FUNDAMENTALS OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Fundamentals of Educational Research

Camilo MoralesInvestigación educativa y pedagógica Martha Lilia Torres

INDEX

Why Review Related Literature?

Steps to Find Related Literature

Criteria for Evaluating the review of literature

Summarize and Analyze Key

"Once a research problem or general question has been identified, a review of the literature is essential."

Why Review Related Literature?

The literature shows how the problem is aligned with the research questions. Subsequently, examining previous investigations helps researchers learn effective, as well as ineffective, methods.

● Refining the research problem ● Establishing the conceptual or theoretical framework ● Developing significance ● Developing specific research questions and hypotheses ● Identifying methodological strengths and limitations ● Identifying contradictory findings ● Learning about new information ● Providing information for interpretation and discussion

REFINING THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

By reviewing related studies and discussions of research in that area, you will learn how others have conceptualized and characterized the general problem. This will help you refine your initial problem. Ideas and examples will be found that help delimit the problem

Establishing the conceptual or theoretical framework

By placing an investigation into a more general conceptual framework or theoretical orientation, a rationale is provided for the research question. The intellectual or scholarly perspective in which the problem is embedded is described. Establishing this framework is essential in quantitative and mixed methods studies. Some qualitative studies rely heavily on existing theories, whereas others take the perspective that it is best not to incorporate a particular theory because this could restrict or limit the inductive processes needed to analyze data.

Developing significance

Often it is not easy to see how some research is significant—how it contributes meaningfully to knowledge or practice. Making an argument without literature is tough; the existing literature can effectively establish significance.

Developing specific research questions and hypotheses

The existing literature is an excellent source for framing specific research questions and hypotheses. Examples of specific questions from other studies will give you ideas about wording and the number of questions that would be appropriate.

Identifying methodological strengths and limitations

One of the best reasons to conduct a study is to investigate similar problems with different methods. By learning about the specific methods other researchers have employed to select participants, measure variables, and implement procedures, you can identify approaches that may be useful for your studies.

Identifying contradictory findings

Researchers find this a fruitful area in which to conduct subsequent studies. Possible reasons for the contradiction, such as the use of different types of participants, measures, or procedures, can be identified, and research can be designed to resolve the contradiction.

Learning about new information

A review of literature almost always leads to new information and knowledge—in the topic of interest, related topics, or even unrelated areas.

Providing information for interpretation and discussion

A good study integrates the literature into the discussion, showing how findings compare with what others have found and support or fail to support a theory or conceptual framework.

steps to find related literature

STEPS

Identify Databases and Interface.

Identify Topic and Key Terms

Research literature is stored in many different literature databases. A literature database is an organized and indexed grouping of publications and other scholarly documents in a field of study.

The first step in reviewing literature is to have some idea of the topic or subject in which you are interested

STEPS

Conduct Search

Use Appropriate Thesaurus.

Once you have identified key terms and the database, it is best to use a special thesaurus to help select the most appropriate words and phrases to use in your search

Searches can be conducted in a number of different databases the placement of these fields for searching depends on the interface.

Summarize and Analyze Key Sources

A primary source is an original article or report in which researchers communicate directly to the reader the data source, methods, analyses, and results of their studies

You have found some articles and reports; now you need to decide how to use them for your review. This process begins with knowing whether the source is primary or secondary.

A secondary source is one that reviews, summarizes, or discusses primary research as well as theoretical frameworks or ideas. The author(s) provide(s) information and analysis, but it is not a firsthand gathering of data

criteria for evaluating the review of literature

1. The review of literature should adequately cover previous research on the topic2. The review of literature should cite actual findings from other studies. 3. The review of literature should be up to date. 4. The review of literature should analyze as well as summarize previous studies 5. The review of literature should be organized logically by topic, not by author. 6. The review of literature should briefly summarize minor studies and discuss major studies in detail 7. The review of major studies should relate previous studies explicitly to the research problem or methods. 8. The review of literature should provide a logical basis for the hypothesis. 9. The review of literature should establish a theoretical or conceptual framework for the problem. 10. The review of literature should help establish the significance of the research.

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