Writing Chapter 2

Review of the Literature

 What Is a Literature Review?

•Mainly Chapter 2 of a doctoral dissertation.

• An exhaustive exposition of the literature sources
(especially methods and findings) that a researcher
consulted in order to understand and investigate his
or her research problem .
• Built from the annotated bibliography assignment
from the Methods of Inquiry (MOI) course
Purpose of a Literature Review

• “Put your salesperson’s hat and sell your idea!”

• Use the literature to explain your research.
• Show why your research needs to be carried out
(justification).
• Show how you choose to work with specific
methodologies or theories
• Show how your work adds to the research
already carried out.
 Components of Chapter 2

• Discussion of theoretical or conceptual framework of

study
• Synthesis of up-to-date research findings
• Discussion of the role of current research (replication,
variation, etc.) and role of independent variables
• Review of strengths and weaknesses of prior studies
•Critique of literature in light of any controversial
methodological decisions to be made
 Always Review the ARC Website

• http://www.fischlerschool.nova.edu/
• applied-research/arc
• The online Applied Dissertation Procedures Manual suggests that
Chapter 2
•be exhaustive
• contains at least 30 references from recent peerreviewed research
articles
• comprises at least 25-30 pages
Information on Literature Review Sources

• NSU’s online library is used to obtain

sources
• Sources should mainly be journal articles
• Primarily refereed articles (i.e., editors
publish only the most relevant and reliable
research)
• Should offer relatively concise and up-to-
date research
•More on Sources
•Books
• May not be up to date; mainly used for the
theoretical framework
•Are intended for teaching, not for research
•Offer a good starting point in finding more
detailed sources.
•Conference proceedings are
• very useful in providing the latest
published and unpublished research.
• helpful in providing information about other
researchers and their scholarly activities.
 Government and corporate reports
•Governmental departments, corporations, and
commissions may carry out research.
•Their published findings can provide a useful source of
supporting information.
Newspapers
• provide information that is of very limited
use in a literature review.
• may be more helpful in providing
information about recent trends, discoveries,
or changes.
Thesis and Dissertations
•can be difficult to obtain because they may
be unpublished and available only from the
library shelf or through interlibrary loan.
• represent the work of students who may
not be experienced researchers.
• should be considered with greater caution
than published research.
 The Internet
• Anyone can post information on the Internet,
so the quality may not be reliable.
• The information may be intended for a
general audience and, therefore, may not be
suitable for inclusion in a literature review.
• The quality of some refereed electronic
journals may be more reliable (depending on
the reputation of the journal).
 Magazines
• Magazines intended for a general audience
(e.g. , Time) are unlikely to be useful in
providing the type of information that a
researcher needs.
• Specialized magazines may be more useful
(e.g., business magazines for management
students)
•Magazines may be useful as a starting point
for research.
 Tips on How to Write a Good Literature Review
• It is a process
• Do not assume that you will read everything related to your
research.
•Writing can help you to understand and find relationships
between the sources that you have researched; therefore, do
not put writing off until you have finished your readings
• Writing is a way of thinking, so allow yourself time to write as
many drafts as you need, changing your ideas and information
as you learn more about the context of your research problem.
• Always keep bibliographic information in your notes. Include
accurate and properly cited references in your writing.
 More Tips on How to Write a Good Literature
Review
• Writing is similar to the traditional 5-paragraph
essay (intro/body/conclusion)
•Sentences should be connected
• Paragraphs should be connected
• Use of transitional words and phrases
• Inclusion of a short introduction to Chapter 2
• Role of subheadings
• Always consider the “other side of the coin”
• Inclusion of a short conclusion to Chapter
 Read with a purpose
• When summarizing the literature, you must
also decide which ideas or information are
important to your research (i.e., so that you can
emphasize them).
• You should also look for the major concepts,
conclusions, theories, and arguments that
underlie the literature
•Look for similarities and differences with closely
related work.
 Write with a purpose
• Your optimal goal should be to evaluate
and show relationships between past
research and your own.  To do this
effectively, you should carefully plan how
you are going to organize your work.
• A chronological system will not be an
effective way to organize your work (in some
situations).
 Plan your writing.
• Find a way to organize your material so
that you know what you are going to write
about, in what order, and what you are
going to say.
• Try writing an outline.
 Prioritize your writing
•When you plan your writing, don't be overly
concerned about language. Concentrate on
what you are going to say.
• Don't put too much effort into proofreading
until you are sure that what you want to
write is the best you can come up with.
• Once the content is sufficiently expressed,
you can work on grammar, syntax,
punctuation, spelling, and so forth.
 Write and rewrite
• More experienced writers rewrite more often and
more substantially than less experienced writers.
• Good writing takes time. The better a writer you
become, the more you will see that your first
thoughts, ideas, and language can be improved.
• Give yourself time to rewrite so that your readers
see the best of your thoughts and writing, not the
best you could come up with at the last moment.
Find readers
• Ask people to read what you've written.
Ask friends, professors, and capable
colleagues for feedback.
•Don't expect your writing to be perfect, but
strive for perfection.
• Give people drafts and let them know what
sort of feedback you want (e.g., comments
on organization, ideas, language, or the
technical aspects of what you've written).
What to Include in the References Section

•ONLY the sources that have been cited

(e.g., direct quotations, paraphrasing) in the
dissertation
 Sample Chapter 2 Outline
• Dissertation title: Student-Advisor
Interaction in Undergraduate Online Degree
Programs: A Factor in Student Retention
• Chapter 2: Literature Review
•History of Distance Education
• History of Academic Advising
•Factors That Contribute to Online Student
Retention
• Interaction in Education
• Theoretical Framework—Student/Advisor
Interaction
• The Academic Advising Needs of Students in
Online Degree Programs
• Student/Advisor Interaction—Implications for
Research and Practice
• Gaps in Literature – Student/Advisor Interaction
in Online Degree Programs
• Research Questions “If you write something that
leads your professor to ask ‘Who said that? or
‘Where did that come from?’ it needs to be cited.”
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism means using someone else's work
without giving them proper credit. In academic
writing, plagiarizing involves using words, ideas, or
information from a source without citing it correctly.

Plagiarism is essentially theft and fraud committed

simultaneously. It is considered theft because the
writer takes ideas from a source without giving proper
credit to the author. It is considered fraud because the
writer represents the ideas as her or his own.
 Types of Plagiarism

1. Minimal Plagiarism
- is defined as doing any of the following without
attribution: Inserting verbatim phrases of 2-3 distinctive
words. Substituting synonyms into the original sentence
rather than rewriting the complete sentence.
2.Complete plagiarism
-is the most severe form of plagiarism where a
researcher takes a manuscript or study that someone
else created, and submits it under his or her name. It
is equivalent to intellectual theft and stealing.
3.Partial plagiarism
-occurs when the exact words or content from a
source are inserted as part of your paper without
giving proper attribution. Examples include: cutting
and pasting from an electronic source. copying from a
printed source. repeating a conversation, interview
remarks, etc.
4. Source Citation
- It happens when a writer (intentionally or
unintentionally) does not cite a source fully and
accurately.
5. Self Plagiarism
-sometimes known as “duplicate plagiarism ”—is
a term for when a writer recycles work for a
different assignment or publication and
represents it as new.
Avoiding Plagiarism:
Rule of Thumb
“If you write something that leads your professor to ask
‘Who said that? or ‘Where did that come from?’ it
needs to be cited.”
Avoiding Plagiarism
“Learning how to use sources is one of the most
important things you will learn in college. By using
sources well and by clearly indicating your debts to
these sources, your writing gains authority, clarity, and
precision . . . . So long as you are scrupulous about
indicating material you have quoted and immediate
borrowings you’ve made in paraphrases, you will not
be suspected or guilty of plagiarism.”
Resources:
Creswell, J. W. (2008). Educational research: Planning, conducting,
and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (3rd ed.). Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Gravel, C. (2010). Student/advisor interaction in undergraduate online
degree programs: A factor in student retention (Doctoral dissertation
proposal). Nova Southeastern University.
http://library.ucsc.edu/help/howto/write-a-literature-review
http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html
http://www.sportsci.org/jour/9901/wghreview.html