Writing the Literature Review

are usually driven by the context of previous knowledge, with specific research questions in mind.

The (1)_______ indicates the variables or constructs under consideration while the (2)_______surfaces the arguments of the study

This begins the (1)______ of the research process wherein the literature review leads to the identification of the research approach and design.

The role of a ______ is to provide a tentative explanation to these questions which serves as a basis of the solutions to the identified problems in the investigation.

is a “logical supposition , a reasonable guess, an educated conjecture that is based on an extensive review of literature.

It is usually triggered by constant recurring situations in our daily life that prompts the normal reaction of the brain. Whenever something happens, the natural tendency is to give possible reasons for its occurrence. We then try to gather data so as to prove which of these reasons are correct.

can be the claim of the researcher/s, or assumptions, or what the researcher/s wanted to determine.

(2) includes in the formulating the hypothesis

which is denoted by Ho is the assumption about the behavior of the population or sample observation

which is denoted by Ha is the opposite statement of the other hypothesis. It is the claim or assumption that we are attempting to establish

are intelligent, tentative guesses that tell us about how a research problem may be resolved

is of prime importance in an investigation. The entire study rests upon the potential significance of the hypotheses.

indicators of usable hypotheses:

The hypothesis must be easily understood by the readers. Readers may not always come from the same field of endeavor as yours, so it is necessary that you use plain and simple words which have a universal meaning.

used in the formulation of the hypothesis should be operationally defined which means that it’s meaning should be in accordance to how it is used in the study.

A list of the definition of important terms will come in handy when the _______ will be written. These definitions should be cross referenced in order to establish the acceptability of its meaning in the field.

By a testable hypothesis, it means that deductions can be made which can be established or refuted by a survey, an experiment or an observation. Testing of the hypothesis must be done within a reasonable period of time so that its results will be timely to serve its purpose. Therefore, even a well-written hypothesis is nothing if it cannot be tested or if it will require a long period of time to prove.

__________ may either support or not support the hypothesis. So there is no need to intentionally prove that the hypothesis is correct even if it is not. We have to bear in mind that a hypothesis is just a possible explanation of the research question or subproblems which may or may not be true. This is the reason why a hypothesis still needs to be tested. Therefore, whatever result the investigation may have, as long as the research was done with rigor and sophistication then the results will still prove to be acceptable.

It should not be formulated out of gut feel or moral judgments. The need to hypothesize it may come from contradictory results of previous researchers or it may not have been done yet. It is for this reason that prior to hypothesis formulation, an extensive review of related literature should have been undertaken first. Additionally, a good hypothesis should be able to refute, qualify, or support an existing theory or concept in the field.

All the operations and predictions indicated in the hypothesis must be clearly stated if it deals with differences, relationships, or effects. It is tempting to hypothesize using grand ideas because it seems to be impressive and important. But if it is not feasible it is better for the students, who are neophyte researchers, to avoid such problems and instead develop their research skills upon more doable things.

Types of Hypotheses According to Relationships among the Variables

is a tentative explanation of expected relationships between two or more variables as derived from an extensive review of literature and the researcher’s experience

are more specific, testable, and indicative of expected results

indicates the researcher’s expectations of what the results will be prior to data collection.

deals with the relationships in the behavioral patterns between two variables without any implied causality

deals also with behavioral patterns as well but causality is implied.

It should explicitly state the test variable and the grouping variable.

indicates the variable to which differences are taken.

Test variable may be measured using any of the four scales:

The _______ indicates the number of groupings or samples that are being compared. This is only measured in the nominal scale.

Types of Hypotheses According to Form

indicates no relationship between and among the variables under investigation (no correlation, no difference, no effect)

indicates a significant relationship

There should only be one claim per hypothesis, either there is a relationship or no relationship

is a tentative theory regarding the topic under investigation usually shown in a diagram

(2) elements of the conceptual framework, namely:

A. the type of (1)_______ under investigation grouped according to how readily it can be (2)_____ and
B. the (3)______ relationship between any two variables.

These are variables which can be readily measured. They are observable variables like the demographic profile of the respondents and thus well need only one question to measure the said variables.

Age, occupation, ⁠temperature, and amount of fertilizer are some examples of _______. A rectangular shape is used to illustrate these variables.

These variables cannot be readily measured by a single question. These are several indicators of a _________ and there is a need to ask several questions before one can measure it.

Happiness, job satisfaction, attitude, and perception are some examples of ______. It is represented by an oval in the conceptual framework.

Three possible relationships exist between any two variables, namely:

are expressed using the double-bladed arrow

make use of a straight line

is shown using the single-bladed arrow from independent to dependent variables

is of the related reference materials read for the study a written synthesis such as journal articles, books, and other documents that describe the past and current state of information about the focus of the study. It lays down the organization of the literature into subtopics so as to surface the need for the study and the arguments of the study

Information included in the review may also come from newspaper or magazine articles, conference papers, and government documents relevant to the study

refers to concept papers, theses and dissertations uploaded in the Internet by an individual or an illegitimate group, which were not peer-reviewed by experts in the field.

“ ______ when they present a seemingly legitimate face for an illegitimate publication process that lacks basic industry standards, sound peer-review practices, or a solid basis in publication ethics. Such journals exploit the pressure to publish and the desire for access, and create confusion on the part of prospective authors and readers”

The literature review section of the research paper contains the (1)_____ and (2)______ of the arguments of the study.

It should be able to provide the readers with: concise, objective, and logical summary of the current information about the topic of interest. Structuring the review so that it is presented in a clear, coherent, and consistent manner is vital. It is necessary to develop the proper outline first before starting to write.

A well-organized literature review will consist of

is a vital component in any research undertaking. No research can proceed without writing down what one has read about the research topic, putting things in the proper perspective, documenting what has already been done, with the goal of surfacing what else needs to be done.

T or F. Writing the literature review does not entail only summarizing what authors of previous researches done.
True False

When constructing the review of related literature, the researcher must be able to ensure the following:

Provide (1)_______ of the study and (2)______ the relationship between the proposed research and previous research, both empirical and theoretical.
Show how the proposed study is (3)_____ from previous research.
Convince the reader that the study is (4)_____ and worthwhile.
Demonstrate a (5)______ as a scholar, not simply a knowledge of others’ works (e.g., “Jones says…” “Anderson states…”). Formulate an (6)_______ from your perspective.
Make (7)________ and convince the reader of their legitimacy by providing logical and (8)__________. All assertions must be accompanied by empirical support.

All the variables in the conceptual framework should be discussed in a separate section in the literature review, with the goal of surfacing the argument stated in the hypothesis.

Taking into account the research articles reviewed when the conceptual framework was developed, each section should contain two essential elements: the (1)_______ and the (2)_______

should contain the definition of the variable and its historical development. It should likewise contain a synthesis of the findings from previous researches that will either support or contradict the hypothesis relative to the variable being discussed.

will contain a summary or the researcher’s perceived manifestation of the findings from previous researches and then provide the proofs of such assertion as stated by the authors of the said researches.

After the synthesis of all the reviewed related literature has been written down, transition statements vis-à-vis the analysis of such synthesis should be indicated. This will surface the rationale for the hypothesis concerning the variables or a statement leading to the argument of the study should be explicitly written. This will allow the researcher to indicate whether the said hypothesis has not been investigated yet or had produced conflicting results as indicated in the synthesis.

The adequacy of the review of related literature is judged using three criteria:
the selection of the (1)_____,
the synthesis and analysis of the (2)______, and the
(3)_______ of the literature to the current study.