LITERATURE REVIEW

A literature review is a scholarly paper, which includes the current knowledge including
substantive findings, as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular
topic. Literature reviews are secondary sources, and do not report new or original experimental
work.

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses)
on a particular topic. It gives an overview of key findings, concepts and developments in relation
to a research problem or question. ... Analyze, interpret and critically evaluate the literature.

Guidelines for writing a literature review

What is a literature review?
A literature review is not an annotated bibliography in which you summarize briefly
each article that you have reviewed. While a summary of the what you have read is
contained within the literature review, it goes well beyond merely summarizing
professional literature. It focuses on a specific topic of interest to you and includes
a critical analysis of the relationship among different works, and relating this research
to your work. It may be written as a stand-alone paper or to provide a theoretical
framework and rationale for a research study (such as a thesis or dissertation).

Step-by-step guide
These guidelines are adapted primarily from Galvan (2006). Galvan outlines a very
clear, step-by-step approach that is very useful to use as you write your review. I have
integrated some other tips within this guide, particularly in suggesting different
technology tools that you might want to consider in helping you organize your review.
In the sections from Step 6-9 what I have included is the outline of those steps exactly
as described by Galvan. I also provide links at the end of this guide to resources that
you should use in order to search the literature and as you write your review.

In addition to using the step-by-step guide that I have provided below, I also
recommend that you (a) locate examples of literature reviews in your field of study
and skim over these to get a feel for what a literature review is and how these are
written (I have also provided links to a couple of examples at the end of these
guidelines (b) read over other guides to writing literature reviews so that you see
different perspectives and approaches: Some examples are:

1. Review of Literature: University of Wisconsin - Madison The Writing Center.

2. How to ..Write a Literature Review: University of California, Santa Cruz
University Library).
 3. Information Fluency - Literature Review: Washington & Lee University
4. How to Do A Literature Review? North Carolina A&T State University F.D.
Bluford Library.
5. Selected Links to Resources on Writing a Literature Review

Step 1: Review APA guidelines

Read through the links provided below on APA guidelines so that you become
familiar with the common core elements of how to write in APA style: in particular,
pay attention to general document guidelines (e.g. font, margins, spacing), title page,
abstract, body, text citations, quotations.

Step 2: Decide on a topic

It will help you considerably if your topic for your literature review is the one on
which you intend to do your final M.Ed. project, or is in some way related to the topic
of your final project. However, you may pick any scholarly topic.

1. a framework/context for your study.

2. Import your references into your RefWorks account (see: Refworks Import
Directions for guide on how to do this from different databases). You can also
enter references manually into RefWorks if you need to.

1. Decide on the format in which you will take notes as you read the
articles (as mentioned above, you can do this in RefWorks. You can also
do this using a Word Processor, or a concept mapping program like
Inspiration (free 30 trial download), a data base program (e.g. Access or
File Maker Pro), in an Excel spreadsheet, or the "old-fashioned" way of
using note cards. Be consistent in how you record notes.
2. Define key terms: look for differences in the way keys terms are defined
(note these differences).
3. Note key statistics that you may want to use in the introduction to your
review.
4. Select useful quotes that you may want to include in your
review. Important: If you copy the exact words from an article, be sure
to cite the page number as you will need this should you decide to use
the quote when you write your review (as direct quotes must always be
accompanied by page references). To ensure that you have quoted
accurately (and to save time in note taking), if you are accessing the
article in a format that allows this, you can copy and paste using your
computer "edit --> copy --> paste" functions. Note: although you may
collect a large number of quotes during the note taking phase of your
 review, when you write the review, use quotes very sparingly. The rule I
follow is to quote only when some key meaning would be lost in
translation if I were to paraphrase the original author's words, or if using
the original words adds special emphasis to a point that I am making.
5. Note emphases, strengths & weaknesses: Since different research studies
focus on different aspects of the issue being studied, each article that you
read will have different emphases, strengths. and weaknesses. Your role
as a reviewer is to evaluate what you read, so that your review is not a
mere description of different articles, but rather a critical analysis that
makes sense of the collection of articles that you are reviewing. Critique
the research methodologies used in the studies, and distinguish between
assertions (the author's opinion) and actual research findings (derived
from empirical evidence).
6. Identify major trends or patterns: As you read a range of articles on your
topic, you should make note of trends and patterns over time as reported
in the literature. This step requires you to synthesize and make sense of
what you read, since these patterns and trends may not be spelled out in
the literature, but rather become apparent to you as you review the big
picture that has emerged over time. Your analysis can make
generalizations across a majority of studies, but should also note
inconsistencies across studies and over time.
7. Identify gaps in the literature, and reflect on why these might exist
(based on the understandings that you have gained by reading literature
in this field of study). These gaps will be important for you to address as
you plan and write your review.
8. Identify relationships among studies: note relationships among studies,
such as which studies were landmark ones that led to subsequent studies
in the same area. You may also note that studies fall into different
categories (categories that you see emerging or ones that are already
discussed in the literature). When you write your review, you should
address these relationships and different categories and discuss relevant
studies using this as a framework.
9. Keep your review focused on your topic: make sure that the articles you
find are relevant and directly related to your topic. As you take notes,
record which specific aspects of the article you are reading are relevant
to your topic (as you read you will come up with key descriptors that you
can record in your notes that will help you organize your findings when
you come to write up your review). If you are using an electronic form
of note taking, you might note these descriptors in a separate field (e.g.
in RefWorks, put these under User 2 or User 3; in Excel have a separate
 column for each descriptor; if you use Inspiration, you might attach a
separate note for key descriptors.
10. Evaluate your references for currency and coverage: Although you can
always find more articles on your topic, you have to decide at what point
you are finished with collecting new resources so that you can focus on
writing up your findings. However, before you begin writing, you must
evaluate your reference list to ensure that it is up to date and has reported
the most current work. Typically a review will cover the last five years,
but should also refer to any landmark studies prior to this time if they
have significance in shaping the direction of the field. If you include
studies prior to the past five years that are not landmark studies, you
should defend why you have chosen these rather than more current ones.

Step 5: Summarize the literature in table or concept map format

1. Galvan (2006) recommends building tables as a key way to help you overview,
organize, and summarize your findings, and suggests that including one or
more of the tables that you create may be helpful in your literature review. If
you do include tables as part of your review each must be accompanied by an
analysis that summarizes, interprets and synthesizes the literature that you have
charted in the table. You can plan your table or do the entire summary chart of
your literature using a concept map (such as using Inspiration)
1. You can create the table using the table feature within Microsoft Word,
or can create it initially in Excel and then copy and paste/import the the
Excel sheet into Word once you have completed the table in Excel. The
advantage of using Excel is that it enables you to sort your findings
according to a variety of factors (e.g. sort by date, and then by author;
sort by methodology and then date)
2. Examples of tables that may be relevant to your review:
1. Definitions of key terms and concepts.
2. Research methods
3. Summary of research results

Step 6: Synthesize the literature prior to writing your review

Using the notes that you have taken and summary tables, develop an outline of your
final review. The following are the key steps as outlined by Galvan (2006: 71-79)

1. Consider your purpose and voice before beginning to write. In the case of this
Educ 7001 introductory literature review, your initial purpose is to provide an
overview of the topic that is of interest to you, demonstrating your
understanding of key works and concepts within your chosen area of focus.
 You are also developing skills in reviewing and writing, to provide a
foundation on which you will build in subsequent courses within your M.Ed.
and ultimately in your final project. In your final project your literature review
should demonstrate your command of your field of study and/or establishing
context for a study that you have done.
2. Consider how you reassemble your notes: plan how you will organize your
findings into a unique analysis of the picture that you have captured in your
notes. Important: A literature review is not series of annotations (like an
annotated bibliography). Galvan (2006:72) captures the difference between an
annotated bibliography and a literature review very well: "...in essence, like
describing trees when you really should be describing a forest. In the case of a
literature review, you are really creating a new forest, which you will build by
using the trees you found in the literature you read."
3. Create a topic outline that traces your argument: first explain to the reader your
line or argument (or thesis); then your narrative that follows should explain and
justify your line of argument. You may find the program Inspiration useful in
mapping out your argument (and once you have created this in a concept map
form, Inspiration enables you to convert this to a text outline merely by clicking
on the "outline" button). This can then be exported into a Microsoft Word
document.
4. Reorganize your notes according to the path of your argument
5. Within each topic heading, note differences among studies.
6. Within each topic heading, look for obvious gaps or areas needing more
research.
7. Plan to describe relevant theories.
8. Plan to discuss how individual studies relate to and advance theory
9. Plan to summarize periodically and, again near the end of the review
10. Plan to present conclusions and implications
11. Plan to suggest specific directions for future research near the end of the review
12. Flesh out your outline with details from your analysis
The situation

On 12 January 2020, the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Institute

of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST- PHIVOLCS) raised an Alert Level 4 after
increasing activity of Taal Volcano, which is located on the island of Luzon in
Batangas, CALABARZON (Region IV-A). An Alert Level 4 means that a hazardous
explosive eruption is possible within hours to days; and warrants a “Danger Zone” of
up to 14 kilometres from the Main Crater. Taal Volcano is amongst the most active
volcanoes in the Philippines, with more than 30 reported eruptions. According to
DOST- PHIVOLCS, eruptive activity at Taal Volcano Main Crater has intensified,
with continuous eruptions generating a 10 – 15 kilometres of steam laden cloud of
super-heated ash, with frequent volcanic lightning that has rained wet ashfall as far as
Quezon City, some 100 kilometres away.

Volcanic tremors have been reported, with volcanic earthquakes measuring magnitude
2.5 and 3.9 felt at Intensity III (Weak) in Batangas province. As of 19:00 hrs (local
time) on 12 January 2020, power supplies in areas of Batangas in the vicinity of Taal
Volcano have been disrupted, and roads are impassable. Taal Volcano is situated on
Volcano Island, an island near the middle Taal Island, and is listed as a “Permanent
Danger Zone”, with permanent settlement on the island not recommended. Though a
larger volcanic eruption at Taal is currently unlikely, precautionary evacuations of at-
risk communities living the cities of Lipa and Tanuana; as well as municipalities of
Agoncillo, Balete, Cuenca, San Nicholas and Talisay with a combined total
population of approximately 161,427, have been initiated on the advice of DOST-
PHIVOLCS. Total of nine (9) evacuation centres (EC) have been established. Areas
north of Taal Volcano are being advised to guard against the effects of heavy and
prolonged ashfall. It is expected that eruptions could continue for up to three months,
and impact on the provinces of Batangas, Cavite and Laguna, as well as nearby
regions including Metro Manila.

In Metro Manila, light ash fall has been reported, which may result in traffic
disruptions. The Manila International Airport Authority has announced that all flights
are on hold at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), including both arrivals
and departures due to volcanic ashfall. Local Government authorities (LGA) across
Metro Manila have begun to recommend staying inside due to the potential respiratory
issues from the ashfall, while municipal authorities have also begun announcing class
suspensions from 13 January 2020.

Ongoing
Primary country

Philippines

Alert

Philippines: Taal Volcano - Jan 2020

 Content Format:
o Situation Report
 Language:
o English
 Theme:
o Health
o Protection and Human Rights
 Disaster Type:
o Volcano

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