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| List of tables and figures | |
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| Acknowledgements | |
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| About the author | |
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| Introduction | |
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| What is a literature review? | |
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| The literature review at different degree levels | |
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| Why is it important to undertake a literature review as part of your research? | |
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| Where do we find the literature review in a dissertation or thesis? | |
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| Structuring your literature review | |
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| Task 1.1 Choosing a literature review approach | |
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| Summary | |
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| Overview | |
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| The multiple purposes of a literature review | |
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| The multiple purposes | |
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| Historical background | |
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| Contemporary context | |
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| Theoretical underpinnings | |
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| Definitions and discussion of terminology used in the research | |
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| Signalling a gap in previous research and using this to justify your own | |
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| The significance of a problem for research | |
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| Task 2.1 Reflecting on your own research | |
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| Summary | |
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| Sources of information and conducting searches | |
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| What is a literature search? | |
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| What are the purposes of a literature search? | |
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| Sources of information | |
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| Evaluating online sources of information | |
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| Different types of research | |
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| Tools for finding relevant sources | |
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| The process of conducting a literature search | |
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| The use of key words and Boolean logic | |
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| Keeping up to date: ESS feeds and email alerts | |
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| Social bookmarking | |
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| Task 3.1 Tracking and recording your search | |
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| Summary | |
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| Reading and note-taking strategies | |
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| Techniques for reading efficiently | |
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| Critical reading | |
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| Increasing your reading speed | |
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| Reasons for note taking | |
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| Techniques for note taking | |
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| Three main formats for note taking | |
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| Your own comments | |
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| Handwritten notes vs computer notes | |
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| Making connections between different texts: using key words | |
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| Making connections between different texts: a tabular comparison | |
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| Techniques for writing a summary | |
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| Task 4.1 Applying the principles to your field | |
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| Summary | |
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| Reference management: keeping records and organising information | |
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| Managing the process | |
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| A record of key word searches | |
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| A record of bibliographic details | |
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| A personal library | |
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| Copyright legislation | |
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| Bibliographical software packages | |
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| Task 5.1 Record keeping for your own research | |
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| Summary | |
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| Structuring the literature review | |
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| The processes involved in the creation of a literature review | |
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| Beginning to write | |
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| The structure of the literature review | |
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| Developing the structure of your review | |
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| Task 6.1 Structuring your own literature review | |
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| The relationship between the introduction and the literature review | |
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| Task 6.2 Reflecting on your own research field | |
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| Summary | |
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| In-text citations | |
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| Why do we reference? | |
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| What is plagiarism? | |
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| What type of information requires a reference? | |
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| Referencing systems | |
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| Integral and non-integral references | |
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| Disciplinary difference in reference type | |
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| Types of citation | |
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| Disciplinary difference in citation type | |
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| Choice of reporting verb | |
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| Disciplinary difference in reporting verbs | |
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| Tense of reporting verb | |
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| Choice of tense in the clause or sentence where the information is reported | |
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| Effective and unacceptable citations | |
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| Text matching software: Turnitin | |
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| Task 7.1 Analysing reference techniques in your own research field | |
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| Summary | |
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| Being critical | |
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| The difference between critical reading and critical writing | |
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| Being critical in writing | |
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| How different researchers adopt a critical approach in their writing | |
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| Task 8.1 Critical writing in your own research field | |
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| Summary | |
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| Foregrounding writer voice | |
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| What is writer voice? | |
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| The organisation of the text | |
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| Unattributed assertions followed by support from citations | |
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| Making explicit connections between citations | |
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| Summary and evaluation of source material | |
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| Overall summary at end of section or chapter | |
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| The use of personal pronouns | |
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| The choice of citation pattern | |
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| The evaluative potential of different reporting verbs | |
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| Evaluative adjectives, adverbs and phrases | |
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| A mixture of evaluative strategies | |
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| Task 9.1 Reflecting on the writer's voice in your own research | |
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| Summary | |
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| The continuing process | |
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| The literature review process | |
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| Referring to the literature in your discussion chapter | |
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| Task 10.1 Reflecting on making the connections in your own research | |
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| Findings support an existing theory | |
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| Comparing a new model and an existing theory | |
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| Explaining a finding using the literature | |
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| Contribution of current research to existing theory | |
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| Interpreting the data using the literature | |
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| Application of theory to the findings | |
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| Summary | |
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| A systematic literature review | |
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| What is a systematic literature review? | |
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| The process of conducting a systematic literature review | |
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| What is a meta-analysis? | |
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| Narrative synthesis | |
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| An example of a systematic review | |
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| Appraisal of a systematic literature review | |
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| Task 11.1 Searching for and critiquing a systematic literature review in your field | |
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| Summary | |
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| Further reading | |
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| Conclusion | |
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| Electronic guides | |
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| References | |
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| Index | |