Xã hội học - Critical review of literature

Critical Review of LiteratureSamuel K. Frimpong (Ph.D.)Outline of presentationThe critical reviewLiterature/information sources How to conduct literature reviewSignificance of conducting literature reviewLiterature review and plagiarism How to review and annotate literatureRecording the literatureAPA ReferencingWhat is literature review?A critical discussion of existing knowledge – drawn from: BooksArticlesJournalsResearch publicationsChance to demonstrate your understanding!You need to demonstrate that you know what others have saidYou need to go beyond descriptionWhat is literature review?Make an argument for your research‘reviewing’ the literatureThe first attempt at looking to see what is ‘out there’ andThe literature reviewA more detailed (thoughtful) and crafted ‐ reviewLiterature Review and Conceptual FrameworkLiterature review is a summary in your own words of definitions, concepts, theories, methodology and data from selected literature that is directly relevant to your topic and hypothesesIt is often useful to provide a conceptual framework (in words, illustrated by diagram if suitable) that highlights key findings from the literature review on cause-and-effect relationships that provide the rationale for your hypothesis – i.e., why & how interventions would yield expected resultsThis will guide you in analysing and interpreting the data in terms of cause-and-effect mechanisms, and also recognizing other variables/explanations that may be at workInformation Sources for Literature Review Abstracts Catalogues Dictionaries Bibliographies Encyclopedia Citation indices How to Do a Literature Review?Google the key words in your topicDownload as many relevant documents as you can Search the documents for key words; select paragraphs that include themCopy the paragraphs and paste into your Literature Review sectionParaphrase or turn the paragraphs in your own wordsWhy is literature review important?Why (part 1)You need to know what has been done before (by other writers and researchers)Linked to what you are researching and whyPosition the studyUsing relevant theoretical conceptsApply theory to practiceDemonstrate knowledge in subject(s)What Literature review is NOT? NOT ! !What literature review is notA descriptive accountA listA summary\A book reviewThinly disguised paraphrasingInformation ‘re’movalPlagiarismPassing off others’ work as your own is plagiarism, which is a serious academic offense subject to expulsion. You are expected to draw on other works to gain an understanding of how to approach the subject and to develop your own analysis. You are expected to put those ideas into your own words as much as possible, and refer in the text to the sources that shaped your ideas “(e.g. Afutu-Kotey, 2016)”; as well as putting them in the Bibliography/References. Cut-and-Paste vs. QuotationIf you just copy-and-paste material, even if you cite the source at the end: You have demonstrated that you do not understand the topic adequately to express it in your own words.You have committed plagiarism (if it’s not in quotes).Copied material must be all in quotation marks; or, if longer than 3 lines, indented and single-spaced.The best literature reviews have short statements in your own words, backed up by references to works where supporting documentation can be found, and occasionally illustrated by a very pertinent quotation (in quotation marks or indented; or perhaps in a Box, if long).Some issues to Consider in Reviewing LiteratureWhat is the author trying to say?Who is the author speaking to?Why has this account of this research/theory been written?What does the author want to achieve?What evidence does the author offer to substantiate the claims?Do you accept this evidence?Does this account ‘fit’ with what you know?What is your view? /What evidence do you have for this?How to Review and Annotate LiteratureGoogle the key words in your topicLook first at abstracts (or reviews by other authors) to see if it might be relevantIf so, you may want to download the document or abstractKeep a Bibliography file from the start: Note down Author, Year, Title, Publisher/Journal or Website informationUnderneath, write brief notes (in your words) as to what is potentially useful – key theme, message, or data; can also copy abstract and add itGreat if you can append this to your proposal or report!SAMPLE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ENTRY FOR A JOURNAL ARTICLEWaite, L. J., Goldschneider, F. K., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults. American Sociological Review, 51 (4), 541-554.The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.How to Review and Annotate Literature Conti.After you have 10-20 relevant documents: Go back and download those that look most promising from the annotations; and Go to Library to seek missing & additional documents (especially on Ghana)Read those documents, and add to the annotations – in your own words; or if you find a very pertinent phrase, section or set of data, copy it into your annotated bibliography and put it in quotation marks in case you decide to use itHow to Review and Annotate Literature Conti.When you are ready to write Lit Review:Outline the detailed topics/points to makeOrganize review by topic and cite the various articles related to itUse your annotations to summarize what you found in literature (and cite them)Occasional brief quotations to illustrate points For eventual Bibliography, delete references that you don’t end up using (directly or indirectly), and delete your annotations and quotations; Put in alphabetical order by author’s last nameWhat Structure Should the Review takeNo single structure BUT!Start at a more general level before narrowing down to RQ’S (a funnel)Provide a brief overview of key ideasSummarise, compare and contrast the work of key writersNarrow down to highlight the work most relevantProvide a detailed account of the findings of this.Checklist (Saunders et al 2009:98)Does your review start at a more general level before narrowing downDoes the literature covered relate clearly to your RQ’SHave you covered the key theories of recognized experts?Is the literature up to date? – if not can you justify this?Have you been objective in your discussion and assessment of other’s work?Constructing an ArgumentBe critical in your approachShow why your RQ’s are importantDevelop as a story – clear, compelling, structuredThink of the argument as an essay – the RQ’s become the title and you need to answer themDo not Put everything you have read into the reviewStop doing itDoReview several timesUsing Source and CitationsThere are many citation styles, but UPSA requires the use of the American Psychological Association (APA) citation style.Details about this style are found in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed)The APA manual regulates: Stylistics In-text citations References