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Chapter II - This is a sample work on research

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Preview text, review of related literature, introduction.

A review of literature is a classification and evaluation of what accredited scholars and researchers have written on a topic, organized according to a guiding concept such as a research objective, thesis or the problem / issue to be addressed. It is the scholarly core of the dissertation. It is an analysis and synthesis of the source materials, written in a specific style which flows from broad to narrow and takes into account both the theoretical and empirical issues. The main purpose of the review of literature is to report on original research or experimentation in order to make such information available to the rest of the scholarly world. According to Best & Kahn (1989), Review of related literature is the summary of writings of recognized authorities and of previous research provides evidence that the researcher is familiar with what is already known and what is still unknown and untested. Since effective research is based upon past knowledge, this step helps to eliminate the duplication of what has been done and provides useful hypotheses and helpful suggestions for significant investigation. Citing studies that show substantial agreement and those that seem to present conflicting conclusions helps to sharpen and define understanding of existing knowledge in the problem area, provides a background for the research project and makes the reader aware of the status of the issue. Only those studies that are plainly relevant, competently executed and clearly reported should be included. In searching related literature, the researcher should note certain important elements. They are  Reports of studies of closely related problems that have been investigated.  Design of the study, including procedures employed and data gathering instruments used.  Populations that were sampled and sampling methods employed  Variables that were defined  Extraneous variables that could have affected the findings  Faults that could have been avoided  Recommendations for further research The studies collected and reviewed are presented under the following headings:

1. Studies on Children with Disabilities 2. Studies on Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 3. Studies on instructional strategies for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 4. Studies on Animated Learning Strategies for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

STUDIES ON CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Children with learning disabilities can be a challenge for any classroom teacher. A teacher can select one or more strategies that are suited to a specific child in a specific environment. The studies dealt under this heading give a clear picture about the children with Disabilities. Anna Elizabeth Kuruvilla (1999) investigated creativity among learning disabled children. The objectives of the study were (1) to assess the level of creativity of the learning disabled children; (2) to compare the creativity scores of the learning disabled boys and girls of std IV and V studying in government, government aided and corporation schools; (3) to establish relationship between creativity scores of learning disabled and economic status of the family and (4) to determine if creativity scores of learning disabled are influenced by literacy of their parents. The result showed that (1) learning disabled children are creative (2) differential analysis of the creativity scores of the learning disabled boys and girls showed that boys are more creative than girls (3) differential analysis made between the samples of std. IV &V revealed that V std. children are more original than their juniors (4) learning disabled children of government aided schools were found to be better than those in government schools in flexibility and originality (5) corporation schools are better than government aided schools in fluency and flexibility, whereas, in originality government aided schools were better (6) all aspects of creativity of corporation school performance were better than government schools (7) correlation analysis showed that creativity scores of the learning disabled are not influenced by the literacy status of parents and

group design studies but moderately effective for single subject design studies and they could be effectively implemented to students with learning disabilities in mathematics. Geetha (2000) attempted to find out the impact of adapted techniques on achievement of dyslexic children. The objectives of the study was to identify children with reading disability, to determine the areas in which they need corrective instruction, to develop remedial package and implement on the selected children, to evaluate the progress of the children with dyslexia and to find out the relationship between the achievement of the students and adapted techniques followed. The result revealed that there is increase in scores of post test when compared with pre test scores. The result indicated that there is an impact of adapted techniques for the achievement of children with Dyslexia. Mohapatra (1991) studied the problem of reading, memory and attention processes of normal and reading disabled children. The sample compromised 40 subjects, 20 each from Grade II and Grade IV. Among them, 10 were normal and 10 were reading disabled. The tools used included decoding test, comprehension test, letter cancellation test, visual closure test, visual memory test, auditory memory test. The study revealed that the normal and the reading disabled children did not differ with respect their intelligence. In the case of decoding score, normal subjects of both grades performed better than the reading disabled subjects. In the case of oral reading errors, the normal children made significantly less errors than the reading disabled children. There was a significant difference in comprehension as a function of reading ability only and not grade. There was a significant difference in the Digit Span Score as a function of reading ability only and not for grades. This indicated that the normal children of both grades had better performance in digit recall than the reading disabled of both grades. The difference in the errors in letter cancellation as a function of grade was not significant. There was no significant difference in the letter of cancellation time as an effect of grades as well as an effect of reading ability. Passolunghi, Maria Chiara (2011) conducted a study on cognitive and emotional factors in children with mathematical learning disabilities (MLD). Emotional and cognitive factors were examined in 18 children with mathematical learning disabilities compared with 18 normally achieving children matched for chronological age, school level, gender and verbal IQ. Working memory, short term memory, inhibitory processes, speed of processing and level of anxiety in

mathematics were assessed in two groups. The results stated that the children with MLD showed higher levels of anxiety in mathematics. Rafdal, Brooke et (2011) conducted a study on the effectiveness of kindergarten peer assisted learning strategies for students with disabilities. The researchers randomly assigned 89 kindergarteners with individualized education programs from 47 classrooms. Multivariate analysis of covariance on post test measures of beginning reading skills indicated that students outperformed controls on alphabetic and oral reading measures, but that no reliable between group differences were attributable to level of support. Reddy’s (2000) paper on role of Educational technology in learning disability in which he has highlighted the need for assistive technology to the learning disabled. The processing, spell checking, proof reading programmes, brainstorming, speech recognition system, speech synthesis, screen reading, word prediction, personal frequency modulated listening systems and talking calculators were of much use to circumvent the learning disabilities in children. Scheuermann (2006) attempted a study on the effects of a mathematical instructional model on the performance of students with learning disabilities on one-variable equations and found that participants learned to illustrate and manipulate one variable equation word problems using multiple illustration modes and there was an increase in the student’s ability to transfer their skills to a variety of situations including mathematical notation, textbook word problems and standardized mathematics achievement measures. Schischka, Janice et (2012) conducted a study on factors affecting the transition to school for young children with disabilities. The qualitative study examined that the factors involved in school transitions for a sample of 17 children with a range of disabilities, aged from 5 to 6 years, their parents, and their year 1 teachers. Parents and teachers were interviewed and asked for their retrospective views on how the transition process had occurred for their children in the period immediately before and after school entry. Certain practices emerged as most successful for this sample, particularly good ongoing levels of communication and collaboration between families and schools. Holding meetings to plan the transition and allowing children multiple opportunities for pre-entry visits to the new school contributed to this. Following school entry, teachers' use of differentiation practices also aided the transition. The study concluded that the home-school partnership is the most critical factor determining school transitions for this sample of children with disabilities.

children with learning disabilities a specific relationship was observed between reading and loco motor skills and a trend was found for a relationship between mathematics and object-control skills: the larger children's learning lag, the poorer their motor skill scores. This study stresses the importance of specific interventions facilitating both motor and academic abilities.

STUDIES ON ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVE DISORDER

In inclusion setup, students with diverse needs are sitting along with normal children in classroom. One such diverse needs student is with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The studies dealt under this heading give a clear picture about the nature, skill, difficulties, performance on arithmetic problems of students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).

According to Amon & Campbell (2008), the journey to wild divine as a biofeedback management tool for teaching breathing and relaxation skills to children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The children played the game by manipulating their heart rate using breathing techniques taught in the game, measured through three finger sensors. Parents completed questionnaires to measure behavioural and emotional changes. In the experimental group, children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) (n = 24) demonstrated significant reductions in the Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) questionnaire, F(1,34) = 44 and the strengths and difficulties questionnaire, F(1,34) = 19 compared to a control group (n = 12). The wild divine has shown potential in teaching, breathing and relaxation techniques to reduce disruptive behaviours in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Ashwood, Karen L et (2015) conducted a study on adaptive functioning in children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) + Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) demonstrated deficits in adaptive functioning, pure and co morbid groups have not been directly compared. Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales (VABS-II) data were examined in boys with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (n = 17), Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)

(n = 31) and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) + Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) (n = 38). Results demonstrated that lower socialization, composite scores and greater discrepancy between cognitive and adaptive abilities in the Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) + Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) group compared to the Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) only group. Significant associations were shown between reduced adaptive functioning and autism symptoms, but not Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) symptoms. Children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) + Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) present with exacerbated impairments in adaptive functioning relative to children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), associated with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms.

Brock, Clinton (2007) examined recent literature related to the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) in childhood. First, the article discussed diagnostic criteria presented in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Next, it explored the diagnostic procedures of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) recommended in publications. Results of this comprehensive literature review indicated that rating scales, interviews, laboratory / psychological testing and observations are the most frequently recommended Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) diagnostic techniques. Ghanizadeh, Bahredar and Moeni (2006) conducted a study about attitude among parents and elementary school teachers regarding Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The sample in their study consisted of 196 elementary school teachers in Shiraz, Iran and 119 parents whose children had received a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Forty percent of parents considered typical Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) behaviors such as difficulties in complying with rules as a sign of child displaying independence. An overwhelming 94 percent believed that these difficulties were more maturational in nature and would hence not persist into adulthood.

Gretchen Geng (2011) investigated teacher’s verbal and non verbal strategies for managing Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) students in a classroom environment. It was found that effective verbal and non verbal strategies included voice control, short phrases, repeated instructions, using student’s names and visual cues and verbal instructions combined. It

esteem. Implications are that Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) characteristic behaviour in girls can be identified earlier so that treatments can be studied and improved.

Guerra, Fred & Brown, Michelle (2012) examined the knowledge levels middle school teachers in South Texas have in relation to Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The study specifically compared teacher knowledge levels among three specific Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) knowledge areas as a) general knowledge of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), b) knowledge of symptoms / diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and c) knowledge of treatments for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The three subscales were measured by the study instrument, knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorder Scale (KADDS). The sample for this study involved 107 teachers from five predominately Hispanic middle schools in South Texas. The middle schools were in three independent school districts and data were collected during 2008-09 school year. Results indicated that teachers great area of knowledge dealt with identifying the symptoms / diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Teachers had lower scores related to general knowledge and knowledge of treatments for the disorder. Holst (2007) conducted a qualitative study on early childhood teachers across 3 different school districts in Denmark. This study focused on teachers experience and manages challenging behaviour and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Interviews with this group of teachers indicated that general teachers did not have much knowledge about Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Teachers noted that parents were reluctant to recognize that their children had challenges; hence if a child presented problems in school, teachers could not rely on parent involvement in addressing the issue. Stress, lack of time and modern child rearing methods were seen as the main causes for challenging behavior of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Karande et al. (2007) studied children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and Specific Learning Disability in Mumbai. This study was based on a clinical sample of 50 students who had received a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and Specific Learning Disability (SLD) after they had fulfilled research diagnostic criteria which included standardized norm based tests of ability and curriculum based measures of achievement. The study observed that the average age of students was 11 years. There was a

gap of 5 years between noticing learning and behavioral difficulties and actually making a diagnosis. This long gap before their presentation in the clinic clearly impacted on their learning. All children in the study demonstrated poor school performance. In the Indian context, problems in school performance as opposed to specific symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) often constitute the reason for referral. Parents in this study (6 percent) preferred to use alternative form of medicine and addressed their children’s behaviour difficulties by initiating homeopathic treatment.

Kleiman, et (1981) compared 18 children's performance on arithmetic problems administered by computer with problems given in a standard paper and pencil format using a program that was specially modified for use of students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Modifications included individualized level of problem difficulty, a more readable display, self-paced problem- solving, familiar answer format and motivational features (such as graphic displays and praise statements). Dependent measures included accuracy, number of problems attempted and rate of problem solving in the computer format, paper and pencil format. On average, children did almost twice as many problems on the computer as they did with paper and pencil. In addition, the ADHD group on average also spent more time working on problems on the computer, without any significant loss of accuracy or speed. Two factors limited the usefulness of this study. First, the specific nature of the problems of these children was not provided in detail, thus there is no way to evaluate how many subjects actually met the criteria for an ADHD diagnosis. Second, and most critically, no statistical tests were conducted to determine whether there were real differences across treatments. Leasha Barry et (2010) conducted a study on rule-governed behavior and self-control in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD): a theoretical interpretation. Three theoretical models of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) are reviewed and interpreted in light of educational and behavioral research findings specifically in respect to interventions using self management to address a deficit in rule governed behavior. The perspectives considered in this paper are (a) the unified theory of behavioral inhibition, sustained attention and EF (Barkley, 1997), (b) the cognitive- energetic model (Sergeant, Oosterlaan, & van der Meere, 1999) and (c) the dynamic developmental theory (Sagvolden, Johansen, Aase, & Russell, 2005). The perspectives are discussed in terms of the continued development of

education. Results also indicated that teachers’ ratings of their own knowledge of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) were not associated with test performance. Michael D. Brooks (2009) conducted a study on Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)/ Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD): effects on mathematics and mathematical computations. This study evaluated the research that provides an understanding about mathematical results which can be determined independently from contributing factors. The relevance of the findings is important because there are many different reasons hypothesized by researchers as to why Attention Deficit Disorder/Attentions Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADD/ADHD) students may be experiencing mathematical difficulties. However, if an environment is created that is targeted at reducing Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)/ Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) students disruptive behaviors and a curriculum implemented that increases active engagement time on subjects for students then understanding and addressing their mathematical issues will become more accurate.

Myrick (2002) conducted a study on counselling interventions for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). He described a developmental school guidance and counseling program with the goal of helping all students learn more effectively and efficiently. Counselors should provide interventions like individual counseling, small group counseling, large group guidance, peer facilitator training and consultation with parents, teachers and administrators.

Nelson, Jason et (2014) conducted a study on test anxiety and college students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). In the study, test anxiety was examined in college students with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Results indicated that college students without Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) reported higher total test anxiety as well as specific aspects of test anxiety, including worry (i., cognitive aspects of test anxiety) and emotionality (i., physiological aspects of test anxiety) than college students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Nearly half of college students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) reported clinically significant levels of the worry aspect of test anxiety. Female with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) reported higher levels of the emotionality aspect of test anxiety than male with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Those with combined type and inattentive type Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) did not differ on any aspect of test anxiety.

Parker (2008) conducted a study on an examination of the effects of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) coaching on university students’ executive functioning**.** This study consisted of seven undergraduates at a selective Midwestern university participated in a semester long pilot study regarding the impact of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) coaching services on their academic experiences. Three major themes emerged from qualitative interviews conducted with participants. Students reported that their goal attainment skill was improved by working with their coaches and they also stated that they enjoyed working with coaches, whom they found to be effective and supportive. Finally, coaching helped students achieve a greater sense of wellbeing and self-regulation.

Prabhat Sitholey et (2012) aimed to compare the usefulness of DSM – IV and ICD – 10 DCR criteria in clinic children presenting with the symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity – impulsivity. 62 children (54 boys and 8 girls) participated in the study. All could be diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) however only 44 (71%) could be diagnosed as Hyperkinetic Disorder (HKD). There was no statistically significant difference in most socio demographic variables, severity of illness on Hillside Behaviour Rating Scale and impairment on Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) of the subjects diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and Hyperkinetic Disorder (HKD) and subjects with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) but not Hyperkinetic Disorder (HKD). Prevatt, Frances et (2014) conducted a study on recognizing and treating Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in college students**.** In this study, academic difficulties experienced by children and adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) have been observed to continue into young adulthood. Treatment outcome studies demonstrated that behavioral and pharmacotherapeutic interventions can be beneficial in improving Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) symptoms such as inattention and so facilitate academic performance in young adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). This review discussed how Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) leads to academic under performance, the warning signs of undiagnosed Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and the potential impact interventions can have on adult academic impairment. Sujata Sethi et (2012) conducted a study on level of stress in the parents of children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Comparative study is taken for 50 parents of

optimal level of arousal. As a result, these kids provided their own stimulation in the time-out centre in a way that is often disruptive to the classroom. STUDIES ON COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION

Teacher plays a vital role for effective teaching learning process in classroom. One of the effective teaching methods is Computer Assisted Instruction. The studies dealt under this heading give a clear picture about the nature, skill, difficulties, performance on Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI).

Despotakis et (2007) conducted a study on students’ attitude towards animated demonstration as computer learning tool. This study aimed at investigating users' initial attitude towards animated demonstration as computer learning tool. Quantitative and qualitative information was collected from forty six interviews with students who used animated demonstrations for the first time. Interview transcripts revealed that students' attitude were influenced by several factors such as the nature of the computer application to be learnt, students' prior knowledge of that application, their prior learning practices, narrator's characteristics, simulated practice options and the procedural segmentation of the presentation. Results of the study can be exploited to enhance the design of educational applications that incorporate animated demonstrations. Jeyamani (1991) conducted a study on effectiveness of the simulation model of teaching through Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI). The objectives of the study stated that the effectiveness of the simulation model of teaching is compared to the traditional method and to utilize the growing use of computer in education. The researcher developed a Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) package in physics for class XI students. The pre test, post test method was used for the study. Mean, standard deviation and t test were used to treat the data. The findings of the study indicated that the experimental group obtained a higher mean than the control group and there was no significant difference in learning level between Tamil medium and English medium students. It was concluded that the experimental group performed significantly better than the control group.

Joy, B.H et (2002) conducted a study on Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI): attitude of teachers and correlates. The sample consisted of 50 high school science teachers of the

Thiruvananthapuram revenue district, Kerala randomly selected with the help of purposive sampling. Teacher competency was positively related to post knowledge in Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) of the experimental group. As a result of training in Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI), the attitude of the experimental group became more favorable towards computer education. Khasnis (2013) conducted a study on enhancement of mathematics learning through CAI. The results of this study showed positive outcomes on the student’s immediate achievement in mathematics, attitude towards mathematics and computer assisted learning made the investigator concluded that computers could be integrated into mathematics education system. Khirwadker (1998) conducted a study on development of computer software for learning chemistry for standard XI Science students studying GSTB syllabus. The objective of the study was the development of Computer Assisted Instruction package in Chemistry and to study the effect of the software package on student achievement in relation to student (a) intelligent level (b) motivation level and (c) attitude towards the package. The data was quantitative as well as qualitative including teachers and students’ opinion about the package. The sample for experiment was 30 students in experimental group and 30 students in control group randomly taken. The findings were the software package developed for teaching three units of standard XI Chemistry textbook of GSTB was effective in terms of students’ achievement. Kuo-En et (2004) proposed a computer-assisted system named MathCAL, whose design is based on four problem-solving stages: (1) understanding the problem, (2) making a plan, (3) executing the plan and (4) reviewing the solution. A sample of one hundred and thirty fifth-grade students (aged 11 years old) completed a range of elementary school mathematical problems and empirically demonstrated. The results showed MathCAL to be effective in improving the performance of students with lower problem solving ability. Levy (1985) investigated the effect of Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) upon achievement in reading and maths and to determine the significance of gender in this respect. The study resulted in a significant gain by Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) group. In reading, girls gained more as compared to the boys whereas, no gender differences were found in respect to their achievements in maths. Rivet, J. (2001) conducted a study on students achievement in middle school mathematics: Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) versus traditional instruction. The main objective is stated

higher on post test than the students of traditional method group and Students opined favorably for learning through Computer Assisted Multimedia Package. Sindhi, N. (1996) conducted a study on the construction and try out of multimedia package for the teaching of physics in standard XI. The main objective of the study was to find the effectiveness of multimedia package in terms of achievement of students. The finding showed that if the teaching is done through multimedia package, then student can remember it for a longer time. Singh, R et (1991) conducted a study on teaching of mathematics: effectiveness of Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) and conventional method of instruction. The objective of the study stated that the difference in mathematics achievement occurred as a result of the difference in instructional strategy among boys and girls separately and as a group. The sample of the study consisted of 220 students from four selected higher secondary schools of the Bhilai steel plant. The findings of the study were the students who used the computer scored significantly higher than those taught mathematics through the conventional method and the students who used the computer showed significantly highly favorable attitude towards mathematics than those who did not use the computer. Stultz (2008) researched on the effectiveness of Computer Assisted Instruction(CAI) for teaching mathematics to students with a specific learning disability. The objective of the study was to determine if computer assisted instruction was as effective as other methods of instruction that do not use computers for teaching mathematics to students with a specific learning disability. It was found that a statistically significant difference does not exist between the two methods of instruction and that individual student characteristic or other factors may interact with the method of instruction utilized when teaching students with specific learning disability. Wang (1997) investigated the effectiveness of a computer based self- instruction training programme for teaching mathematics problems to children with learning disabilities and the results of the study supported the efficacy of computer based self instruction training programmes for teaching mathematics.

Wei, Quan (2010) conducted a study on the effects of pedagogical agents on mathematics anxiety and mathematics learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the mathematics anxiety treatment messages in a computer based environment on ninth grade students' mathematics anxiety and mathematics learning. This study employed a pretest and

posttest experimental design. 128 students were included for data analysis. The results suggested that mathematics anxiety treatment messages provided by a pedagogical agent had no impact on student mathematics anxiety and mathematics learning. There were significant interaction effects between treatment messages and learner's prior mathematics anxiety level only on current mathematics anxiety. Yixin Zhang (2004) conducted a study on mathematics pedagogy: traditional method versus Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI). The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) versus traditional lecture type instruction on triangles. Two quasi experiments were conducted in six 6th grade classes with a total of 108 students respectively. The analysis revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between the students’ achievement in control and experimental groups. The result implied that teachers could use computer assisted instruction software only as a supplementary tool. Further research is recommended to examine effectiveness of computer assisted instruction with an extended time span. Youngkyun Baek et (2006 ) conducted a study to identify factors influencing teachers’ decisions about using technology in the classroom setting and examined the degree to which teaching experience affects these decisions. Specifically, the items employed in this study were derived from the teachers’ perceptions of technology use. The findings of this study implied that teachers do not pay much attention to raising the quality of learning when they decide to adopt technology especially as they are more experienced. Because of the potential benefits in the classroom, teachers at all levels should use technology while conscious of its purpose and truly believe in its effectiveness for learning. Therefore, teacher education programs must challenge teachers to remain cognizant that technology is used for enhancing instruction and learning and not only for demonstrative purposes. Youngkyun Baek (2011) conducted a study on what makes teachers use technology in the classroom? Exploring the factors affecting facilitation of technology with a Korean sample. The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing teachers’ decisions about using technology in the classroom setting and examine the degree to which teaching experience affects these decisions. The study analyzed six factors which influenced teachers use technology in their classroom: adapting to external requests and others’ expectations, deriving attention, using the basic functions of technology, relieving physical fatigue, class preparation and management and

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How to write chapter two of a research pape r.

As is known, within a research paper, there are several types of research and methodologies. One of the most common types used by students is the literature review. In this article, we will be dealing how to write the literature review (Chapter Two) of your research paper.

Although when writing a project, literature review (Chapter Two) seems more straightforward than carrying out experiments or field research, the literature review involves a lot of research and a lot of reading. Also, utmost attention is essential when it comes to developing and referencing the content so that nothing is pointed out as plagiarism.

However, unlike other steps in project writing, it is not necessary to perform the separate theoretical reference part in the review. After all, the work itself will be a theoretical reference, filled with relevant information and views of several authors on the same subject over time.

As it technically has fewer steps and does not need to go to the field or build appraisal projects, the research paper literature review is a great choice for those who have the tightest deadline for delivering the work. But make no mistake, the level of seriousness in research and development itself is as difficult as any other step.

To further facilitate your understanding, we have divided this research methodology into some essential steps and will explain how to do each of them clearly and objectively. Want to know more about it? Read on and check it out!

What is the literature review in a research paper?

To develop a project in any discipline, it is necessary, first, to study everything that other authors have already explored on that subject. This step aims to update the subject for the academic community and to have a basis to support new research. Therefore, it must be done before any other process within the research paper. However, in the literature review (Chapter Two), this step of searching for data and previous work is all the work. That is, you will only develop the theoretical framework.

In general, you will need to choose the topic in question and search for more relevant works and authors that worked around that research idea you want to discuss. As the intention is to make history and update the subject, you will be able to use works from different dates, showing how opinions and views have evolved over time.

Suppose the subject of your research paper is the role of monarchies in 21st-century societies, for example. In that case, you must present a history of how this institution came about, its impact on society, and what roles the institution is currently playing in modern societies. In the end, you can make a more personal conclusion about your vision.

If your topic covered contains a lot of content, you will need to select the most important and relevant and highlight them throughout the work. This is because you will need to reference the entire work. This means that the research paper literature review needs to be filled with citations from other authors. Therefore, it will present references in practically every paragraph.

In order not to make your work uninteresting and repetitive, you should quote differently throughout development. Switching between direct and indirect citations and trying to fit as much content and work as possible will enrich your project and demonstrate to the evaluators how deep you have been in the search.

Within the review, the only part that does not need to be referenced is the conclusion. After all, it will be written as your final and personal view of everything you have read and analyzed.

How to write a literature review?

Here are some practical and easy tips for structuring a quality and compliant research paper literature review!

Introduction

As with any work, the introduction should attract your project readers’ attention and help them understand the basis of the subject that will be worked on. When reading the introduction, you need to be clear to whoever is reading about your research and what it wants to show.

Following the example cited on the theme of monarchies’ roles in the 21st-century societies, the introduction needs to clarify what this type of institution is and why research on it is vital for this area. Also, it would help if you also quoted how the work was developed and the purpose of your literary study.

Basically, you will introduce the subject in such a way that the reader – even without knowing anything about the topic – can read the complete work and grasp the approach, understanding what was done and the meaning of it.

Methodology

Describing the methodology of a literature review is simpler than describing the steps of field research or experiment. In this step, you will need to describe how your research was carried out, where the information was searched, and retrieved.

As you will need to gather a lot of content, searches can be done in books, academic articles, academic publications, old monographs, internet articles, among other reliable sources. The important thing is always to be sure with your supervisor or other teachers about the reliability of each content used. After all, as the entire work is a theoretical reference, choosing unreliable base papers can greatly damage your grade and hinder your approval, putting at risk the quality and integrity of your entire research paper.

Results and conclusion

The results must present clearly and objectively everything that has been observed and collected from studies throughout history on the research’s theme. In this step, you should show the comparisons between authors, like what was the view of the subject before and how it is currently, in an updated way.

You will also be able to show the developments within the theme and the progress of research and discoveries, as well as the conclusions on the issue so far. In the end, you will summarize everything you have read and discovered, and present your final view on the topic.

Also, it is important to demonstrate whether your project objectives have been met and how. The conclusion is the crucial point to convince your reader and examiner of the relevance and importance of all the work you have done for your area or branch, society, or the environment. Therefore, you must present everything clearly and concisely, closing your research paper with a flourish.

In all academic work, bibliographic references are essential. In the academic paper literature review, however, these references will be gathered at the end of the work and throughout the texts.

Citations during the development of the subject must be referenced in accordance with the guideline of your institutions and departments. For each type of reference, there is a rule that depends on the number of words or how you will make it.

Also, in the list of bibliographic references, where you will need to put all the content used, the rules change according to your search source. For internet sources, for example, the way of referencing is different than book sources.

A wrong quote throughout the text or a used work that you forget to put in the references can lead to your project being labeled a plagiarism work, which is a crime and can lead to several consequences. Therefore, studying these standards is essential and determinant for the success of your work’s literature review (Chapter Two).

By adequately studying the rules, dedicating yourself, and putting them into practice, not only will it be easy to develop a successful project, but achieving your dream grade will be closer than you think.

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Trapped in dissertation revisions?

How to write a literature review for a dissertation, published by steve tippins on july 5, 2019 july 5, 2019.

Last Updated on: 22nd May 2024, 04:06 am

Chapter 2 of your dissertation, your literature review, may be the longest chapter. It is not uncommon to see lit reviews in the 40- to 60-page range. That may seem daunting, but I contend that the literature review could be the easiest part of your dissertation.

It is also foundational. To be able to select an appropriate research topic and craft expert research questions, you’ll need to know what has already been discovered and what mysteries remain. 

Remember, your degree is meant to indicate your achieving the highest level of expertise in your area of study. The lit review for your dissertation could very well form the foundation for your entire career.

In this article, I’ll give you detailed instructions for how to write the literature review of your dissertation without stress. I’ll also provide a sample outline.

When to Write the Literature Review for your Dissertation

Though technically Chapter 2 of your dissertation, many students write their literature review first. Why? Because having a solid foundation in the research informs the way you write Chapter 1.

Also, when writing Chapter 1, you’ll need to become familiar with the literature anyway. It only makes sense to write down what you learn to form the start of your lit review.

Some institutions even encourage students to write Chapter 2 first. But it’s important to talk with your Chair to see what he or she recommends.

How Long Should a Literature Review Be?

There is no set length for a literature review. The length largely depends on your area of study. However, I have found that most literature reviews are between 40-60 pages.

If your literature review is significantly shorter than that, ask yourself (a) if there is other relevant research that you have not explored, or (b) if you have provided enough of a discussion about the information you did explore.

Preparing to Write the Literature Review for your Dissertation

Step 1. Search Using Key Terms

Most people start their lit review searching appropriate databases using key terms. For example, if you’re researching the impact of social media on adult learning, some key terms you would use at the start of your search would be adult learning, androgogy, social media, and “learning and social media” together. 

If your topic was the impact of natural disasters on stock prices, then you would need to explore all types of natural disasters, other market factors that impact stock prices, and the methodologies used. 

You can save time by skimming the abstracts first; if the article is not what you thought it might be you can move on quickly.

Once you start finding articles using key terms, two different things will usually happen: you will find new key terms to search, and the articles will lead you directly to other articles related to what you are studying. It becomes like a snowball rolling downhill. 

Note that the vast majority of your sources should be articles from peer-reviewed journals. 

Step 2. Immerse Yourself in the Literature

When people ask what they should do first for their dissertation the most common answer is “immerse yourself in the literature.” What exactly does this mean?

Think of this stage as a trip into the quiet heart of the forest. Your questions are at the center of this journey, and you’ll need to help your reader understand which trees — which particular theories, studies, and lines of reasoning — got you there. 

There are lots of trees in this particular forest, but there are particular trees that mark your path.  What makes them unique? What about J’s methodology made you choose that study over Y’s? How did B’s argument triumph over A’s, thus leading you to C’s theory? 

You are showing your reader that you’ve fully explored the forest of your topic and chosen this particular path, leading to these particular questions (your research questions), for these particular reasons.

Step 3. Consider Gaps in the Research

The gaps in the research are where current knowledge ends and your study begins. In order to build a case for doing your study, you must demonstrate that it:

• Is worthy of doctoral-level research, and
• Has not already been studied

Defining the gaps in the literature should help accomplish both aims. Identifying studies on related topics helps make the case that your study is relevant, since other researchers have conducted related studies.

And showing where they fall short will help make the case that your study is the appropriate next step. Pay special attention to the recommendations for further research that the authors of studies make.

Step 4. Organize What You Find

As you find articles, you will have to come up with methods to organize what you find. 

Whether you find a computer-based system (three popular systems are Zotero, endNote, and Mendeley) or some sort of manual system such as index cards, you need to devise a method where you can easily group your references by subject and methodology and find what you are looking for when you need it. It is very frustrating to know you have found an article that supports a point that you are trying to make, but you can’t find the article!

One way to save time and keep things organized is to cut and paste relevant quotations (and their references) under topic headings. You’ll be able to rearrange and do some paraphrasing later, but if you’ve got the quotations and the citations that are important to you already embedded in your text, you’ll have an easier time of it.  

If you choose this method, be sure to list the whole reference on the reference/bibliography page so you don’t have to do this page separately later. Some students use Scrivener for this purpose, as it offers a clear way to view and easily navigate to all sections of a written document.

Need help with your literature review? Take a look at my dissertation coaching and dissertation editing services.

How to Write the Literature Review for your Dissertation

Once you have gathered a sufficient number of pertinent references, you’ll need to string them together in a way that tells your story. Explain what previous researchers have done by telling the story of how knowledge on this topic has evolved. Here, you are laying the support for your topic and showing that your research questions need to be answered. Let’s dive into how to actually write your dissertation’s literature review.

Step 1. Create an Outline

If you’ve created a system for keeping track of the sources you’ve found, you likely already have the bones of an outline. Even if not, it may be relatively easy to see how to organize it all. The main thing to remember is, keep it simple and don’t overthink it. There are several ways to organize your dissertation’s literature review, and I’ll discuss some of the most common below:

• By topic. This is by far the most common approach, and it’s the one I recommend unless there’s a clear reason to do otherwise. Topics are things like servant leadership, transformational leadership, employee retention, organizational knowledge, etc. Organizing by topic is fairly simple and it makes sense to the reader.
• Chronologically. In some cases, it makes sense to tell the story of how knowledge and thought on a given subject have evolved. In this case, sub-sections may indicate important advances or contributions. 
• By methodology. Some students organize their literature review by the methodology of the studies. This makes sense when conducting a mixed-methods study, and in cases where methodology is at the forefront.

Step 2. Write the Paragraphs 

I said earlier that I thought the lit review was the easiest part to write, and here is why. When you write about the findings of others, you can do it in small, discrete time periods. You go down the path awhile, then you rest. 

Once you have many small pieces written, you can then piece them together. You can write each piece without worrying about the flow of the chapter; that can all be done at the end when you put the jigsaw puzzle of references together.

Step 3. Analyze

The literature review is a demonstration of your ability to think critically about existing research and build meaningfully on it in your study. Avoid simply stating what other researchers said. Find the relationships between studies, note where researchers agree and disagree, and– especiallyy–relate it to your own study. 

Pay special attention to controversial issues, and don’t be afraid to give space to researchers who you disagree with. Including differing opinions will only strengthen the credibility of your study, as it demonstrates that you’re willing to consider all sides.

Step 4. Justify the Methodology

In addition to discussing studies related to your topic, include some background on the methodology you will be using. This is especially important if you are using a new or little-used methodology, as it may help get committee members onboard. 

I have seen several students get slowed down in the process trying to get committees to buy into the planned methodology. Providing references and samples of where the planned methodology has been used makes the job of the committee easier, and it will also help your reader trust the outcomes.

Advice for Writing Your Dissertation’s Literature Review

• Remember to relate each section back to your study (your Problem and Purpose statements).
• Discuss conflicting findings or theoretical positions. Avoid the temptation to only include research that you agree with.
• Sections should flow together, the way sections of a chapter in a nonfiction book do. They should relate to each other and relate back to the purpose of your study. Avoid making each section an island.
• Discuss how each study or theory relates to the others in that section.
• Avoid relying on direct quotes–you should demonstrate that you understand the study and can describe it accurately.

Sample Outline of a Literature Review (Dissertation Chapter 2)

Here is a sample outline, with some brief instructions. Note that your institution probably has specific requirements for the structure of your dissertation’s literature review. But to give you a general idea, I’ve provided a sample outline of a dissertation ’s literature review here.

• Introduction
• State the problem and the purpose of the study
• Give a brief synopsis of literature that establishes the relevance of the problem
• Very briefly summarize the major sections of your chapter

Documentation of Literature Search Strategy

• Include the library databases and search engines you used
• List the key terms you used
• Describe the scope (qualitative) or iterative process (quantitative). Explain why and based on what criteria you selected the articles you did.

Literature Review (this is the meat of the chapter)

• Sub-topic a
• Sub-topic b
• Sub-topic c

See below for an example of what this outline might look like.

How to Write a Literature Review for a Dissertation: An Example 

Let’s take an example that will make the organization, and the outline, a little bit more clear. Below, I’ll fill out the example outline based on the topics discussed.

If your questions have to do with the impact of the servant leadership style of management on employee retention, you may want to saunter down the path of servant leadership first, learning of its origins , its principles , its values , and its methods . 

You’ll note the different ways the style is employed based on different practitioners’ perspectives or circumstances and how studies have evaluated these differences. Researchers will draw conclusions that you’ll want to note, and these conclusions will lead you to your next questions. 

Next, you’ll want to wander into the territory of management styles to discover their impact on employee retention in general. Does management style really make a difference in employee retention, and if so, what factors, exactly, make this impact?

Employee retention is its own path, and you’ll discover factors, internal and external, that encourage people to stick with their jobs.

You’ll likely find paradoxes and contradictions in here that just bring up more questions. How do internal and external factors mix and match? How can employers influence both psychology and context ? Is it of benefit to try and do so?

At first, these three paths seem somewhat remote from one another, but your interest is where the three converge. Taking the lit review section by section like this before tying it all together will not only make it more manageable to write but will help you lead your reader down the same path you traveled, thereby increasing clarity. 

Example Outline

So the main sections of your literature review might look something like this:

• Literature Search Strategy
• Conceptual Framework or Theoretical Foundation
• Literature that supports your methodology
• Origins, principles, values
• Seminal research
• Current research
• Management Styles’ Impact on employee retention
• Internal Factors
• External Factors
• Influencing psychology and context
• Summary and Conclusion

Final Thoughts on Writing Your Dissertation’s Chapter 2

The lit review provides the foundation for your study and perhaps for your career. Spend time reading and getting lost in the literature. The “aha” moments will come where you see how everything fits together. 

At that point, it will just be a matter of clearly recording and tracing your path, keeping your references organized, and conveying clearly how your research questions are a natural evolution of previous work that has been done.

PS. If you’re struggling with your literature review, I can help. I offer dissertation coaching and editing services.

Steve Tippins

Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins

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How To Write Chapter 2 Of A PhD Thesis Proposal (A Beginner’s Guide)

The second chapter of a PhD thesis proposal in most cases is the literature review. This article provides a practical guide on how to write chapter 2 of a PhD thesis.

Introduction to the chapter

Theoretical review, empirical review, chronological organisation of empirical literature review, thematic organisation of empirical literature review, developing a conceptual framework, research gaps, chapter summary, final thoughts on how to write chapter 2 of a phd thesis proposal.

The format for the literature review chapter is discussed below:

This section is about a paragraph-long and informs the readers on what the chapter will cover.

The theoretical review follows immediately after the introductory section of the chapter.

In this section, the student is expected to review the theories behind his/her topic under investigation. One should discuss who came up with the theory, the main arguments of the theory, and how the theory has been applied to study the problem under investigation.

A given topic may have several theories explaining it. The student should review all those theories but at the end mention the main theory that informs his study while giving justification for the selection of that theory.

Because of the existence of many theories and models developed by other researchers, the student is expected to do some comparative analysis of the theories and models that are applicable to his study.

After discussing the theories and models that inform your study, the student is expected to review empirical studies related to his problem under investigation. Empirical literature refers to original studies that have been done by other studies through data collection and analysis. The conclusions drawn from such studies are based on data rather than theories.

This section requires critical thinking and analysis rather than just stating what the authors did and what they found. The student is expected to critique the studies he is reviewing, while making reference to other similar studies and their findings.

For instance, if two studies on the same topic arrive at contrary conclusions, the student should be able to analyse why the conclusions are different: e.g. the population of study could be different, the methodology used could be different etc.

There are two ways of organising empirical literature: chronological and thematic:

In this method, the empirical literature review is organised by date of publication, starting with the older literature to the most recent literature.

The advantage of using this method is that it shows how the state of knowledge of the problem under investigation has changed over time.

The disadvantage of chronological empirical review is that the flow of discussion is not smooth, because similar studies are discussed separately depending on when they were published.

In this method, like studies are discussed together.

The studies are organised based on the variables of the study. Each variable has its own section for discussion. All studies that examined a variable are discussed together, highlighting the consensus amongst the studies, as well as the points of disagreement.

The advantage of this method is that it creates a smooth flow of discussion of the literature. It also makes it easier to identify the research gaps in each variable under investigation.

While the choice between chronological and thematic empirical review varies from one institution to another, the thematic synthesis is most preferred especially for PhD-level programs.

After the theoretical and empirical review, the student is expected to develop his own conceptual framework. A conceptual framework is a diagrammatic representation of the variables of a study and the relationship between those variables.

The conceptual framework is informed by the literature review. Developing a conceptual framework involves three main steps:

• Identify all the variables that will be analysed in your study.
• Specify the relationship between the variables, as informed by the literature review.
• Draw a diagram with the variables and the relationship between them.

The main purpose of conducting literature review is to document what is known and what is not known.

Research gaps are what is not yet known about the topic under investigation.

Your contribution to knowledge will come from addressing what is not yet known.

It is therefore important for PhD students to first review existing literature for their area of study before settling on the final topic.

Additionally, when reviewing literature, the student should review all of the most recent studies to avoid duplicating efforts. Originality is important especially for PhD studies.

There are different types of research gaps:

• Gaps in concepts or variables studied e.g. most studies on maternal health focus on pregnancy and delivery but not on post-partum period. So you conduct a study focusing on the post-partum period.
• Geographical coverage: rural vs. urban or rural vs. urban slums; developed vs. developing countries etc
• Time: past vs. recent
• Demographics: middle class vs. poor communities; males vs. females; educated vs. uneducated etc
• Research design: quantitative vs. qualitative or mixed methods
• Data collection: questionnaires vs. interviews and focus group discussions
• Data analysis techniques: descriptive vs. inferential statistics etc

This section provides a summary of what the chapter is about and highlights the main ideas.

This article provided some guidance on how to write chapter 2 of a PhD thesis proposal as well as the format expected of the chapter by many institutions. The format may vary though and students are advised to refer to the dissertation guidelines of their institutions. Writing the literature review chapter can be the most daunting task of a PhD thesis proposal because it informs chapter 1 of the proposal. For instance, writing the contribution to knowledge section of chapter 1 requires the student to have read and reviewed many articles.

Related post

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Grace Njeri-Otieno

Grace Njeri-Otieno is a Kenyan, a wife, a mom, and currently a PhD student, among many other balls she juggles. She holds a Bachelors' and Masters' degrees in Economics and has more than 7 years' experience with an INGO. She was inspired to start this site so as to share the lessons learned throughout her PhD journey with other PhD students. Her vision for this site is "to become a go-to resource center for PhD students in all their spheres of learning."

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How To Develop Your Research Project Chapter Two Effectively (Literature Review) | ResearchWap Blog

• Posted: Wednesday, 08 April 2020
• By: ResearchWap Admin

How To Develop A Literature Review For A Research Work

Introduction:

A literature review is a survey of academic sources on a particular project topic. It gives an overview of the ebb and flows information, permitting you to distinguish significant hypotheses, strategies, and holes in the current research.

A literature review is to show your reader that you have read, and have a good grasp of, the main published work concerning a particular topic or question in your field.

It is very important to note that your review should not be simply a description of what others have published in the form of a set of summaries but should take the form of a critical discussion, showing insight and an awareness of differing arguments, theories, and approaches. It should be a synthesis and analysis of the relevant published work, linked at all times to your own purpose and rationale.

Conducting a literature review involves collecting, evaluating, and analyzing publications (such as books and journal articles) that relate to your research question. There are five main steps in the process of writing a literature review:

• Search for relevant literature
• Evaluate sources
• Identify themes, debates, and gaps
• Outline the structure
• Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources – it analyzes, synthesizes, and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

According to Caulley (1992) of La Trobe University, the literature review should:

• compare and contrast different authors’ views on an issue • group authors who draw similar conclusions • criticize aspects of the methodology • note areas in which authors are in disagreement • highlight exemplary studies • highlight gaps in research • show how your study relates to previous studies • show how your study relates to the literature in general • conclude by summarising what the literature says

THE PURPOSES OF THE REVIEW ARE:

• To define and limit the problem you are working on • To place your study in a historical perspective • To avoid unnecessary duplication • To evaluate promising research methods • To relate your findings to previous knowledge and suggest further research

A good literature review, therefore, is critical of what has been written, identifies areas of controversy, raises questions, and identifies areas that need further research.

STRUCTURE OF THE LITERATURE REVIEW

The overall structure of your review will depend largely on your own thesis or research area. What you will need to do is to group together and compare and contrast the varying opinions of different writers on certain topics. What you must not do is just describe what one writer says, and then go on to give a general overview of another writer, and then another, and so on. Your structure should be dictated instead by topic areas, controversial issues or by questions to which there are varying approaches and theories. Within each of these sections, you would then discuss what the different literature argues, remembering to link this to your own purpose.

Linking words are important. If you are grouping together writers with similar opinions, you would use words or phrases such as: Similarly, in addition, also, again

More importantly, if there is disagreement, you need to indicate clearly that you are aware of this by the use of linkers such as: however, on the other hand, conversely, nevertheless

At the end of the review, you should include a summary of what the literature implies, which again links to your hypothesis or main question.

A standard research literature review is expected to follow the format below:

Introduction

• Conceptual framework
• Theoretical framework
• Empirical review
• Knowledge gap (optional)
• Summary of literature

INTRODUCTION: here undergraduate or final year project students are expected to simply spell out in at least seven (7) what this chapter will contain. As we have it above conceptual framework, theoretical framework, empirical review, etc. a good introduction gives the project supervisor kind confidence in his or her project students.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: a good conceptual framework will cover all the research objectives so as to help solve the problem of the research work. This section involves the use of diagrams to explain certain key variables in the research work. The use of diagrams is usually high in MBA/MSC thesis research.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: this section is very important in research work. Undergraduate project students, postgraduate research students are expected to search for theories that are related to their research project topic.

For example, consider the project topic on human resource management: work-life balancing and its effect on employee productivity; the theory that is suited for the above research topic is The Segmentation Theory, Spill-Over Theory, Compensation Theory, Resource Drain Theory, and Border Theory. A project student is expected to get the theories that are related to their research work/ topic.

EMPIRICAL REVIEW

The empirical review is simply talking about the various researches done by other researchers concerning your topic or people's research works that are similar to your research work. The names of various researchers must be attached to their findings or statement.

For example, the use of instructional materials in teaching and learning of geography in senior secondary schools has a significant effect on the level of the academic achievement of students (Androameda, 2017)

SUMMARY OF LITERATURE

Here the research or project students are expected to point out their view concerning all that was discussed in each section of the literature review.

WHY WRITE A LITERATURE REVIEW?

When you write a thesis, dissertation, or research paper, you will have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:

• Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and scholarly context
• Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
• Position yourself in relation to other researchers and theorists
• Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate

You might also have to write a literature review as a stand-alone assignment. In this case, the purpose is to evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of scholarly debates around a topic.

The content will look slightly different in each case, but the process of conducting a literature review follows the same steps.

Step 1: Search for relevant literature

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic.

If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions.

If you are writing a literature review as a stand-alone assignment, you will have to choose a focus and develop a central question to direct your search. Unlike a dissertation research question, this question has to be answerable without collecting original data. You should be able to answer it based only on a review of existing publications.

Search for literature using keywords and citations

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research topic and question. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:

• Your university’s library catalog
• Google Scholar
• Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
• Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
• EconLit (economics)
• Inspec (physics, engineering, and computer science)

Read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.

To identify the most important publications on your topic, take note of recurring citations. If the same authors, books or articles keep appearing in your reading, make sure to seek them out.

You can find out how many times an article has been cited on Google Scholar – a high citation count means the article has been influential in the field, and should certainly be included in your literature review.

What can proofreading do for your paper?

Scribbr editors not only correct grammar and spelling mistakes, but also strengthen your writing by making sure your paper is free of vague language, redundant words, and awkward phrasing.

Step 2: Evaluate and select sources

You probably won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on the topic – you’ll have to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your questions.

For each publication, ask yourself:

• What question or problem is the author addressing?
• What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
• What are the key theories, models, and methods? Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
• What are the results and conclusions of the study?
• How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
• How does the publication contribute to your understanding of the topic? What are its key insights and arguments?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

The scope of your review will depend on your topic and discipline: in the sciences, you usually only review recent literature, but in the humanities, you might take a long historical perspective (for example, to trace how a concept has changed in meaning over time).

Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid plagiarism. It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography, where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.

You can use our free citation generator to quickly create correct and consistent APA citations or MLA format citations.

Step 3: Identify themes, debates, and gaps

To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, you need to understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

• Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results):  do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
• Themes:  what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
• Debates, conflicts, and contradictions:  where do sources disagree?
• Pivotal publications:  are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
• Gaps:  What is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

Step 4: Outline your literature review’s structure

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. You should have a rough idea of your strategy before you start writing.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological

The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.

Try to analyze patterns, turning points, and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.

Methodological

If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods, you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:

• Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
• Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
• Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical

A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework. You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Step 5: Write your literature review

Like any other academic text, your literature review should have an introduction, the main body, and a conclusion. What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

Dissertation literature review you are writing the literature review as part of your dissertation or thesis, reiterate your central problem or research question, and give a brief summary of the scholarly context. You can emphasize the timeliness of the topic (“many recent studies have focused on the problem of x”) or highlight a gap in the literature (“while there has been much research on x, few researchers have taken y into consideration”). Stand-alone literature review you are writing a stand-alone paper, give some background on the topic and its importance, discuss the scope of the literature you will review (for example, the time period of your sources), and state your objective. What new insight will you draw from the literature?

Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.

As you write, you can follow these tips:

• Summarize and synthesize:  give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret:  don’t just paraphrase other researchers—add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
• Critically evaluate:  mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs:  use transitions and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons, and contrasts

Literature review paragraph example

The example below is taken from the body of a literature review on the relationship between national identity and nature conservation. This paragraph discusses how humanities scholars have approached the concept of wilderness.

Early work in environmental humanities tended to take a sharply critical approach to the wilderness, focusing on the cultural construction of supposedly ‘natural’ landscapes. The rise of climate change awareness in the 1980s had been framed by narratives about “the end of nature” (McKibben 1989), in which a once-pristine wilderness is degraded by humans to the point of disappearance. In response to this popular discourse, environmental historian William Cronon critiqued the concept of pure, pristine nature to be preserved from human influence, arguing that ideas like “wilderness” are themselves products of particular human cultures and histories. In his influential essay ‘The Trouble with Wilderness’ (1995), Cronon traces how the ideal of untouched wilderness, anxiety over its loss, and the political will to preserve it has been central to American national identity, entwined with religious motifs and colonial frontier mythologies. Following Cronon, the racial and class politics of wilderness preservation was a theme taken up by several scholars in the late 1990s and early 2000s, who researched the material effects of conservation politics on indigenous and rural Americans (Catton 1997; Spence 1999; Jacoby 2001). The US National Park system became the dominant paradigm for analyzing relations between conservation, nationhood, and nationalism. However, this approach has sometimes led to a narrowly US-centric perspective that fails to engage closely with the meanings and materialities of “wilderness” in different contexts. Recent work has begun to challenge this paradigm and argues for more varied approaches to understanding the socio-political relations between nations and nature.

The example combines the thematic and chronological approaches. This section of the literature review focuses on the theme of wilderness, while the paragraph itself is organized chronologically.

In conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.

Dissertation literature review if the literature review is part of your thesis or dissertation, show how your research addresses gaps and contributes new knowledge, or discuss how you have drawn on existing theories and methods to build a framework for your research.Stand-alone literature review if you are writing a stand-alone paper, you can discuss the overall implications of the literature or make suggestions for future research based on the gaps you have identified.

When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting it. Our quick guide to proofreading offers some useful tips and tricks!

Tags: literature review, chapter two

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