Organize the literature

 Organize the literature

Once you have locate the literature, assessed its quality and check it for relevance then the next step is to organise it for a literature review. This process involve photocopying and filing the literature. At this time you might quickly read it, take notes on it and determine how it fits into the overall literature. And also construct a visual picture of a literature-a literature map that help to organize it and provide a framework for presenting research to audience about our topic.

1)Reproducing, downloading and filing

After locating books , journals, article and document in a library or from online. we should make copies of the article, scan the article or download the article( pdf files) and develop some system to easily retrieve the information. And placing all these information in a file folder(storing in a computer files) alphabetized by author name and also keyword used in a literature review .But convenient way is alphabetized by author name .

2) Taking notes and abstracting studies

During the process of reading a literature researches take notes on the information .So that a summary of literature is available for a written review .This note taking is an informal process in which the researches identifies important ideas about the article or material and the write a rough notes about each source of information.

Instead of this informal approach appropriate strategy is to systematically record information about each source .So that you can easily insert it into a written review of the Literature .Through this process you will get useful information so that you can remember the detail of the studies.

A systematic approach for summarising each source of information is to develop an abstract for each one .An abstract is a summary of major aspects of study or article conveyed in a concise way( no more than 350 words ) .Be careful not to use the abstract available at the beginning of journal, article .Instead should write our on abstract according to our point of view.

To abstract element for a quantitative research study such as journal ,article ,conference paper dissertation for thesis you might identify the:

Research Problem

Research question or hypotheses

Date collection procedure

Result of study

For a qualitative research study, the topic are the same as those used in quantitative study ,but the heading reflect terms commonly used in qualitative research .Instead of using hypotheses and question, qualitative research state only question instead of result finding is more acceptable in qualitative terms. When abstracting a qualitative research study you may identify the:

Research Problem

Research question

Data collection

Finding

In other forms of abstracting ,you may include additional information in which you critique or assess the strength and weakness of the research .

3) Constructing a literature map

As you organize and take notes or abstract articles ,you will begin to understand the content of your literature review .In other words a conceptual picture will begin to emerge. Having a visual picture of this concept conceptualized allow you to organize the literature in your mind , identify where your study fits into this literature.

This visual picture result in a literature map.A literature map is a figure or drawing that display research literature (eg :studies ,essay ,books ,chapter) on a topic. It is a communication devices, a map will help you to convey to others such as a faculty committee member or audience at a conference.

Two types of literature map

Hierarchical design - In this design can develop more branches .It shows a broad concept of the study .

Circular design - In this design it is narrowing and focusing towards the problem only .

General guidelines

Identify key terms and mention on the top

Provide a label for each box 

Develop the literature map on as many level as possible 

Draw lines and connect.

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