Research seminar for Educational Sciences, Lecture 3 by prof. Dr. Chang Zhu

1. 1
Research Seminar for
Educational Sciences
Prof. Dr. Chang Zhu
Department of Educational Sciences
Major sections of a research
proposal
2
Title
Summary
Research problem
Literature review
Research questions
Research methods
Expects results &
significance
Planning

2. 2
Questions
• Why literature review is needed?
• When do you conduct literature review?
• How do you conduct literature review?
• How do you write the literature review?
The research process
1. Identifying a research topic/problem
2. Reviewing the literature
3. Selecting sample/participants
4. Collecting data
5. Analyzing and interpreting data
6. Reporting and evaluating the research
4

3. 3
Research topic
A good research topic needs to be
• interesting
• researchable
• significant
• ethical
• manageable
• specific
5
6
Research topic
Literature review
Understand the topic
Develop your own ideas

4. 4
Literature review
Systematic identification, location and
analysis of documents containing
information related to your research
topic/problem
What do we already known/ what has
already been done…What type of
research has been done in the area? What
has been found in previous studies?
7
Literature review
Place your research in a logical or
theoretical framework
Provide the rationale for your research;
Where your study will be situated?
Give possible directions what needs to be
done; What suggestions do other
researchers make for further study? What
has not been investigated?
8

5. 5
9
Types of Literature
Review
selective comprehensive
Part of larger work
Stand alone work
e.g. Introduction
to an article
e.g. course
assignment
e.g. review
article
e.g. Thesis/
dissertation
1
0
A stand alone article

6. 6
1
1
Part of a research article

7. 7
Literature review
How can the proposed study add to our
knowledge of the area?
1
3
Literature review
• In addition, it allows you
be aware of previous research methods
and procedures…
Avoid potential mistakes
Will be helpful to interpret your study
results
1
4

8. 8
1
5
Searching the Literature
Scholarly articles books
1
6
Conference proceedings

9. 9
1
7
dissertations
1
8
A
C
B
D
Mapping the literature

10. 10
Organizing the literature
1
9
The general research topic
2
0
How to get started?

11. 11
2
1
Writing a literature review is a
process…
Topic
Research, collect
information,
and read
Analyze and
synthesize
Write your
literature review
and revise
Keep track of
the references
Literature review: steps
1.Identify a list of key words
2.Search for primary and secondary sources
that are relevant to your research topic
3.Screen and evaluate the sources
4.Analyze and organize the sources
5.Write the literature review
2
2

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Literature review: key words
• Single key words
• Often a combination of key words
Eg. ICT-based learning and higher education
digital media and learning
2
3

13. 13
Literature review: search
• Search for relevant documents (books,
journals, articles, reports, thesis….)
A list of key words to guide literature search
Primary sources: firsthand information (an
original research, study report by the person
who conducted it). Secondary sources: second-
hand information (a review, description of a
study conducted by someone else)
2
6

14. 14
Literature review: search
• Science direct
• http://www.sciencedirect.com/
• Web of Science/ Web of knowledge
• http://apps.isiknowledge.com/WOS_GeneralSe
arch_input.do?highlighted_tab=WOS&product
=WOS&last_prod=WOS&SID=N2PJEol6dap
9iJgmGC6&search_mode=GeneralSearch
2
7
Literature review: search
• ERIC (Education Resources
Information center)
http://www.eric.ed.gov/
Academia
http://academia.edu/
2
8

15. 15
Literature review: search
Other online sources:
• Google scholar
• Dissertation Abstracts
• http://www.dissertation-abstract.com/
• http://www.proquest.com/en-
US/catalogs/databases/detail/pqdt.shtml
• …..
2
9
Literature review: search
VUB Online library:
• http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/
• http://biblio.vub.ac.be/vubissmartweb/Vubis.csp
V-spaces
ArticleDataBase
3
0

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Literature review: search
• Specific journals
e.g. British Journal of Educational
Technology,
Computers in the Schools
Education as Change
Computers & Education
Teaching and Teacher Education
Journal of Educational Research
…..3
1
Literature review: resources
High impact journals
• Thomson Reuters Master Journal list
• Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI)
3
2

17. 17
Literature review: resources
Some high impact journals in education:
• Higher Education
• The Journal of Higher Education
• Journal of Further and Higher Education
• The Research in Higher Education Journal
• Higher Education Policy
• The Journal of Educational Research
• Educational Research Review
3
3
Literature review: resources
Some high impact journals in education:
• Educational Studies
• British Journal of Educational Technology
• Educational Technology and Society
• Teaching and teacher education
• Learning and Instruction
• Learning and Individual Differences
• …..
3
4

18. 18
Analyse and organize
3
5
Collect and read relevant literature
Provide an overview of significant literature
Highlight key concepts
Analyse and organize
3
6
Describe
Summarize
Compare and contrast
Critically evaluate
Analyze
Organize

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Analyse and organize
3
7
Discover relationships between sources
Identify major themes and concepts
Identify consensus
Identify critical gaps and disagreements
Check limitations and directions for future
research
38
• Evaluate the sources: Is it primary or secondary source?
• Differentiate facts and opinions; Is it personal opinion or
results & findings based on a research study?
• Analyze and evaluate contradictory studies/results; is
there a possible explanation? Is it related to a certain
context/population…?
• Is there any gap in the existing literature?
• Is it up-to-date? Is it relevant?
• Who was studied? How the study was conducted?
Where it was published?
Analyse and organize

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39
• Make an outline
• Definitions
• Introduction of the main theory or theories that may
support your research
• Overview of previous research in this field or related
field, organize and summarize in a meaningful way;
avoid too broad and irrelevant info
• Similarities and differences identified in previous studies
(does it support or justify your planned research? Does it
point to certain directions of research? )
Analyse and organize
40
• Quote or provide a source when using
arguments/opinions or presenting findings from
other studies
• Organize content logically; explain each concept
and relevant/potential relationships; be precise
• be consistent in using terms
Write….

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41
• Present the most relevant arguments/
statements/evidence just before your own
research questions or hypothesis
• Use introductory and/or summary words
• FollowAPA writing style
How to write?
4
2
My literature review
Introduction
Article 1
Article 2
Chapter 1
Article 3
Book 1
Article 4
Article 5
……

22. 22
4
3
Main Concepts A, B, C
Main arguments, findings, conclusions
Research methods, context, population…
Introduction
Your
research
topic
Research
problem
4
4
What theories,
concepts,
arguments,
empirical
findings are
relevant for
your research
Do they support,
contradict, or
complement each
other

23. 23
4
6
What theories,
concepts,
arguments,
empirical
findings are
relevant for your
research
Do they support,
contradict, or
complement
each other
How do they
lead to your
research
(especially
your specific
research
questions)

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48
• Avoid too long, irrelevant information
• Avoid big words, or being too general
• Avoid repetition, summarize them
• Be focused, well-organized
• It is important to develop a logical framework for your
study
• Bear in mind that what is important is not just what has
been done, but why do you conduct this research
Some general guidelines

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49
• Take sufficient time to identify the best
descriptors and best preliminary, primary and
secondary sources in reviewing literature related to
your research problem or topic.
• Obtain and read at least the most important
primary sources for your literature review, rather
than relying on abstracts in preliminary sources or
summaries in secondary sources.
Some recommendations
50
• Examine critically all aspects of the research
methodology of an article before accepting a
researcher’s findings and interpretations as valid.
•Consider contrary findings and alternative
interpretations in synthesizing qualitative and
quantitative literature.
Some recommendations

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51
• Classify the publications that you have
identified as relevant to your literature review
into meaningful categories.
• When writing the literature review, make
explicit connections between the findings of your
literature review and your research questions,
hypotheses, or objectives that you plan to
investigate.
Some recommendations
52
use words such as
say/said
state(s)/stated….
point(s)/pointed out…
put forth…
argue(s)/argued…
investigated….
Some recommendations

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53
use words such as
find/found…
stress…
indicate….
emphasize…
validate….
conclude….
…
54
use words such as
confirm…
show…
suggest….
address….
examine…
believe…

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use words such as
support…
demonstrate…
comment….
agree….
disagree…
contend…
…
Some recommendations
56
use words such as
In the study of Author (2008)…
Author & Author (2010) point out…
The findings of Author et al. (2009) show
that….
Previous research (Author, 2001; Author,
2007) support…
Some recommendations

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Writing literature review
• What main theories
• What main empirical studies and results
• What variables, what are the relationships
between them
• What research context
5
7
Writing literature review
• How does it lead to your own research
questions?
• Does it point out directions for your study
(e.g. relationships between variables)?
• Can you put forth hypothesis based on
the literature review?
5
8

30. 30
Discussion
• Each group discuss
• One research article
• Read the literature review part
• Discuss the literature review is
organised, and how it is written
6
0

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32. 32
• Your group research plan
Or
• Individual research plan