What is Literature Review? Where do you start?

t? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Review of Literature

November 13, 2018

GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 1 / 14

What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

What is Literature Review?

Where do you start?

Searching for what you want

The “To-Be-Read” Pile

Writing the Literature Review

GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 2 / 14

What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Literature Review

I Literature is the collection of all scholarly writings on a particular

topic. It consists of -
I Articles published in journals/conference proceedings
I Books
I Technical reports etc.
I The objective of literature review can be to -
I write a review paper
I include the review in your thesis/dissertation.
I Two types of sources of literature -
I Primary sources - “original” information. E.g., research articles,
technical reports, dissertations etc.
I Secondary sources - sources that describe, summarize, or discuss
information that was originally presented in another source. E.g.,
scholarly review articles, textbooks etc.

GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 3 / 14

What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Where do you start?

1. Start with a product, process or problem (P). E.g., document

clustering, vehicular ad hoc networks, synthetic aperture sonar.
2. Identify an improvement or intervention (I) that you want to
perform on it. E.g., entropy, quality of service, height estimate.

GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 4 / 14

What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Searching for what you want (by topic)

I Start with your P and I terms as search keys 1 .

I If you retrieve too many items, narrow the search by restricting the
words to the title field.
I Look for alternate terms to your P and I terms used by authors.
E.g., VANETs, SAS..
I Repeat the search with the alternate terms/synonyms you had
identified before.
I Again look for alternate terms/synonyms in the search results and
repeat the search.

1 https://libguides.asu.edu/engineeringlitreview
GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 5 / 14
What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Searching for what you want (by topic)

I Start with your P and I terms as search keys 1 .

I If you retrieve too many items, narrow the search by restricting the
words to the title field.
I Look for alternate terms to your P and I terms used by authors.
E.g., VANETs, SAS..
I Repeat the search with the alternate terms/synonyms you had
identified before.
I Again look for alternate terms/synonyms in the search results and
repeat the search.

1 https://libguides.asu.edu/engineeringlitreview
GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 5 / 14
What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Searching for what you want (by topic)

I Start with your P and I terms as search keys 1 .

I If you retrieve too many items, narrow the search by restricting the
words to the title field.
I Look for alternate terms to your P and I terms used by authors.
E.g., VANETs, SAS..
I Repeat the search with the alternate terms/synonyms you had
identified before.
I Again look for alternate terms/synonyms in the search results and
repeat the search.

1 https://libguides.asu.edu/engineeringlitreview
GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 5 / 14
What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Searching for what you want (by topic)

I Start with your P and I terms as search keys 1 .

I If you retrieve too many items, narrow the search by restricting the
words to the title field.
I Look for alternate terms to your P and I terms used by authors.
E.g., VANETs, SAS..
I Repeat the search with the alternate terms/synonyms you had
identified before.
I Again look for alternate terms/synonyms in the search results and
repeat the search.

1 https://libguides.asu.edu/engineeringlitreview
GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 5 / 14
What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Searching for what you want (by topic)

I Start with your P and I terms as search keys 1 .

I If you retrieve too many items, narrow the search by restricting the
words to the title field.
I Look for alternate terms to your P and I terms used by authors.
E.g., VANETs, SAS..
I Repeat the search with the alternate terms/synonyms you had
identified before.
I Again look for alternate terms/synonyms in the search results and
repeat the search.

1 https://libguides.asu.edu/engineeringlitreview
GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 5 / 14
What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Searching for what you want (by topic)

I Start with your P and I terms as search keys 1 .

I If you retrieve too many items, narrow the search by restricting the
words to the title field.
I Look for alternate terms to your P and I terms used by authors.
E.g., VANETs, SAS..
I Repeat the search with the alternate terms/synonyms you had
identified before.
I Again look for alternate terms/synonyms in the search results and
repeat the search.
I Some databases have a controlled vocabulary e.g., subjects,
keywords etc., like E.g., mobile ad hoc networks, sonar. Search using
these.

1 https://libguides.asu.edu/engineeringlitreview
GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 5 / 14
What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Searching for what you want(by author/chronology)

I If an author or research group appears several times in your list, look

for other papers authored by him/her.
I Based on this new search, refine your search terms and look again.
I Go back and forward in time and search related papers.
I Look in references in each paper of your list.
I Look papers that cite the papers in your list.
I Keep yourself aware of the latest.
I Alerts (e.g.,“create alert” + “my library” in Google Scholar
I RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed (e.g., Feedly)

GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 6 / 14

What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Places to search
I Articles (in journals and magazines)
I ACM Digital Library and Guide to Computing Literature
I Compendex and Inspec
I Google Scholar
I Library One Search
I Scopus
I Web of Science
I Books
I Google Books
I Knovel
I Worldcat
I Conference Proceedings
I ACM Digital Library and Guide to Computing Literature
I Compendex and Inspec
I Google Scholar
I Dissertations and Theses
I Proquest
I Shodhganga
GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 7 / 14
What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Pruning the “To-Be-Read” Pile

I Check the sources.

I Who is the author? What are his/her credentials/ affiliation /area of
expertise?
I Who is the publisher?
I Is this reference most current and/or relevant to your topic?

GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 8 / 14

What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Tips to finish your TBR pile

I Set realistic goals.

I Keep your material in hand.
I Read it the right way.

GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 9 / 14

What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Read it the right way

I Never read a paper in a single pass2 .

I Pass 1 : Skim through the contents.
I Focus on the abstract
I Identify the following - problem, method, evaluation, conclusions.
I Pass 2 : Separate main points from secondary ones.
I Scrutinze visuals like diagrams and graphs.
I Look for words like “we develop/ propose / conclude / identify ..”
I Pass 3 : Do this only if the paper is very relevant to your work.
I Study the methodology, equations and evaluation in depth.
I Draw your own conclusions.

2 http://blizzard.cs.uwaterloo.ca/keshav/home/Papers/data/07/paper-reading.pdf
GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 10 / 14
What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Read it the right way

I Throughout, be very conscious of the following -

I What is the problem the authors are trying to solve? Why is it
important?
I Is their methodology and evaluation strategy good?
I Are there any drawbacks/flaws in their methodology/evaluation
strategy?
I Do you know all relevant terms and techniques to understand this?
I Take notes as you read.

GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 11 / 14

What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Synthesizing the information

3
I Create a synthesis matrix of the following (or in your own format):

Context Contribution Evaluation Strategy Drawbacks Other Point

Title 1
Title 2
Table: Syntehsis Matrix

3 https://guides.library.vcu.edu/ld.php?content d = 1720465
i
GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 12 / 14
What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

Writing the Literature Review

I The review can be organized chronologically or thematically.

I Always read and cite the original source.
I Don’t just quote. Instead -
I Paraphrase.
I Summarize/ analyze and clearly mention points you draw from or
gaps you fill.
I Synthesize.
I Be careful to cite properly and avoid accidental plagiarism.

GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 13 / 14

What is Literature Review? Where do you start? Searching for what you want The “To-Be-Read” Pile Writing the Literature Review

References

I https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/literature-reviews/
I http://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/types-of-writing/literature-review/
I https://libguides.asu.edu/engineeringlitreview/
I http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/ cain-
proj/courses/HowToReadSciArticle.pdf
I https://www.rlf.org.uk/resources/what-is-a-literature-review/
I https://www.elsevier.com/connect/infographic-how-to-read-a-
scientific-paper

GITAM (deemed to be University) Workshop on Research Methodology November 13, 2018 14 / 14