to Literature Review 2. Main Heading (First theme) 2. 1 Second-level heading (First sub-theme) 2. 2 Second-level heading (Second sub-theme) 2. 2. 1 Third-level heading (Point about second sub-theme) 2. 2. 1. 1 Fourth-level heading 3. Main Heading (and sub-headings) 4. Main Heading (and sub-headings) 5. Conclusion to Literature Review www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 16

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES SYNTHESIZING o Synthesizing is key to a literature review. o A synthesis identifies and interprets themes, trends and relationships. o It reveals similarities and differences and shows how the literature advances the research area. o A thematic organization can make synthesizing easier. www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 17

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES THE SILO APPROACH o Students new to writing literature reviews often use a “silo approach” instead of a synthesis. o They organize their literature reviews by study instead of by theme or trend. o The purpose of a literature review is not to analyze each study separately, but to show the studies relate to one another and to your own study. www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 18

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES SILO VERSUS SYNTHESIS www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 19

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES SILO APPROACH VERSUS SYNTHESIS Silo Approach Example According to Whyte (2012), the funding provided for First Nations education is insufficient and not equal to the funding received by provincial schools. A report on education on reserve found large gaps in services (National Panel, 2011). The Joint Task force (2013) reported large funding disparities between reserve and provincial schools. Pelletier et al. (2013) stated that provincial schools have considerably more funding than reserve schools. … Synthesis Example According to expert reports, on-reserve schools receive less funding than their provincial counterparts to provide services to meet the needs of their students (Joint Task Force, 2013; National Panel, 2011; Pelletier et al. , 2013; Whyte, 2012). … www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 20

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES THE LITERATURE REVIEW: SILO APPROACH VERSUS SYNTHESIS SILO SYNTHESIS Each study discussed separately. Comparisons not made and relationships not drawn. No study discussed in isolation. Study findings and/or methods compared, and relationships drawn. No relationship drawn between the student’s own research and the research discussed in the lit. review. The student’s own research at the centre of the discussion, analysis and comparison of all studies. Literature review organized chronologically or even randomly. Literature review organized by themes most relevant for the study. Individual studies referred to only once. Individual studies referred to several times under different themes. www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 21

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES ACTIVITY ONE: DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN A SILO AND A SYNTHESIS APPROACH www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 22

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES AVOIDING THE SILO APPROACH: USE A MAP OR FLOWCHART o One method for avoiding the silo approach is to start with a map or flowchart. o The next slides contain examples of these maps or flowcharts. www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 23

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES SAMPLE ORGANIZATIONAL MAP OR FLOWCHART LITERATURE REVIEW INTRODUCTION MAIN THEME SUB-THEME SUB-SUB THEME MAIN THEME SUB-THEME MAIN THEME SUMMARY SUB-THEME SUB-SUB THEME 5 www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 24

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES SAMPLE PARTIAL ORGANIZATIONAL MAP FOR A LIT REVIEW LITERATURE REVIEW: WATER SAFETY IN NORTHERN SK. IINTRODUCTION DEATHS – CANADA -CONTAMINATED WATER CHALLENGES -- SMALL COMMUNITIES THREATS TO WATER SAFETY THREATS TO SK. WATER SEWAGE AND EFFLUENTS WATERSHED POLLUTION CHEMICALS IN DRINKING WATER THREATS TO WATER IN SK. NORTH SUMMARY THREATS IN FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITIES GROUNDWATER POLLUTION SURFACE WATER POLLUTION 6 www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 25

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES AVOIDING THE SILO APPROACH: USE A PLANNING TABLE o Prepare a table with two columns in a Word document. o Put the headings from your map or outline in the left-hand column. o Insert the studies you have found in the right-hand column, wherever you think they might fit. o You will likely insert the same studies under several headings. www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 26

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES A STUDENT’S PLANNING TABLE: THEMES AND STUDIES THEMATIC CONTENTS STUDIES 1. Main Theme: Deaths -- contaminated water – Can. O’Connor, 2001; Laing, 2002; Lemke, 2002 2. Main Theme: Keeping water safe in small communities – challenges Patrick, 2011; Simms et al. 2010; Water Security Agency (WSA), 2012 3. Main Theme: Threats to water safety Blundell, 2004; Holmes, 2002; Patrick, 2011; Patrick, 2014; Wood, 2014 3. 1. Sub-Theme: Sewage and effluents Blundell, 2004; Holler, 2013 3. 2. Sub-Theme: Watershed pollution Blundell, 2004; Wood, 2014; WSA, 2012 3. 2. 1 Sub-sub Theme: Groundwater Blundell, 2004; Wood, 2014; WSA, 2012 3. 2. 2 Sub-sub Theme: Surface water Wood, 2014 3. 3. Sub-Theme: Chemicals in water 4. Main Theme: Threats to SK water www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca Holler, 2004 Davies & Hanley, 2010; Stewart, 2015 27

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES ACTIVITY TWO: IDENTIFYING THEMES www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 28

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES SIGNAL WORDS USED TO SYNTHESIZE EVIDENCE COMMON SIGNAL (LINKING) WORDS AND PHRASES USE Similarity/Comparison Gupta (2011) found that American teenagers … on social media. Similarly, May (2009) determined that teenagers … Both May (2009) and Gupta (2011) found similar; similar to; similarly; likewise; … Jones (2010) also found that … In similar research, Smith concluded that … both…and; also; not only. . . but also; Likewise, Frank and Sock (2013) … in related/similar research; too The Canadian results are comparable to/correspond with those of a similar comparable to; compare to/with; size French study by Robert (2012). In related research, Brown (2013) found correspond with; related; relate(d) to that … Dissimilarity/ Difference/Contrast Contrary to; on the contrary; on the other hand; in contrast to; unlike; conversely but, whereas, while, however, although Contrary to/unlike/ in contrast to Kim, Gupta (2011) found that adolescents’ concentration skills are sharpened by time spent on social media. Gupta (2011) found that, on the contrary, adolescents’ skills are dulled by social media. Conversely, May (2009) found … Whereas Gupta found that time spent on social media dulled concentration skills, Kim found that it sharpened these skills. However, it should be noted that Kim’s study had a small sample of only twelve subjects. www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 29

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES ACTIVITIES THREE AND FOUR: IDENTIFYING SIGNAL WORDS THAT SHOW SIMILARITY AND DIFFERENCE www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 30

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES WRITING YOUR LITERATURE REVIEW: CREATING A RESEARCH SPACE (CARS) www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 31

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES CREATE A RESEARCH SPACE WITH YOUR LITERATURE REVIEW Swales and Feak (2012) suggest that literature reviews create a research space (CARS). The CARS model is based on Swales’ analysis (1990) of patterns in academic research papers. The CARS model consists of three main consecutive strategies, which the authors call “moves”: o Move 1 – Establishing the research territory o Move 2 – Identifying a niche o Move 3 – Occupying the niche 7, 8 www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 32

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES ESTABLISHING THE RESEARCH TERRITORY Swales and Feak indicate that you establish the territory by doing the following: o Demonstrating that the general or broad research area is key, central, problematic or relevant o Presenting background information about the topic or problem o Reviewing and synthesizing previous and current related research 7, 8 www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 33

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES ESTABLISHING A NICHE Swales and Feak indicate that you establish a niche for your research using one of the following strategies: o Announcing a gap or shortcomings in the existing research o Questioning the findings or methods of the existing research o Indicating your intention to continue a research tradition 7, 8 www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 34

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES OCCUPYING THE NICHE Swales and Feak indicate that you occupy the niche by doing the following: o Stating the nature and purpose of your research o Listing research questions or research objectives (may be in a separate section) o Announcing principal findings (only in papers, not in proposals) o Stating the value of your research (optional) o Indicating the structure of the paper or proposal (optional) 10 www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 35

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES ACTIVITIES FIVE AND SIX: IDENTIFYING CARS MOVES www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 36

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES SUMMARY o A literature review synthesizes and critiques a body of work in order to support and explain the choices you have made about your study. o Use a thematic or topical approach o Avoid dealing with the literature in silos. Synthesize instead. o Use signal words to show similarities and differences in the literature. o Swales and Feak have identified a series of moves that researchers use when writing their literature review. o This series of moves is known as CARS, short for “Creating a Research Space. ” www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 37

JSGS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES ENDNOTES 1 http: /Writingcentre. unc. edu/handouts/literature/reviews/ Bitchener, J. , & Turner, E. (2011). Assessing the effectiveness of one approach to the teaching of thematic unit construction of literature reviews. Assessing Writing: Studies in Writing Assessment in New Zealand Australia. 16 (2), 17 -36. Doi: 10. 1016/j. Asw. 2011. 02. 002 2 Cooley. R. (2015). Workshop on writing a literature review, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK. 3, 4 5, 6 Reasoning. Lab: Tools for critical thinking, writing and decision making. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http: //www. reasoninglab. com/research-on-essay-writing-with-rationale/ 7 Swales, J. M, & Feak, C. B. (2012). Academic writing for graduate students: Essentials tasks and skills. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, p. 331. Swales, J. M. , (1990). Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings. Cambridge, U. K. : Cambridge University Press. 8 www. schoolofpublicpolicy. sk. ca 38