You are here

Seven Steps to a Comprehensive Literature Review
Share

Seven Steps to a Comprehensive Literature Review
A Multimodal and Cultural Approach

First Edition


February 2016 | 440 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
This dynamic guide to doing literature reviews demystifies the process in seven steps to show researchers how to produce a comprehensive literature review. Teaching techniques to bring systematic thoroughness and reflexivity to research, the authors show how to achieve a rich, ethical and reflexive review.

 

What makes this book unique:

  • Focuses on multimodal texts and settings such as observations, documents, social media, experts in the field and secondary data so that your review covers the full research environment
  • Puts mixed methods at the centre of the process
  • Shows you how to synthesize information thematically, rather than merely summarize the existing literature and findings
  • Brings culture into the process to help you address bias and understand the role of knowledge interpretation, guiding you through
  • Teaches the CORE of the literature review – Critical thinking, Organization, Reflections and Evaluation – and provides a guide for reflexivity at the end of each of the seven steps
  • Visualizes the steps with roadmaps so you can track progress and self-evaluate as you learn the steps

This book is the essential best practices guide for students and researchers, providing the understanding and tools to approach both the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of a rigorous, comprehensive, literature review.


 
PART ONE: OVERVIEW
 
Chapter 1: Foundations of the Literature Review
 
Chapter 2: The Literature Review
 
Chapter 3: Methodology of the Literature Review
 
PART TWO: EXPLORATION
 
Chapter 4: Step 1: Exploring Beliefs and Topics
 
Chapter 5: Step 2: Initiating the Search
 
Chapter 6: Step 3: Storing and Organizing Information
 
Chapter 7: Step 4: Selecting/Deselecting Information
 
Chapter 8: Step 5: Expanding the Search: Media, Observation(s), Documents, Experts and Secondary Data
 
PART THREE: INTEGRATION
 
Chapter 9: Step 6: Analyzing and Synthesizing Information
 
PART FOUR: COMMUNICATION
 
Chapter 10: Step 7: Presenting the CLR Report: Planning Phase
 
Chapter 11: Step 7: Presenting the CLR Written Report
 
APPENDICES
 
Appendix A: Supplemental Tables of Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Research Designs
 
Appendix B: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Legitimation Frameworks

I trialled this excellent guide with final year undergraduate dissertation students. They appreciated its clarity and structure. So I will be using it with doctoral students.

Dr Richard William Whitecross
Business School, Edinburgh Napier University
January 25, 2016

Students find literature reviews challenging. I found this work helped a group of dissertation students work through the development of their reviews.

Dr Richard William Whitecross
Business School, Edinburgh Napier University
January 25, 2016

This is, as the title indicates, a comprehensive and detailed textbook on the why, wherefore and how to approach and conduct a literature review. This is a rewarding and informative read. The authors have set the book up in stages with well defined different types of review together with a rationale and purpose for each. Throughout there is guidance and examples. A great strength of the book is the focus on cultural aspects of literature and this is a welcome appeal to a global audience. This is an excellent companion guide for postgraduate students and will also offer some sound advice to more experienced researcher.

Dr Amanda Bingley
Division of Health Research , Lancaster University
March 3, 2016

I love this book. It is clear, concise and really useful for my postgraduate students many are practising teachers and find engagement with literature problematic. This book has been a great help. It is a joy!

Irena Andrews
School of Education, Brighton University
January 21, 2016

An easy to follow instructional guide which leads researchers through the process of carrying out literature review. It also provides a checklist allowing self evaluation

Mr Charles ELLIS
School of Forensic & Investigative Sciences, University of Central Lancashire
June 7, 2016

a comprehensive overview of the literature review, commonly perceived as something to fear by students. clearly outlines key features, gives examples and tools, uses different styles to maintain the reader's interest

Mrs Ruth McGrath
Law and Policing Department, University of Teesside
June 7, 2016

This is a useful textbook. The 7 steps breakdown is a helpful way of breaking the task into manageable pieces that students can digest. It is both theoretical and comprehensiveve

Mr Bren Cook
Health , University of Bolton
March 3, 2016

The book provides a comprehensive view to relevant steps my students can choose to perform a systematic literature review.

Professor Alfred Zimmermann
Faculty of Informatics, Reutlingen University of Applied Sci
June 6, 2016

The best book on the market in literature reviews--highly helpful even for more experienced students.

Professor Claas Christian Germelmann
Business Administration , University of Bayreuth
June 6, 2016

Very thorough, accessible and will meet student needs. An excellent resource.

Dr Daren Britt
School of Applied Social Science, Brighton University
March 7, 2016

For instructors

Select a Purchasing Option


Rent or Buy eBook
ISBN: 9781473944121

Hardcover
ISBN: 9781446248911
$164.00

Paperback
ISBN: 9781446248928
$56.00