Creswell literature map

Review of the Literature

Chapter 2

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Introduction

Topic – subject or subject matter of a study
e.g., “faculty teaching,” “organizational creativity,” “psychological stress”

Conduct literature review about the topic
Worth studying?

Scope?

Can be studied

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Creswell, Research Design 5e

SAGE Publishing, 2018

Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018

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The Research Topic

Gain insight into the topic by
Drafting a working title

“My study is about…”
Posing a brief question

What needs to be answered?
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Creswell, Research Design 5e

SAGE Publishing, 2018

Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018

First step is to examine research on the topic
How does this project contribute to the literature?
New topic, new elements, replication with new participants?
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Creswell, Research Design 5e

SAGE Publishing, 2018

The Research Topic

Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018

The topic can be researched if
You have access to participants

You have resources to collect and analyze information

The topic should be researched if
The research will add to the literature about the topic

Scholars will be interested in the topic

A study of it will advance your personal goals

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Creswell, Research Design 5e

SAGE Publishing, 2018

The Research Topic

Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018

The Literature Review

Shares the results of other studies
Relates the study to the larger dialogue in the literature
Provides a framework for establishing the importance of the study
Provides a benchmark for comparing the results to other findings
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Creswell, Research Design 5e

SAGE Publishing, 2018

Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018

The use of the literature:

Seek opinion of adviser or faculty members
Tell the reader you are aware of literature
Literature reviews take several forms:
Integrate what others have done and said

Criticize previous scholarly works

Bridge between related topics

Identify the central issues in the field

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Creswell, Research Design 5e

SAGE Publishing, 2018

The Literature Review

Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018

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Creswell, Research Design 5e

SAGE Publishing, 2018

The Literature Review

Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018

The use of the literature:

In quantitative studies, researchers use literature to:
Provide direction to the research questions and hypotheses

Introduce a problem

Introduce and describe the theory that will be used

Examine the usefulness of the theory

Compare results with existing literature or predictions

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Creswell, Research Design 5e

SAGE Publishing, 2018

The Literature Review

Creswell, Research Design 5e SAGE Publishing, 2018

In qualitative research, inquirers use the literature in a manner consistent with the assumptions of learning from the participant, not prescribing the questions that need to be answered from the researcher’s standpoint. One of the chief reasons for conducting a qualitative study is that the study is exploratory. This usually means that not much has been written about the topic or the population being studied, and the researcher seeks to listen to participants and build an understanding based on what is heard.

The use of literature in qualitative research varies considerably. In one example, literature on a cultural concept or a critical theory can be introduced early as an orienting framework for ethnographies.

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The use of the literature:

In mixed methods studies, researchers use the literature:
In either a quantitative or qualitative approach

In each phase, consistent with either the quantitative or qualitative approach

Relative to the intended audience

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Creswell, Research Design 5e