Along with _____ and ______ or ______, the research topic is the ________ of the study.
- purpose statement
- research questions or hypotheses
- foundation
Topics:
- narrowly focused
- represent clearly defined focal areas related to an important, complex problem
Where do topics come from?
- interests
- experiences
- coursework
Research problem:
- foundational need for the study
- describes the context for the study, issues that exist in literature, theory, practice
Generally, research problems can be based on:
- descriptive
- predictive
- explanation
Research problems should be:
- challenging, but not too difficult or easy
- worthwhile and important
- feasible (time, expertise, resources)
How does reviewing the literature help you?
- see what has/hasn’t been studied
- refine the central idea/problem
- see if research will add to the literature
- see if it’s feasible
What are the 6 steps to reviewing the literature?
- write the problem statement
- consult secondary sources (summarized research)
- determine descriptors
- search primary sources
- read and record literature
- write lit review
In quantitative study, the literature is used _____, as it provides a _____ for the research questions and hypothesis.
- deductively
- framework
How is literature used deductively in quantitative studies?
- provides direction
- introduces a problem
- introduces theory
- examines usefulness of the theory
- compare your studies with existing predictions
What are the 3 ways literature is used in qualitative study?
- used to frame the problem
- presented in a separate section as a review of literature
- presented at the end of a study (basis for comparing findings)
What are the 3 sections of literature review?
- introduction
- body
- conclusion
What happens in the introduction of a literature review?
- sell your idea
- helps provide context
What happens in the body of a literature review?
- needs to be well organized
- synthesizes previous work
- logical, represent the flow of ideas over time
What happens in the conclusion of a literature review?
identify specific points that are unknown
Describe the order for the lit review.
- don’t just list each source and explain
- need to have some sort of chronological order (themes)
- synthesize, critique, compare
