EDCI 6300
Intro to Research
Lynda Cannedy
Topics #14-#19
Topic #14 –Reasons for Reviewing Literature
1. When planning research, identification of a broad problem area (A) should come first.
2. If a researcher replicated a study but used a sample from a different population, the researcher
conducted a modified replication.
3. It should be no surprise to a researcher to find conflicting results in the research literature on a
given topic.
4. The statement is false because most students new to research will find that new research
almost always has its origins in existing research. The insight would not be there.
5. In journal articles, the literature review is usually integrated into the introduction.
6. A review of literature helps justify a study by establishing the importance of the topic and
showing how the research flows from previously published research.
Topic #15 – Locating Literature Electronically
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The ERIC database is free of charge to any user.
The first step in searching a database is to examine its thesaurus.
A scope note is a brief definition of a term used to indicate the scope of the term.
The terms found in the ERIC thesaurus are known as descriptors.
Alcohol abuse OR treatment (B) will yield a larger number of results than alcohol abuse AND
treatment.
6. The researcher will use the logical operator NOT.
7. Discipline AND rewards (B) would yield a smaller number of results than separate searches for
each term.
Topic #16 – Organizing a Literature Review
1. In this topic, the first mentioned way to begin a review is to identify the broad problem area and
indicate why it is important.
2. The second mentioned way to begin a review is to start with a conceptual definition of a key
variable.
3. Statistics can be cited to establish the importance of a topic.
4. Major and minor subheadings within a topic-by-topic description of relevant research should be
provided to guide readers through a long literature review.
5. Instead of writing a series of abstracts, the writer should group references together when they
have something in common.
6. Yes, it is appropriate to use more than one reference to substantiate a point.
Topic #17 – Preparing to Write a Critical Review
1. In this topic, the first mentioned mistake that novice writers make is to assume the results of
each study are proven facts.
EDCI 6300
Intro to Research
Lynda Cannedy
2. The second mentioned mistake that novice writers is that they often discuss all studies as
though they were equal in quality when some studies are methodologically superior to others.
3. According to this topic, it is true that researchers usually work with samples that are less than
ideal.
4. It is safe to assume that all instruments are flawed to some extent so the statement is false.
5. Researchers often discuss the limitations of their studies, usually in the last section of their
reports.
6. When a writer presents a finding or statement without qualification, the readers are likely to
assume that the writer believes the underlying methodology and logic are reasonably sound.
Topic #18 –Creating a Synthesis
1. The statement is false because a literature review should be a synthesis – providing a whole
picture.
2. True, a key to creating a synthesis is to write a review that moves from subtopic to subtopic
rather than from one study to another.
3. It is desirable to point out major trends and commonalities in the results of previous research.
4. It is desirable to point out gaps in the literature.
5. The methodology employed in each of the studies cited in a review need not be described in
detail.
6. It would be appropriate to devote one or more paragraphs to describe a particular author’s
written work when the work is central to one or more points being made in the literature
review.
7. Direct quotations should be used sparingly because they break the flow of a presentation.
8. A brief summary of the literature review placed at the end of a review can help readers to grasp
the whole of the literature review.
Topic #19 – Citing References
1. APA adopted and modified the Harvard method, also known as the author-date referencing
system.
2. Citing a reference by putting the author’s surnames in parentheses emphasizes the content of
the statement.
3. Making the authors’ last names the subject of sentences is helpful when a reviewer wants to
compare and contrast the findings or thoughts of two or more authors.
4. A writer can use e.g. to begin a list of sample references instead of citing all references relevant
to a particular topic.
5. In APA style, the reference list should contain only references for citations made in the body of
the literature review.
6. In a citation for a journal article, the title of the article should not be italicized.
7. In the reference for a book, the title should be italicized.
8. In APA style, a comma is used between the names of two authors.