Conducting research literature reviews - Arlene Fink

Conducting Research Literature Reviews, Second Edition shows readers how to identify, interpret, and analyze published and unpublished research literature. Through the use of checklists, case examples, and exercises, author Arlene Fink unravels the intricacies of

Selecting questions to maximize the efficiency of the review

Identifying subject headings and key words for electronic searches

Identifying the most appropriate databases, including supplementing computer and Web-based searches

Dealing with unpublished studies

Setting inclusion and exclusion criteria

Justifying methods for reviewing only the highest quality literature

Preparing a structured literature abstraction form

Ensuring the reliability and validity of the review

Synthesizing and reporting results

Conducting and evaluating descriptive literature reviews

How to understand and evaluate the principles of meta-analysis

New to the Second Edition:

Flow diagrams to assist the reader in linking each step of the review to the contents of each chapter

New references and other online resources, including links to online literature reviews and meta-analyses

Guidance in choosing online public and private bibliographic databases for literature reviews

Tips for searching the web for research information

The text also discusses the use of Boolean operators for simple and advanced searches and shows readers how to use bibliographic software to organize literature reviews and search The Virtual File Cabinet. It also describes how to synthesize the literature as a stand-alone report or as a component of a paper or proposal.

This book is intended for anyone wants to research social, health, educational, and business issues. It is ideal for students, researchers, marketers, planners, and policymakers who design and manage public and private agencies, conduct research studies, and prepare strategic plans and grant proposals.

Praise for the First Edition

There is finally a book available that removes the mystery and guesswork from doing literature reviews. This is especially important for both graduate and undergraduate levels if you are asking the students to make judgments about the quality and applicability of articles they may read. This book is not only timely but also a valuable way to help students evaluate articles they find on the Internet.

-Anita VanBrackle, Kennesaw State University