Literature reviews, citations and intertextuality in graduate student writing
TL;DR: Literature reviews are a genre that many graduate students do not fully understand and find difficult to write as discussed by the authors, while the genre, language and rhetorical moves of literature reviews are widely resea...
Abstract: Literature reviews are a genre that many graduate students do not fully understand and find difficult to write. While the genre, language and rhetorical moves of literature reviews are widely resea...
Citations
More filters
TL;DR: When you read more every page of this disciplinary discourses social interactions in academic writing, what you will obtain is something great.
Abstract: Read more and get great! That's what the book enPDFd disciplinary discourses social interactions in academic writing will give for every reader to read this book. This is an on-line book provided in this website. Even this book becomes a choice of someone to read, many in the world also loves it so much. As what we talk, when you read more every page of this disciplinary discourses social interactions in academic writing, what you will obtain is something great.
969 citations
01 Jan 2018
TL;DR: The authors summarizes some pivotal information on how to write a high-quality dissertation literature review and concludes with a discussion of common mistakes and a framework for the self-evaluation of a literature review.
Abstract: Writing a faulty literature review is one of many ways to derail a dissertation. This article summarizes some pivotal information on how to write a high-quality dissertation literature review. It begins with a discussion of the purposes of a review, presents taxonomy of literature reviews, and then discusses the steps in conducting a quantitative or qualitative literature review. The article concludes with a discussion of common mistakes and a framework for the self-evaluation of a literature review.
558 citations
Dissertation•
20 Jun 2019
TL;DR: It is suggested that the manuscript should be rewritten in a chapters-by- chapters format to facilitate more detailed discussion of the author's research and its aims and methods.
Abstract: ................................................................................................................................ i Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. iii Table of
10 citations
TL;DR: This article investigated the academic writing challenges encountered by L2 postgraduate students in Engineering and the strategies they developed (or, from the perspective of faculty, should develop) to address these issues, which revealed similarities and differences related to topics previously identified in the literature.
8 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a case study of graduate students at a secondary campus of a Canadian research university is presented, where the focus group participants were Master's and Doctoral students, including students situated within one discipline and those in interdisciplinary programs.
Abstract: Difficulties with academic writing tasks, such as the literature review, impact students’ timely completion of graduate degrees. A better understanding of graduate students’ perceptions of writing the literature review could enable supervisors, administrators, service providers, and graduate students themselves to overcome these difficulties. This paper presents a case study of graduate students at a secondary campus of a Canadian research university. It describes survey data and results from focus groups conducted between 2014 and 2015 by communications faculty, writing centre staff, and librarians. The focus group participants were Master’s and Doctoral students, including students situated within one discipline and those in interdisciplinary programs. The questions focused on the students’ experiences of writing the literature review as well as the supports both accessed and desired. Data analysis revealed four themes: (a) literature review as a new and fundamental genre; (b) literature review for multiple purposes, in multiple forms, and during multiple stages of a graduate program; (c) difficulties with managing large amounts of information; and (d) various approaches and tools are used for research and writing. Using an academic literacies approach, the paper addresses implications for campus program development and writing centre interventions and furthers research into graduate students’ experiences of writing literature reviews.
7 citations
References
More filters
Journal Article•
TL;DR: A review of prior, relevant literature is an essential feature of any academic project that facilitates theory development, closes areas where a plethora of research exists, and uncovers areas where research is needed.
Abstract: A review of prior, relevant literature is an essential feature of any academic project. An effective review creates a firm foundation for advancing knowledge. It facilitates theory development, closes areas where a plethora of research exists, and uncovers areas where research is needed.
6,406 citations
"Literature reviews, citations and i..." refers background in this paper
...Essential to many academic research projects, is a review of prior related literature and a synthesis of existing research (Webster and Watson 2002)....
[...]
Book•
26 Jul 2000
TL;DR: This chapter discusses methods of text analysis used in social- research research, as well as approaches to Critical Discourse Analysis and comparison of methods and theories used in this study.
Abstract: PART ONE: TEXTS AND METHODS On Social-Research Methods of Text Analysis What Is a Text? How to Obtain Material for Analysis An Overview Map of Methods and Theories PART TWO: OVERVIEW OF METHODS OF TEXT ANALYSIS Content Analysis Grounded Theory Ethnographic Methods Two Ethnomethodologically Oriented Methods of Text Analysis Membership Categorization Device Analysis and Conversation Analysis Narrative Semiotics SYMLOG as a Method of Text Analysis Two Approaches to Critical Discourse Analysis Functional Pragmatics Distinction-Theory Text Analysis Objective Hermeneutics PART THREE: OVERVIEW AND COMPARISON Bibliometric Survey The Prominence of Methods of Text Analysis Comparison of Methods of Text Analysis
1,150 citations
"Literature reviews, citations and i..." refers background in this paper
...Some approaches focus on the micro details such as content analysis while others use a broader lens situating the text within a culture or society such as ethnographic methods of text analysis (Titscher et al. 2000)....
[...]
TL;DR: When you read more every page of this disciplinary discourses social interactions in academic writing, what you will obtain is something great.
Abstract: Read more and get great! That's what the book enPDFd disciplinary discourses social interactions in academic writing will give for every reader to read this book. This is an on-line book provided in this website. Even this book becomes a choice of someone to read, many in the world also loves it so much. As what we talk, when you read more every page of this disciplinary discourses social interactions in academic writing, what you will obtain is something great.
969 citations
"Literature reviews, citations and i..." refers background in this paper
...As Hyland (2004, 29) comments: ‘in academic writing, the message presented is always embedded in earlier messages’....
[...]
Book•
11 Feb 2011
TL;DR: This book discusses the rationale and history behind the contributions from a researcher and from an information specialist, and the role of meta-analysis in this systematic review.
Abstract: Introduction Who is this book for? How is this book different? The rationale and history behind the contributions from a researcher and from an information specialist Features of the book Layout of the book PART ONE: GETTING INFORMATION Preliminaries What is a literature review? Terminology used in this book Different styles of review Two styles or approaches A critical approach Knowledge and literature Why and when will you need to review the literature? The research question and the literature review What is appropriate literature? Choosing which style of review: a traditional narrative review or a systematic review Project management Searching for Information Introduction Develop online searches by identifying key words and creating a search record The range of information sources available for complex searches. What do you need from a resource to make it appropriate for locating journal articles for your review? Reading Skills Introduction Be analytical in your reading Where to start Reading techniques - scan, skim and understand Reading different types of material Grey literature: non academic sources and policy reports Recording and note making From Making Notes to Writing Introduction Note-making From notes to writing Writing - critical writing and types of argument Making a value judgment and bias PART TWO: USING INFORMATION The Traditional Review Overview of the debate Types of review: critical, conceptual state of the art, expert and scoping Draw up an analytical framework - how to sort the material Moving to analysis and synthesis The presentation of your review Summarizing the gap - dare to have an opinion. Writing up Your Review Overview A short summary A self-standing review Abstract, executive summary and annotated bibliography Writing the review Key words or phrases to help you move from stage 1 to stage 2 The 'so what' question, originality and making a value judgment The Systematic Review Overview Definitions Development of the review protocol Formulating the review question Documenting your progress Locating studies and sources of information Selecting studies: inclusion and exclusion criteria Appraisal - assessing the quality of research Data extraction Synthesis, drawing conclusions, what the review shows Evolving formats of systematic review Meta- Analysis Overview What is meta-analysis? Can I use meta-analysis to summarise the results of my systematic review? Undertaking your meta-analysis Displaying the results of a meta-analysis Is your meta-analysis free from bias? Performing a sensitivity analysis Referencing and Plagiarism Introduction Why is referencing important? What do you need to reference? How many references should I provide? When and how to reference Referencing systems Where to find citation information you need Plagiarism Copyright Conclusion Summary Appendices Appendix 1: Further reading Appendix 2: Critical review checklist Appendix 3: Systematic review online resources Appendix 4: Resources for meta-analysis Glossary
624 citations
"Literature reviews, citations and i..." refers background in this paper
...Shirley does show some understanding of the genre (see Jesson, Matheson, and Lacey 2011)....
[...]
...He understood the genre of literature reviews (see Jesson, Matheson, and Lacey 2011)....
[...]
...(3) an examination of literature review genre-use drawn from Jesson, Matheson, and Lacey (2011)....
[...]
...There exists a large body of research devoted to exploring the complexities of literature reviews, particularly the complicated rhetorical nature of the genre (Aveyard 2010; Feak and Swales 2009; Graff and Birkenstein 2010; Jesson, Matheson, and Lacey 2011; Ridley 2012)....
[...]
Book•
01 Mar 1999
TL;DR: The first stage of most research projects is to undertake a review of the literature to determine what research has already been conducted in this area as discussed by the authors, which helps the researcher to hone their own research questions and to determine how they plan to conduct their research.
Abstract: not for inclusion) The first stage of most research projects is to undertake a review of the literature to determine what research has already been conducted in this area. This review helps the researcher to hone their own research questions and to determine how they plan to conduct their research. The purpose of the literature review section of the final report of the research project is to summarise this previous literature and to provide a clear rationale for the current research in the light of what has been done before. This section is often called the 'introduction' in a research paper as it introduces the reader to the area, funnelling down from the broad topic under consideration and why it is important, through a critical consideration of prior research which identifies any gaps in the literature, to the specific research questions or hypotheses of the current study. This chapter covers both the process of searching for relevant literature and the process of writing the literature review chapter, or introduction. It should be read in conjunction with the previous two chapters because the process of literature review runs parallel with the choice of research question, and obviously skills in reading and understanding research are necessary for conducting and writing up a literature review. Introduction The first stage of most research projects is to undertake a review of the literature to determine what research has already been conducted in the area. This helps the researcher to hone their own research questions and to determine how they plan to conduct their research. The purpose of the literature review section of the final report of the research project is to summarise this previous literature and to provide a clear rationale for the current research in the light of what has been done before. This section is often called the 'introduction' in a research paper as it introduces the reader to the area, funnelling down from the broad topic under consideration and why it is important, through a critical consideration of prior research which identifies any gaps in the literature, to the specific research questions or hypotheses of the current study. This chapter covers both the process of searching for relevant literature and the process of writing the literature review. It should be read in conjunction with the previous two chapters because the process of literature review runs parallel with the choice of research question, and obviously skills in reading and understanding research are necessary. The purpose of the literature review is to: Outline the area you are researching. Explain why it matters (e.g. Does it have implications for policy or treatment? Is this a particularly under-researched group?) Summarise the research that has already been done in this area, particularly any key studies. Identify any gaps in this literature: to justify why your study is important and what it adds to the literature. Present your research questions (if qualitative research) or hypotheses (if quantitative research). These should be set out at the end of the literature review. This list will be useful whilst you are writing the literature review, as well as afterwards, to ensure that it does all these things. It is likely that you will write one version of the literature review prior to conducting your research, but return to it afterwards to redraft it in order to ensure that it does tell a clear argument leading up to your research (rather than simply summarising past research) and that it includes all of the key studies and theories. Note that the literature review for a research proposal does not need to be as extensive as that for a final research write-up (see chapter 9). As a general rule of thumb all of the research and theories mentioned in the rest of the paper should have been introduced in the literature review or introduction. However, it may be necessary to bring new material into the discussion and conclusions if the analysis suggests taking a different direction or engaging with a different area of research that you hadn't anticipated. Conducting a literature search Of course before you write your literature review you have to actually search through what has been done before. This stage is an integral part of the research process: it is through reviewing previous research that we can hone our own research questions (see chapter 3), avoid unethical practices such as over-researching certain groups, and take account of what past researchers have learnt about the best ways of approaching the topic. Pause for reflection 1: Think about a topic you are interested in researching (perhaps one that you considered in previous chapters or are thinking about for a dissertation, thesis or paper). How would you currently imagine going about finding out what research has been conducted before on this topic? As a very rough rule of thumb, to keep the process manageable, what you are looking for by the end of the literature search are around five to fifteen key papers, chapters or books which are the main ones you will base your literature review around, and around twenty to forty additional materials (papers, books, reports, etc.) which you are likely to reference but are less central to your argument. These may be background reading or less specifically relevant papers which you will skim read and refer to rather than summarising in depth. Of course, such numbers depend somewhat on the level of study that you are at, and the length of the final report that you are working towards. You might need less for a brief research study on a foundation degree or diploma, and a good deal more (perhaps five times as much) for a full doctoral thesis of 80,000 words or so. However, the general process of searching for literature is similar whatever stage you are at. This rule of thumb does not, of course, mean that you should conduct a literature search in a linear way, simply stopping once you have around forty papers, books, reports and chapters. Rather the literature search is a process of finding everything that you can of relevance and then whittling this down to the most essential work that you need to mention in your literature review. In fact the hardest task in the process is often deciding what to leave out. There is rather a dark art to the process of searching for literature as you will find when you start to conduct literature searches yourself by typing words into search engines and databases. It isn't a simple matter that you type in the topics that you are interested in (for example 'bereavement and counselling' or 'eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for victims of the London bombings') and inevitably get back around ten key papers or books, and an additional thirty or so quite relevant ones. Rather you generally either get way too much (thousands and thousands of hits for your search terms) or way too little (one or two papers which might not be relevant at all to what you are doing). This is where breadth and focus come in. If you realise that there is already loads written on your topic then you need to focus in ('bereavement of a child and person-centred therapy' for example). If there is hardly anything you need to broaden out (for example, to 'trauma counselling and therapy for victims of terrorist attacks'). As you search you will want to see how many hits you get, in order to narrow or broaden your search terms. It is also vital, at this point, to make sure you include all of the materials that anybody else in the area (such as your markers, examiners or reviewers) would regard as crucial. For example, some topics are covered in more than one discipline so you may have to look beyond papers and books on counselling and therapy. For example, bereavement is also addressed in health and social care, psychology and sociology. A useful suggestion that a piece of work is of central importance is when you spot it being referenced by several other writers in the area. The literature review needs to cover each element of your research and any overlaps between them. For example, the diagram below illustrates the elements and their overlap for personcentred therapy with child bereavement. Your search would need to include bereavement, personcentred therapy, and children, as well as each of the overlaps (child bereavement, person-centred therapy and bereavement, etc.) Insert image here: Something like this
617 citations