Literature Review

A Guide for Starters

Elizabeth Ho
September 2009
 Main Objective of Literature Review
Determine gaps and inconsistencies in a body of research

In short, you need to convince the bosses and readers

that the research project you are going to do:

-- is NOT a duplicate of some other studies

-- the results you are getting from this study is filling in
gaps which existing research studies had failed to fill
-- is definitely worth the manpower, time and costs

In a Nutshell,
Your Literature Review will sell Your Research Study
 Part 1: Planning Your Literature Search
Part 2: Doing the Search
Part 3: Writing you Literature Review

Part 1: Planning Your Literature Search

An Analogy
You are a designer of skincare cosmetic products. You
want to do a study on Factors that are Associated with
Skin Dryness in Singapore Women above age 50 before
marketing a new facial mask product.

What Will You need in Your Literature Review??

You will find studies that:
2. Show that the problem of skin dryness in Women age
50 and above is big enough as a beauty concern
(so %%%)
4. Show contributing factors to skin dryness in Women
age 50 and above, Asian and in Singapore.
If there isn’t enough literature
6. Show contributing factors that contribute to skin
dryness internationally in women age 50 and above.
If it isn’t enough…
• Evaluate anti-dryness or hydration products on skin
dryness on women age 50 and above  compare the
pre and post data to show the current products are still
not good enough
 Part 1: Planning Your Literature Search (cont’)

3 Steps Plan to Start Finding the Studies Needed

Step 1: Know where are these cosmetic, beauty research

studies are done or featured in what magazines.

Step 2: Identify the Variables and Population in your

Research topic.
E.g. Skin dryness, Women age 50 and above (population)

Step 3: Know key words or other terms that mean the

same thing.
E.g. skin dryness products – hydration, moisturizing, anti-
dryness, aqua lotion, etc.
 Part 1: Planning Your Literature Search (cont’)

3 Steps Plan
Step 1 List out the
-- Search Engines your group will use
-- Medical Journals that you think should
not be left out and find individually

Step 2 a) List out the Variables in Your Research

Study. E.g. poor glycemic control
b) List out the Population in Your Research
Study. E.g. Patients on insulin

Step 3 Brainstorm and list keywords and terms that

use inter-changeability with your variables.
E.g. Insulin-treated, insulin regimen, insulin
therapy, etc.
 Part 2: Doing the Search

There are 3 skills that you need to know adequately to

perform a search.

Skill A – Using Boolean Logic

Skill B – Journal Search
Skill C – Using “Limits” features

Click on this Blog Link to learn these Skills

http://nursecollegiality.blogspot.com/2009/09/pubmed-tutorial-skill-buidling-blocks.h
 Caution

At times the group might not be able to come up with

enough keywords or terms.

The person doing the search has to be attentive to the

articles retrieved to identify new key terms and re-run the
search.

If there is still not enough literature. Take the potential

papers and look through the articles’ references.

When the search is saturated, it is time to piece your

evidence together.
 Part 3: Writing the Literature Review

Step 1 List out the SIMILARITIES in these studies

you’ve included

Step 2 List out the DIFFERENCES in these studies

you’ve included

Step 3 List out the LIMITATIONS in these studies

you’ve included and how your study intend
to overcome these GAPS
 Part 3: Writing the Literature Review (cont’)

Some Style of Writing

Several studies have found ….
Findings thus far suggest….
Results from a landmark study indicated …
There appears to be strong evidence that ….
Or vice versa

Polit and Beck (2006), Essentials of

Nursing Research: Methods,
Appraisal and Utilization, page 143.
 Part 3: Writing the Literature Review (cont’)
An Example from

Rosilio et al (1998). Factors associated with glycemic control – a cross-

sectional nationwide study in 2,579 French children with type 1 diabetes.
Diabetes Care, 21(7): 1146-1153
Part 3: Writing the Literature Review (cont’)

SIMILARITIES in studies

GAPS in studies
Part 3: Writing the Literature Review (cont’)

LIMITATIONS in studies
Part 3: Writing the Literature Review (cont’)

How your study

intends to cover the
gaps
Feedback on slides usefulness email
elfbox@yahoo.com