Re: Literature Review Text
Sheri and Charles,
In one sense, there is a “best way” but it won’t be the
kind of step-by-step approach that seems to be desired.
- Consider a set of documents
that discuss one or more themes on the subject of
the review
- You can model the documents
as a matrix — each row is a document, each column is
a topic potentially discussed by that document (this
is not unlike a document/term matrix).
- An annotated bibliography
would “write across the rows” -- dealing with each
document in turn. This is a way to write a very bad
lit review
- A better lit review would be
to “write down the columns” -- taking up each theme
in turn and discussing it with reference to the
documents.
Kate McCain
On 1/20/12 11:00 PM, "Charles Hildreth" <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
Sheri,
There is no single "best" way of doing a literature
review. Much depends on the aim, scope and length of
the research study being reported. Also, different
literature reviews have different purposes. If you
want a recipe, I suggest you consult a cookbook.
Then, again, there is no single best recipe for any
dish or food offering, except, of course, my wife's.
You write, "I wanted one that’s been tested among
our group." I wonder, just who are the members of
your group?
Charles R. Hildreth, Ph.D.
146 Marks Avenue
Lancaster, Ohio 43130
From: Sheri A. Massey <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2012 2:59 PM
Subject: Literature Review Text
Hello All,
I am looking for a book or manual that walks a
person through the steps of doing a literature
review— very detailed, replicable steps. There are
many lit review books available, but I wanted one
that’s been tested among our group. Also, I am not
looking for a complete guide to research, just
something on literature reviews.
Thanks in advance for your help!
-SM
______________________
Sheri Anita Massey, Ph.D.
Lecturer
College of Information Studies
4117L Hornbake Library, South Wing
University of Maryland
O: (301) 405-4580
F: (301) 314-9145
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