The document discusses the importance and benefits of conducting a review of related literature before beginning research. It helps the researcher learn from the approaches and findings of others, see how their study relates to prior work, and identify new ideas and approaches. A literature review reveals similar and related studies, sources of data, and scholars in the field. It provides an historical context and allows the researcher to evaluate their own efforts. The document outlines the process of conducting an effective literature review.

1. The Review of
Related
Literature
Those who do research belong to
a community of scholars. What
they have recorded of their
journey and their findings will
make it easier for you to explore
the unknown.

2. The Value of a Literature
Review
 It helps you glean the ideas of others who
have done research related to yours.
 It also lets you see how others have done
research in areas related to yours.
 It allows you weigh information from
others in the light of your own research.
 It enables you to approach your research
in a more knowledgeable way.

3. Its function derives from a
fundamental position among
scholars that the more one
knows about peripheral
investigations germane to one’s
own study, the more
knowledgeable one can
approach the problems inherent
in one’s own investigation.

4. Its function is also to look again
(re + view) at the reports of what
others have done in a related
area; an area not necessarily
identical with, but collateral to
your own area of study.

5. Benefits
 It can reveal studies similar to yours.
 It can suggest a possible method or
approach.
 It can reveal to you sources of data you may
not have known existed.
 It can introduce you to scholars whose efforts
you may have had no knowledge of.
 It can help you see your own study in
historical and associational perspective.

6. Benefits
 It can provide you new ideas and
approaches that may not have occurred
to you.
 It can assist you in evaluating your own
efforts by comparing them with related
efforts done by others.

7. Types of Sources
 General references: annotated
bibliographies; bibliographies; abstracts or
indexes.
 Primary:publications in which researchers
report the results of their studies - journals
 Secondary: publications in which authors
describe the works of others - textbooks

8. Literature Search
 State the research questions precisely.
 Look through one or two secondary sources.
 Select and search appropriate general
references.
 Obtain and read primary sources.
 Formulate search terms: key words or phrases
that you can use to do computer search.
 Obtain, read, sort and summarize key points in
the sources.

9. Write
 Get the proper orientation – a review is a
discussion of the studies, reports and
broad survey of writings that relate to your
own study.
 Have a plan.
 Emphasize relatedness.
 Review the literature; don’t reproduce it!

10. Write
 More important is what you say about
what others may have said.
 Present your discussion; paraphrase; use
short direct quotations rather than lengthy
ones.
 Summarize
 look for points of departure that will lead
into your own study.