Doing Your Literature Review
Traditional and Systematic Techniques
- Jill Jesson - Aston University, UK
- Lydia Matheson - Aston University, UK
- Fiona M Lacey - Aston University, UK
Contents include:
- using libraries and the internet
- note making
- presentation
- critical analysis
- referencing, plagiarism and copyright.
This book will be relevant to students from any discipline. It includes contributions from two lecturers who have many years experience of teaching research methods and the supervision of postgraduate research dissertations and a librarian, each offering expert advice on either the creation and assessment of literature reviews or the process of searching for information. The book also highlights the increasing importance for many disciplines of the systematic review methodology and discusses some of the specific challenges which it brings.
Jill K. Jesson has worked with multi-disciplinary research teams within the Aston School of Pharmacy, Aston Business School and with M-E-L Research, an independent public services research consultancy. She has now left Aston University and is working as a Consultant.
Lydia Matheson is an Information Specialist working for Library & Information Services at Aston University.
Fiona M. Lacey is an academic pharmacist, a member of the pharmacy practice teaching group in the School of Pharmacy, and Associate Dean in the School of Life and Health Sciences at Aston.
'Tasks, tips, examples, figures and summaries in each chapter give the book a "self-guided" feel appropriate in a textbook, and the language is rarely arcane. Four useful appendices and a fine index complete the work. Overall, this is a sound guide for the absolute neophyte in how to create useable literature reviews. Part 2 is especially recommended as a good discussion of the ways and means of writing reviews. The work is useful for students at most levels, and for those who teach research methods and want a clear guide for literature reviews for their reading lists' -
G. E. Gorman
Online Information Review
'The main strength lies in the book's practical nature. The authors place great emphasis on the importance of proper searching techniques and encourage the use of specialist librarians. Chapters on reading and note-taking skills contain useful detail often missing from similar books - such as which bits of an article to read first, and how to make and store relevant notes that will be usable later. The examples of how to improve specific passages of writing are very valuable.'
The book does what it promises: it is an accessible and practical book, which many researchers can benefit from to improve their literature reviews.
Fantastic resource for students entering the research phase
I find this title very rewarding to use both for the tutor and a student. It's suitable for understanding demands of a proper literature review, traditional or more systematic one.
Covers something all students need to think about across the course of the MA, and does so with a good level of clarity. Every step of getting on with a literature review is covered, and there's a good step-by-step approach to a lot of it.
The discussion of different types and purposes of 'traditional' literature review is likely to be a useful prop early on in a research skills module.
Essential for doing literature review
The book is recommended to students who have to write a literature review within their paper. Especially for writing their thesis (BSc).
This book provides an up to date overview of tackling literature reviews. Ideal for all researchers but maybe particularly useful for final year under-graduates and Masters students working on research projects and dissertations.
Thorough and accessible text supporting students working towards research.
