Reasons and Purposes for Literature Reviews
A literature review should be included in project proposals and reports because it shows the research problem and its significance. It is described as a piece of academic writing that demonstrates knowledge of the published literature on a certain topic (Badenhorst, 2019). Based on this definition, a literature review should be included because it helps identify gaps in the existing literature and contribute to new knowledge. A project proposal needs to show how it fits into what is already known about the studied topic. Therefore, a literature review makes the proposals and reports different from other research.
A literature review is a foundation for a knowledge of the concept being addressed in the project. The review aids in understanding the content of existing sources. Once a concept has been defined, a search of relevant works of literature can help discover what is already known about the concept and how thoroughly it has been investigated (Badenhorst, 2019). A literature study can also help a researcher identify crucial questions regarding a notion that needs further research. A review facilitates the adoption of a more relevant approach for the research by examining the merits and shortcomings of previous research on a comparable topic.
A comprehensive literature review adds value to the legitimacy and reliability of research. It is scientifically and statistically designed and uses original research rigor to eliminate any form of bias (Badenhorst, 2019). It increases the general acceptance of the outcome of the research by the audience. An all-inclusive literature review has the best chance of becoming a significant source of evidence for decision-making (Badenhorst, 2019). It also helps to effectively determine a viable research gap among existing sources for further analysis.
Source Acquisition Strategy
The components of a good information source acquisition strategy entails key details about the article and key phases. The strategy should include the name of the literature, author, date of publication, and search strategies used when looking for various pieces of literature (Lubke et al., 2017). For example, when looking for an article or book, it is important to clearly state important aspects, such as the author’s names. Apart from the details about the author and article, the other component is the search strategies as the use of key terms (Lubke et al., 2017). One can use terms such as Medline, PubMed, and many more when obtaining information in the field of medicine.
Research strategies can aid in organizing ideas prior to conducting a study. It is crucial to come up with a technique because it allows an individual to understand various research techniques and cultivate knowledge to formulate an efficient research approach (Lubke et al., 2017). In addition, conducting prior research enables a researcher to identify the most suitable tools and acknowledge the value of re-checking research. With an effective plan, a researcher can develop a vision as well as direction for the entire process (Lubke et al., 2017). Therefore, it is important to have goals and strategies to follow to attain the set goals.
Some of the challenges experienced when obtaining information are difficulty finding relevant and up-to-date sources and the absence of training for data collection. First, it is challenging to find relevant and current pieces of literature because of the existence of numerous sources (Lubke et al., 2017). Second, it is the lack of knowledge on how to collect data effectively. If a researcher does not have adequate skills, they may not know the techniques to obtain information, such as key phrases. For instance, they may not be able to develop effective keywords. The main challenges witnessed when obtaining sources are the difficulty in locating sources and inadequate skills.
My Progress with Reviewing the Literature
Finding information for the literature review might be a daunting task for people who do not have the skills. Previously, it was challenging for me to find the right sources. However, I can now effectively locate articles or books for my review by using the right techniques. For example, I use search strategies such as phrase searching, truncation, and others to acquire information. I also make sure that I use limiting factors such as dates and authors to make sure that I obtain up-to-date information. Moreover, I use the reliable sites, such as PubMed, when looking for medicine-based articles. Therefore, using available techniques, I have been able to get the sources I want.
The main problem that I usually experience when obtaining information is the barriers to the accessibility of some articles. Some of the databases require a researcher to pay to access them. As a result, it becomes costly to access the articles or books for review, especially when a number of them are required for review. A solution to this problem is using available databases and libraries. Some of the databases that a researcher can use to access works of literature are Google Scholars, PubMed, and Social Science Research Network. Although it can be difficult to access some article, visiting the right database could be a solution.
I can assist my colleagues in addressing the challenges of retrieving sources using the techniques I have learned and applied. For example, I will persuade my colleagues to use techniques such as search strategies like phrase searching and key terms. I will also advise my colleagues to use reliable databases to eliminate the barriers experienced when searching for relevant and up-to-date sources. Using the right technique when searching for articles improves accessibility.
References
Badenhorst, C. M. (2019). Literature reviews, citations and intertextuality in graduate student writing. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 43(2), 263-275.
Lubke, J., Britt, V. G., Paulus, T. M., & Atkins, D. P. (2017). Hacking the literature review: Opportunities and innovations to improve the research process. Reference and User Services Quarterly, 56(4), 285-295.