Approaching literature review for academic purposes: The Literature Review Checklist

1. What is the primary purpose of conducting a literature review (LR) in a dissertation/thesis?

A

To summarize and analyze the research findings of the dissertation/thesis.

B

To identify significant aspects of the topic and offer an alternative perspective.

C

To discuss and interpret the research results within the LR.

D

To provide a comprehensive overview of the historical context of the topic.

2. Which of the following is NOT one of the three domains in which a postgraduate student's progress is evaluated while conducting a literature review (LR)?

A

Effective literature search

B

Language domain

C

Critical writing

D

Experimental research skills

3. What level of Bloom's cognitive skills should the postgraduate student aim for while writing a literature review (LR)?

A

Knowledge

B

Comprehension

C

Application

D

Evaluation

4. What are the generally accepted steps for developing a literature review?

A

Defining the main topic, searching the literature, analyzing the results, and writing

B

Planning, conducting interviews, collecting data, and writing

C

Reviewing previous studies, developing a research question, conducting experiments, and analyzing data

D

Brainstorming ideas, creating an outline, conducting surveys, and presenting findings

5. What is the purpose of reflecting on the information written in previous publications during the literature review process?

A

To find additional sources to include in the review

B

To evaluate the quality and credibility of the sources

C

To identify gaps in the existing research and propose further investigation

D

To summarize the main findings of the previous publications

6. What is the role of librarian support in the literature review process?

A

Conducting the entire literature search on behalf of the student

B

Providing guidance on effective literature search techniques

C

Writing the literature review section of the thesis

D

Evaluating the credibility of the sources included in the review

7. What should students consider when selecting documents for inclusion in the literature review?

A

Only include the most recently published peer-reviewed papers

B

Exclude any unpublished material or conference abstracts

C

Carefully evaluate the relevance and credibility of each document

D

Rely solely on books as primary sources for the review

8. What is an important component of the analyzing the results step in the literature review process?

A

Reading documents superficially without taking any notes

B

Assessing the popularity and impact factor of the journals in which the documents are published

C

Asking critical questions about the research objectives, methodology, and findings of each document

D

Skimming through the full text without thoroughly understanding the content

9. What is the significance of reflecting on the writing in the literature review process?

A

To identify areas of improvement and refine the written material

B

To eliminate any repeated ideas or ambiguities in the review

C

To determine the appropriate citation and referencing style for the review

D

To finalize the writing and consider the review as a completed work

10. What does a critical examination in the field involve in an LR?

A

Presenting a negative critique of previous studies

B

Expressing the writer's personal bias and beliefs

C

Contextualizing contradictory statements

D

Analyzing the historical context of the field

11. In the LR, how should the topic or problem be placed in relation to the broader scholarly literature?

A

By citing and referencing previous publications extensively

B

By presenting a linear timeline of theories and statements

C

By offering a new perspective and relating to the chosen main topic

D

By synthesizing all theories and concepts simultaneously

12. What does the LR checklist suggest about resolving ambiguities in definitions?

A

Addressing and contemplating different theories and concepts

B

Synthesizing all theories and concepts at the same time

C

Avoiding in-depth reading on a particular topic

D

Focusing on the student's research problem only