1. Review of the Related
Literature
Organizing & Writing a Literature
Review

2. The Literature Review is…
• A discussion of your
knowledge about the
topic under study
• A discussion of your
knowledge that is
supported by the
research literature
• A foundation for the
study

3. The Literature Review is not…
• A study-by-study, or
article-by-article,
description of studies
previously done
• A re-statement of the
studies previously
done
• A brief overview of
articles

4. Reviewing the Literature
 Begin with a search of
the available literature
 Critically analyze each
article (study) you select
 Organize the review
with an outline
 Write the review
 Summarize the review
 Using the literature,
present a rationale for
your study

5. Critically Analyzing the Literature
Abstract
the author’s description of
the study
related to your area of
interest?
conclusions relevant?
Statement of the
Problem
restate the topic
problem stated clearly?
purpose?
significance?
Hypothesis or
Research Question(s)
Clearly stated?
Relevant?
Related to your area of
interest?
Assumptions
Explicit assumptions?
Implicit assumptions
Similar to yours?

6. Critically Analyzing the Literature
Delimitations
How was the study
narrowed?
Which considerations
are relevant to your
study?
Definitions
Key concepts &
terms?

7. Critically Analyzing the Literature
Method
research design?
population & sample?
measurement?
procedures?
Findings
make sense?
what do they say about
your area of interest?
Discussion
Presented clearly?
Meaningful interpretations?
Implications discussed?
Suggestions or
recommendations?
Limits to practical
application?
Conclusion
What did you learn?
Re-state your new knowledge

8. Organizing the Literature Search:
the Tree Diagram
subtopic
Topic
subtopic
subtopic
subtopic
subtopic
subtopic
subtopic

9. Tree Diagram Example
Home visits
Academic
achievement
Homework
assistance
Home-school
communication
Parent
involvement
volunteerism
barriers
Teachers’ beliefs
Involvement in
decision making

10. Tree to Outline Format:
Home Visits
I. Home-school
Communication
II. Academic
Achievement
III. Parent Involvement
A. Barriers to parent
involvement
IV. Volunteerism
A. Barriers to
volunteerism
Look! An
example!

11. Writing the Literature ReviewWriting the Literature Review
 Always begin with an
introduction to the
review & end with a
summary
 Make the connection
for the reader between
the subtopics & the
topic
 Use direct quotations
infrequently
 Always cite your
sources
 Present your
knowledge on the
topics & subtopics
 Summarize each
subtopic
 Include a transition
paragraph from one
subtopic to the next

12. •Reiterate the
research problem
•Introduce the sub-
topics
Introduction
Example
paragraph 1
The purpose of this
study is to determine
the effect of poor
coordination on the
effective delivery of
consultant services.
•Effective organiza-
tional structures
•Service coordination
practices
•Consultants’ profes-
sional support needs
Example
paragraph 2
Organizing the Literature Review

13. First Subtopic
Discussion should in-
clude:
• How is the subtopic
connected to the
problem?
• Your knowledge,
based on the literature
you have studied
• Specify subtopics (if
any)
• Summary & transition
•Mission & Pur-
pose
•Goals &
objectives
(planning)
•Task units
So, given all that,
yaddah, yaddah, it
is important to
note the role of…
Effective
Organizational
Structures
In order for the coor-
dination of services to
be effective, a struc-
ture must exist within
which service units are
organized and can
operate. Yaddah,
yaddah, yaddah…
Long range strategic
planning characterizes
organizations with ef-
fective internal struc-
tures (Brown, 1997).
Key to such an effort is
the identification of…

14. Writing
Use APA style & format
Have your work proofread before
submitting
Follow all format guidelines
Must be a thorough review, reflected by the
depth of the discussion
Should begin prior to the implementation
of the study