The Literature Review

Paper Summary:

The paper explains how the literature review is an important part of any study. The paper discusses how it offers a background of the issue and provides an understanding of what other researchers have found regarding that issue. The paper looks at the process followed to conduct a literature review and explores the difficulties in identifying sources. The paper relates that information collected by means of the literature review can generally be thought of as reliable and valid.

Outline:
Purpose of the Literature Review
Process Followed to Conduct a Literature Review
Identification of Sources
Evaluation of Reliability of Sources

From the Paper:

"New discoveries can lead to a re-examination of literature that has already been written on the topic and having the background knowledge of what others have found regarding the same issue can help steer the researcher toward the questions that should be asked and answered and/or the hypotheses that will be dealt with. Even if the researcher chooses to look at something new, there will undoubtedly be part of the literature review that will allow the researcher to have some background of at least part of the issue in question or similar issues that must be addressed, thus furthering the understanding of the researcher and the understanding of those that look at the subject in the future (Reed, 1998)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Fink, A. (1998). Conducting research literature reviews. New York: Sage Publications.
• Cooper, H.M. (1984). The integrative research review - A systematic approach. New York: Sage Publications.
• Reed, L.E. (1998). Performing a literature review. Retrieved from http://fie.engrng.pitt.edu /fie98/papers/1298.pdf.

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