Literature Review - Postgraduate

The Literature Review Dr. Balázs KOVÁCS Learning materials developed by: Assistant Professor Dr. Kármen KOVÁCS Associate Professor [email protected]...

The Literature Review Dr. Balázs KOVÁCS Learning materials developed by: Assistant Professor Dr. Kármen KOVÁCS Associate Professor [email protected] [email protected] Office hours: Wednesday 9.30 – 10.45 a.m. (B120)  Literature Review The purpose of literature review is to explore and present the professional literature of a certain topic or issue The literature review of a paper/thesis points out and synthetizes the relevant theories, views and research findings critical analysis We have to point out in the literature review how our research topic and research objectives are related to the previous publications and research findings The literature review should be applied to our own argument (in our paper/thesis)  Literature Review Presenting and evaluating the theories, the views, the research results and the professional debates that are closely related to our research topic and research objectives It is important to find the connections and differences among views, research findings etc. Consistent framework and sequence of the reviewed topics Logical connection between the topics and the cited content  Critical Literature Review Identify the appropriate academic and/or professional fields of literature Describe the main themes in the literature that are important and useful to your study Identify the connections or disconnections between the theories, views, research results in the literature Evaluate and critique the literature Create a coherent sequence of arguments from the themes drawn from the literature  Critical Literature Review Your argument can be confirmed by Professional sources (a theory, research findings etc.) Business and economic data, information & statistics Giving examples (company, market etc.) Accurate academic writing style  Critical Literature Review Documents that should be cited The milestone and the most essential publications in the topic Publications describe or investigate relevant theories, models etc. Publications include recent research findings Original research articles in which a thought, a phrase etc. was described firstly Structure of the Literature Review  Planning the Literature Review Planning the content and the structure of The whole literature review Each main chapter Each subchapter It is important to link the consecutive chapters and subchapters properly Using your notes you have made during reviewing the documents Mind mapping  Structure of the Literature Review Introduction, discussion, conclusions Synthesis, critical analysis, conclusions  Structure of the Literature Review Macrostructure ’classic funnel’ ’reverse funnel’ ’argument tree’ ’timeline’ multidisciplinary approach  Structure of the Literature Review Linking the literature review and the empirical investigation Citation in the Literature Review  Avoiding Plagiarism You should avoid all the forms of plagiarism (see AWP files) such as Quotations from the original text follow one after the other („cut and paste”) Using synonyms instead of some words Rearranging the words of the used text Rearranging the original sentences (e.g. interchanging the parts of a sentence) Missing citation/references etc. Plagiarism.org https://www.plagiarism.org/understanding-plagiarism Turnitin https://www.turnitin.com/static/plagiarism-spectrum/?_ga=2.94023709.1637297015.1 569403845-1661192602.1569403845  Avoiding Plagiarism 1. Correct citation in the text and bibliographic description in the references 2. Integrating the content of the cited sources into the text and 3. Critical evaluation and analysis  Harvard Reference System You have to apply Harvard Reference System in your thesis Guide to Harvard Reference System https://library.aru.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm See AWP files  Word by Word Citation (Quotation) Word by word citation is used only for definitions and important statements. Quoting a part of a sentence, a sentence or at most a few sentences length of the quotation is limited, it should be minimised Quoting at most a few times in a thesis A chapter/subchapter should not be started by quotation it has to be introduced A quotation should be interpreted  Samples for Paraphrasing Academic journal articles Professional books  Paraphrasing Describing a theory, view, model, research finding, statement (etc.) with your own words You should point out a part of the content of the applied publication the main thoughts of a theory the core points of a view a relevant statement the most important research findings the added value of the publication etc. Paraphrasing should be complemented by critical evaluation and analysis  Paraphrasing If you apply a professional source to your literature review, you can write some words or a half sentence or a sentence a paragraph (or even some paragraphs) about its content  Paraphrasing It is possible to cite the same sources more times in your paper You can write about the content of the same source in the various sections of your paper  Verbs to Direct Citation Aaker (2013) … argues, claims, points out, underlines, emphasises, concludes, demonstrates, remarks, states, indicates, proposes, suggests, confirms, establishes, clarifies, identifies, considers, assumes, finds, determines, criticizes, interprets etc. Present tense  Phrases to Citation Aaker’s (2013) theory states … … is confirmed by Brown (2019). According to Thaler’s (2014) research findings …  Evaluating the content of your critical literature review The literature covered has to be related clearly to your research goals & questions Covering the most relevant and significant books & academic journal articles Covering the most relevant and significant theories of recognised experts in the chosen professional field Including current literature and the newest findings According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2007  Evaluating whether your literature review is critical Pointing out how your research purposes and questions are in relation with previous research Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the previous research reviewed Applying and citing documents that are counter to your own opinion Distinguishing clearly between facts and opinions Justifying clearly your own opinions According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2007  Evaluating the structure of your literature review Title sections/chapters and subsections/subchapters should clearly describe the content From the general level to the specific topics Literature review has to be organised thematically around the topics or ideas contained in the research being reviewed rather than the researchers or publications Arguments should be coherent & cohesive (logical structure) Relations of subsections According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2007  Microstructure A literature review should be written in paragraphs A paragraph includes at least 3 sentences A section or a chapter includes at least 3 paragraphs You should not subdivide a section/chapter into more than 5 subsection/subchapter Each section/chapter should start with a short introduction and ends with summary or concluding remarks The content of the sentences, the paragraphs and the sections/chapters should be linked consistently  Writing Style Professional writing style Present tense The paper should be written in (general) third person (the first person singular should not be used) e.g. ‘it could be stated that the research findings reflect…’ AND NOT ‘I think this means’ the exception is when you want to point out your own professional opinion and judgement by interpreting your research findings and concluding the remarks at the end of the thesis  Sample for Literature Review See the literature review sections of the academic journal articles See review articles Lane, T. (2017) How does happiness relate to economic behaviour? A review of the literature. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 68, pp. 62–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2017.04.001 Shah, S. Z. A. and Akbar, S. (2008) Value of relevance of advertising expenditure: A review of the literature. International Journal of Management Reviews, 10(4), pp. 301–325. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2007.00228.x  How to write a literature review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ny_EUJXHHs  Sources Brown, R. B. (2006), Doing Your Dissertation in Business and Management: The Reality of Researching and Writing. London, Sage Publications. Fisher, C., Buglear, J., Lowry, D., Mutch, A. and Tansley, C. (2007), Researching and Writing a Dissertation: A Guidebook for Business Students. 2nd ed. Harlow, Financial Times Prentice Hall. Hart, C. (2008), Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination. London [etc.], Sage Publications. Machi, L. A. and McEvoy, B. T. (2009), The Literature Review: Six Steps to Success. Thousand Oaks, Corwin Press. Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2007), Research Methods for Business Students. 4th ed. Harlow; New York, Financial Times - Prentice Hall. Thank you for your kind attention