Purpose and scope of literature review năm 2024

A literature review is a critical analysis of the existing research on a topic or question. It helps you identify the gaps, strengths, and limitations of the previous studies, and provides a context for your own research. However, a literature review can be challenging to conduct if you don't have a clear scope. The scope of your literature review defines the boundaries of your research topic, the sources and types of literature you will include, and the criteria and methods you will use to select, evaluate, and synthesize the literature. In this article, you will learn how to define the scope of your literature review in four steps.

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• To identify your research topic and question, it is important to identify the following: - The initial hypothesis. - Technical terminology and key words for searching the literature. - Field or domain on which you would apply your research. For example, Automatic Summarization of "Medical" texts. - Techniques to be applied. - Beneficiaries or users in case of applied research. -
• Defining the scope of a literature review is a critical step in ensuring its relevance and alignment with research objectives. The process involves outlining research goals, specifying inclusion/exclusion criteria, determining thematic, and geographical boundaries. Temporal considerations, such as focusing on recent developments or historical perspectives, contribute to framing the review's time scope. An interdisciplinary approach, if applicable, enriches the understanding of the topic by drawing from multiple disciplines.
• The first step is having a well-defined research question. Your focus should be a topic in the field that needs to be explored. Next, determine where there are gaps in research? Make sure your topic is specific, so that that you have a defined niche area to review and research. Then, you want to limit your scope of research. Look at different perspective and criteria to narrow in on your topic. Lastly, you develop a research plan.
• Personally, I take a breadth first approach. Starting with a set of search terms, I use search engines like Google scholar and PubMed and view all the titles of the papers that appear in the first 10 result pages. I have determined that beyond this point, the papers that show up are not very relevant. After scanning the titles, I determine 20 papers that could potentially give me the background I need and reach a point of theoretical saturation (reading more won't give me new insights). I try to further reduce the number of papers to be read by scanning the abstracts. After this, I am left with papers worth reading and citing. You can also try the depth first approach, where you start from a good review article and read the cited papers.
• If you are carrying out an academic literature review it should answer a novel and original research question. To add to what have been already said, scan the available literature reviews and define the scope by differentiating your approach from what has been already done in terms of: a) specific aspect (e.g., studying certain social groups), b) time, c) geographic coverage (e.g., international, regional, national, local), d) type of literature review (e.g., metasynthesis, metaanalysis, a review of literature reviews), and e) applying specific theoretical framework, e.g., a model, for analysing the previous research. If there are no literature reviews on the subject you may consider a scoping review to explore the topics on the subject.
• Some people find it helps to begin their literature review with these criteria - so this might be Step 2 instead of Step 3. I generally prefer to fix search criteria *before* a preliminary literature scan and then refine them after this. Other people find it easier to do the initial reading and then fix criteria as they have a better sense of what is available having done so. Your inclusion and exclusion criteria will vary per your question and project. For novice researchers and those working on time and budget limited projects my advice would be to keep the criteria very specific, you can always broaden later. When writing up your research you detail what you included/excluded so others can follow your reasoning.
• Defining inclusion and exclusion criteria for a literature review involves establishing specific guidelines to determine which sources will be incorporated and which will be excluded from the analysis. Inclusion criteria typically specify a publication's characteristics to be considered relevant, such as publication date, research methodology, or specific themes. On the other hand, exclusion criteria outline conditions under which a source would be deemed unsuitable for inclusion. These criteria help researchers maintain focus and ensure that the selected literature aligns with the research objectives, contributing to a more targeted and meaningful review of existing literature within a defined scope.

Step 4: Apply your criteria and synthesize the literature

The final step in defining the scope of your literature review is to apply your criteria and synthesize the literature. You can use various tools and software to manage and organize your sources, such as citation managers, spreadsheets, or mind maps. You should also keep track of the sources that you exclude and the reasons for excluding them. You can use a PRISMA flow diagram to illustrate the selection process. To synthesize the literature, you should analyze, compare, and contrast the sources, and identify the key findings, themes, patterns, and gaps. You can use various methods and techniques to synthesize the literature, such as narrative, thematic, or meta-analysis.

• Researchers assess the relevance and quality of the literature, considering factors such as methodology, publication date, and thematic alignment. Once the eligible sources are determined, the synthesis process begins, wherein key findings, methodologies, and themes are extracted and organized. This synthesis allows researchers to identify patterns, trends, and gaps in the existing literature, contributing to a cohesive and insightful overview of the topic. By critically analyzing and integrating the selected sources, researchers can present a nuanced understanding of the subject matter, highlighting the collective knowledge within the chosen scope.
• It also provides background information, concepts and theories related to the research topic. Especially if the topic is broken down to its constituents and different basic elements. Some researchers limit themselves to the context of the research topic in point of view of location and time. However, we need to broaden the perspective to cover wider contexts which will also help the reader to encompass the topic in its different entities.
• A really useful tip is your literature review may be exactly what you need to answer a research question and it might be there is no need to do other research if the question has been answered. Very often charities, NGOs and other organisations commission additional research when a literature review may have answered the question adequately. You can use the literature to situate further data collection/analysis, but you can also use it to summarise topics and either answer questions or provide a starting point to discuss issues and consider what, if any, further work is required. This can save time and money and ensure if additional work is completed it's relevant, timely, topical and ethical.

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What is the main purpose of literature review?

The purpose of a literature review is to gain an understanding of the existing research and debates relevant to a particular topic or area of study, and to present that knowledge in the form of a written report. Conducting a literature review helps you build your knowledge in your field.nullLiterature review purpose - Western Sydney Universitywww.westernsydney.edu.au › __data › assets › pdf_file › Literature_r...null

What is the scope of literature?

Broadly, Literature has been divided into two areas. These are Oral Literature and Written Literature. Oral Literature includes literary works like songs, speeches, poems, folklores, eulogies, and elegies. On the contrary, Written Literature refers to documented literary works such as books, newspapers, and journals.nullLiterature: Definition and Scope - MyJoyOnlinewww.myjoyonline.com › literature-definition-and-scopenull

What is the purpose of scope in research?

The scope in research refers to the boundaries and extent of a study, defining its specific objectives, target population, variables, methods, and limitations, which helps researchers focus and provide a clear understanding of what will be investigated. 2.nullScope and Delimitations in Research - Enago Academywww.enago.com › academy › scope-and-delimitationsnull

What is the scope and delimitation of a literature review?

The scope details what your study will explore, such as the target population, extent, or study duration. Delimitations are factors and variables not included in the study. Scope and delimitations are not methodological shortcomings; they're always under your control.nullScope and Delimitations in Research - AJEwww.aje.com › arc › scope-and-delimitations-in-researchnull