CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED
LITERATURE
PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1
 REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The review of literature is the process of compiling, classifying, and evaluating what
other researchers have written on a certain topic. It can be a partial component of a research
undertaking, but it can also stand alone as a self-contained review of writing on a subject. The
review of literature is a crucial aspect of research, and serves the following purposes:

1. It helps in placing the work being reviewed in its context.

2. It describes the relationship of each work to the research being undertaken.
3. It identifies new ways to interpret and shed the light to various gaps based from previous
researches.
4. It helps in solving conflicts among seemingly contradictory previous studies.
5. It identifies the areas that are subject to a prior study to prevent duplication of efforts.
6. It points to another research undertaking.

Types of Reading
The investigator’s reading skills are essential in conducting the review of literature. In
the book, Research in Nursing, Wilson (1990) identifies four different types of reading:
1. Elementary reading. This is the most common kind of reading. It consists merely of the
recognition of letters and basic sounds and the literal comprehension of sentences. It is
primarily useful that an individual can recognize letters and sounds correctly, but it is better if
he or she comprehends the ideas presented in each sentence after reading.
2. Systematic skimming. Research demands a lot of reading. Hence, the reader must establish
a system through which he or she can maximize time in searching for pertinent or relevant
literature. The reader must therefore choose wisely before investing time in a book or an
article.
The following are some guidelines for systematic skimming:
a. The title page and the preface of the abstract should be quickly read.
b. The table of contents should be studied carefully. Alternatively, the headings or subheads
of the article can be scanned. These act as roadmaps by informing the reader in advance
where he or she is headed.
c. The index should be checked. A quick estimate of the range of topics included should then
be made to see which ones are relevant to the study.
d. The publisher’s blurb or any boldface excerpts should be read. It is common for authors to
summarize their main points in these parts.
e. From the reader’s knowledge of the general nature of the book’s or article’s contents,
chapters or sections that seem pivotal should be carefully scrutinized. For example, in the
case of a research report, the section with the heading “Findings” or “Conclusions” should
be read.
f. Finally, the whole paper should be leafed through. It should be remembered to read a few
lines, because most authors sum up important points at the end.

3. Analytic reading. The reader asks questions to understand the article such as, “What is
the book or article all about?”, “What is being said in detail and how?”, and “What of it?”
He or she takes time to understand every detail of the place.
The following are some guidelines to analytical reading:
a. It should be discerned whether the findings reported in a book or an article satisfy the
canons of science or whether they were arrived at through personal trial and error, or what is
often called “conventional wisdom”.
b. It should be stated in a sentence or two what the reader has gained from reading.
c. The book or article should be thoroughly scanned to uncover the structure and
organization of the major parts.
d. The main questions or problems that the article or book is set out to answer or solve
should be determined. When reading a thesis, the reader should be able to do this by
comparing findings and conclusions to the purposes or objectives.
e. Important and unfamiliar words should be noted and defined.
f. The most important sentences in an article or book should be marked, and the propositions
they contain should be uncovered. This is the best done when reading the conceptual
framework of the study proposal or report.
g. The basic arguments or premises should be identified.
h. The solutions or conclusions an author has to come up with should be recognized even
before reading about them.
i. Before writing a critique paper, the reader should have a thorough understanding of its
contents.

4. Comparative reading. This is the highest level of reading which requires the reader to
place what he or she is currently reading in relation to other materials he or she has previously
read. This type of reading helps the reader identify the similarities and differences between two
or more articles in terms of their variables and propositions. This skill is very essential in
research, as one has to look for similar studies for the firm foundation of the study.
The following are some guidelines to comparative reading:
j. The passages that bear one’s questions, needs, or interests should be identified.
k. The ideas of the various authors using one’s own words should be expressed.
c. The reader should formulate his or her own set of questions. He or she should read
comparatively to determine how the respective authors address them.
d. Issues that emerge should be defined so that one can recognize, sort out, and resolve
controversies or contradictory findings in the literature.
e. The discussions read should be analyzed by asking, “Are they true?”
 CONDUCTING A REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Steps in Reviewing Literature
The review of related literature is a systematic process composed of three steps:

1. Finding relevant materials. It is the researcher’s priority to enrich his or her work by
reading literatures containing important data relative to his problem in order to fully
comprehend the variables being studied. The library is a good source for reference
materials such as journals, textbooks, reference books, abstract of thesis, dissertations, and
computers with internet access.
2. Actual reading. After the preselection process, the researcher must thoroughly critique
the contents of the materials. Critiquing involves asking questions which at this stage
should focus on the variables.
Some examples of questions to ask are as follows:
a. What variables are mentioned?
b. What are the characteristics or descriptions of the variables?
c. What relationship exists between the variables based on the information given?
d. How can the information provided in this material be of use to my research?

3. Note-taking. One of the characteristics of a good researcher is being systematic. He or she

must establish a system of note-taking to save time and effort. The researcher must take notes,
putting only the important data in his or her own words. It is suggested that the researcher
prepare index cards on which he or she can take down notes before gathering or searching for
reference materials for the review of literature. The note-taking process is useful, especially
when the researcher is already synthesizing and compiling ideas from the different references.
Note-taking also facilities consolidation of the literature gathered. The titles of the journals read
should also be indicated in the index cards.
Strategies in Reading Literature
There are three strategies in reading literature. These are as follows:
1. Previewing. It is the process of reading to get a general idea of the things to look for in
the text. Systematic skimming is done here.
2. Highlighting. It is done by physically marking the text to identify key details and to note
the relationships among ideas.
In using highlighting symbols, one should take note of the following:
a. The important ideas are underlined.
b. Words, phrases, or images that need further analysis should be boxed.
c. Question marks are written beside confusing passages, unfamiliar references, or words
that need to be defined.
d. Related words, ideas, or images are encircled. Lines can be drawn to show their
connection.
e. Incidents that occur in sequence are numbered.
f. Key portions of the text should be set off with a vertical line in the margin.
g. Stars are placed beside particularly important ideas.

3. Annotating. It is the recording of the reader’s reactions as marginal notes. In these notes,
one defines new words, identify allusions and patterns of language or imagery, summarize
plot relationships, list a work’s possible themes, suggest a character’s motivation, examine
the possible significance of particular images or symbols, or record questions that occur in
reading. Ideally, annotations will help one find ideas to write about.
The following are guidelines on how to annotate while and after reading (New Hampshire
School Administrative Unit #53, n.d.):
 While reading: After reading:
a. Ask questions
a. Give a title to the chapters or article
b. React to what you read sections
c. Give an opinion b. Summarize the material read
d. Locate important passages c. Respond to the reading itself
e. Make connections d. Make a prediction
f. Define new words
g. Track themes