Navigating The Dissertation
  • I: From Start to Proposal Defense
    • 1: Types >
      • Introduction for Types of Dissertations
      • Overview of the Dissertation
      • Self-Assessment Exercise
      • What is a Dissertation Committee
      • Different Types of Dissertations
    • 2: Overview >
      • Introduction for Overview of the Dissertation Process
      • Responsibilities: the Chair, the Team and You
      • Sorting Exercise
      • Stages of a Dissertation
      • Managing Your Time
      • Create Your Own Timeline
      • Working with a Writing Partner
      • Key Deadlines
      • Self Assessment Exercise
      • Additional Resources
    • 3: Background >
      • Purpose and Goals
      • Read and Evaluate Chapter 1 Exemplars
      • Draft an Introduction of the Study
      • Outline the Background of the Problem
      • Draft your Statement of the Problem
      • Draft your Purpose of the Study
      • Draft your Significance of the Study
      • List the Possible Limitations and Delimitations
      • Explicate the Definition of Terms
      • Outline the Organization of the Study
      • Recommended Resources and Readings
    • 4: Lit Review >
      • Purpose and Goals
      • Purpose of the Literature Review
      • What is the Literature?
      • Article Summary Table
      • Writing a Short Literature Review
      • Outline for Literature Review
      • Synthesizing the Literature Review
      • Recommended Resources and Readings
    • 5: Methods >
      • Purpose and Goals
      • Purpose of the Methodology Chapter
      • Topics to Include
      • Preparing to Write the Methodology Chapter
      • Self-Assessment Exercise
      • Confidentiality
      • Building the Components for Chapter Three
      • Recommended Resources and Readings
    • 6: Qualify Exam & IRB >
      • Preparing for Your Qualifying Exam (aka Proposal Defense)
      • What is Needed for Your Proposal Defense?
      • Submitting Your Best Draft
      • Preparing Your Abstract for IRB
      • Use of Self-Assessment
      • Preparing Your PowerPoint
      • During Your Proposal Defense
      • After Your Proposal Defense
  • II: Data Collection and Analysis
    • 1: IRB
    • 2: Data Collection >
      • Pre-observation – Issues to consider
      • During Observations
      • Wrapping Up
      • Recommended Resources and Readings (Qualitative)
      • Quantitative Data Collection
      • Recommended Resources and Readings (Quantitative)
    • 3: Data Analysis >
      • Qualitative: Before you Start
      • Qualitative: During Analysis
      • Qualitative: After Analysis
      • Qualitative: Recommended Resources and Readings
      • Quantitative: Deciding on the Right Analysis
      • Quantitative: Data Management and Cleaning
      • Quantitative: Keep Track of your Analysis
  • III: Findings, Discussion, and Final Defense
    • 1: Chapter 4 >
      • The Purpose of Chapter 4
      • The Elements of Chapter 4
      • Presenting Results (Quantitative)
      • Presenting Findings (Qualitative)
      • Chapter 4 Considerations
      • Recommended Resources and Readings
    • 2: Chapter 5 >
      • The Purpose of Chapter 5
      • Preparing Your Abstract for the Graduate School
      • Draft the Introduction for Chapter 5
      • Draft the Summary of Findings
      • Draft Implications for Practice
      • Draft your Recommendations for Research
      • Draft your Conclusions
      • Recommended Resources and Readings
    • 3: Preparing for Defense >
      • What is Needed
      • Submitting Your Best Draft
      • Use of Self-Assessment
      • Preparing Your PowerPoint
      • What Happens During the Final Defense?
      • What Happens After the Final Defense?
      • Graduation

What is the Literature
Topic 4: Literature Review

In order to write a synthesis as articulated in the above quote, you must first develop the skills for searching for resources, interpreting them, and then evaluating them. This means determining if the literature helps define, inform, or frame your research question(s) and determining if they are "worthy" pieces of literature
  • Remember that empirical peer-reviewed journal articles are likely to be the most common source of literature you use in your dissertation.
  • View the video on this page and then review the document called "Literature Review" and focus on the types of literature you might find. 
Literature Review (.pdf)
A literature review is a synthesis of the literature on a topic.  To create the synthesis one must first interpret and evaluate individual pieces of literature. Then the ideas and the information they contain must be integrated and restated in order to create a new original written work.
-- Pan, M. Ling (2004)
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