literature review 423
Getting Started
When writing a literature review, the first steps are to understand the elements of the literature review and decide how to organize the paper.
Simply stated, a literature review is a summary of the studies found in relation to the topic. To summarize the studies, the best approach is to identify the key elements of each study. This can be accomplished by using the Who, When, How, Why, and Four What4 Approach.
- Who conducted the study?
- When was the study conducted?
- How was the study conducted?
- Why was the study conducted?
- What1 sampling methodology was used?
- What2 data collection methods were used?
- What3 data analysis techniques were used?
- What4 were the findings of the study?
Upon successful completion of this assignment, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate in writing knowledge of developing a thorough literature review.
Resources
- Textbook: Practice-Based Research in Social Work
- Textbook: Writing Empirical Research Reports: A Basic Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences
- File: Purpose and Example of the Literature Review.pdf
- File: Example of Descriptive Literature Review.pdf
- File: Example of Qualitative Literature Review.pdf
- File: Example of Experimental Literature Review.pdf
Background Information
When summarizing the research studies that align with the problem of the study, it is best to use the Who, When, How, Why, and Four What Approach.
For example:
Jones and Johnson (2009) conducted a qualitative study to identify the perceptions of victims of domestic violence regarding the services within the community. Using a criterion sampling method, the study included 20 participants receiving services at a local domestic violence shelter. All of the participants had experienced some form of physical abuse within the past three months. Using semi-structured interviews, the researchers collected the data. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Four common themes emerged. First, the participants indicated that when working with the criminal justice system, they found female officers were more helpful and expressed more empathy compared to male officers. Second, the staff within the shelters were helpful; however, the shelters were often overcrowded. The treatment received from medical staff was a third theme. Participants indicated that the nurses and the doctors were caring and compassionate. Finally, the participants indicated difficulty receiving financial assistance in an effort to move forward with their lives.
In this study:
|
Who |
Jones and Johnson |
|
When |
2009 |
|
How |
Qualitative study |
|
Why |
To identify the perceptions of victims of domestic violence regarding services within the community |
|
What1 |
A criterion sampling method |
|
What2 |
Semi-structured interviews |
|
What3 |
Thematic analysis |
|
What4 |
Four common themes: female police officers demonstrated more empathy; staff at the shelters were helpful, but the shelters were overcrowded; medical staff were very compassionate; challenges with financial assistance, thus limiting the ability to move forward |
Instructions
- Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
- Review the following resources:
- Chapter 5 in your textbook Practice-Based Research in Social Work.
- Chapter 6 in your textbook Writing Empirical Research Reports.
- File: Purpose and Example of the Literature Review.pdf
- File: Example of Experimental Literature Review.pdf
- File: Example of Descriptive Literature Review.pdf
- File: Example of Qualitative Literature Review.pdf
- Go to the databases and find a minimum of six research studies that relate to your topic.
- Using Who, When, How, Why, and Four What, summarize the findings of your studies.
- Write a three-page paper about the studies using the thematic approach.
- Your paper should follow APA formatting and include a cover page, in-text citations, and a reference page.
