Review of Related Literature

CONCEPTS IN WRITING CHAPTER-TWO

ir. PANCHITO M. LABAY

FORD Fellow, Professor 5

Part 3
WINTER TIME IN THE WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY

What is a review of literature?

----account of what has been
published on a topic by accredited
scholars and researchers (Taylor,
n.d.)
---- means of demonstrating
authors knowledge about a
particular study / problem
(Randolph, 2009)
---- serves as framework for
relating new findings to previous
findings
---- it is a legitimate and publishable
scholarly document (LeCompte, et
al., 2003)

Whats its purpose?

----help in identifying the research problem
----help in identifying and refining the research problem
----help in avoiding unnecessary duplication of previous
works
----help in searching for a range of theoretical and
conceptual frameworks and issues
----help in providing more information about the variables to
be looked into
----allow the researcher to foresee significant issues, and
----suggest how the planned research work can contribute to
knowledge
Source: Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC, 2005)

How to come up with effective

research review?
Copper (1988) suggests that a good research review must have the
following characteristics:
1. Focusconcentrate on four foci: research theories, methods, outcomes,
and practices and applications
-- theories helps in looking at the relationships between the variables and
concepts being studied with than of the present ones
-- methods help in finding the best methodology and the variables looked
into
-- outcomes help in identifying the gaps of information
-- application and practices is more on the implication of the findings to
policy, people, knowledge, education, etc.

2. Goal--useful in integrating, resolving, bridging and generalising the

theories and concepts under study. Explicate the arguments

3. Coveragelooks on how wide the study must be by looking at sample

/population (central and representative), how exhaustive the
sampling was and how they were selected
4. Organisation or formathelps in designing the presentation of the
literature review, which this can be historical in format (development
of
related concepts, theories or findings), conceptual in formatthat
is
about the relationship about the concepts that the researcher is looking
into, and methodological in formatthat is the presentation
more focus
on the research methods applied
5. Audiencealways consider that your research work is intended to fellow
researchers, academicians and professionals, thus avoid writing it
for general public or for laymen.

Body of review of literature

Under the APA format, the structure of the literature review must be
continuous in the flow of thoughtthat is the different paragraphs or
sections must be linked to one another. They may reinforce the previous
entries or contradict them. Do not categorise the entries into local,
national or international.
It can be composed of the following: introduction, body and conclusion or
if it is composed of different sections, the same introduction, body and
conclusion arrangement must be followed. Under the conclusion part,
establish your reason or point of view about the literature or study, compare
and contrast them first and come up with your own point of view why you
have included the concept, theory or findings of the reviewed literature.

Consider the 5Cs in reviewing and

writing.
[Link] by keeping on the primary focus on the literature
[Link] the various arguments, theories, methodologies, approaches
and or findings expressed in the literature. What the authors agree on?
Who employ similar approaches? What are their findings?
[Link] the various arguments, themes, methodologies, approaches
and controversies expressed in the literature. What are the areas of major
disagreement, controversy or debate?
[Link] the literature. Which argument is more persuasive and why?
Which approach, finding or methodology seem the most reliable, valid or
appropriate and why? Pay attention to the verbs you use to describe on
what the author says or does?
[Link] the literature to your own research area. How does your own
work draw on or depart from the reviewed literature?
BOTTOM LINE: Review of related literature is a discursive prose
and not simply describing and summarising what has been read
and written.

Some important points to consider.

GOLDEN RULE
TAKE A READERS
VIEW

Write for your audience not for your self.

TELL A STORY

Direct your research, but keep a clear focus in

the paper and present results related to it

BE YOURSELF

Write like you are speaking, then revise and

polish

MAKE IT SIMPLE

Use simple examples to explain complex

methodology

MAKE IT CONCRETE

Use concrete words and strong verbs. Avoid

ambiguous words

MAKE IT SHORT

Avoid redundancy and over-explanation

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

Make clear distinction between your work and

that of others

MAKE STRONG
STATEMENTS

Ex. We concludedinstead of It can be

concluded.

BE SELF-CRITICAL

Consider uncertainty of conclusions and their

implications. Acknowledge others work.

Rules in using quotes:

[Link] less than 40 words are borrowed
verbatimly, put the borrowed words under
quotation marks and as part of the text.
[Link] more than 40 words are used, separate the
copied sentences in the main paragraph of the text
and flush it 0.5 to 1 inch and never enclosed it in
quotation marks.
[Link] indicate the source or apply in-text
citation and indicate also the page of the source
where the verbatimly words or sentences or
paragraph was lifted.
[Link] each quoted sentences or paragraph, follow it
up with the authors or researchers
interpretation.

Less than 40 words verbatimly copied

Bogdan & Biklen (1998) cited that, When the intent is to capture one
persons interpretation of his or her life, the study is called a life history
(p.3). They believe that life history is the meaning that a person is giving
to his/her past experiences.
Note the page
Note: The introduce quote was given with
interpretation by the researcher.

number

Or
When the intent is to capture one persons interpretation of his or her life,
the study is called a life history (Bogdan & Biklen, 1998:3). The authors
believe that life history is the meaning that a person is giving to his/her
past experiences.
More than 40 words verbatimly copied
Armstrong (1987) explains:
The life history method had its early development in Chicago at
indented approximately the same time that interactionism was being
given its initial impetus, and this is no accident (p. 54).
The life history method assigns significance and value to the
persons own story, or to interpretations that people place on their own
experiences as an explanation for their own
behaviour
(p. 8).
This must be followed by the researchers idea

Example

This part of Literature Review was lifted from:

Labay, P.M. (2005). The social history of a hobby that turned into a livelihood
strategy: The case of butterfly livelihood in rural Philippines (Masters thesis:
Wageningen University & Research Centrum, The Netherlands).
3.1 The rural livelihood approach
Since the main theme of my research is on the workings of
agency, specifically on actors involved in the development of
butterfly livelihood in rural Philippines, it is worth mentioning
the principles and frameworks of rural livelihood from where I
derived some concepts and ideas in drawing up the theoretical
framework.

Introduction

A lot of discussions on issues of livelihoods, e.g. approaches,

have been discussed in various texts, especially on the issues of
sustainable development (Chambers & Conway, 1992).
Drawing on Chambers & Conways (1992) definition and as
cited by Carney (1998) and Scoones (1998): A livelihood
comprises the capabilities, assets [both material and social
resources] and activities required for a means of living. A
livelihood is sustainable when it can cope with and recover from
stresses and shocks maintain or enhance its capabilities and
assets, while not undermining the natural resource base.

Body
Cite the
concept or
theory

The IDS sustainable rural livelihoods framework cited in the paper of

Scoones (1998) and Carney (1998), they mention the following key
terms: Given with particular context [e.g. policy setting, politics,
history, agro ecology and socio-economic conditions], what
combination of livelihood resources result in the ability to follow what
combination of livelihood strategies [e.g. agricultural intensification /
extensification and livelihood diversification] with what outcomes [e.g.
income, security, well-being, sustainable use of resources and other
productive and reproductive goals].? Of particular interest in this
framework are the institutional processes [embedded in a matrix of
formal and informal institutions and organizations] which mediate the
ability to carry out such strategies and achieve (or not) such
outcomes.
Therefore, it can be noted that the context, which includes the
structures and processes (laws, policies, institutions, norms and
values) constitute also the trends, shocks and stresses that affect
individuals decisions and actions, positively and negatively.

Cite
other
concepts

Critique
the
concepts

In addition, Ellis (1998) says that, A livelihood encompasses the

income generating activities pursued by individuals and their
households, and the social institutions, intra-household relations, and
mechanisms of access to resources through the livelihoods life cycle.
In contrast, the Wageningen approach to rural development focuses on
the actors ability and skills as important dimensions for livelihood
developmentthe human ingenuity to adapt to stress and shock refers
to his agency.

Contrast
the
concepts

This approach is known as the actor-oriented approach of

Norman Long. Central to this approach is agency, which refers
to attributes of individual actor, his capacity to process social
experiences and to devise ways of coping with life, even under
the most extreme forms of coercion (Long & Long (1992).

Contrast the
concepts

Furthermore, Long (2002) states that, values and meanings

are culturally constructed by actors as they follow and practice
their individual choices [vis-a-vis chosen livelihood activities],
thereby generating new cultural standards.
It is emphasized therefore that whatever the case is, it is the
agency that serves as the hinge between actors, within a
group, household, community, market and structure.
Haan (2000) further defines structure as the shell in which the
five capitals (human, social, natural, physical and financial
capital) are embedded. The structure has three parts: A social
that consists of the rules that govern common norms and
values, an economic that is defined by the forces of supply and
demand, and a political part that is expressed by power
relations.
He further states that though structure often
determines the direction of the outcome, structure may also
change through agency.

Come-up with
your stand

Cite further
in support to
your stand

As such, Longs actor-oriented approach for rural livelihood

development is more useful in the analysis of this study. Based
from previous information, though optimistic, the butterfly
Connect the
livelihood in Marinduque was told as an outcome of actors
concepts to
interests and ingenuity [e.g. Romeo Lumawigs interest to
discover new specimens named after him, Angelito and your research
work
Grelandos perseverance to improve the breeding techniques
introduced to them by Nishiyama], despite the limits of capital
assets [e.g. financial, physical, human (preferably education),
Conclusion
etc.], uncertainty [e.g. market, social relations, etc.] and other
constraints [e.g. village peoples pressure, state intervention,
etc.]. The actors, like the Layron brothers are not stopped by
these limitations, they are continuously strategizing to solve
problems, intervene in social events and observe how others
react to their actions.

Conceptual Framework or Research Paradigm

Note that after writing all the concepts and variables in the Literature
Review, draw and explain the conceptual paradigm of the study
depicting and connecting the concepts and the variables to be
measured.

This will be followed by

an explanation why such
kind of drawing or design
by showing their
relationship

Why those arrows, the

actors in the centre?
Why they overlapped?

To make Chapter II, follow the

rules and examples. Thank you!