Research Methods: Doing a literature review

Author/s

Eira Patterson

Affiliations

University of Winchester

Abstract / Introduction

Doing a literature review: How to find and make sense of published research

This guide is designed to help you to:

  • understand how to use other people’s writing to inform your own research;
  • develop a strategy for carrying out a search of the literature;
  • organise the themes logically;
  • evaluate the research you read;
  • think about the features of a reflective literature review and explore how to achieve this in practice.
Strength of Evidence

This MESHGuide draws on a range of key literature in the field of social science research. Also its design has been informed by lessons learned from personal research, which has focussed on the following areas:

  • developing effective collaborative learning in science
  • factors influencing learning through play in the early years
  • student teachers’ engagement with research and its impact on their developing practice
  • constructivist informed practice in science within initial teacher education
  • creativity in learning and teaching.
Date of publication
4 May 2015
Date of revision
4 May 2019
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