MEL090 Research in Applied Linguistics

Critical Reading and Writing a Literature Review

How Do I Know I Have Finished my Literature Review?
Its never really finished, so thank goodness for deadlines! Here are some questions
you can use as a checklist:

Have I referred only to research projects closely related to my own topic?

Have I tied together the results of the studies so that their relevance to my
work is clear?
Have I referred to recent papers as well as to key studies which are widely
cited by others in the field, however old they may be?
Have I referred either to a range of relevant projects representing various
research methodologies, or to those employing the methodology which I
intend to use?
Have I provided an accurate and objective summary of the current state of
research and of the theoretical framework of the study?
Have I organised the review according to the major points relevant to my
research topic?
Have I made the case that the research area reviewed is incomplete or
requires extension?
When conflicting findings are reported across studies and this is quite
common in educational research have I carefully examined the variations in
the findings and possible explanations for them?
Have I given the reader enough background to understand how my study fits
in with other research?
Have I excluded peripheral or irrelevant research?
Have I written a conclusion for the review? Do not finish your review with
comments about the final study you mention. Provide a summary of all the
studies and pull together the most important points, indicating how they will
help you decide what to look for in your data.
Have I carefully referenced all my summaries and quotes, and are all my
references in my bibliography?

Checklist of dos and donts for reviewing the literature

Do

Identify and discuss the relevant key landmark studies on the topic
Define all key terminology employed
Include as much up-to-date material as possible
Check the details of the study, such as how the names are spelled
Try to be reflexive; examine your own bias and make it clear
Critically evaluate the material and show your own analyses
Use extracts from the studies, examples and illustrations to justify your
analyses and arguments
Be analytical, evaluative and critical and show this in your review
Manage the information that your review produces: have a system for records
management
Make your review worth reading by making yourself clear, systematic and
coherent; explain why the topic is interesting
Cite sources correctly in your literature review (and elsewhere in the
dissertation)
Keep the grammatical tense of your writing consistent
Use a spelling and grammar checker and ask at least one person to proof
read your work!

Dont

Omit classic works and landmarks or discuss core ideas without proper
reference to these
Discuss outdated or only old materials
Misspell names or get date of publications wrong
Infringe any copyright laws
Use concepts to only impress your reader (!) or without supplying a definition
Produce a list of items, even if it is a descriptive list; a list is not a review
Accept any position at face value or believe everything that is written
Drown in information by not keeping control and an accurate record of your
reading
Make spelling mistakes or use complicated and difficult to understand
grammar
Be boring by using jargon, pretentious language and only description make
your point of view clear!
Forget to write a conclusion