Chapter 6: Literature Review
Susan Vernon Gerstenfeld
What is a literature review? It is literally that: a "re" view or "look again" at what has already been written about the topic. It is not a literary review, which usually is a review of a literary work such as a play, novel, book of poems or a review that has some artistic merit.
There are a variety of purposes of a literature review. The first and most obvious one is to provide background for the problem the students are attacking or put the problem into historical perspective and, at times, show how others handled similar problems in the past.
Students should ask themselves what are the different schools of thought that exist, what has happened over time, what exists that they had no idea existed that is related to the topic?
Sometimes, the literature discussed will be related to the subject but will not necessarily be in the exact form that directly addresses the topic. It may, nevertheless, help suggest alternative ways to approach the topic and reveal previously unknown sources of data. Finding that sort of information will help students determine and evaluate their own budding methodology and enable them to get an idea of theoretical bases, if any, underlying the problem they are addressing. In addition to an historical perspective, literature reviews often contain different points of view of a variety of experts. Sometimes there is consensus, but usually there is no single point of view. Controversies raised by the works of different researchers will add richness to the review and will provide the basis for a discussion of those controversies. Therefore, the reviewer is looking for the full array of perspectives. Make certain opposing points of view are not eliminated in the discussion as some people are tempted to do when a view is counter to their own beliefs.
It is important to remember that the objective is to synthesize the material through a discussion of all of the sides of an issue. Then the project's essential research question can be stated - either as an hypothesis or as a field to be described.
An important first step is to identify the major researchers or organizations that deal with the topic. Ultimately research will continue until material overlaps and until the reviewers are sure that they know the recurring themes and can recognize the work or perspectives of the major authors in the field. However, students must be careful that they do not adopt the biases or values of other authors. Whenever an author makes definitive statement, one should look for the supporting data. The fact that authors are often sure of their own opinion or conclusions does not guarantee that they have discovered "truth." It's easy to fall in love with a particular view, especially if it confirms ones own values and opinions. Use intellectual skepticism. Always ask, "Where is the evidence?" or "Who says?"
For many projects, there are published, relevant case studies that can illustrate the complexity of the problem or elucidate alternate solutions. Reviewing them helps the students become more sophisticated in their own ability to use analytic thinking to define their project.
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