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Writing a Literature Review
Fiona Royal Holloway University of LondonAutumn 2010
Outline of Session
What is a literature review?How to write a literature reviewChoosing and referencing literature
Objectives of a literature review
What is a lit review?A lit review should:Indicate why your study is importantSituate your study in the context of wider researchSummarize key arguments in a fieldDoesn’t have to cover ALL literature, just as relevant
What does a literature review contribute?
For yourselfShows you what’s been done before (and how they did it!)Indicates where your work can contributeAllows you to comment on previous work in the areaFocuses your studyFor your readersOutlines your position and theoretical stanceGives them an idea of what is to followDemonstrates your awareness of existing research
Where do you start?
TopicDevelop a “working title”Research questionWhat is it “about”?Hit the library!College library, British Library, other UoL Group librariesMetaLib, journals’ websites
Setting the parameters
Specify:SubjectSectorGeographical AreaPublication languagePeriod of publicationType of publicationE.g., a literature review of English language journal papers on staffing procedures in China published in the past ten years.
How to Write
Read journal papers for style-- how do pros do it?Logical structureIntroductionSubsectionsConclusionDoes your argument follow through?Beware of tangentsAll material should be relevant to your research question
Quotes versus Paraphrases
“I propose that the transfer, withholding and manipulation of knowledge forms a part of the strategic expression of identity, which is in turn a key aspect of negotiating culture in organisations” (Moore 2010)Moore argues that the transfer, withholding and manipulation of knowledge is part of the strategic expression of identity, which, she feels, is crucial to the negotiation of culture in organisations (2010).When is it plagiarism?Distinguish facts from opinions
How to be critical
Don’t just tell-- argue!Construct an argument through the literatureSet rival points of view against each otherBe fair and objectiveCriticise the work you citeWhat are the strengths and limitations of the study?What sort of paper is it? What is the data?Why do you agree/not agree with/partially agree with its conclusions?Does the argument always hold true?
Acceptable sources
Journals (Academic or Professional/Trade)MonographsEdited volumesThesesWhite PapersConference papersCertain reputable newspapers/sites e.g. Financial Times, BBC, The Economist
Questionable sources
Less reputable newspapers/sitesCompany reportsMagazine or “op-ed” articlesWhen are these sources acceptable?Context, nature of sourceAuthor/purposeAge of sourceNumber of instances citedUnacceptable sources!#p#分页标题#e#
Blogs, forums, social networking sites...Wikipedia, and anything with “Wiki” in its nameCorporate or training documents/websitesThe lower end of the newspaper/site market, e.g. USA TodayHow to tell if a source is unacceptable or questionableMisapplied sources
Proper referencing
Footnotes OR in-text citationsWhat to include: name, year, page or chapter reference if requiredThe City of London (also known as “The City” or “The Square Mile”) is an area of approximately one square mile in the centre of London, the political and economic capital of the United Kingdom (Augar 2000) [a whole work]. The City’s government has been effectively independent from that of the rest of London and indeed the United Kingdom since the ninth century (Ibid.) [same source]. Moreover, the City is also distinct from its host environment in that it is one of the principal “global cities,” to use Sassen’s phrase (1991: 1) [direct quotation]: that is to say, cities, such as London, New York and Tokyo, which have as many ties to places around the world as to their host countries (Dicken 2002: Chapter 17) [a specific chapter]. However, this has not always been the case: Augar likens the atmosphere of a merchant bank in the 1970s to that of an Oxbridge common room of the 1950s (2000: 20, 35) [close paraphrase].
Proper bibliographic style
Journal paperSackmann, S. A. and Phillips, M.E.( 2004) “Contextual Influences on Culture Research: Shifting Assumptions for New Workplace Realities.” International Journal of Cross-Cultural Management 4 (3): 370-390.Book ChapterAppadurai, Arjun (1990) “Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy.” In M. Featherstone (ed.), Global Culture: Nationalism, Globalization and Modernity, 90-120. London: Sage.BookMoore, F. (2005) Transnational Business Cultures: Life and Work in a Multinational Corporation. Aldershot: Ashgate
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Conference PaperPorter, M. (2007) Organisational Culture as a Strategic Tool: BMW Plant Oxford Case Study. Paper presented at the EIASM 5th Workshop on International Strategy and Cross Cultural Management, 28-29 September 2007, Istanbul, Turkey.Newspaper/Magazine (Anonymous source)Economist, The (2010) “What do China’s Workers Want?” The Economist, 1 August 2010, 35-36.Online SourceLane, Megan (2005) "I Don't Drive; Why Should I Care about Oil Prices?" BBC News Online. Available from
Lit review checklist
Is the review relevant to your research question and vice versa?Cover key arguments in the areaBe as up-to-date as possibleCite supporters and opponents of your position
Conclusions
The basics of literature reviewsGetting startedWriting upPractical issuesHow to be critical
Workshop Assignment
Write a short critical review of the following two articles:Hebert, L., Very, P. & Beamish, P. 2005. Expatriation as a bridge over troubled water: a knowledge-based perspective applied to cross-border acquisitions. Organization Studies, 26 (10): 1455-1476. Vaara, E. 2003. Post-acquisition integration as sensemaking: Glimpses of ambiguity, confusion, hypocrisy, and politicization. Journal of Management Studies, 40 (4): 859-894.#p#分页标题#e#
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