Literature Review

Syllabus

Primary and secondary sources, Reviews, Monograph, Patents, Research databases, Web as a source, Searching the web, Critical literature review, identifying gap areas from literature and research database, Development of working hypothesis.

1. Define Primary and Secondary Sources with Examples

   • Primary Sources: Original materials or evidence directly related to a topic. Examples: research articles, theses, patents, lab data, interviews.

   • Secondary Sources: Interpretations or analyses based on primary sources. Examples: review articles, textbooks, commentaries.

2. Define Different Types of Reviews in Literature Review
   Literature reviews can include:

   • Narrative or traditional reviews

   • Systematic reviews

   • Meta-analyses

   • Scoping reviews

   • Critical reviews

   • Integrative reviews

3. Describe the Following Reviews with Their Description, Purpose, and Limitations

   • Narrative Review (Traditional Review):
     Description: Summarizes the literature without a structured methodology.
     Purpose: Broad overview of a topic.
     Limitations: Subjective, prone to bias.

   • Systematic Review:
     Description: Follows a structured, transparent method for identifying and analyzing studies.
     Purpose: To minimize bias and provide high-quality evidence.
     Limitations: Time-consuming, may exclude relevant studies due to strict criteria.

   • Meta-Analysis:
     Description: Statistical technique combining results from multiple studies.
     Purpose: To identify overall trends and effect sizes.
     Limitations: Only applicable when quantitative data is available and studies are comparable.

   • Scoping Review:
     Description: Maps the existing literature on a broad topic.
     Purpose: Identify gaps, scope, and types of evidence.
     Limitations: Less detailed assessment, not usually quality-focused.

   • Critical Review:
     Description: Evaluates the quality and validity of existing literature.
     Purpose: To challenge assumptions and explore theoretical frameworks.
     Limitations: Subjective, requires expertise.

   • Integrative Review:
     Description: Synthesizes data from theoretical and empirical literature.
     Purpose: To create new perspectives or frameworks.
     Limitations: Difficult to ensure consistency across different types of studies.

4. What is a Monograph? Its Role and Need in Literature Review
   A monograph is a detailed written study on a single specialized subject or aspect of a subject.
   Role: It provides deep insights and comprehensive background for scholarly research.
   Need: Useful for developing in-depth understanding and context during a literature review.

5. What is a Patent? Specify Its Role in Literature Review
   A patent is a legal document granting exclusive rights to an invention.
   Role: Provides information on novel techniques and innovations.
   Use: Helps identify technological trends, innovation gaps, and prior art.

6. Why and How Are Patents Used in Literature Review?

   • Why: To discover non-academic but valuable technical innovations.

   • How: By searching patent databases (e.g., Google Patents, USPTO) to identify existing inventions and avoid duplication of research.

7. Define Different Research Databases in Literature Review with Pros and Cons
   Examples include:

   • PubMed
     Pros: Biomedical focus, free access.
     Cons: Limited outside health sciences.

   • IEEE Xplore
     Pros: Excellent for engineering and technology.
     Cons: Subscription-based.

   • Scopus/Web of Science
     Pros: Broad coverage, citation tracking.
     Cons: Expensive subscriptions.

   • Google Scholar
     Pros: Free, broad coverage.
     Cons: Lacks advanced filtering; includes non-peer-reviewed sources.

8. What Are Web Sources in Literature Review? When Is It Appropriate to Use Them?
   Web sources include websites, blogs, forums, and news articles.
   Appropriate Use: For up-to-date information, policy documents, government reports, and real-world data when peer-reviewed sources are lacking.

9. How to Evaluate Web Sources? Give Example
   Evaluation criteria:

   • Authority (Who is the author/publisher?)

   • Accuracy (Is the information supported by evidence?)

   • Objectivity (Is it free from bias?)

   • Currency (Is it up to date?)

   • Coverage (Is the topic covered in depth?)

   Example: A government website (e.g., WHO.int) is considered credible for health-related data.

10. What Is a Working Hypothesis? Its Role in Literature Review
    A working hypothesis is a provisional idea or assumption used as a starting point for further investigation.
    Role: Helps guide the direction of the research based on gaps identified in the literature.

11. Define Different Steps to Develop a Working Hypothesis in Literature Review with an Example
    Steps:

    • Conduct a comprehensive literature review.

    • Identify trends, contradictions, and gaps.

    • Formulate questions based on observed gaps.

    • Develop a hypothesis addressing the gap.

    Example:

    • Observation: Limited research on solar energy adoption in rural India.

    • Working hypothesis: "Lack of financial support is the primary barrier to solar energy adoption in rural Indian households."

12. How to Identify Research Gaps from Literature Review and Literature Databases? Define the Steps
    Steps:

    • Review recent and relevant publications.

    • Note inconsistencies, unanswered questions, or limited coverage.

    • Analyze conclusions and future work sections of key papers.

    • Use research databases to check saturation or lack of studies in specific areas.

    • Synthesize findings to define a clear gap and potential area for further research.