Research Methodology Chapter 3.1

In any research endeavor, the collection and review of relevant literature play a crucial role. Literature collection refers to the process of gathering and examining existing scholarly works, research papers, books, and other relevant sources of information that are related to the research topic. This section will discuss the need for literature collection and its significance in the research process.

Importance of Literature Collection

• Building a Knowledge Base: Literature collection helps researchers build a strong foundation of knowledge on their research topic. By reviewing existing literature, researchers can gain insights into the current state of knowledge, identify gaps in the existing research, and understand the key concepts and theories related to their area of study.

• Identifying Research Gaps: Through literature collection, researchers can identify areas where further research is needed. By examining the existing literature, researchers can identify unanswered questions, conflicting findings, or areas that require further exploration. This helps in formulating research questions and objectives that contribute to the advancement of knowledge.

• Avoiding Redundancy: Literature collection helps researchers avoid duplicating previous research efforts. By reviewing existing literature, researchers can ensure that their research is novel and adds value to the existing body of knowledge. This prevents the repetition of studies and allows researchers to focus on new and unexplored areas.

• Formulating Research Hypotheses: Literature collection provides researchers with a foundation for formulating research hypotheses. By examining previous studies, researchers can identify patterns, trends, and relationships that can guide the development of hypotheses. This ensures that the research is grounded in existing knowledge and contributes to the existing theories or models.

• Methodological Guidance: Literature collection provides researchers with insights into the methodologies and research designs used in previous studies. By examining the methods employed by other researchers, researchers can learn from their successes and challenges. This helps in selecting appropriate research methods and designing robust studies.

The Review Process

The review process is an essential step in literature collection. It involves systematically searching, selecting, and critically evaluating relevant literature. 

The following steps are involved in the review process:

• Identifying Relevant Sources: Researchers need to identify relevant sources of information such as academic databases, libraries, online repositories, and scholarly journals. These sources provide access to a wide range of research articles, books, conference papers, and other scholarly works.

• Search Strategy: Researchers need to develop a search strategy to effectively retrieve relevant literature. This involves using appropriate keywords, Boolean operators, and search filters to narrow down the search results. Researchers may also consult subject experts or librarians for guidance in developing an effective search strategy.

• Screening and Selection: After retrieving a list of potential sources, researchers need to screen and select the most relevant ones. This involves reading abstracts, titles, and keywords to determine the suitability of the source for the research topic. Researchers may also use inclusion and exclusion criteria to further refine the selection process.

• Critical Evaluation: Once the relevant sources are selected, researchers need to critically evaluate the quality and reliability of the literature. This involves assessing the credibility of the authors, the rigor of the research methods, the validity of the findings, and the relevance to the research topic. Critical evaluation ensures that only high-quality and reliable sources are included in the literature review.

Consulting Source Material

Consulting source material is an integral part of the literature collection process. Researchers need to thoroughly read and analyze the selected sources to extract relevant information. This involves taking detailed notes, highlighting key findings, and summarizing the main arguments or theories presented in the literature. Consulting source material helps researchers gain a deeper understanding of the research topic and provides the necessary background knowledge for their own study.

Literature Citation

Proper citation of the consulted literature is essential in research writing. Researchers must acknowledge the original authors and give credit to their work. This not only demonstrates academic integrity but also allows readers to locate and access the cited sources for further reading. Various citation styles, such as APA (American Psychological Association) or MLA (Modern Language Association), provide guidelines for citing different types of sources, including books, journal articles, websites, and conference papers.

Finally, literature collection is a fundamental step in the research process. It helps researchers build a knowledge base, identify research gaps, avoid redundancy, formulate research hypotheses, and gain methodological guidance. The review process involves identifying relevant sources, developing a search strategy, screening and selecting literature, and critically evaluating the chosen sources. Consulting source material and properly citing the literature are essential for conducting rigorous and ethical research.

In the next three chapters we will learn about the i) literature review process, ii) consulting source material and iii) literarture citation in detail.