...What is a literature review? Put simply, it is an analysis of prior academic research so as to identify the who, what, where, and whys’ of the chosen topic area. You may or may not have conducted what some academics call a preliminary study – a brief search into the existing academic work in your chosen topic. After all, for some students carrying out primary research it’s vital that their work has never been carried out before and these initial studies are crucial when identifying a unique topic for research. In some subject areas, it may be difficult, if not impossible to identify areas for primary research and therefore a preliminary study may not be necessary (secondary research is usually carried out as a result). Whatever the starting point, the literature review forms one of the first major pieces of work in a dissertation. There are several main reasons why you would undertake a literature review. The first is to enable you, the author, to become absolutely clear on what it is you have chosen to research and study. By understanding other academic literature you can gain an understanding of what has been and is currently being researched. This will help with your own work by identifying windows of opportunity and helping to cement your research questions. For some subjects you may find there has not been much prior research in your field of study, in which case your literature review will have to be less specific and the academic net in which you search will have to be...
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...Systematic reviews constitute a valuable source of evidence for informed practice. By using transparent and systematic methods to collect, assess, summarise and synthesise evidence, they aim to provide an unbiased conclusion about the effect of interventions (Snilstveit, 2012). Policy makers can access to high quality evidence and use the findings of systematic reviews to make evidence-informed decisions (Petticrew and Roberts, 2006). Critical appraisal is the process of systematically and carefully examining research evidence to assess its trustworthiness, its value and relevance in a specific context (Mhaskar et al., 2009). The critical appraisal of the quality of systematic reviews is central to evidenced-based policymaking, allowing practitioners...
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...Clinically Induced Hypothermia in the Management of Severe Head Injury: A Review of the Evidence PAGE 1. Title Page 2. Acknowledgements 3. Contents 4-5. Abstract 6-7. Introduction 8-11. Methods 9. i) Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria 10. ii) Limitations of Search 11. iii) Critical Framework 12-26. Critical Review of the Data 13. i) Study Aims & Design 19. ii) Sampling & Controls 25. iii) Results 27-36. Discussion 32. i) Implications for Practice 37-41. References 42. Appendix 1) – The Four Stages of Research 43. Appendix 2) – Database Search (Hard Copy Only) 44-49. Appendix 3) – Example (1) Using the CASP Framework 50-55. Appendix 3) – Example (2) Using the CASP Framework 56. Appendix 4) – Summary of Studies (Hard Copy Only) 57. Appendix 5) – Intracranial Pressures 58. Appendix 6) – Type 1 & 2 Errors 59. Appendix 7) – The Hawthorne Effect 60. Appendix 8) – The Glasgow Outcome Score 61. Appendix 9) – The Hierarchy of Evidence ABSTRACT Medically induced hypothermia has been used as a neuro-protector to try and limit the consequences of severe brain injury for more than fifty years but it is only recently that its effectiveness has been assessed using randomised controlled trials. Under certain circumstances clinically induced hypothermia has already been proven to be beneficial by providing a degree of neuroprotection in post-cardiac arrest patients. As such it has recently...
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...Literature Review Handout Liberty University Online Writing Center Handout Description A review of literature is a critical analysis of a portion of the published body of knowledge available through the use of summary, classification, and comparison of previous research studies, reviews of literature, and journal articles (“How to Write a Literature Review”, 2012). This handout discusses the reasons for writing a literature review and presents its various requirements. It examines what a literature review is, as well as what it is not; it distinguishes between the literature review and the annotated bibliography. Like many academic writing assignments, there is not one universal standard for writing a literature review. Its format can differ from discipline to discipline and from assignment to assignment. There is, however, an overall structure that is commonly used across various disciplines, and this format is examined in more detail. The handout concludes with some helpful “tips and tricks” for preparing a literature review. Disclaimer: The content of a literature review may vary from discipline to discipline and from assignment to assignment. The literature review content recommended in this handout is that which is most commonly included. If in doubt about what you should include in your literature review, please consult your professor. Literature Review Handout Defining a Literature Review ...
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...Nu. 345 Literature review is defined as the identification and analysis of relevant publications that contain information pertaining to the research problem (Fain, 2013, pg. 73). A comprehensive literature review helps the researcher build a foundation for his or her own research as well as creates a scholarly foundation. By starting with a literature review a researcher can determine which articles are pertinent to his or her topic. Fain (2009) has determined while doing a literature review, the researcher needs to determine how far back the articles should go, what type of literature should be researched as well as how many articles and books are needed for an adequate literature review. There are a few steps that need to happen in order to ensure an exhaustive literature review has occurred. The researcher should begin with a PICOT question- generated keywords (Melnyk & Fineout-Overhold, 2011, pg. 69). Additional steps would include the following; establishing inclusion/exclusion criteria prior to searching to ensure that the answer question is identifiable; using controlled vocabulary headings; using tools in different database software can also aid in different aspects of the search, such as expanding the search and using the explode option (Melnyk & Fineout-Overhold, pg. 69). It is important to understand certain statistical data associated with the research when performing critical appraisal of the literature because the researcher needs to ensure the statistics...
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...any) | | Please read the following and sign where indicatedDECLARATION: I declare the attached assignment is my own work and has not previously been submitted for assessment. This work complies with Curtin University of Technology rules concerning plagiarism and copyright. [Refer to www.policies.curtin.edu.au/documents/unit_outlines_plagiarism_state.doc for plagiarism and copyright information.] I have retained a copy of this assignment for my own records. Signed: Date: | PART C – to be completed by Lecturer: Comments to Student | | | | | | | | | | | | Recorded Mark: | | Lecturer: | | Date: | Content Page 1) Introduction 2) Objective 3) Information Source 4) Key search terms and Boolean Operators 5) Critical Appraisal Checklist 6) Conclusion 7) References Introduction Nurses are the front liners in many diverse ways of healthcare. Many a time, nurses stand as the primary contact person of witnessing a patient who collapse and reach a state of cardiac arrest (Heng, Seow & Tham, 2011). Therefore, the nurses’ response following that is crucial, showing how essential it is for a nurse to be well-educated with resuscitation skills to not only...
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...please specify the question you have chosen | People experience distress in different ways and so attempting to measure it Is pointless | Banner ID number(this is an 8 digit number, preceded by the letter ‘B’, e.g. B00123456) | B00188060 | Have you been granted a formal extension? | YES Audrey Cund Revised submission deadline for extension: 18th DEC 15 | Contents page Page 2 Introduction Page 3 Literature search Page 5 Critical Appraisal of a Quantitative Study Page 8 Critical Appraisal of a Qualitative Research Study Page 10 Conclusion Page 12 Appendix 1 Page 15 Appendix 2 Page 18 Appendix 3 Page 21 References Critical Appraisal of Quantitative and Qualitative Nursing Research Introduction Contemporary nursing continues to not only strive for evidence based practice, which according to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) 2008 Code of Performance and Ethics should be part of nurse’s professional responsibilities but the nursing profession should look to develop this knowledge further. Nursing research allows nurses to develop critical and questioning skills which identify the strengths and weaknesses of the research findings or to establish if any further research is required (Le May and Holmes, 2012). This assessment will be focusing on critically appraising a quantitative and...
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...Introduction By general agreement and on the basis of first hand experience, the review of literature in most student research (and some professional academic research too) is clumsy, naive, turgid, confusing and often down right dull. But given the central importance the literature review holds in our academic writing tradition, and its pivotal role in the academic assessment of research why are we still executing them so badly? Specifically, why do students find them so difficult to write? And academics find them so disheartening to read? There is no shortage of guidance in how to undertake a literature review. Comprehensive guides to business research such as Gill and Johnson (1991) or Cooper (1989) contain some guidance. More comprehensive are the general thesis guides such as Dunleavy (2003), Teitelbaum (1998), Baker (2003), or Evans (1996). There are also many specific guides to undertaking a literature review such as Baker (2000), Rowley and Slack (2004) or Hart (1999). Indeed, any competent trawl of the internet will generate innumerable guides and resources from universities around the world. The issue it seems is not the lack of guidance, but how such guidance is translated into the finished product. As a consequence this article focuses upon how to write the literature review, some techniques that can be used to ^ Correspondence: Mark Gabbott, Department of Marketing, Monash University, P.O. Box 197, Caulfield East Melbourne, Vic 3145, Australia, Tel: 00 61 3 9903...
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...Chapter 4 Reviewing the existing literature and engaging with what others have written: You need to review the existing literature because: – you want to know what is already known about your area of interest so you don't just reinvent the wheel. – Your literature review is where you demonstrate that you are able to engage in scholarly review based on your reading and understanding of the work of others. – Using the existing literature on a topic is a means of developing an argument about the significance of your research and where it leads. – A means of affirming your credibility as someone who is knowledgeable in your chosen area. Being able to interpret what they have written. The purpose of exploring the existing literature should be to identify the following issues: – What is already known about this area? – What concepts and theories are relevant to this area? – What research methods and research strategies have been employed in studying this area? – Are there any significant controversies? – Are there any inconsistencies in findings relating to this area? – Are there any unanswered research questions in this area? Purpose: – Assessing plan design – Identify potential concepts and variables – What types of methods have been used? – Interpreting your findings Getting the most from your reading: When you are reading do the following: • Take good notes, including details of the material...
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...Doing a literature review This Advice Sheet introduces you to the basics of compiling a Literature review. What is a literature review? 1 What it is not …. 1 Approaches needed …. 1 Approaching your review …. 2 Writing the review …. 3 What is a literature review? • • • Further reading …. 4 • It is a critical and evaluative account of what has been published on a chosen research topic. Its purpose is to summarise, synthesise and analyse the arguments of others. (It is not an academic research paper, the main purpose of which is to support your own argument.) You should describe and analyse the knowledge that exists and what gaps occur in research related to your field of interest. (This should clarify the relationship between your own research and the work that has previously been done.) It should reveal similarities and differences, consistencies and inconsistencies and controversies in previous research. What it is not It is not primarily an argument for the importance of what it is you are researching. While it is necessary to explain what is the primary purpose of your research, the reader of a literature review will assume that the need for undertaking the research has already been established. It is not a descriptive list of papers or summaries. You must not just list your sources and describe them in detail one at a time. A literature review is organised around ideas, not the sources themselves as an annotated bibliography would be organised. You should...
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...How the death of a patient can impact on nurses: A literature review During 2012 there were 499,331 deaths registered in England and Wales, a rise of 3.1% compared with 2011. Almost half of these occurred in National Health Service Hospitals. (Office for National Statistics, 2012). These figures indicate a substantial amount of individuals dying in a hospital setting each year, therefore a large proportion of patients will be receiving some form of care prior to and at death (Blackwell 2010 p.1). Numerous research studies have been carried out by theorists identifying the impact of bereavement on different individuals. The earliest thorough study of grief and loss developed from Freud with his classic paper ‘Mourning and Melancholia’ (Freud 1917 cited in Payne et al 1999). Freud believed that for the bereaved to detach from the deceased one must work through their grief by reviewing memories and thoughts of the deceased (Ellman 2010). Other theorists have recently identified death and the importance of understanding it. 'Death is a natural progression from life. Most nurses will be exposed to the physical and emotional effects of this experience as they care for a dying patient. The nurse is taught how to provide support for the patient and family as they proceed through the stages of grief. Often, however the nurse may not realise his or her own need to grieve'. (Brosche 2003 p. 173). Although nurses try to remain professional whilst at work...
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...THE LITERATURE REVIEW: A FEW TIPS ON CONDUCTING IT What is a review of the literature? A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. Occasionally you will be asked to write one as a separate assignment (sometimes in the form of an annotated bibliography—see the bottom of the next page), but more often it is part of the introduction to an essay, research report, or thesis. In writing the literature review, your purpose is to convey to your reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. As a piece of writing, the literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g., your research objective, the problem or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of the material available, or a set of summaries. Besides enlarging your knowledge about the topic, writing a literature review lets you gain and demonstrate skills in two areas: 1. information seeking: the ability to scan the literature efficiently, using manual or computerized methods, to identify a set of useful articles and books critical appraisal: the ability to apply principles of analysis to identify unbiased and valid studies. 2. A literature review must do these things: a) be organized around and related directly to the thesis or research question you are developing b) synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known c)...
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...“The research process” Flowchart 1. Identify the research problem: In this first phase you consider a research problem based in your interests and in your field. 2. Perform a literature review: Search for literature related to the problem to gain knowledge about the topic. 3. State the purpose of the study: It is important to be specific and clear when stating your purpose at the study. 4. Develop a research plan: Steps for developing and conducting your research that includes also how and when to collect data. 5. Contact stakeholders: Includes internal and external members of an institution who must review your research before conducting it, explaining and describing the potential benefits and plans of your research. 6. Conduct the study: Data collection begins and then is analysed to determine the significance of the results. 7. Summarize the results: Develop a conclusion of your results, as well as some suggestions and improvement if needed. Words: Conduct: The way that something is managed or directed. Example: He conducted research about scientific excavations. Implication: Something that is suggested, or happens, indirectly. / A possible future effect or result. Example: His implication of immediate changes surprised us. Parameters: A rule or limit that controls what something is or how something should be done. Example: Ministers will meet next week to set the parameters for the peace conference. Derived:...
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...An Investigation into the use of cord treatments on the newborns umbilical cord and the reduction of infection. A LITERATURE REVIEW. Kathrine Hill Student Health Visitor. Bolton University. 2014. Word count: 3720. An investigation into the use of cord treatments on the new-borns umbilical cord and the reduction of infection. A Literature Review. INTRODUCTION. The purpose of this literature review is to examine the evidence surrounding umbilical cord care in the new-born and what part the use of topical treatments play (if any) in the reduction of infection to the new-born infant. The umbilical cord is a unique tissue consisting of two arteries and one vein. Wharton’s jelly surrounds the vessels. During pregnancy the umbilical cord assists the placenta by transporting nutrients and waste products to and from the fetus. (Fraser, M. et al 2009). Following delivery of the neonate the cord goes through a process were it dries out, hardens and turns black. The area goes through a process of colonization due to non-pathogenic organisms that pass from mum to baby via skin to skin contact following delivery. The umbilical vessels remain patent for several days following birth and are a susceptible site for infection. Potentially harmful organisms can be spread by cross infection, often caused by poor hand washing techniques of Healthcare workers and the infant’s carers. (Davies, S. 2008). The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports each year one third of neonatal...
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...summarize the current literature on racial and gender disparities in critical care and the mechanisms underlying these disparities in the course of acute critical illness. Data Sources: MEDLINE search on the published literature addressing racial, ethnic, or gender disparities in acute critical illness, such as sepsis, acute lung injury, pneumonia, venous thromboembolism, and cardiac arrest. Study Selection: Clinical studies that evaluated general critically ill patient populations in the United States as well as specific critical care conditions were reviewed with a focus on studies evaluating factors and contributors to health disparities. Data Extraction: Study findings are presented according to their association with the prevalence, clinical presentation, management, and outcomes in acute critical illness. Data Synthesis: This review presents potential contributors for racial and gender disparities related to genetic susceptibility, comorbidities, preventive health services, socioeconomic factors, cultural differences, and access to care. The data are organized along the course of acute critical illness. Conclusions: The literature to date shows that disparities in critical care are most likely multifactorial involving individual, community, and hospital-level factors at several points in the continuum of acute critical illness. The data presented identify potential targets as interventions to reduce disparities in critical care and future...
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