Critical Review of Literature on a Research Topic

Thinking Points

Critical review of literature relevant to their topic. This is a review of academic sources. Students examine their research questions through the literature review and comparative analysis of perspectives

Thinking Points:

1. What do you want to find out (referenced to academic literature), with whom and where?

2. Why did you choose this area for research (referenced to literature)?

3. How/why is your proposed academic enquiry important? Briefly identify key issues and debates (referenced to literature).

4. Briefly define specific KEY terminology in relation to your topic and area of research

5. Who might be a potential user of this research?

6. What are the specific research questions?

7. Briefly, how will you try and ensure that your research is as objective as possible?

Method for the literature review

Introduce and explain the paradigm selected for the study

Introduce and explain the approach you have taken to search for the literature (key words, key authors, journals you have searched).  Reflect on any challenges.

Examine your strategy for critical reading, note taking and moving from notes to themes emerging from the review of sources (demonstrate your engagement with the research  methods literature through in text citations).

Explore the limitations arising from your strategy (e.g. How did the strategy reflect your preferred learning style? How supportive did you find the strategies suggested by the research methods literature?  How did your strategy support your engagement with this topic?)

Present the literature reviewed as a body rather than itemised individual pieces, incorporating a thematic approach (possibly determined by your research questions).

Interrogate literature drawn from a range of theoretical and research sources e.g. books, chapters in edited books, journal articles, policy documents, conference papers.

Elaborate on specific terminology/definitions in relation to your research (referenced to literature).

Engage critically with the literature by identifying and exploring, for example, (any) gaps, weaknesses, strengths, contradictions, agreements and disagreements.

End with a paragraph that states how your research will build upon/develop/extend what is already known. 

At all times, demonstrate an awareness of how the literature identified with/engages with/responds to/influences the research questions and findings

Critical analysis of two key sources

Identify two academic sources, they must be either journal articles or book chapters reporting research or examining theoretical ideas.  The sources should be proposing different perspectives on your research questions and topic.

Introduce each article 

Critique strength and limitations of both by addressing the following points for each source:

How does this source relate to your research question/topic

What is the main point/central argument put forward

What theoretical basis/methodological approach underpins this work

Why has this account of research been written

What is the author trying to achieve

What is the contribution of the source to this topic/field

What evidence is offered to support the author's claims

Is this evidence acceptable

What is your view with regards to the point/central ?argument from the source and what evidence do you have for it

How does the perspective proposed in the source fit with the other sources used in your literature review?