How to write Literature in research

1. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Ms.K.Lavanya
MSc (N)- CHN
Associate Professor

2. Introduction:
 It is one of the most important steps in research process. It is an account of what is
already known about particular phenomenon.
 The main purpose is to convey to the readers about the work already done and
knowledge and ideas that have been already established on a particular topic of
research

3. Definition
 The review of literature is defined as a broad, comprehensive in depth, systematic and critical
review of scholarly publications, unpublished scholarly print materials, audio visual materials
and personal communications.
-B.T. Basavanthappa
 It is a body of text that aims to review the critical points of knowledge on a particular topic of
research.
- (ANA 2000)
 It is an account of what has been already established or published on a particular research
topic by accredited scholars and researchers.
- (University of Toronto -2001)

4. Importance:
 Identification of research problem and refinement of research questions
 Generation of useful research questions or projects
 Orientation of what is known and not known about an area of inquiry
 Determine any gaps in the body of knowledge
 Discovery of unanswered questions about subjects, concepts or problems

5. Contd…..
 Identification of relevant conceptual framework
 Identification of development of new or redefined clinical intervention
 Development of hypothesis to be tested in research instruments
 Helps in planning the methodology of present study

6. Purposes:
 Describe the relationship of each study to other research study under
consideration.
 Identify new ways to interpret on any gaps in previous research
 Resolve conflicts amongst seemingly contradictions previous studies
 Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication of effort
 See what has and has not been investigated
 Identify potential relationships between concepts and identify researchable
hypothesis
 Develop alternative research projects
 Learn how others have defined and measured key concepts

7. Characteristics of a Good Quality ROL:
 A good review of literature must be comprehensive.
 It should include up to date references.
 It should be systemic
 It should be reproducible.
 It should be free from bias
 It should be well written
 It should be clearly searched and selected
 Accurate references should be given in the review.

8. Types of Review of Literature
• This type critique and summarize literature to draw conclusion about a topic.
Traditional or Narrative Review of Literature
• This method uses more well defined approach, mainly used for making a complete list of all published
and unpublished studies relating to a particular topic.
Systemic Review of literature
• This type of review takes large quantitative findings and conducts a statistical analysis to integrate
those findings enhance understanding.
Meta Analysis
• This is a non-statistical method used to integrate and evaluate and interpret the findings of multiple
similar quantitative studies, to identify the common elements.
Meta Synthesis

9. Sources
 Literature sources may be classified as primary source and secondary source.
 PRIMARY SOURCE:
 A primary source is a literature resource of a study written by the original
researcher. It is research publication written by the person or people who
conducted the research.
 Examples: Research articles, unpublished thesis/ Dissertation, personal diary, hand
written records and reports, etc.,

10. Secondary Sources
 Secondary source research documents or description of studies prepared by someone
other than the original research.

11. Main Sources:
 Electronic database
 Books
 Journals
 Conference papers
 Thesis
 Encyclopedia & Dictionary
 Research reports
 Magazines & Newspaper

12. Common Websites
 CINAHIL ( Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature)- Provides access to
virtually all English language journals and primary journals from 13 allied health disciplines
including health education, Medical records, occupational therapy, physical therapy and
radiological technology.
 Medline ( Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieved System Online)- reference material like
biomedical sciences, medicine, pharmacology, nursing, dentistry ETC.,
 PubMed
 Medline Plus
 Education resource Information center- (ERIC) – It covers subjects such as adult career or
vocational education, counseling and personnel services, educational management, primary
and early childhood education, handicapped & gifted children. ETC.,
 British nursing Index
 A Cochrane Review is a systematic review of research in health care and health
policy that is published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

13. ONLINE JOURNALS
 Nursesfriendly.com
 Nsna.org
 Healthweb.org
 Ispub.com
 Healthweb.org
 Medbioworld.org
 Nursingworld.org
 https://www.omicsonline.org/nursing-journals-india/

14. Contd……

15. National Journals
 Nursing Journal of India
 Nightingale nursing time
 Indian Journal of Nursing & Midwifery
 Indian journal of nursing Studies
 Indian journal of nursing research
 Journal of advanced practice in nursing

16. International Journals:
 Nursing Research
 Nursing Sciences Quarterly
 Western Journal of Nursing Research
 Applied Nursing Research
 Biological Research of Nursing
 Advances in Nursing Sciences
 Clinical Nursing Research
 Journal of Qualitative Research
 American Journal of Nursing

17. STEPS OF REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Annotated Bibliography
Thematic Organization
More Reading
Write Individual Sections
Integrate Sections

18. Annotated Bibliography
 Researcher read articles, books and other types of
literature related to the topic of research and write a brief
critical synopsis of each review.
 After going through the reading list, researchers will have
an annotation of each source of related literature.
 Later, annotations are likely to more references of other
work since previous readings will be available to
compare, but at this point the important goal is to get
accurate.

19. Thematic Organization
 Researchers try to find common themes of research topic and
organize the literature under these themes, sub themes or
categories.
 Here, Researchers try to organize literature under themes,
which relate to each other & are arranged in a chronological
manner.
 Researchers try to establish coherence between themes &
literature discussed under these themes.

20. More Reading:
Researcher tries to discover specific literature
materials relevant to the field of study or research
methodologies which are relevant for their research.

21. Write Individual Sections:
 Researcher starts writing the literature under each thematic
section by using previously collected drafts of annotations.
 Here they organize the related articles under each theme by
ensuring that every article is related to each other.

22. Integrate sections:
Researchers have a list of thematic sections and they
tie them together with an introduction, conclusion
and some additions and revision in the sections to
show how they relate to each other and to the overall
theme.

23. Content of the Review
Introduction Body Conclusion

24. Writing the Introduction
 While writing the introduction, following steps should be taken care of:
 Define or identify the general topic, issue, or area of concern, thus providing
appropriate context for reviewing the literature.
 Point out overall trends in what has been published about the topic or conflicts in
theory, methodology, evidence & conclusion or gaps in research & scholarship, or
a single problem or new perspective of immediate interest.
 Establish the writers point of view for reviewing the literature, explain the criteria to
be used in analyzing & comparing literature & organization or review ( Sequence).

25. Writing the Body
 Following measures need to be undertaken while writing the body of the literature.
 Group research studies & other types of literature( reviews, theoretical articles,
casestudies) according to common denominators such as qualitative versus quantitative
approaches, conclusions of authors, Specific purposes or objectives, chronology & so on.
 Summarize individual studies or articles with as much as or as little detail as each merits
according to its comparative importance in the literature,
 Assist the reader with strong umbrella sentences at the beginning of paragraphs,
signpost throughout, & brief summary sentences at immediate points.

26. Writing the conclusion
 Summarize major contributions of significant studies & articles to the body of
knowledge under review, maintaining the focus established in the introduction.
 Evaluate the current state of the art for the body of knowledge reviewed, pointing
out major methodological flaws or gaps in research, inconsistencies in theory, &
finding areas or issues pertinent to future study.
 Conclude by providing some insight into the relationship between central topic of
the literature

27. Examples
Bad Example:

29. Points to be Considered
 Be Specific & be Succinct
Briefly state specific findings listed in an article, specific methodologies used in a
study, or other important points. Literature reviews are not the place for long quotes
or in-depth analysis of each point.
 Be Selective:
Researcher should narrow down a lot of information into a small space for literature
review. Just the most important points (i.e., those most relevant to the reviews focus)
must be mentioned in each work of review.

35. Conclusion: