Literature Reviews: A Resource Guide for Education

′I highly recommend Diana Ridley′s book. One of its great strengths is its relevance to all students in Higher Education required to undertake a literature review. A sense of security prevailed in the presence of the author′s uncomplicated writing style and pages rightly divided into manageable chunks...[This book] lives up to its claim to contain extensive practical tips on how to prepare, organise and write a successful literature review′ - ESCalate Review The Literature Review is a concise step-by-step guide to conducting a literature search and writing up the literature review chapter in Masters dissertations and in Ph.D. and professional doctorate theses. Diana Ridley describes how to carry out a literature review in a systematic, methodical way, providing useful strategies for efficient reading, conducting searches, organising information and writing the review itself. Examples of best and worst practice drawn from real literature reviews are included throughout to demonstrate how the guidance can be put into practice. This is an accessible, pragmatic and highly practical resource that will be welcomed by postgraduate students of any discipline.

* Guides students in the preparation of literature reviews for term projects, theses, and dissertations. * Most chapters are conveniently divided into easy-to-follow guidelines, sequential steps, or checklists. Numerous examples throughout the book show students what should and should not be done when writing reviews. * Emphasizes critical analysis of reports of empirical research in academic journals--making it ideal as a supplement for research methods courses. This book makes it possible for students to work independently on a critical literature review as a term project. * Nine model literature reviews at the end of the book provide the stimulus for homework assignments and classroom discussions. * The activities at the end of each chapter keep students moving toward their goal of writing a polished, professional review of academic literature. * Most examples include material from recently published research. Includes nine model literature reviews for discussion and evaluation.