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HDFS Research Project: Literature Review

A collection of resources and guidance to support students on their Human Development Research Studies.

Definition

Literature Review: A literature review surveys articles, books, and other sources relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory, providing a description, summary, and critical evaluation of each work.

The review should highlight the most important studies and point to important past and current research and practices on your topic.

Step 1

  • State your research topic (or question); or, make a first attempt to get the process going. 

Step 4

Choose the exact information you want to use, to discuss, or to develop in your review. Look for the following things:

  1. Claims, conclusions, and findings about what you are investigating
  2. Definitions of terms
  3. Any follow-up studies relevant to your project
  4. Gaps you notice in the literature
  5. Disagreement about what you are investigating

Step 2

  • You should know or clarify what the review is for. For example, is it for “background”, or a “pro and con discussion”, "integration", “summarizing”, etc. You may have several purposes.

Step 5

  • Write drafts of 'the paper'. You work with the information you selected to develop the 'review' (e.g., summarize, synthesize, etc.).  And you cite the sources used.

Step 3

  • Do your search and choose sources that seem to have information on your topic.