Literature Review MPA lectures
AM_1251
VU Amsterdam
CONTENTS
Video Lectures 1 & 2: Types of LR and review question ...................................................... 2
Types of literature review ......................................................................................................2
Review question & exploratory search...................................................................................3
Video Lecture 3: Search Strategy .................................................................................... 5
Introduction.........................................................................................................................5
Where to search...................................................................................................................6
Live Lecture 2: searching and screening literature ............................................................ 8
Search strategy ....................................................................................................................9
Searching tools .................................................................................................................. 10
Using AI in literature searching ........................................................................................... 11
Live Lecture 3: Data extraction...................................................................................... 11
Qualitative data analysis (QDA) .......................................................................................... 12
Data extraction form .......................................................................................................... 13
Video Lecture 6: Critical Reading .................................................................................. 14
Critical reading .................................................................................................................. 14
Assessing study quality ...................................................................................................... 14
Critical analysis ................................................................................................................. 15
Video Lecture 7: Analysis and Synthesis ........................................................................ 15
Analysis............................................................................................................................. 16
Synthesis........................................................................................................................... 16
Video Lecture 8: Realist synthesis................................................................................. 19
Video Lecture 9: Framework Synthesis .......................................................................... 20
Video Lecture 10: Meta analyses ................................................................................... 21
Meta analyses (MA) & clinical relevance.............................................................................. 21
Heterogeneity .................................................................................................................... 23
Interpretation .................................................................................................................... 25
,Video Lectures 1 & 2: Types of LR and review question
Types of literature review
What is a literature review?
- A critical assessment of published literature on a particular topic
- It is not a list like an annotated bibliography in which a summary of each source is listed
one by one
- A literature review requires you to think critically
o Strengths and weaknesses of existing research
o Why and how you think their ideas or theories might be improved
Critical assessment
- Synthesis is a key aspect!
- Classification, comparison and/or evaluation of the current knowledge
o Substantive findings, issues and themes
o Population, interventions, outcomes
o Theoretical contributions
o Methodological contributions
o Open questions (avenues for further investigation)
o Contradictions
- Review must compare and contrast the existing views
o Holistic perspective on the topic
o Combining knowledge and understanding what has been written
o More than just an annotated bibliography
Why write a review?
- There must be a need for the review
- Literature review must contribute to the existing knowledge base
o Creating a new dimension or fresh perspectives, e.g.
▪ Research agenda
▪ What works
▪ Taxonomy
▪ Alternative model / conceptual framework
o Keep in mind: it is not just a summary
TWO TOPICS
Mature topics
- Large corpus
- Need for a review, critique and potential reconceptualization
- Ambiguities, contradictions, and gaps in the knowledge base
New/emerging topics
- Small corpus
- Initial or preliminary conceptualisation (i.e. new model, framework)
- Synthesis of the literature to date
2
, SALSA framework
Search, AppraisaL, Synthesis and Analysis
Systematic review
Key phases
1. Mapping the field through a scoping review
2. Comprehensive search
3. Quality assessment
4. Data extraction
5. Synthesis
6. Write up
Systematic Review X Systematic Approach
- With a review, reviewers follow a strict
protocol
- Explicit and rigorous methods to identify, critically appraise, and synthesize relevant
studies in order to answer a predefined question
o Comprehensive searching strategy
o Develop inclusion and exclusion criteria
o Critical appraisal to ensure that only high quality papers are included
o The findings of all the papers are then pulled together and combined using a
systematic approach
Configurative reviews → try to interpret and understand a certain topic by configuring
information and developing rather than applying concepts. Therefore, these reviews are seeking
concepts to provide enlightenment to new ways of understanding
Aggregative reviews → collecting empirical data predefined concepts they follow an aggregative
logic because they are adding up, aggregating observations to make empirical statements. This
research is for evidence-informed decision making.
Review question & exploratory search
Key dimensions on which reviews differ
3
AM_1251
VU Amsterdam
CONTENTS
Video Lectures 1 & 2: Types of LR and review question ...................................................... 2
Types of literature review ......................................................................................................2
Review question & exploratory search...................................................................................3
Video Lecture 3: Search Strategy .................................................................................... 5
Introduction.........................................................................................................................5
Where to search...................................................................................................................6
Live Lecture 2: searching and screening literature ............................................................ 8
Search strategy ....................................................................................................................9
Searching tools .................................................................................................................. 10
Using AI in literature searching ........................................................................................... 11
Live Lecture 3: Data extraction...................................................................................... 11
Qualitative data analysis (QDA) .......................................................................................... 12
Data extraction form .......................................................................................................... 13
Video Lecture 6: Critical Reading .................................................................................. 14
Critical reading .................................................................................................................. 14
Assessing study quality ...................................................................................................... 14
Critical analysis ................................................................................................................. 15
Video Lecture 7: Analysis and Synthesis ........................................................................ 15
Analysis............................................................................................................................. 16
Synthesis........................................................................................................................... 16
Video Lecture 8: Realist synthesis................................................................................. 19
Video Lecture 9: Framework Synthesis .......................................................................... 20
Video Lecture 10: Meta analyses ................................................................................... 21
Meta analyses (MA) & clinical relevance.............................................................................. 21
Heterogeneity .................................................................................................................... 23
Interpretation .................................................................................................................... 25
,Video Lectures 1 & 2: Types of LR and review question
Types of literature review
What is a literature review?
- A critical assessment of published literature on a particular topic
- It is not a list like an annotated bibliography in which a summary of each source is listed
one by one
- A literature review requires you to think critically
o Strengths and weaknesses of existing research
o Why and how you think their ideas or theories might be improved
Critical assessment
- Synthesis is a key aspect!
- Classification, comparison and/or evaluation of the current knowledge
o Substantive findings, issues and themes
o Population, interventions, outcomes
o Theoretical contributions
o Methodological contributions
o Open questions (avenues for further investigation)
o Contradictions
- Review must compare and contrast the existing views
o Holistic perspective on the topic
o Combining knowledge and understanding what has been written
o More than just an annotated bibliography
Why write a review?
- There must be a need for the review
- Literature review must contribute to the existing knowledge base
o Creating a new dimension or fresh perspectives, e.g.
▪ Research agenda
▪ What works
▪ Taxonomy
▪ Alternative model / conceptual framework
o Keep in mind: it is not just a summary
TWO TOPICS
Mature topics
- Large corpus
- Need for a review, critique and potential reconceptualization
- Ambiguities, contradictions, and gaps in the knowledge base
New/emerging topics
- Small corpus
- Initial or preliminary conceptualisation (i.e. new model, framework)
- Synthesis of the literature to date
2
, SALSA framework
Search, AppraisaL, Synthesis and Analysis
Systematic review
Key phases
1. Mapping the field through a scoping review
2. Comprehensive search
3. Quality assessment
4. Data extraction
5. Synthesis
6. Write up
Systematic Review X Systematic Approach
- With a review, reviewers follow a strict
protocol
- Explicit and rigorous methods to identify, critically appraise, and synthesize relevant
studies in order to answer a predefined question
o Comprehensive searching strategy
o Develop inclusion and exclusion criteria
o Critical appraisal to ensure that only high quality papers are included
o The findings of all the papers are then pulled together and combined using a
systematic approach
Configurative reviews → try to interpret and understand a certain topic by configuring
information and developing rather than applying concepts. Therefore, these reviews are seeking
concepts to provide enlightenment to new ways of understanding
Aggregative reviews → collecting empirical data predefined concepts they follow an aggregative
logic because they are adding up, aggregating observations to make empirical statements. This
research is for evidence-informed decision making.
Review question & exploratory search
Key dimensions on which reviews differ
3
