PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2

WRITING
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

By: Gerry B. Dacer

PARTS OF THE CHAPTER 2

01 02 03
Related Related Synthesis of
Literature Studies the State of
the Arts

04 05 06 07
Theoretical Conceptual Definition Notes
Framework Framework of Terms
Defining related literature.
• is an academic text that provides an overview of
a particular topic.
• helps identify what is known and not known about
a certain subject of study.
• involves the use of higher order thinking skills.
Such as the review, evaluation, and synthesis of
several scholarly works.
• A literature review is a search and evaluation of
the available literature in your given subject or
chosen topic area. It documents the state of the
art with respect to the subject or topic you are
writing about.
 A literature review has four main
objectives:

• It surveys the literature in your chosen area of study

• It synthesizes the information in that literature into a
summary
• It critically analyses the information gathered by
identifying gaps in current knowledge by showing
limitations of theories and points of view and by
formulating areas for further research and reviewing
areas of controversy
• It presents the literature in an organized way.
A literature review shows your readers that you
have an in-depth grasp of your subject; and that
you understand where your own research fits into
and adds to an existing body of agreed
knowledge. Here’s another way of describing those
four main tasks.
4 MAIN TASK OF A LITERATURE REVIEW

A literature review
•demonstrates a familiarity with a body of
knowledge and establishes the credibility of your
work;
• summarizes prior research and says how your
project is linked to it;
• integrates and summarizes what is known
about a subject;
• demonstrates that you have learnt from others
and that your research is a starting point for new
ideas.
 Related
literature
search
Related literature search
Benefits of a Good Literature Search
a. It will prevent you from duplicating work
that has already been done.

b. By synthesizing information from previous

studies, you will be able to provide a stronger
background, justification, and discussion of
your own study.

c. Relevant studies can provide valuable

insights and tips to make your own study
better, such as the best methodology or
data analysis methods to use.
Benefits of a Good Literature Search

d. You will be able to find gaps and

weaknesses in the existing research
and thereby come up with useful and
meaningful research questions.

e. You will become familiar with

terminologies in your field by using and
finding suitable keywords.
Basic search
strategies for
discovery of
literature:
 1. Define your keywords

It is very important to use targeted keywords.

Break up the topic you are researching into
its main concepts, then define keywords for
each concept. Next, expand the list by writing
down synonyms and alternative phrasings
for each keyword. Also, use terms that you
plan to include in your own manuscript; this
will indicate how relevant those terms are in
the field or whether you should use more
precise terms to define your concepts.
 Checklist for defining keywords
•What alternative vocabulary is used in discussion of
my topic?
•Are there American and British variants of spelling or
vocabulary?
•Can I identify a word-stem for truncation? E.g., child$
to find child, children, or childish.
•Are common abbreviations, acronyms or formulae
used?
•What specific cases or examples am I interested in?
•What more general terms might include my topic?
•Are there categories I'd like to exclude?
 2. Start your search

You might need to search several academic

databases to make sure you’ve covered all
bases. Since each database has unique
sources for obtaining data and unique
processes for deciding which journal articles to
index, limiting your search to only one database
may cause you to overlook relevant articles. For
example, if you restrict your search to Elsevier’s
Science Direct, you are very likely to miss
relevant publications, since this database
mostly indexes journals published by Elsevier.
3. Sources for searching
 4. Follow the citations

Once you have identified some relevant

journal articles, an easy way to find more
studies is by looking through the reference
lists of these articles (backward searching).
The reference studies are likely to be quite
relevant for you as well. In addition, look at
the papers that have cited the articles
since they were published (forward
searching). This will help you find the newer
studies that have built upon the work.
 5. Keep a written record of your
searches
Note down the names of journals that you come
across often during your searches. Over time,
you will get a good idea of which journals are
most prominent in your field and which journals
you should consider publishing in. In addition,
keep a list of the keywords and keyword
combinations that return the best results. This
will not only reduce the time taken for future
searches but also yield a list of terminologies
that are common in your field.
 6. Use a references manager
With the huge number of studies you will probably have
to sift through and track, manual compilation of
references is no longer an option. Use a reference
manager like Endnote (purchase required) or Zotero
(free). Reference managers allow you to download and
save papers in your computer’s library directly from
journal websites with just one button click. They also
make it very easy to organize your library and compile
reference lists. Although these programs may be difficult
to use initially, skimming through their help manual or
video tutorial along with a few days of learning through
trial and error are all that’s required to become
comfortable with them. In case you find yourself too busy,
you can also take help from professional publication
services, for example, Editage's Literature Search Service.
 7. Keeping up with literature

A large number of databases and publishers

provide one or more of the following alerts
features: Table-of-Contents (TOC) alerts,
citation alerts, and keyword alerts. These alerts
are very useful for keeping up with newly
published papers and research topics. With
many alert services, you receive alerts in the
form of emails listing the title and authors of
newly published papers, and sometimes even
abstracts.
Explain the
Conceptual
Frame work
 DEFINITION OF A CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK
• A conceptual framework is a written or visual
presentation that explains either graphically or in
narrative form the main things to be studied
about in your research, the key factors,
• concepts and variables and the presumed
relationship/s among them. It is a graph or non-
prose material, specifically, a schematic
diagram that shows a well-ordered elements of
the research. Giving a carefully constructed
arrangement of the components of your study,
conceptual framework is a broad outline or plan
to give shape to your research. (Shields &
Rangarjan, 2013)
• Owing to the cognitive-based nature of this
scholarly academic work called research, you
need a certain scheme or detailed plan or
system to explain the components of the
research

• including the relationships of various research

features. Wanting to make clear the ins and
outs of your research in a nutshell, you resort
to making a conceptual framework of your
study.
 The Conceptual Framework
• ✓ It is defined as an analytical tool that explains
the main concepts to be studied or investigated
in one’s research.
• ✓ It offers the foundation and fundamental
basis of the entire research.
• ✓ It is like a blueprint, a master plan, or a recipe
that provides an outline of the plan on how the
research is to be conducted.
• ✓ It is a graphic or visual form of the different
variables of the study and the alleged
relationship among these variables although,
not all conceptual frameworks have to include
a diagram or graphic.
 The Conceptual Framework
• ✓ It is used in research to plan possible
sequence of action or to present an ideal
method to an idea or thought.
• ✓ The literature review is the logical basis of the
conceptual framework
 Conceptual framework’s purposes
in a research study are:
• To clarify concepts and variables and propose
relationships among them in a study;

• To provide a context for interpreting the study

findings;

• To encourage theory development that is useful

to practice.

• Explain ideas and suggest associations among

the ideas in a study;
 CONCEPT

• Before learning about conceptual framework,

you must first take an understanding of the
following words:
• A mental image of an object or phenomenon.
• Building block of a framework.
• Abstractly describes and names an object or
phenomenon, thus providing it with a separate
identity or meaning.
• An intellectual representation of some aspect of
reality that is derived from observations made
from phenomena.
 2 TYPES OF CONCEPT

CONCRETE CONCEPT
• A measurable concept ( blood pressure,
height, weight)

ABSTRACT CONCEPT
• Concepts at a very high level of abstraction
that have general meaning (pain, stress,
caring, anxiety)
Illustrate the
conceptual
framework
 HOW TO MAKE A CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK?
Before you prepare your conceptual framework,
you need to do the following things:

1. CHOOSE YOUR TOPIC

• Choose a topic that you consider can be

comprehensively achieved within the resources
that you have and within the time you are
allotted.
HOW TO MAKE A CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK?
2. MAKE YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION

Research question has to be specific. The exact

aspects of who, what, where, how, and why have
to be clearly laid out. This is where one of the most
important aspects of your conceptual framework
will come in. The research
question is a clear and arguable question which is
where your research will revolve. A reason why the
research question is an essential part of your
conceptual framework and your overall research,
this is what puts the focus and path of your study.
HOW TO MAKE A CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK?
3. CONDUCT A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

The purpose of having a literature review is to let you

and your readers know about the existing ideas and
information there are on your chosen topic; and as well
as the weak and strong points of it. When doing the
review
of literature, you should remember it should be:
connected to the topic; synthesize the results of the
publications you’ve read; and recognize the areas
where there is a lack of information or insufficient
evidence to prove the claim. By having a review of
literature, this narrows down what you will be putting in
your conceptual framework.
HOW TO MAKE A CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK?
4. CHOOSE YOUR VARIABLES

Identify and pinpoint the variable/s that has been discussed in

the publications you’ve studied and try to make a connection or
decipher how they are linked.
It is important that you only choose the most important variables
as not all of them will be significant; as you must have read much
scientific literature, you should be able to discern the important
ones by this point. And when creating a conceptual framework, it
would be best not to choose too many variables, since putting
too many in a conceptual framework will be confusing. Though, it
is also not a good idea to choose too few variables or else your
study might be too simple. As also mentioned in the previous
step, you have to find the right level of intricacy in your study that
will fit within your resources and time allocation.
HOW TO MAKE A CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK?
5. CHOOSE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

Now that you have chosen your variables, you have to choose
how these variables are related to one another. Given that you
have already read much literature on your topic, you should
already be able to define how each of

your variables is connected to one another. This is especially

important to note as this will largely impact how your conceptual
framework will look like once you start making the diagram.
HOW TO MAKE A CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK?
6. CREATE THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Now that you have achieved all the previous steps, the final step is to
illustrate the diagram. How you illustrate the diagram will differ on a case
to case basis, but generally, variable names have to be laid out clearly
and put into rectangles, variables have to be connected with lines and
arrows, and the arrowheads will differ depending on the nature of the
relationships
 Present
objectively
written
conceptual
framework.
WHAT IS A CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK?
• Basic structure that serves as a mental window of the
researcher
• Depicts the research design and the relationships of the
variables involved
• A written or visual presentation that explains either
geographically, or in narrative form, the main things to be
studied, the key factors, concepts or variables and the
presumed relationship among them.
4. –P model. This model is used in research studies that
propose a program or any intervention measure. It fits the
situation producing level of questioning.
WHAT IS A
THEORY
In the Logman Dictionary of
Contemporary English, the word
“theory” is defined as:
• An idea or set of ideas that is intended to explain something
about life or the world, especially an idea that has not been
proved to be true;
• General principles and ideas about a subject;
• An idea or opinion that someone thinks is true but for which
they have no proof (Longman 2003)
Why is theory important in
research?

Roles of Theory in Research:

1. Researchers uses theory deductively and places
it toward the beginning of the proposal for a
study.

2. Theory becomes a framework for the entire

study.

3. Theories strengthen our study.

Theoretical
Paradigm
Paradigm
• An example serving as a model; pattern; a
framework containing the basic
assumptions, ways of thinking, and
methodology that are commonly accepted
by members of a scientific community.
(www.dictionary.com)
Theoretical Paradigm
• Illustrates how the variables are treated in the
study.
• It is a figure that represents the interplay of the
variables
• Discussion of one theory or interrelated theories
being tested in order to support the rationale in
conducting the study.
• The foundation to which the researcher builds
upon his study.
• If a relationship is found between two or more
variable, a theory should be formulated to
explain why the relationship exists.
SYMBOLS USED
• BOX – It contains the variables. Normally, it answers a
question in the SOP which needs descriptive analysis.

• ONE-HEADED ARROW – Illustrates influence on one

variable on the other

• TWO-HEAD ARROW – It represents association or

relationships between variables.

• CONNECTOR LINE – Connects one variable with

another but does not necessarily mean that the
variables will be subjected to a statistical procedure
Definition of
Terms
Definition of Terms

• It explains the variables (terminologies) used in the

study operationally or conceptually.

• Definition of terms is essential to ensure a common

understanding of key concepts and terminology used
in the study between the researcher and its reader.

• It helps both the researcher and its reader to have

clear understanding of the key terms in the study.
2 types of definitions
1.Operational definitions define the terms on how it is
measured in the present study.
• Example: Performance - refers to the students’
academic grades earned in Technology and
Livelihood Education subject in the school year 2014-
2015.

2. Conceptual definition defines a concept in terms of

specific ideas, principles, or theories associated with
terms.
• Example: Performance – the execution of an action; a
public presentation of exhibition.
By taking note of the examples of operational and
conceptual definition, the definition of performance:
“refers to the students’ academic grades earned in
Technology and Livelihood Education subject in the
school year 2014-2015” is an operational definition since
the term was defined according to its use in the study.
On the other hand, the definition: “the execution of an
action; a public presentation of exhibition” which is
adapted from a dictionary is a conceptual definition.
Points to Ponder:
• Definition of terms must be listed alphabetically.
• Define only terms or variables that have unique use or
meaning in the study being conducted.
• Using of definitions from dictionary, as much as
possible, is avoided. Define or explain variables or
terms on how it is operationally used in the study.
• In defining a term, use only one paragraph.
Writing Related
Literature.
Nine Steps To Writing A Literature
Review

1. Find a Working Topic

• Look at your specific area of study. Think about what

interests you, and what is fertile ground for study. Talk
to your professor, brainstorm, and read lecture notes
and recent issues of periodicals in the field.
Nine Steps To Writing A Literature
Review

2. Review the Literature

• Using keywords, search a computer database. It is

best to use at least two databases relevant to your
discipline
• Remember that the reference lists of recent articles
and reviews can lead to valuable papers
• Make certain that you also include any studies
contrary to your point of view
Nine Steps To Writing A Literature
Review

3. Focus Your Topic Narrowly and Select Papers

Accordingly

Consider the following:

• What interests you?
• What interests others?
• What time span of research will you consider?
Choose an area of research that is due for a review.
Nine Steps To Writing A Literature Review

4. Read the Selected Articles Thoroughly and Evaluate

Them
• What assumptions do most/some researchers
seem to be making?
• What methodologies do they use? what testing
procedures, subjects, material tested?
• Evaluate and synthesize the research findings and
conclusions drawn
• Note experts in the field: names/labs that are
frequently referenced
• Note conflicting theories, results, methodologies
• Watch for popularity of theories and how this
has/has not changed over time
Nine Steps To Writing A Literature Review

5. Organize the Selected Papers By Looking For

Patterns and By Developing Subtopics

Note things such as:

• Findings that are common/contested
• Two or three important trends in the research
• The most influential theories
Nine Steps To Writing A Literature Review

6. Develop a Working Thesis

Write a one or two sentence statement summarizing the

conclusion you have reached about the major trends
and developments you see in the research that has
been done on your subject.
Nine Steps To Writing A Literature Review

7. Organize Your Own Paper Based on the Findings

From Steps 4 & 5

Develop headings/subheadings. If your literature review

is extensive, find a large table surface, and on it place
post-it notes or filing cards to organize all your findings
into categories. Move them around if you decide that
(a) they fit better under different headings, or (b) you
need to establish new topic headings.
Nine Steps To Writing A Literature Review

8. Write the Body of the Paper

Follow the plan you have developed above, making

certain that each section links logically to the one
before and after, and that you have divided your
sections by themes or subtopics, not by reporting the
work of individual theorists or researchers.
Nine Steps To Writing A Literature Review

9. Look At What You Have Written; Focus On Analysis,

Not Description

Look at the topic sentences of each paragraph. If you

were to read only these sentences, would you find that
your paper presented a clear position, logically
developed, from beginning to end
Thank
You