Types of literature review

Summary

In this video, Noel introduces the concept of literature reviews in research, explaining its importance and the different types. He covers four main types of literature review: Traditional (Narrative) which summarizes existing research, Systematic which takes a rigorous approach to compile all related studies, Meta-Analysis which combines quantitative studies for statistical analysis, and Meta-Synthesis which focuses on qualitative research and interpretation. The video helps viewers understand how each type serves different research purposes, from summarizing findings to analyzing patterns in both qualitative and quantitative studies.

Takeaways

• 😀 The first step in research is selecting a research problem, such as 'prevention of cancer.'
• 😀 A literature review follows the research problem and involves searching for previous knowledge related to the topic.
• 😀 Traditional (or narrative) literature review provides an overview of research findings, summarizing and synthesizing the results.
• 😀 In traditional literature reviews, researchers collect literature from both primary (their own research) and secondary (others' research) sources.
• 😀 Systematic literature reviews use a more rigorous approach and provide a list of both published and unpublished studies on a specific topic.
• 😀 The goal of a systematic review is to offer detailed information by analyzing all relevant studies, regardless of whether they are published.
• 😀 Meta-analysis focuses on quantitative studies, combining their results statistically to analyze similarities or differences.
• 😀 In meta-analysis, researchers use statistical techniques to analyze data from multiple studies on the same topic, like cancer prevention.
• 😀 Meta-synthesis is used for qualitative studies and is a non-statistical method for combining, evaluating, and interpreting qualitative findings.
• 😀 The purpose of meta-synthesis is to identify common themes and elements in qualitative research across studies on the same or similar topics.

Q & A

What is the purpose of a literature review in research?

The purpose of a literature review is to search for, collect, and summarize existing knowledge and previous research related to a specific research topic, helping researchers understand what has already been studied and identify gaps for further investigation.

What is the difference between a primary and a secondary source in a literature review?

A primary source is when the researcher conducting the study writes the research report or dissertation themselves, while a secondary source is when someone else writes about research conducted by another person.

What is a traditional or narrative literature review?

A traditional or narrative literature review provides an overview or summary of research findings on a particular topic. It involves collecting a large volume of literature from primary and secondary sources, summarizing it, and synthesizing the information.

What is the main aim of a traditional literature review?

The main aim is to collect a large volume of literature, summarize it, and synthesize it by integrating and arranging the findings into a coherent overview of the topic.

How does a systematic literature review differ from a traditional literature review?

A systematic literature review uses a rigorous and careful approach to include all published and unpublished studies on a specific topic, aiming to provide a comprehensive and unbiased overview, unlike the broader summary approach of a traditional review.

What is a meta-analysis, and when is it used?

A meta-analysis is a statistical technique used to combine and analyze the results of multiple quantitative studies conducted on the same topic. It evaluates similarities and differences in numerical findings to provide a more robust conclusion.

Why is meta-analysis considered a quantitative method?

Because it combines studies that produce numerical results, allowing statistical techniques to analyze patterns, similarities, and differences across multiple studies.

What is a meta-synthesis, and how does it differ from meta-analysis?

A meta-synthesis is a non-statistical technique used to integrate, evaluate, and interpret results from multiple qualitative studies on the same topic. Unlike meta-analysis, it focuses on identifying common themes and elements rather than numerical analysis.

What is the main purpose of meta-synthesis?

The main purpose of meta-synthesis is to identify common elements and themes across multiple qualitative studies, providing deeper insights and interpretations of research findings.

Can you give examples of topics suitable for each type of literature review?

Yes: Traditional review: overview of cancer prevention studies; Systematic review: all published and unpublished studies on diabetes management; Meta-analysis: quantitative studies on blood pressure medication effects; Meta-synthesis: qualitative studies on patient experiences with chronic illness.

Why is it important to choose the appropriate type of literature review?

Choosing the right type ensures that the review aligns with the research question, the type of data available (qualitative or quantitative), and the goal of the study, whether it is summarizing knowledge, providing comprehensive coverage, or analyzing patterns and themes.