review of related studies example in research

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How to Write Review of Related Literature (RRL) in Research

A review of related literature (a.k.a RRL in research) is a comprehensive review of the existing literature pertaining to a specific topic or research question. An effective review provides the reader with an organized analysis and synthesis of the existing knowledge about a subject. With the increasing amount of new information being disseminated every day, conducting a review of related literature is becoming more difficult and the purpose of review of related literature is clearer than ever.  

All new knowledge is necessarily based on previously known information, and every new scientific study must be conducted and reported in the context of previous studies. This makes a review of related literature essential for research, and although it may be tedious work at times , most researchers will complete many such reviews of varying depths during their career. So, why exactly is a review of related literature important?    

Table of Contents

Why a review of related literature in research is important  

Before thinking how to do reviews of related literature , it is necessary to understand its importance. Although the purpose of a review of related literature varies depending on the discipline and how it will be used, its importance is never in question. Here are some ways in which a review can be crucial.  

• Identify gaps in the knowledge – This is the primary purpose of a review of related literature (often called RRL in research ). To create new knowledge, you must first determine what knowledge may be missing. This also helps to identify the scope of your study.  
• Avoid duplication of research efforts – Not only will a review of related literature indicate gaps in the existing research, but it will also lead you away from duplicating research that has already been done and thus save precious resources.  
• Provide an overview of disparate and interdisciplinary research areas – Researchers cannot possibly know everything related to their disciplines. Therefore, it is very helpful to have access to a review of related literature already written and published.  
• Highlight researcher’s familiarity with their topic 1  – A strong review of related literature in a study strengthens readers’ confidence in that study and that researcher.

Tips on how to write a review of related literature in research

Given that you will probably need to produce a number of these at some point, here are a few general tips on how to write an effective review of related literature 2 .

• Define your topic, audience, and purpose: You will be spending a lot of time with this review, so choose a topic that is interesting to you. While deciding what to write in a review of related literature , think about who you expect to read the review – researchers in your discipline, other scientists, the general public – and tailor the language to the audience. Also, think about the purpose of your review of related literature .  
• Conduct a comprehensive literature search: While writing your review of related literature , emphasize more recent works but don’t forget to include some older publications as well. Cast a wide net, as you may find some interesting and relevant literature in unexpected databases or library corners. Don’t forget to search for recent conference papers.
• Review the identified articles and take notes: It is a good idea to take notes in a way such that individual items in your notes can be moved around when you organize them. For example, index cards are great tools for this. Write each individual idea on a separate card along with the source. The cards can then be easily grouped and organized.  
• Determine how to organize your review: A review of related literature should not be merely a listing of descriptions. It should be organized by some criterion, such as chronologically or thematically.  
• Be critical and objective: Don’t just report the findings of other studies in your review of related literature . Challenge the methodology, find errors in the analysis, question the conclusions. Use what you find to improve your research. However, do not insert your opinions into the review of related literature. Remain objective and open-minded.  
• Structure your review logically: Guide the reader through the information. The structure will depend on the function of the review of related literature. Creating an outline prior to writing the RRL in research is a good way to ensure the presented information flows well.  

As you read more extensively in your discipline, you will notice that the review of related literature appears in various forms in different places. For example, when you read an article about an experimental study, you will typically see a literature review or a RRL in research , in the introduction that includes brief descriptions of similar studies. In longer research studies and dissertations, especially in the social sciences, the review of related literature will typically be a separate chapter and include more information on methodologies and theory building. In addition, stand-alone review articles will be published that are extremely useful to researchers.  

The review of relevant literature or often abbreviated as, RRL in research , is an important communication tool that can be used in many forms for many purposes. It is a tool that all researchers should befriend.  

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Writing Center. Literature Reviews.  https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/literature-reviews/  [Accessed September 8, 2022]
• Pautasso M. Ten simple rules for writing a literature review. PLoS Comput Biol. 2013, 9. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003149.

Q:  Is research complete without a review of related literature?

A research project is usually considered incomplete without a proper review of related literature. The review of related literature is a crucial component of any research project as it provides context for the research question, identifies gaps in existing literature, and ensures novelty by avoiding duplication. It also helps inform research design and supports arguments, highlights the significance of a study, and demonstrates your knowledge an expertise.

Q: What is difference between RRL and RRS?

The key difference between an RRL and an RRS lies in their focus and scope. An RRL or review of related literature examines a broad range of literature, including theoretical frameworks, concepts, and empirical studies, to establish the context and significance of the research topic. On the other hand, an RRS or review of research studies specifically focuses on analyzing and summarizing previous research studies within a specific research domain to gain insights into methodologies, findings, and gaps in the existing body of knowledge. While there may be some overlap between the two, they serve distinct purposes and cover different aspects of the research process.

Q: Does review of related literature improve accuracy and validity of research?

Yes, a comprehensive review of related literature (RRL) plays a vital role in improving the accuracy and validity of research. It helps authors gain a deeper understanding and offers different perspectives on the research topic. RRL can help you identify research gaps, dictate the selection of appropriate research methodologies, enhance theoretical frameworks, avoid biases and errors, and even provide support for research design and interpretation. By building upon and critically engaging with existing related literature, researchers can ensure their work is rigorous, reliable, and contributes meaningfully to their field of study.

R Discovery is a literature search and research reading platform that accelerates your research discovery journey by keeping you updated on the latest, most relevant scholarly content. With 250M+ research articles sourced from trusted aggregators like CrossRef, Unpaywall, PubMed, PubMed Central, Open Alex and top publishing houses like Springer Nature, JAMA, IOP, Taylor & Francis, NEJM, BMJ, Karger, SAGE, Emerald Publishing and more, R Discovery puts a world of research at your fingertips.  

Try R Discovery Prime FREE for 1 week or upgrade at just US$72 a year to access premium features that let you listen to research on the go, read in your language, collaborate with peers, auto sync with reference managers, and much more. Choose a simpler, smarter way to find and read research – Download the app and start your free 7-day trial today !  

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• How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

Published on January 2, 2023 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 11, 2023.

What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .

There are five key steps to writing a literature review:

• Search for relevant literature
• Evaluate sources
• Identify themes, debates, and gaps
• Outline the structure
• Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it analyzes, synthesizes , and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

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Table of contents

What is the purpose of a literature review, examples of literature reviews, step 1 – search for relevant literature, step 2 – evaluate and select sources, step 3 – identify themes, debates, and gaps, step 4 – outline your literature review’s structure, step 5 – write your literature review, free lecture slides, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions, introduction.

• Quick Run-through
• Step 1 & 2

When you write a thesis , dissertation , or research paper , you will likely have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:

• Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context
• Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
• Position your work in relation to other researchers and theorists
• Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate
• Evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.

Writing literature reviews is a particularly important skill if you want to apply for graduate school or pursue a career in research. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.

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Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.

• Example literature review #1: “Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature” ( Theoretical literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)
• Example literature review #2: “Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines” ( Methodological literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)
• Example literature review #3: “The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Thematic literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)
• Example literature review #4: “Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Chronological literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)

You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.

Download Word doc Download Google doc

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .

If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions .

Make a list of keywords

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.

• Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
• Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
• Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth

Search for relevant sources

Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:

• Your university’s library catalogue
• Google Scholar
• Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
• Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
• EconLit (economics)
• Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)

You can also use boolean operators to help narrow down your search.

Make sure to read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.

You likely won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on your topic, so it will be necessary to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your research question.

For each publication, ask yourself:

• What question or problem is the author addressing?
• What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
• What are the key theories, models, and methods?
• Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
• What are the results and conclusions of the study?
• How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible , and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

You can use our template to summarize and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using. Click on either button below to download.

Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography , where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.

To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, be sure you understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

• Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
• Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
• Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
• Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
• Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

• Most research has focused on young women.
• There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.
• But there is still a lack of robust research on highly visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat—this is a gap that you could address in your own research.

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological

The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.

Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.

Methodological

If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:

• Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
• Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
• Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical

A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Like any other academic text , your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.

As you write, you can follow these tips:

• Summarize and synthesize: give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers — add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
• Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transition words and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts

In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.

When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Not a language expert? Check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services !

This article has been adapted into lecture slides that you can use to teach your students about writing a literature review.

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If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.

There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:

• To familiarize yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic
• To ensure that you’re not just repeating what others have already done
• To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved problems that your research can address
• To develop your theoretical framework and methodology
• To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic

Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.

The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your thesis or dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .

A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other  academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .

An  annotated bibliography is a list of  source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a  paper .  

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Review of Related Literature: Format, Example, & How to Make RRL

A review of related literature is a separate paper or a part of an article that collects and synthesizes discussion on a topic. Its purpose is to show the current state of research on the issue and highlight gaps in existing knowledge. A literature review can be included in a research paper or scholarly article, typically following the introduction and before the research methods section.

This article will clarify the definition, significance, and structure of a review of related literature. You’ll also learn how to organize your literature review and discover ideas for an RRL in different subjects.

🔤 What Is RRL?

• ❗ Significance of Literature Review
• 🔎 How to Search for Literature
• 🧩 Literature Review Structure
• 📋 Format of RRL — APA, MLA, & Others
• ✍️ How to Write an RRL
• 📚 Examples of RRL

🔗 References

A review of related literature (RRL) is a part of the research report that examines significant studies, theories, and concepts published in scholarly sources on a particular topic. An RRL includes 3 main components:

• A short overview and critique of the previous research.
• Similarities and differences between past studies and the current one.
• An explanation of the theoretical frameworks underpinning the research.

❗ Significance of Review of Related Literature

Although the goal of a review of related literature differs depending on the discipline and its intended use, its significance cannot be overstated. Here are some examples of how a review might be beneficial:

• It helps determine knowledge gaps .
• It saves from duplicating research that has already been conducted.
• It provides an overview of various research areas within the discipline.
• It demonstrates the researcher’s familiarity with the topic.

🔎 How to Perform a Literature Search

Including a description of your search strategy in the literature review section can significantly increase your grade. You can search sources with the following steps:

🧩 Literature Review Structure Example

The majority of literature reviews follow a standard introduction-body-conclusion structure. Let’s look at the RRL structure in detail.

Introduction of Review of Related Literature: Sample

An introduction should clarify the study topic and the depth of the information to be delivered. It should also explain the types of sources used. If your lit. review is part of a larger research proposal or project, you can combine its introductory paragraph with the introduction of your paper.

Here is a sample introduction to an RRL about cyberbullying:

Bullying has troubled people since the beginning of time. However, with modern technological advancements, especially social media, bullying has evolved into cyberbullying. As a result, nowadays, teenagers and adults cannot flee their bullies, which makes them feel lonely and helpless. This literature review will examine recent studies on cyberbullying.

Sample Review of Related Literature Thesis

A thesis statement should include the central idea of your literature review and the primary supporting elements you discovered in the literature. Thesis statements are typically put at the end of the introductory paragraph.

Look at a sample thesis of a review of related literature:

This literature review shows that scholars have recently covered the issues of bullies’ motivation, the impact of bullying on victims and aggressors, common cyberbullying techniques, and victims’ coping strategies. However, there is still no agreement on the best practices to address cyberbullying.

Literature Review Body Paragraph Example

The main body of a literature review should provide an overview of the existing research on the issue. Body paragraphs should not just summarize each source but analyze them. You can organize your paragraphs with these 3 elements:

• Claim . Start with a topic sentence linked to your literature review purpose.
• Evidence . Cite relevant information from your chosen sources.
• Discussion . Explain how the cited data supports your claim.

Here’s a literature review body paragraph example:

Scholars have examined the link between the aggressor and the victim. Beran et al. (2007) state that students bullied online often become cyberbullies themselves. Faucher et al. (2014) confirm this with their findings: they discovered that male and female students began engaging in cyberbullying after being subject to bullying. Hence, one can conclude that being a victim of bullying increases one’s likelihood of becoming a cyberbully.

Review of Related Literature: Conclusion

A conclusion presents a general consensus on the topic. Depending on your literature review purpose, it might include the following:

• Introduction to further research . If you write a literature review as part of a larger research project, you can present your research question in your conclusion .
• Overview of theories . You can summarize critical theories and concepts to help your reader understand the topic better.
• Discussion of the gap . If you identified a research gap in the reviewed literature, your conclusion could explain why that gap is significant.

Check out a conclusion example that discusses a research gap:

There is extensive research into bullies’ motivation, the consequences of bullying for victims and aggressors, strategies for bullying, and coping with it. Yet, scholars still have not reached a consensus on what to consider the best practices to combat cyberbullying. This question is of great importance because of the significant adverse effects of cyberbullying on victims and bullies.

📋 Format of RRL — APA, MLA, & Others

In this section, we will discuss how to format an RRL according to the most common citation styles: APA, Chicago, MLA, and Harvard.

Writing a literature review using the APA7 style requires the following text formatting:

• When using APA in-text citations , include the author’s last name and the year of publication in parentheses.
• For direct quotations , you must also add the page number. If you use sources without page numbers, such as websites or e-books, include a paragraph number instead.
• When referring to the author’s name in a sentence , you do not need to repeat it at the end of the sentence. Instead, include the year of publication inside the parentheses after their name.
• The reference list should be included at the end of your literature review. It is always alphabetized by the last name of the author (from A to Z), and the lines are indented one-half inch from the left margin of your paper. Do not forget to invert authors’ names (the last name should come first) and include the full titles of journals instead of their abbreviations. If you use an online source, add its URL.

The RRL format in the Chicago style is as follows:

• Author-date . You place your citations in brackets within the text, indicating the name of the author and the year of publication.
• Notes and bibliography . You place your citations in numbered footnotes or endnotes to connect the citation back to the source in the bibliography.
• The reference list, or bibliography , in Chicago style, is at the end of a literature review. The sources are arranged alphabetically and single-spaced. Each bibliography entry begins with the author’s name and the source’s title, followed by publication information, such as the city of publication, the publisher, and the year of publication.

Writing a literature review using the MLA style requires the following text formatting:

• In the MLA format, you can cite a source in the text by indicating the author’s last name and the page number in parentheses at the end of the citation. If the cited information takes several pages, you need to include all the page numbers.
• The reference list in MLA style is titled “ Works Cited .” In this section, all sources used in the paper should be listed in alphabetical order. Each entry should contain the author, title of the source, title of the journal or a larger volume, other contributors, version, number, publisher, and publication date.

The Harvard style requires you to use the following text formatting for your RRL:

• In-text citations in the Harvard style include the author’s last name and the year of publication. If you are using a direct quote in your literature review, you need to add the page number as well.
• Arrange your list of references alphabetically. Each entry should contain the author’s last name, their initials, the year of publication, the title of the source, and other publication information, like the journal title and issue number or the publisher.

✍️ How to Write Review of Related Literature – Sample

Literature reviews can be organized in many ways depending on what you want to achieve with them. In this section, we will look at 3 examples of how you can write your RRL.

Thematic Literature Review

A thematic literature review is arranged around central themes or issues discussed in the sources. If you have identified some recurring themes in the literature, you can divide your RRL into sections that address various aspects of the topic. For example, if you examine studies on e-learning, you can distinguish such themes as the cost-effectiveness of online learning, the technologies used, and its effectiveness compared to traditional education.

Chronological Literature Review

A chronological literature review is a way to track the development of the topic over time. If you use this method, avoid merely listing and summarizing sources in chronological order. Instead, try to analyze the trends, turning moments, and critical debates that have shaped the field’s path. Also, you can give your interpretation of how and why specific advances occurred.

Methodological Literature Review

A methodological literature review differs from the preceding ones in that it usually doesn’t focus on the sources’ content. Instead, it is concerned with the research methods . So, if your references come from several disciplines or fields employing various research techniques, you can compare the findings and conclusions of different methodologies, for instance:

• empirical vs. theoretical studies;
• qualitative vs. quantitative research.

📚 Examples of Review of Related Literature and Studies

We have prepared a short example of RRL on climate change for you to see how everything works in practice!

Climate change is one of the most important issues nowadays. Based on a variety of facts, it is now clearer than ever that humans are altering the Earth's climate. The atmosphere and oceans have warmed, causing sea level rise, a significant loss of Arctic ice, and other climate-related changes. This literature review provides a thorough summary of research on climate change, focusing on climate change fingerprints and evidence of human influence on the Earth's climate system.

Physical Mechanisms and Evidence of Human Influence

Scientists are convinced that climate change is directly influenced by the emission of greenhouse gases. They have carefully analyzed various climate data and evidence, concluding that the majority of the observed global warming over the past 50 years cannot be explained by natural factors alone. Instead, there is compelling evidence pointing to a significant contribution of human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases (Walker, 2014). For example, based on simple physics calculations, doubled carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere can lead to a global temperature increase of approximately 1 degree Celsius. (Elderfield, 2022). In order to determine the human influence on climate, scientists still have to analyze a lot of natural changes that affect temperature, precipitation, and other components of climate on timeframes ranging from days to decades and beyond.

Fingerprinting Climate Change

Fingerprinting climate change is a useful tool to identify the causes of global warming because different factors leave unique marks on climate records. This is evident when scientists look beyond overall temperature changes and examine how warming is distributed geographically and over time (Watson, 2022). By investigating these climate patterns, scientists can obtain a more complex understanding of the connections between natural climate variability and climate variability caused by human activity.

Modeling Climate Change and Feedback

To accurately predict the consequences of feedback mechanisms, the rate of warming, and regional climate change, scientists can employ sophisticated mathematical models of the atmosphere, ocean, land, and ice (the cryosphere). These models are grounded in well-established physical laws and incorporate the latest scientific understanding of climate-related processes (Shuckburgh, 2013). Although different climate models produce slightly varying projections for future warming, they all will agree that feedback mechanisms play a significant role in amplifying the initial warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions. (Meehl, 2019).

In conclusion, the literature on global warming indicates that there are well-understood physical processes that link variations in greenhouse gas concentrations to climate change. In addition, it covers the scientific proof that the rates of these gases in the atmosphere have increased and continue to rise fast. According to the sources, the majority of this recent change is almost definitely caused by greenhouse gas emissions produced by human activities. Citizens and governments can alter their energy production methods and consumption patterns to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, thus, the magnitude of climate change. By acting now, society can prevent the worst consequences of climate change and build a more resilient and sustainable future for generations to come.

Have you ever struggled with finding the topic for an RRL in different subjects? Read the following paragraphs to get some ideas!

Nursing Literature Review Example

Many topics in the nursing field require research. For example, you can write a review of literature related to dengue fever . Give a general overview of dengue virus infections, including its clinical symptoms, diagnosis, prevention, and therapy.

Another good idea is to review related literature and studies about teenage pregnancy . This review can describe the effectiveness of specific programs for adolescent mothers and their children and summarize recommendations for preventing early pregnancy.

📝 Check out some more valuable examples below:

• Hospital Readmissions: Literature Review .
• Literature Review: Lower Sepsis Mortality Rates .
• Breast Cancer: Literature Review .
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Literature Review .
• PICO for Pressure Ulcers: Literature Review .
• COVID-19 Spread Prevention: Literature Review .
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Literature Review .
• Hypertension Treatment Adherence: Literature Review .
• Neonatal Sepsis Prevention: Literature Review .
• Healthcare-Associated Infections: Literature Review .
• Understaffing in Nursing: Literature Review .

Psychology Literature Review Example

If you look for an RRL topic in psychology , you can write a review of related literature about stress . Summarize scientific evidence about stress stages, side effects, types, or reduction strategies. Or you can write a review of related literature about computer game addiction . In this case, you may concentrate on the neural mechanisms underlying the internet gaming disorder, compare it to other addictions, or evaluate treatment strategies.

A review of related literature about cyberbullying is another interesting option. You can highlight the impact of cyberbullying on undergraduate students’ academic, social, and emotional development.

📝 Look at the examples that we have prepared for you to come up with some more ideas:

• Mindfulness in Counseling: A Literature Review .
• Team-Building Across Cultures: Literature Review .
• Anxiety and Decision Making: Literature Review .
• Literature Review on Depression .
• Literature Review on Narcissism .
• Effects of Depression Among Adolescents .
• Causes and Effects of Anxiety in Children .

Literature Review — Sociology Example

Sociological research poses critical questions about social structures and phenomena. For example, you can write a review of related literature about child labor , exploring cultural beliefs and social norms that normalize the exploitation of children. Or you can create a review of related literature about social media . It can investigate the impact of social media on relationships between adolescents or the role of social networks on immigrants’ acculturation .

📝 You can find some more ideas below!

• Single Mothers’ Experiences of Relationships with Their Adolescent Sons .
• Teachers and Students’ Gender-Based Interactions .
• Gender Identity: Biological Perspective and Social Cognitive Theory .
• Gender: Culturally-Prescribed Role or Biological Sex .
• The Influence of Opioid Misuse on Academic Achievement of Veteran Students .
• The Importance of Ethics in Research .
• The Role of Family and Social Network Support in Mental Health .

Education Literature Review Example

For your education studies , you can write a review of related literature about academic performance to determine factors that affect student achievement and highlight research gaps. One more idea is to create a review of related literature on study habits , considering their role in the student’s life and academic outcomes.

You can also evaluate a computerized grading system in a review of related literature to single out its advantages and barriers to implementation. Or you can complete a review of related literature on instructional materials to identify their most common types and effects on student achievement.

📝 Find some inspiration in the examples below:

• Literature Review on Online Learning Challenges From COVID-19 .
• Education, Leadership, and Management: Literature Review .
• Literature Review: Standardized Testing Bias .
• Bullying of Disabled Children in School .
• Interventions and Letter & Sound Recognition: A Literature Review .
• Social-Emotional Skills Program for Preschoolers .
• Effectiveness of Educational Leadership Management Skills .

Business Research Literature Review

If you’re a business student, you can focus on customer satisfaction in your review of related literature. Discuss specific customer satisfaction features and how it is affected by service quality and prices. You can also create a theoretical literature review about consumer buying behavior to evaluate theories that have significantly contributed to understanding how consumers make purchasing decisions.

📝 Look at the examples to get more exciting ideas:

• Leadership and Communication: Literature Review .
• Human Resource Development: Literature Review .
• Project Management. Literature Review .
• Strategic HRM: A Literature Review .
• Customer Relationship Management: Literature Review .
• Literature Review on International Financial Reporting Standards .
• Cultures of Management: Literature Review .

To conclude, a review of related literature is a significant genre of scholarly works that can be applied in various disciplines and for multiple goals. The sources examined in an RRL provide theoretical frameworks for future studies and help create original research questions and hypotheses.

When you finish your outstanding literature review, don’t forget to check whether it sounds logical and coherent. Our text-to-speech tool can help you with that!

• Literature Reviews | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Writing a Literature Review | Purdue Online Writing Lab
• Learn How to Write a Review of Literature | University of Wisconsin-Madison
• The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting It | University of Toronto
• Writing a Literature Review | UC San Diego
• Conduct a Literature Review | The University of Arizona
• Methods for Literature Reviews | National Library of Medicine
• Literature Reviews: 5. Write the Review | Georgia State University

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CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

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A literature review surveys prior research published in books, scholarly articles, and any other sources relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory, and by so doing, provides a description, summary, and critical evaluation of these works in relation to the research problem being investigated. Literature reviews are designed to provide an overview of sources you have used in researching a particular topic and to demonstrate to your readers how your research fits within existing scholarship about the topic.

Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper . Fourth edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2014.

Importance of a Good Literature Review

A literature review may consist of simply a summary of key sources, but in the social sciences, a literature review usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis, often within specific conceptual categories . A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information in a way that informs how you are planning to investigate a research problem. The analytical features of a literature review might:

• Give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations,
• Trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates,
• Depending on the situation, evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most pertinent or relevant research, or
• Usually in the conclusion of a literature review, identify where gaps exist in how a problem has been researched to date.

Given this, the purpose of a literature review is to:

• Place each work in the context of its contribution to understanding the research problem being studied.
• Describe the relationship of each work to the others under consideration.
• Identify new ways to interpret prior research.
• Reveal any gaps that exist in the literature.
• Resolve conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies.
• Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication of effort.
• Point the way in fulfilling a need for additional research.
• Locate your own research within the context of existing literature [very important].

Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2005; Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998; Jesson, Jill. Doing Your Literature Review: Traditional and Systematic Techniques . Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2011; Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review." PS: Political Science and Politics 39 (January 2006): 127-132; Ridley, Diana. The Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students . 2nd ed. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2012.

Types of Literature Reviews

It is important to think of knowledge in a given field as consisting of three layers. First, there are the primary studies that researchers conduct and publish. Second are the reviews of those studies that summarize and offer new interpretations built from and often extending beyond the primary studies. Third, there are the perceptions, conclusions, opinion, and interpretations that are shared informally among scholars that become part of the body of epistemological traditions within the field.

In composing a literature review, it is important to note that it is often this third layer of knowledge that is cited as "true" even though it often has only a loose relationship to the primary studies and secondary literature reviews. Given this, while literature reviews are designed to provide an overview and synthesis of pertinent sources you have explored, there are a number of approaches you could adopt depending upon the type of analysis underpinning your study.

Argumentative Review This form examines literature selectively in order to support or refute an argument, deeply embedded assumption, or philosophical problem already established in the literature. The purpose is to develop a body of literature that establishes a contrarian viewpoint. Given the value-laden nature of some social science research [e.g., educational reform; immigration control], argumentative approaches to analyzing the literature can be a legitimate and important form of discourse. However, note that they can also introduce problems of bias when they are used to make summary claims of the sort found in systematic reviews [see below].

Integrative Review Considered a form of research that reviews, critiques, and synthesizes representative literature on a topic in an integrated way such that new frameworks and perspectives on the topic are generated. The body of literature includes all studies that address related or identical hypotheses or research problems. A well-done integrative review meets the same standards as primary research in regard to clarity, rigor, and replication. This is the most common form of review in the social sciences.

Historical Review Few things rest in isolation from historical precedent. Historical literature reviews focus on examining research throughout a period of time, often starting with the first time an issue, concept, theory, phenomena emerged in the literature, then tracing its evolution within the scholarship of a discipline. The purpose is to place research in a historical context to show familiarity with state-of-the-art developments and to identify the likely directions for future research.

Methodological Review A review does not always focus on what someone said [findings], but how they came about saying what they say [method of analysis]. Reviewing methods of analysis provides a framework of understanding at different levels [i.e. those of theory, substantive fields, research approaches, and data collection and analysis techniques], how researchers draw upon a wide variety of knowledge ranging from the conceptual level to practical documents for use in fieldwork in the areas of ontological and epistemological consideration, quantitative and qualitative integration, sampling, interviewing, data collection, and data analysis. This approach helps highlight ethical issues which you should be aware of and consider as you go through your own study.

Systematic Review This form consists of an overview of existing evidence pertinent to a clearly formulated research question, which uses pre-specified and standardized methods to identify and critically appraise relevant research, and to collect, report, and analyze data from the studies that are included in the review. The goal is to deliberately document, critically evaluate, and summarize scientifically all of the research about a clearly defined research problem . Typically it focuses on a very specific empirical question, often posed in a cause-and-effect form, such as "To what extent does A contribute to B?" This type of literature review is primarily applied to examining prior research studies in clinical medicine and allied health fields, but it is increasingly being used in the social sciences.

Theoretical Review The purpose of this form is to examine the corpus of theory that has accumulated in regard to an issue, concept, theory, phenomena. The theoretical literature review helps to establish what theories already exist, the relationships between them, to what degree the existing theories have been investigated, and to develop new hypotheses to be tested. Often this form is used to help establish a lack of appropriate theories or reveal that current theories are inadequate for explaining new or emerging research problems. The unit of analysis can focus on a theoretical concept or a whole theory or framework.

NOTE: Most often the literature review will incorporate some combination of types. For example, a review that examines literature supporting or refuting an argument, assumption, or philosophical problem related to the research problem will also need to include writing supported by sources that establish the history of these arguments in the literature.

Baumeister, Roy F. and Mark R. Leary. "Writing Narrative Literature Reviews."  Review of General Psychology 1 (September 1997): 311-320; Mark R. Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper . 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2005; Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998; Kennedy, Mary M. "Defining a Literature." Educational Researcher 36 (April 2007): 139-147; Petticrew, Mark and Helen Roberts. Systematic Reviews in the Social Sciences: A Practical Guide . Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 2006; Torracro, Richard. "Writing Integrative Literature Reviews: Guidelines and Examples." Human Resource Development Review 4 (September 2005): 356-367; Rocco, Tonette S. and Maria S. Plakhotnik. "Literature Reviews, Conceptual Frameworks, and Theoretical Frameworks: Terms, Functions, and Distinctions." Human Ressource Development Review 8 (March 2008): 120-130; Sutton, Anthea. Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review . Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, 2016.

Structure and Writing Style

I.  Thinking About Your Literature Review

The structure of a literature review should include the following in support of understanding the research problem :

• An overview of the subject, issue, or theory under consideration, along with the objectives of the literature review,
• Division of works under review into themes or categories [e.g. works that support a particular position, those against, and those offering alternative approaches entirely],
• An explanation of how each work is similar to and how it varies from the others,
• Conclusions as to which pieces are best considered in their argument, are most convincing of their opinions, and make the greatest contribution to the understanding and development of their area of research.

The critical evaluation of each work should consider :

• Provenance -- what are the author's credentials? Are the author's arguments supported by evidence [e.g. primary historical material, case studies, narratives, statistics, recent scientific findings]?
• Methodology -- were the techniques used to identify, gather, and analyze the data appropriate to addressing the research problem? Was the sample size appropriate? Were the results effectively interpreted and reported?
• Objectivity -- is the author's perspective even-handed or prejudicial? Is contrary data considered or is certain pertinent information ignored to prove the author's point?
• Persuasiveness -- which of the author's theses are most convincing or least convincing?
• Validity -- are the author's arguments and conclusions convincing? Does the work ultimately contribute in any significant way to an understanding of the subject?

II.  Development of the Literature Review

Four Basic Stages of Writing 1.  Problem formulation -- which topic or field is being examined and what are its component issues? 2.  Literature search -- finding materials relevant to the subject being explored. 3.  Data evaluation -- determining which literature makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the topic. 4.  Analysis and interpretation -- discussing the findings and conclusions of pertinent literature.

Consider the following issues before writing the literature review: Clarify If your assignment is not specific about what form your literature review should take, seek clarification from your professor by asking these questions: 1.  Roughly how many sources would be appropriate to include? 2.  What types of sources should I review (books, journal articles, websites; scholarly versus popular sources)? 3.  Should I summarize, synthesize, or critique sources by discussing a common theme or issue? 4.  Should I evaluate the sources in any way beyond evaluating how they relate to understanding the research problem? 5.  Should I provide subheadings and other background information, such as definitions and/or a history? Find Models Use the exercise of reviewing the literature to examine how authors in your discipline or area of interest have composed their literature review sections. Read them to get a sense of the types of themes you might want to look for in your own research or to identify ways to organize your final review. The bibliography or reference section of sources you've already read, such as required readings in the course syllabus, are also excellent entry points into your own research. Narrow the Topic The narrower your topic, the easier it will be to limit the number of sources you need to read in order to obtain a good survey of relevant resources. Your professor will probably not expect you to read everything that's available about the topic, but you'll make the act of reviewing easier if you first limit scope of the research problem. A good strategy is to begin by searching the USC Libraries Catalog for recent books about the topic and review the table of contents for chapters that focuses on specific issues. You can also review the indexes of books to find references to specific issues that can serve as the focus of your research. For example, a book surveying the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may include a chapter on the role Egypt has played in mediating the conflict, or look in the index for the pages where Egypt is mentioned in the text. Consider Whether Your Sources are Current Some disciplines require that you use information that is as current as possible. This is particularly true in disciplines in medicine and the sciences where research conducted becomes obsolete very quickly as new discoveries are made. However, when writing a review in the social sciences, a survey of the history of the literature may be required. In other words, a complete understanding the research problem requires you to deliberately examine how knowledge and perspectives have changed over time. Sort through other current bibliographies or literature reviews in the field to get a sense of what your discipline expects. You can also use this method to explore what is considered by scholars to be a "hot topic" and what is not.

III.  Ways to Organize Your Literature Review

Chronology of Events If your review follows the chronological method, you could write about the materials according to when they were published. This approach should only be followed if a clear path of research building on previous research can be identified and that these trends follow a clear chronological order of development. For example, a literature review that focuses on continuing research about the emergence of German economic power after the fall of the Soviet Union. By Publication Order your sources by publication chronology, then, only if the order demonstrates a more important trend. For instance, you could order a review of literature on environmental studies of brown fields if the progression revealed, for example, a change in the soil collection practices of the researchers who wrote and/or conducted the studies. Thematic [“conceptual categories”] A thematic literature review is the most common approach to summarizing prior research in the social and behavioral sciences. Thematic reviews are organized around a topic or issue, rather than the progression of time, although the progression of time may still be incorporated into a thematic review. For example, a review of the Internet’s impact on American presidential politics could focus on the development of online political satire. While the study focuses on one topic, the Internet’s impact on American presidential politics, it would still be organized chronologically reflecting technological developments in media. The difference in this example between a "chronological" and a "thematic" approach is what is emphasized the most: themes related to the role of the Internet in presidential politics. Note that more authentic thematic reviews tend to break away from chronological order. A review organized in this manner would shift between time periods within each section according to the point being made. Methodological A methodological approach focuses on the methods utilized by the researcher. For the Internet in American presidential politics project, one methodological approach would be to look at cultural differences between the portrayal of American presidents on American, British, and French websites. Or the review might focus on the fundraising impact of the Internet on a particular political party. A methodological scope will influence either the types of documents in the review or the way in which these documents are discussed.

Other Sections of Your Literature Review Once you've decided on the organizational method for your literature review, the sections you need to include in the paper should be easy to figure out because they arise from your organizational strategy. In other words, a chronological review would have subsections for each vital time period; a thematic review would have subtopics based upon factors that relate to the theme or issue. However, sometimes you may need to add additional sections that are necessary for your study, but do not fit in the organizational strategy of the body. What other sections you include in the body is up to you. However, only include what is necessary for the reader to locate your study within the larger scholarship about the research problem.

Here are examples of other sections, usually in the form of a single paragraph, you may need to include depending on the type of review you write:

• Current Situation : Information necessary to understand the current topic or focus of the literature review.
• Sources Used : Describes the methods and resources [e.g., databases] you used to identify the literature you reviewed.
• History : The chronological progression of the field, the research literature, or an idea that is necessary to understand the literature review, if the body of the literature review is not already a chronology.
• Selection Methods : Criteria you used to select (and perhaps exclude) sources in your literature review. For instance, you might explain that your review includes only peer-reviewed [i.e., scholarly] sources.
• Standards : Description of the way in which you present your information.
• Questions for Further Research : What questions about the field has the review sparked? How will you further your research as a result of the review?

IV.  Writing Your Literature Review

Once you've settled on how to organize your literature review, you're ready to write each section. When writing your review, keep in mind these issues.

Use Evidence A literature review section is, in this sense, just like any other academic research paper. Your interpretation of the available sources must be backed up with evidence [citations] that demonstrates that what you are saying is valid. Be Selective Select only the most important points in each source to highlight in the review. The type of information you choose to mention should relate directly to the research problem, whether it is thematic, methodological, or chronological. Related items that provide additional information, but that are not key to understanding the research problem, can be included in a list of further readings . Use Quotes Sparingly Some short quotes are appropriate if you want to emphasize a point, or if what an author stated cannot be easily paraphrased. Sometimes you may need to quote certain terminology that was coined by the author, is not common knowledge, or taken directly from the study. Do not use extensive quotes as a substitute for using your own words in reviewing the literature. Summarize and Synthesize Remember to summarize and synthesize your sources within each thematic paragraph as well as throughout the review. Recapitulate important features of a research study, but then synthesize it by rephrasing the study's significance and relating it to your own work and the work of others. Keep Your Own Voice While the literature review presents others' ideas, your voice [the writer's] should remain front and center. For example, weave references to other sources into what you are writing but maintain your own voice by starting and ending the paragraph with your own ideas and wording. Use Caution When Paraphrasing When paraphrasing a source that is not your own, be sure to represent the author's information or opinions accurately and in your own words. Even when paraphrasing an author’s work, you still must provide a citation to that work.

V.  Common Mistakes to Avoid

These are the most common mistakes made in reviewing social science research literature.

• Sources in your literature review do not clearly relate to the research problem;
• You do not take sufficient time to define and identify the most relevant sources to use in the literature review related to the research problem;
• Relies exclusively on secondary analytical sources rather than including relevant primary research studies or data;
• Uncritically accepts another researcher's findings and interpretations as valid, rather than examining critically all aspects of the research design and analysis;
• Does not describe the search procedures that were used in identifying the literature to review;
• Reports isolated statistical results rather than synthesizing them in chi-squared or meta-analytic methods; and,
• Only includes research that validates assumptions and does not consider contrary findings and alternative interpretations found in the literature.

Cook, Kathleen E. and Elise Murowchick. “Do Literature Review Skills Transfer from One Course to Another?” Psychology Learning and Teaching 13 (March 2014): 3-11; Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper . 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2005; Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998; Jesson, Jill. Doing Your Literature Review: Traditional and Systematic Techniques . London: SAGE, 2011; Literature Review Handout. Online Writing Center. Liberty University; Literature Reviews. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J. and Rebecca Frels. Seven Steps to a Comprehensive Literature Review: A Multimodal and Cultural Approach . Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2016; Ridley, Diana. The Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students . 2nd ed. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2012; Randolph, Justus J. “A Guide to Writing the Dissertation Literature Review." Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation. vol. 14, June 2009; Sutton, Anthea. Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review . Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, 2016; Taylor, Dena. The Literature Review: A Few Tips On Conducting It. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Writing a Literature Review. Academic Skills Centre. University of Canberra.

Writing Tip

Break Out of Your Disciplinary Box!

Thinking interdisciplinarily about a research problem can be a rewarding exercise in applying new ideas, theories, or concepts to an old problem. For example, what might cultural anthropologists say about the continuing conflict in the Middle East? In what ways might geographers view the need for better distribution of social service agencies in large cities than how social workers might study the issue? You don’t want to substitute a thorough review of core research literature in your discipline for studies conducted in other fields of study. However, particularly in the social sciences, thinking about research problems from multiple vectors is a key strategy for finding new solutions to a problem or gaining a new perspective. Consult with a librarian about identifying research databases in other disciplines; almost every field of study has at least one comprehensive database devoted to indexing its research literature.

Frodeman, Robert. The Oxford Handbook of Interdisciplinarity . New York: Oxford University Press, 2010.

Another Writing Tip

Don't Just Review for Content!

While conducting a review of the literature, maximize the time you devote to writing this part of your paper by thinking broadly about what you should be looking for and evaluating. Review not just what scholars are saying, but how are they saying it. Some questions to ask:

• How are they organizing their ideas?
• What methods have they used to study the problem?
• What theories have been used to explain, predict, or understand their research problem?
• What sources have they cited to support their conclusions?
• How have they used non-textual elements [e.g., charts, graphs, figures, etc.] to illustrate key points?

When you begin to write your literature review section, you'll be glad you dug deeper into how the research was designed and constructed because it establishes a means for developing more substantial analysis and interpretation of the research problem.

Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1 998.

Yet Another Writing Tip

When Do I Know I Can Stop Looking and Move On?

Here are several strategies you can utilize to assess whether you've thoroughly reviewed the literature:

• Look for repeating patterns in the research findings . If the same thing is being said, just by different people, then this likely demonstrates that the research problem has hit a conceptual dead end. At this point consider: Does your study extend current research?  Does it forge a new path? Or, does is merely add more of the same thing being said?
• Look at sources the authors cite to in their work . If you begin to see the same researchers cited again and again, then this is often an indication that no new ideas have been generated to address the research problem.
• Search Google Scholar to identify who has subsequently cited leading scholars already identified in your literature review [see next sub-tab]. This is called citation tracking and there are a number of sources that can help you identify who has cited whom, particularly scholars from outside of your discipline. Here again, if the same authors are being cited again and again, this may indicate no new literature has been written on the topic.

Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J. and Rebecca Frels. Seven Steps to a Comprehensive Literature Review: A Multimodal and Cultural Approach . Los Angeles, CA: Sage, 2016; Sutton, Anthea. Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review . Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, 2016.

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What is a literature review?

A literature review is an integrated analysis -- not just a summary-- of scholarly writings and other relevant evidence related directly to your research question.  That is, it represents a synthesis of the evidence that provides background information on your topic and shows a association between the evidence and your research question.

A literature review may be a stand alone work or the introduction to a larger research paper, depending on the assignment.  Rely heavily on the guidelines your instructor has given you.

Why is it important?

A literature review is important because it:

• Explains the background of research on a topic.
• Demonstrates why a topic is significant to a subject area.
• Discovers relationships between research studies/ideas.
• Identifies major themes, concepts, and researchers on a topic.
• Identifies critical gaps and points of disagreement.
• Discusses further research questions that logically come out of the previous studies.

APA7 Style resources

APA Style Blog - for those harder to find answers

1. Choose a topic. Define your research question.

Your literature review should be guided by your central research question.  The literature represents background and research developments related to a specific research question, interpreted and analyzed by you in a synthesized way.

• Make sure your research question is not too broad or too narrow.  Is it manageable?
• Begin writing down terms that are related to your question. These will be useful for searches later.
• If you have the opportunity, discuss your topic with your professor and your class mates.

2. Decide on the scope of your review

How many studies do you need to look at? How comprehensive should it be? How many years should it cover? 

• This may depend on your assignment.  How many sources does the assignment require?

3. Select the databases you will use to conduct your searches.

Make a list of the databases you will search. 

Where to find databases:

• use the tabs on this guide
• Find other databases in the Nursing Information Resources web page
• More on the Medical Library web page
• ... and more on the Yale University Library web page

4. Conduct your searches to find the evidence. Keep track of your searches.

• Use the key words in your question, as well as synonyms for those words, as terms in your search. Use the database tutorials for help.
• Save the searches in the databases. This saves time when you want to redo, or modify, the searches. It is also helpful to use as a guide is the searches are not finding any useful results.
• Review the abstracts of research studies carefully. This will save you time.
• Use the bibliographies and references of research studies you find to locate others.
• Check with your professor, or a subject expert in the field, if you are missing any key works in the field.
• Ask your librarian for help at any time.
• Use a citation manager, such as EndNote as the repository for your citations. See the EndNote tutorials for help.

Review the literature

Some questions to help you analyze the research:

• What was the research question of the study you are reviewing? What were the authors trying to discover?
• Was the research funded by a source that could influence the findings?
• What were the research methodologies? Analyze its literature review, the samples and variables used, the results, and the conclusions.
• Does the research seem to be complete? Could it have been conducted more soundly? What further questions does it raise?
• If there are conflicting studies, why do you think that is?
• How are the authors viewed in the field? Has this study been cited? If so, how has it been analyzed?

Tips: 

• Review the abstracts carefully.  
• Keep careful notes so that you may track your thought processes during the research process.
• Create a matrix of the studies for easy analysis, and synthesis, across all of the studies.
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Writing Research Papers

• Writing a Literature Review

When writing a research paper on a specific topic, you will often need to include an overview of any prior research that has been conducted on that topic.  For example, if your research paper is describing an experiment on fear conditioning, then you will probably need to provide an overview of prior research on fear conditioning.  That overview is typically known as a literature review.  

Please note that a full-length literature review article may be suitable for fulfilling the requirements for the Psychology B.S. Degree Research Paper .  For further details, please check with your faculty advisor.

Different Types of Literature Reviews

Literature reviews come in many forms.  They can be part of a research paper, for example as part of the Introduction section.  They can be one chapter of a doctoral dissertation.  Literature reviews can also “stand alone” as separate articles by themselves.  For instance, some journals such as Annual Review of Psychology , Psychological Bulletin , and others typically publish full-length review articles.  Similarly, in courses at UCSD, you may be asked to write a research paper that is itself a literature review (such as, with an instructor’s permission, in fulfillment of the B.S. Degree Research Paper requirement). Alternatively, you may be expected to include a literature review as part of a larger research paper (such as part of an Honors Thesis). 

Literature reviews can be written using a variety of different styles.  These may differ in the way prior research is reviewed as well as the way in which the literature review is organized.  Examples of stylistic variations in literature reviews include: 

• Summarization of prior work vs. critical evaluation. In some cases, prior research is simply described and summarized; in other cases, the writer compares, contrasts, and may even critique prior research (for example, discusses their strengths and weaknesses).
• Chronological vs. categorical and other types of organization. In some cases, the literature review begins with the oldest research and advances until it concludes with the latest research.  In other cases, research is discussed by category (such as in groupings of closely related studies) without regard for chronological order.  In yet other cases, research is discussed in terms of opposing views (such as when different research studies or researchers disagree with one another).

Overall, all literature reviews, whether they are written as a part of a larger work or as separate articles unto themselves, have a common feature: they do not present new research; rather, they provide an overview of prior research on a specific topic . 

How to Write a Literature Review

When writing a literature review, it can be helpful to rely on the following steps.  Please note that these procedures are not necessarily only for writing a literature review that becomes part of a larger article; they can also be used for writing a full-length article that is itself a literature review (although such reviews are typically more detailed and exhaustive; for more information please refer to the Further Resources section of this page).

Steps for Writing a Literature Review

1. Identify and define the topic that you will be reviewing.

The topic, which is commonly a research question (or problem) of some kind, needs to be identified and defined as clearly as possible.  You need to have an idea of what you will be reviewing in order to effectively search for references and to write a coherent summary of the research on it.  At this stage it can be helpful to write down a description of the research question, area, or topic that you will be reviewing, as well as to identify any keywords that you will be using to search for relevant research.

2. Conduct a literature search.

Use a range of keywords to search databases such as PsycINFO and any others that may contain relevant articles.  You should focus on peer-reviewed, scholarly articles.  Published books may also be helpful, but keep in mind that peer-reviewed articles are widely considered to be the “gold standard” of scientific research.  Read through titles and abstracts, select and obtain articles (that is, download, copy, or print them out), and save your searches as needed.  For more information about this step, please see the Using Databases and Finding Scholarly References section of this website.

3. Read through the research that you have found and take notes.

Absorb as much information as you can.  Read through the articles and books that you have found, and as you do, take notes.  The notes should include anything that will be helpful in advancing your own thinking about the topic and in helping you write the literature review (such as key points, ideas, or even page numbers that index key information).  Some references may turn out to be more helpful than others; you may notice patterns or striking contrasts between different sources ; and some sources may refer to yet other sources of potential interest.  This is often the most time-consuming part of the review process.  However, it is also where you get to learn about the topic in great detail.  For more details about taking notes, please see the “Reading Sources and Taking Notes” section of the Finding Scholarly References page of this website.

4. Organize your notes and thoughts; create an outline.

At this stage, you are close to writing the review itself.  However, it is often helpful to first reflect on all the reading that you have done.  What patterns stand out?  Do the different sources converge on a consensus?  Or not?  What unresolved questions still remain?  You should look over your notes (it may also be helpful to reorganize them), and as you do, to think about how you will present this research in your literature review.  Are you going to summarize or critically evaluate?  Are you going to use a chronological or other type of organizational structure?  It can also be helpful to create an outline of how your literature review will be structured.

5. Write the literature review itself and edit and revise as needed.

The final stage involves writing.  When writing, keep in mind that literature reviews are generally characterized by a summary style in which prior research is described sufficiently to explain critical findings but does not include a high level of detail (if readers want to learn about all the specific details of a study, then they can look up the references that you cite and read the original articles themselves).  However, the degree of emphasis that is given to individual studies may vary (more or less detail may be warranted depending on how critical or unique a given study was).   After you have written a first draft, you should read it carefully and then edit and revise as needed.  You may need to repeat this process more than once.  It may be helpful to have another person read through your draft(s) and provide feedback.

6. Incorporate the literature review into your research paper draft.

After the literature review is complete, you should incorporate it into your research paper (if you are writing the review as one component of a larger paper).  Depending on the stage at which your paper is at, this may involve merging your literature review into a partially complete Introduction section, writing the rest of the paper around the literature review, or other processes.

Further Tips for Writing a Literature Review

Full-length literature reviews

• Many full-length literature review articles use a three-part structure: Introduction (where the topic is identified and any trends or major problems in the literature are introduced), Body (where the studies that comprise the literature on that topic are discussed), and Discussion or Conclusion (where major patterns and points are discussed and the general state of what is known about the topic is summarized)

Literature reviews as part of a larger paper

• An “express method” of writing a literature review for a research paper is as follows: first, write a one paragraph description of each article that you read. Second, choose how you will order all the paragraphs and combine them in one document.  Third, add transitions between the paragraphs, as well as an introductory and concluding paragraph. 1
• A literature review that is part of a larger research paper typically does not have to be exhaustive. Rather, it should contain most or all of the significant studies about a research topic but not tangential or loosely related ones. 2   Generally, literature reviews should be sufficient for the reader to understand the major issues and key findings about a research topic.  You may however need to confer with your instructor or editor to determine how comprehensive you need to be.

Benefits of Literature Reviews

By summarizing prior research on a topic, literature reviews have multiple benefits.  These include:

• Literature reviews help readers understand what is known about a topic without having to find and read through multiple sources.
• Literature reviews help “set the stage” for later reading about new research on a given topic (such as if they are placed in the Introduction of a larger research paper). In other words, they provide helpful background and context.
• Literature reviews can also help the writer learn about a given topic while in the process of preparing the review itself. In the act of research and writing the literature review, the writer gains expertise on the topic .

Downloadable Resources

• How to Write APA Style Research Papers (a comprehensive guide) [ PDF ]
• Tips for Writing APA Style Research Papers (a brief summary) [ PDF ]
• Example APA Style Research Paper (for B.S. Degree – literature review) [ PDF ]

Further Resources

How-To Videos     

• Writing Research Paper Videos
• UCSD Library Psychology Research Guide: Literature Reviews

External Resources

• Developing and Writing a Literature Review from N Carolina A&T State University
• Example of a Short Literature Review from York College CUNY
• How to Write a Review of Literature from UW-Madison
• Writing a Literature Review from UC Santa Cruz  
• Pautasso, M. (2013). Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Literature Review. PLoS Computational Biology, 9 (7), e1003149. doi : 1371/journal.pcbi.1003149

1 Ashton, W. Writing a short literature review . [PDF]     

2 carver, l. (2014).  writing the research paper [workshop]. , prepared by s. c. pan for ucsd psychology.

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Research in the Biological and Life Sciences: A Guide for Cornell Researchers: Literature Reviews

• Books and Dissertations
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What is a Literature Review?

A literature review is a body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge on a particular topic. Most often associated with science-oriented literature, such as a thesis, the literature review usually proceeds a research proposal, methodology and results section. Its ultimate goals is to bring the reader up to date with current literature on a topic and forms that basis for another goal, such as the justification for future research in the area. (retrieved from  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literature_review )

Writing a Literature Review

The literature review is the section of your paper in which you cite and briefly review the related research studies that have been conducted. In this space, you will describe the foundation on which  your  research will be/is built. You will:

• discuss the work of others
• evaluate their methods and findings
• identify any gaps in their research
• state how  your  research is different

The literature review should be selective and should group the cited studies in some logical fashion.

If you need some additional assistance writing your literature review, the Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines offers a  Graduate Writing Service .

Demystifying the Literature Review

For more information, visit our guide devoted to " Demystifying the Literature Review " which includes:

• guide to conducting a literature review,
• a recorded 1.5 hour workshop covering the steps of a literature review, a checklist for drafting your topic and search terms, citation management software for organizing your results, and database searching.

Online Resources

• A Guide to Library Research at Cornell University
• Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students North Carolina State University 
• The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting Written by Dena Taylor, Director, Health Sciences Writing Centre, and Margaret Procter, Coordinator, Writing Support, University of Toronto
• How to Write a Literature Review University Library, University of California, Santa Cruz
• Review of Literature The Writing Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Print Resources

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• UConn Library
• Literature Review: The What, Why and How-to Guide
• Introduction

Literature Review: The What, Why and How-to Guide — Introduction

• Getting Started
• How to Pick a Topic
• Strategies to Find Sources
• Evaluating Sources & Lit. Reviews
• Tips for Writing Literature Reviews
• Writing Literature Review: Useful Sites
• Citation Resources
• Other Academic Writings

What are Literature Reviews?

So, what is a literature review? "A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. In writing the literature review, your purpose is to convey to your reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. As a piece of writing, the literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g., your research objective, the problem or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of the material available, or a set of summaries." Taylor, D.  The literature review: A few tips on conducting it . University of Toronto Health Sciences Writing Centre.

Goals of Literature Reviews

What are the goals of creating a Literature Review?  A literature could be written to accomplish different aims:

• To develop a theory or evaluate an existing theory
• To summarize the historical or existing state of a research topic
• Identify a problem in a field of research 

Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1997). Writing narrative literature reviews .  Review of General Psychology , 1 (3), 311-320.

What kinds of sources require a Literature Review?

• A research paper assigned in a course
• A thesis or dissertation
• A grant proposal
• An article intended for publication in a journal

All these instances require you to collect what has been written about your research topic so that you can demonstrate how your own research sheds new light on the topic.

Types of Literature Reviews

What kinds of literature reviews are written?

Narrative review: The purpose of this type of review is to describe the current state of the research on a specific topic/research and to offer a critical analysis of the literature reviewed. Studies are grouped by research/theoretical categories, and themes and trends, strengths and weakness, and gaps are identified. The review ends with a conclusion section which summarizes the findings regarding the state of the research of the specific study, the gaps identify and if applicable, explains how the author's research will address gaps identify in the review and expand the knowledge on the topic reviewed.

• Example : Predictors and Outcomes of U.S. Quality Maternity Leave: A Review and Conceptual Framework:  10.1177/08948453211037398  

Systematic review : "The authors of a systematic review use a specific procedure to search the research literature, select the studies to include in their review, and critically evaluate the studies they find." (p. 139). Nelson, L. K. (2013). Research in Communication Sciences and Disorders . Plural Publishing.

• Example : The effect of leave policies on increasing fertility: a systematic review:  10.1057/s41599-022-01270-w

Meta-analysis : "Meta-analysis is a method of reviewing research findings in a quantitative fashion by transforming the data from individual studies into what is called an effect size and then pooling and analyzing this information. The basic goal in meta-analysis is to explain why different outcomes have occurred in different studies." (p. 197). Roberts, M. C., & Ilardi, S. S. (2003). Handbook of Research Methods in Clinical Psychology . Blackwell Publishing.

• Example : Employment Instability and Fertility in Europe: A Meta-Analysis:  10.1215/00703370-9164737

Meta-synthesis : "Qualitative meta-synthesis is a type of qualitative study that uses as data the findings from other qualitative studies linked by the same or related topic." (p.312). Zimmer, L. (2006). Qualitative meta-synthesis: A question of dialoguing with texts .  Journal of Advanced Nursing , 53 (3), 311-318.

• Example : Women’s perspectives on career successes and barriers: A qualitative meta-synthesis:  10.1177/05390184221113735

Literature Reviews in the Health Sciences

• UConn Health subject guide on systematic reviews Explanation of the different review types used in health sciences literature as well as tools to help you find the right review type
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Research Methods

• Getting Started
• Literature Review Research
• Research Design
• Research Design By Discipline
• SAGE Research Methods
• Teaching with SAGE Research Methods

Literature Review

• What is a Literature Review?
• What is NOT a Literature Review?
• Purposes of a Literature Review
• Types of Literature Reviews
• Literature Reviews vs. Systematic Reviews
• Systematic vs. Meta-Analysis

Literature Review  is a comprehensive survey of the works published in a particular field of study or line of research, usually over a specific period of time, in the form of an in-depth, critical bibliographic essay or annotated list in which attention is drawn to the most significant works.

Also, we can define a literature review as the collected body of scholarly works related to a topic:

• Summarizes and analyzes previous research relevant to a topic
• Includes scholarly books and articles published in academic journals
• Can be an specific scholarly paper or a section in a research paper

The objective of a Literature Review is to find previous published scholarly works relevant to an specific topic

• Help gather ideas or information
• Keep up to date in current trends and findings
• Help develop new questions

A literature review is important because it:

• Explains the background of research on a topic.
• Demonstrates why a topic is significant to a subject area.
• Helps focus your own research questions or problems
• Discovers relationships between research studies/ideas.
• Suggests unexplored ideas or populations
• Identifies major themes, concepts, and researchers on a topic.
• Tests assumptions; may help counter preconceived ideas and remove unconscious bias.
• Identifies critical gaps, points of disagreement, or potentially flawed methodology or theoretical approaches.
• Indicates potential directions for future research.

All content in this section is from Literature Review Research from Old Dominion University 

Keep in mind the following, a literature review is NOT:

Not an essay 

Not an annotated bibliography  in which you summarize each article that you have reviewed.  A literature review goes beyond basic summarizing to focus on the critical analysis of the reviewed works and their relationship to your research question.

Not a research paper   where you select resources to support one side of an issue versus another.  A lit review should explain and consider all sides of an argument in order to avoid bias, and areas of agreement and disagreement should be highlighted.

A literature review serves several purposes. For example, it

• provides thorough knowledge of previous studies; introduces seminal works.
• helps focus one’s own research topic.
• identifies a conceptual framework for one’s own research questions or problems; indicates potential directions for future research.
• suggests previously unused or underused methodologies, designs, quantitative and qualitative strategies.
• identifies gaps in previous studies; identifies flawed methodologies and/or theoretical approaches; avoids replication of mistakes.
• helps the researcher avoid repetition of earlier research.
• suggests unexplored populations.
• determines whether past studies agree or disagree; identifies controversy in the literature.
• tests assumptions; may help counter preconceived ideas and remove unconscious bias.

As Kennedy (2007) notes*, it is important to think of knowledge in a given field as consisting of three layers. First, there are the primary studies that researchers conduct and publish. Second are the reviews of those studies that summarize and offer new interpretations built from and often extending beyond the original studies. Third, there are the perceptions, conclusions, opinion, and interpretations that are shared informally that become part of the lore of field. In composing a literature review, it is important to note that it is often this third layer of knowledge that is cited as "true" even though it often has only a loose relationship to the primary studies and secondary literature reviews.

Given this, while literature reviews are designed to provide an overview and synthesis of pertinent sources you have explored, there are several approaches to how they can be done, depending upon the type of analysis underpinning your study. Listed below are definitions of types of literature reviews:

Argumentative Review      This form examines literature selectively in order to support or refute an argument, deeply imbedded assumption, or philosophical problem already established in the literature. The purpose is to develop a body of literature that establishes a contrarian viewpoint. Given the value-laden nature of some social science research [e.g., educational reform; immigration control], argumentative approaches to analyzing the literature can be a legitimate and important form of discourse. However, note that they can also introduce problems of bias when they are used to to make summary claims of the sort found in systematic reviews.

Integrative Review      Considered a form of research that reviews, critiques, and synthesizes representative literature on a topic in an integrated way such that new frameworks and perspectives on the topic are generated. The body of literature includes all studies that address related or identical hypotheses. A well-done integrative review meets the same standards as primary research in regard to clarity, rigor, and replication.

Historical Review      Few things rest in isolation from historical precedent. Historical reviews are focused on examining research throughout a period of time, often starting with the first time an issue, concept, theory, phenomena emerged in the literature, then tracing its evolution within the scholarship of a discipline. The purpose is to place research in a historical context to show familiarity with state-of-the-art developments and to identify the likely directions for future research.

Methodological Review      A review does not always focus on what someone said [content], but how they said it [method of analysis]. This approach provides a framework of understanding at different levels (i.e. those of theory, substantive fields, research approaches and data collection and analysis techniques), enables researchers to draw on a wide variety of knowledge ranging from the conceptual level to practical documents for use in fieldwork in the areas of ontological and epistemological consideration, quantitative and qualitative integration, sampling, interviewing, data collection and data analysis, and helps highlight many ethical issues which we should be aware of and consider as we go through our study.

Systematic Review      This form consists of an overview of existing evidence pertinent to a clearly formulated research question, which uses pre-specified and standardized methods to identify and critically appraise relevant research, and to collect, report, and analyse data from the studies that are included in the review. Typically it focuses on a very specific empirical question, often posed in a cause-and-effect form, such as "To what extent does A contribute to B?"

Theoretical Review      The purpose of this form is to concretely examine the corpus of theory that has accumulated in regard to an issue, concept, theory, phenomena. The theoretical literature review help establish what theories already exist, the relationships between them, to what degree the existing theories have been investigated, and to develop new hypotheses to be tested. Often this form is used to help establish a lack of appropriate theories or reveal that current theories are inadequate for explaining new or emerging research problems. The unit of analysis can focus on a theoretical concept or a whole theory or framework.

* Kennedy, Mary M. "Defining a Literature."  Educational Researcher  36 (April 2007): 139-147.

All content in this section is from The Literature Review created by Dr. Robert Larabee USC

Robinson, P. and Lowe, J. (2015),  Literature reviews vs systematic reviews.  Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 39: 103-103. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12393

What's in the name? The difference between a Systematic Review and a Literature Review, and why it matters . By Lynn Kysh from University of Southern California

Systematic review or meta-analysis?

A  systematic review  answers a defined research question by collecting and summarizing all empirical evidence that fits pre-specified eligibility criteria.

A  meta-analysis  is the use of statistical methods to summarize the results of these studies.

Systematic reviews, just like other research articles, can be of varying quality. They are a significant piece of work (the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at York estimates that a team will take 9-24 months), and to be useful to other researchers and practitioners they should have:

• clearly stated objectives with pre-defined eligibility criteria for studies
• explicit, reproducible methodology
• a systematic search that attempts to identify all studies
• assessment of the validity of the findings of the included studies (e.g. risk of bias)
• systematic presentation, and synthesis, of the characteristics and findings of the included studies

Not all systematic reviews contain meta-analysis. 

Meta-analysis is the use of statistical methods to summarize the results of independent studies. By combining information from all relevant studies, meta-analysis can provide more precise estimates of the effects of health care than those derived from the individual studies included within a review.  More information on meta-analyses can be found in  Cochrane Handbook, Chapter 9 .

A meta-analysis goes beyond critique and integration and conducts secondary statistical analysis on the outcomes of similar studies.  It is a systematic review that uses quantitative methods to synthesize and summarize the results.

An advantage of a meta-analysis is the ability to be completely objective in evaluating research findings.  Not all topics, however, have sufficient research evidence to allow a meta-analysis to be conducted.  In that case, an integrative review is an appropriate strategy. 

Some of the content in this section is from Systematic reviews and meta-analyses: step by step guide created by Kate McAllister.

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Chapter II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES ¶

The literature and studies cited in this chapter tackle the different concept, understanding, and ideas, generalization or conclusions and different development related to study of the enrollment from the past up to the present and which serves as the researchers guide in developing the project. Those that were also included in this chapter helps in familiarizing information that are relevant and similar to the present study.

Theoretical Background ¶

Enrollment management is “not just an organizational concept: it is both a process and a series of activities that involve the entire campus” ( Hossler & Bean, 1990). Dennis (1998) defines enrollment management as forecasting trends that will affect higher education and utilizing research to plan for the future (Dennis,1998). Second, Dennis lists the following attributes of those who understand enrollment management. Hossler and Bean conclude that there are two goals of enrollment management. “First, to exert more control over the characteristics of the student body and two control the size of the student body” (& Bean, 1990, p.5) Given these two perspectives, one would say that enrollment management is concerned with the attraction and retention of students (Braxton, Vesper, & Hossler, 1995). Donhardt (1995), feels that enrollment management involves the influence of the whole enrollment picture from recruitment through graduation. Bateman and Spruill (1995) found that enrollment management extends to the educational outcomes of attendance. Hossler and Bean (1990) define enrollment management as “efforts to influence the characteristics and the size of enrolled student bodies by directing the activities of the offices of admissions, financial aid, new-student orientation, career planning, retention, and a number of other student affairs areas” (Dennis, 1998). Tinto and Russo (1994) report that the success of enrollment management programs has been only moderately successful. In traditional way of enrolling, manual enrollment system is commonly used as a way of enrolling students to and is continuing to be used nowadays. In manual way of registering and enrolling students they must have to fill up first using ball pen and an enrollment form sheet given by their teachers. By the help of different developers and programmers, they have developed different system about the registration and enrollment process. Computerized, online registration and online enrollment systems that helps the school for having an easier process of managing student information.

Related Studies ¶

Local studies ¶.

Based on the researcher, a web-based enrollment system for Veritas Parochial School (VPS) in Web Based enrollment system, Manila was developed to help its students enroll in a more efficient way without the hassles of waiting long hours in filling out forms, which sometimes become redundant, or to stand in line and pay at the cashier. It is with the Web-based Enrollment System for VPS that this new style of enrollment may be achieved. This new type of system offers its students new options for enrolling at VPS. By logging on to VPS website, one can register and enroll subjects for a school year. With these, all the students are required to fill out certain forms that do not take more than a few minutes to accomplish. The system stores its records in the school database for future references. Confirmation of the transaction made by the students need to be verified, the payment of tuition fees must be made in the schools registrar. The students may also browse the web site of VPS and he can check his current account. He can also refer to the list of the school current tuition fee rates (Pascual & Riceo, 2008) According to Lopez (2005), a registration system helps and provides efficient and reliable services to the students, enrollment personnel and administration. Moreover, this system improved the process of enrollment in terms of searching, retrieving and subject schedules. While in a study conducted by Cayabyab (2007), many problems and difficulties were identified in the existing system of Dagupan City National High School (DCNHS). These major concerns are affecting the efficient enrollment system of students. Security of the students records were found to be at high risk. The current system may fail to protect some important documents. It has also untimely and inefficient report generation. A computerized system for DCNHS shall result to a significant increase in the number of enrollees Network-Based Enrollment system Conde (2007) in his study entitled “Network-bases Enrollment System of Paete National High School cited that the manual process of enrollment and manual handling of information and reports of the students is very laborious one. The proponents developed a network based system enrollment system to the said school to solve the huge amount of task. Garcia (2002) created the “LSPC Enrollment System”, the study can be a great help to persons concerned during the enrollment period, the registrar, instructor of the students as they retrieval necessary information when needed and lessen the burden manually browsing over enrollment slip for record purposes Saayo et.al (2008) developed the system “Network based automated Enrollment and grading system for Morong National High School. Due to increasing population of the institution, and the school currently implementing the manual system, every student spends a lot of time during enrollment period, such as paying their tuition fees and processing the school requirements. Valina et.al (2009), in this work entitled “Network-based student Permanent Record keeping and Enrollment System of Balian National High School”. This System was made to lessen the time and effort exerted by both student and school employees. It is also made to give accurate reports and keep records of every students every students and for easy and fast way of enrollment. Soria (2006), constructed a system entitled “Network-based Computerized inventory System for the supply office o the LSPC main campus. With the advancement of technology, devices and machines were improve , developed and inverted to cope up with the need of new world. There are different systems designed for reliable, efficient and very useful to the user. Cabang et al. (2003) developed the ‘computerized Students Record Monitoring System of Siniloan National High School”, Computerized Student data will be exceedingly helped to the user through continuous management of the School. It could help the registrar for a less effort services in the institutions especially in updating, printing and deleting student’s record. Velasco (2002) Study entitled “Maulawin National High School Student Information System” cited that maintaining students, records manually is a very difficult task and time consuming. In that case, computerization system that can help and handle 17 this data needed to speed up the process of student’s record keeping and to promote and reliability. Cura et al. (2004), Designed system entitled “computerized inventory system of office of the supply in LSPU” is capable of handling voluminous data about the flow of item insurance and reply to the flow of items’ issuance and return in supply office Torres et al. (2002), conducted a study that resolves around the importance computerization of student information. This study was conducted with the hope that it would help minimize time and effort in processing student’s information in Maulawin National High School. The basic feature of this study is after the storage and access of retrieving and updating the data. Alcaira (1999), stated that the using of computer are continue to grow, the need for a more timely information and data processing comes on demand keeping the record of any manual operations need the application, because handling it manually will only be conflicting. Aravia et al. (2002), show the growing importance of computers in the society. The significance of the study revolves the automation of student permanent record keeping. Garnace (1999), developed application software for the computerized information system of a commercial piggery using the concept of the database and implemented it in database. Automation Enrollment System Gumitao (2001), system is designed to provide reports of the list of enrollment per school year, periodical grade of students, and list of new, old and transferees Revalla (2005) created an Automation Enrollment System for the computer Science Department of the Laguna College business and Arts. The study was conceived because of the need to update the current registration system of LCBA, which is done manually. Her study, was based on the special problem of Mr. Bonifacio E. Bacani, Jr. about “Student Record information System”. Kampitan (2000) developed an Enrollment System of Liceo De Victoria that is designed to keep the students records. This is used to provide an effective and faster of providing information of the student and also the accounting purposes’ Liceo De Victoria Enrollment was developed and implement using relational database and designed in clipper 5.3. Earlier, Encila (1999) Introduced the Enrollment System for the computer Science Department of LCBA and traders, designed of enrollment System is advantageous to the school because it speed up the process and with only a minimum amount of power and resources. Cacao (2002), designed the “Morning Star Montessori School incorporated form 137implemented in Fox Base. Solomon (2002), developed Enrollment and Record keeping System, to know how to read sign the data that is used to be kept the record files of students and also that, it could be mange more efficiently in computer with his project. Quiver (2001), developed a program using database III which capable of retrieving, access in manipulating of data in easy way. A computerized system to minimized the lost of record and burden of work was designed by Pajarillo in 2002. Monsalve and Ilagan (2005), developed a program and designed using Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 and Microsoft access. The system is capable of receiving access, searching items, providing adequate information and data gathering. IPizzara and Veridiano (2001), this system was done using Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0. This conducted system goes along the trend of computerization to be in the field of competitiveness and survive to the complicated works. Relayo (1999) this study will assist the researcher regarding to the use of database and Visual Basic. This system have been designed in order to speed up the access and retrieval information and to lessen manual effort involve in the library routine of transaction. Magalang (2003), he proposed this to developed software that will help the management of the school “lyceum’ in giving good service to its student in speeding of the process involve in monitoring account acquired during the enrollment & other payment transaction. Lazaro (2004), this study entitled “Liceo de Los Banos record monitoring system” password was created for the protection and was designed to be user-friendly by only authorized persons and to ensure security of data basic information. Lumbers (2002), stated in her study entitled “a systematic enrollment process using database system in Saint John academy. Calamba, Laguna” that the application of database system to the enrollment process will greatly increase its efficiency; automation of enrollment process will upgrade the quality of the services provided for the qualified enrollees. Online enrollment system An Online Registration System was proposed to replace the manual enrollment system of Cavite Maritime Institute in order to advance an organized flow of transaction and an ease of work concerned on how the manual enrollment performs throughout the institution’s operations. The numerous transactions that the manual system covers, such as updating and adding student records, generating the advising and assessment slips, and the like considering the manual operating system to be inefficient for the need of the institution. Since the study involves proper record handling, tracing the constraints and evaluation of the manual system is essential (Bacala and Reano, 2009). In educational institutions like Harvent School in Dagupan City, Composed of elementary and high school level. The school puts premium to its registration. The enrollment process is the initial stage in gathering bonafide fide and accurate student information necessary to establish student permanent records. A registration and billing system is needed by the institution to address the stated situation. The study has been made to help Harvent School gather fast and deliver accurate information (Calabozo & Fernandez, 2006) Online enrollment system is utilized today by many universities to facilitate the enrollment of their students into classes every semester (Gaton, 2012). The system allows students to choose courses they want to take with the available class schedules. This allows students to make up their time schedules for different class courses without time schedule conflicts. After the allotted enrollment period, the system runs and assigns slots to students. With the Online Registration System, students could log in, check their schedule, and set desired changes and pay online without having to stand in a line and rushing to meet deadlines to accomplish all the transactions required for enrollment (Ella, 2012). The Online Registration System is a method designed to perform the process involved in registration, advising, assessments, and payments of students as well as scheduling of classes in any educational institution. According to Aquino (2005), importance of computer application is increasing day by day. In the latest decades of the millennium winning organizations are those which are willing to integrate business strategy and information technology in plying their respective trades. The use of information technology results for them to be able to develop products fast and make decisions fast, ability to have fluid organization structures, able to cope with the demanding work force and external environment by the rapid development of innovative approaches, and lastly, using information system confirms the company’s vision and mission. Schools use information systems in the way of implementing an enrollment system. This results for them to attract enrollees and earn an income. Enrollees are attracted because the use of the said system makes the transactions faster and easier. Alcuaz (1988) stated that the use of computer can give competitive advantage and improve profitability. Computer helps to increase the productivity of people. This is true whether they are working alone or working with others within a formal organization such as business corporations. As said by Adrian(2011), “Lack of enrollment system in schools can lead to chaos and troubles.” Students will be confused on what they should do to be able to enroll that is why such systems is extremely useful in the way that it gives an ease on working on enrollment processes. Enrollment is very useful in retrieving vital information of the students. Without it can lead difficulty both for the administration of school and student in enrollment processes Many countries today, especially the developing nations are challenged by the rapid technological changes. This has radically changed the living and working styles of the entire society. This transformation has been driven partly by rapid technological innovation. While in the 20th century, people saw the rise of the industrial revolution with steam-powered machines intensifying and expanding human productive power, the 21st century was characterized by the birth of machine-powered flight and the emergence of broadcasting and computer technologies that extend the reach of human creativity even more and made new ways possible by which humans could live and work together (Tinio, 2002). The transformation of manual enrollment transaction to automate and now into a web-based automation is one example of what was driven partly by the rapid technological innovation. Any ways just to make work easier and faster like enrollment transactions is possible with the emergence of computer technologies. Technology innovation had influenced man’s work from data processing, business transaction, research, planning, monitoring and even in medical operation on human anatomy are now entrusted to computer technology. Web applications are popular due to ubiquity of its applications. The ability to update and maintain web applications without distributing and installing software on potentially thousands of client computers are key reasons for its popularity. A significant advantage of building web applications to support a standard browser feature is the ability to perform as specified, regardless of the operating system installed on a given client (Bacala &Reanno, 2009). Web-based enrollment system A web-based enrollment system has features that meet most of academic institutions system’s needs and requirements. This includes standardized modules for student registration, enrollment, grade management, and other modules that are deemed necessary to operate a school. Based on the researcher, a web-based enrollment system for Veritas Parochial School (VPS) in Web Based enrollment system, Manila was developed to help its students enroll in a more efficient way without the hassles of waiting long hours in filling out forms, which sometimes become redundant, or to stand in line and pay at the cashier. It is with the Web-based Enrollment System for VPS that this new style of enrollment may be achieved. This new type of system offers its students new options for enrolling at VPS. By logging on to VPS website, one can register and enroll subjects for a school year. With these, all the students are required to fill out certain forms that do not take more than a few minutes to accomplish. The system stores its records in the school database for future references. Confirmation of the transaction made by the students need to be verified, the payment of tuition fees must be made in the schools registrar. The students may also browse the web site of VPS and he can check his current account. He can also refer to the list of the school current tuition fee rates (Pascual & Riceo, 2008)

Foreign Studies ¶

According to Lopez (2005), a Registration system helps and provides efficient and reliable services to the students, enrollment personnel and administration. Moreover, this system improved the process of enrollment in terms of searching, retrieving and subject schedules. While in a study conducted by Cayabyab (2007), many problems and difficulties were identified in the existing system of Dagupan City National High School (DCNHS). These major concerns are affecting the efficient enrollment system of students. Security of the students records were found to be at high risk. The current system may fail to protect some important documents. It has also untimely and inefficient report generation. A computerized system for DCNHS shall result to a significant increase in the number of enrollees Network-Based Enrollment system Conde (2007) in his study entitled “Network-bases Enrollment System of Paete National High School cited that the manual process of enrollment and manual handling of information and reports of the students is very laborious one. The proponents developed a network based system enrollment system to the said school to solve the huge amount of task. Garcia (2002) created the “LSPC Enrollment System”, the study can be a great help to persons concerned during the enrollment period, the registrar, instructor of the students as they retrieval necessary information when needed and lessen the burden manually browsing over enrollment slip for record purposes Saayo et.al (2008) developed the system “Network based automated Enrollment and grading system for Morong National High School. Due to increasing population of the institution, and the school currently implementing the manual system, every student spends a lot of time during enrollment period, such as paying their tuition fees and processing the school requirements. Valina et.al (2009), in this work entitled “Network-based student Permanent Record keeping and Enrollment System of Balian National High School”. This System was made to lessen the time and effort exerted by both student and school employees. It is also made to give accurate reports and keep records of every students every students and for easy and fast way of enrollment. Soria (2006), constructed a system entitled “Network-based Computerized inventory System for the supply office o the LSPC main campus. With the advancement of technology, devices and machines were improve , developed and inverted to cope up with the need of new world. There are different systems designed for reliable, efficient and very useful to the user. Cabang et al. (2003) developed the ‘computerized Students Record Monitoring System of Siniloan National High School”, Computerized Student data will be exceedingly helped to the user through continuous management of the School. It could help the registrar for a less effort services in the institutions especially in updating, printing and deleting student’s record. Velasco (2002) Study entitled “Maulawin National High School Student Information System” cited that maintaining students, records manually is a very difficult task and time consuming. In that case, computerization system that can help and handle 17 this data needed to speed up the process of student’s record keeping and to promote and reliability. Cura et al. (2004), Designed system entitled “computerized inventory system of office of the supply in LSPU” is capable of handling voluminous data about the flow of item insurance and reply to the flow of items’ issuance and return in supply office Torres et al. (2002), conducted a study that resolves around the importance computerization of student information. This study was conducted with the hope that it would help minimize time and effort in processing student’s information in Maulawin National High School. The basic feature of this study is after the storage and access of retrieving and updating the data. According to Jennifer Rowley (2005), information systems are a tool to support information management. Information systems are increasingly being used in organizations with the objective of providing competitive advantage. The information systems used by organizations can be grouped into different types such as transaction processing system, management information system, decision support system, executive information system, expert systems and office information system. Information Technology has heralded the advent of the information society. The information society may be a “virtual society”. The concepts of the electronic classroom, the electronic office and electronic library have been explored. Information system poses a number of issues on society in general, including: changing employment patterns, archiving, and bibliographic control, security and data protection, intellectual property, marketplace issues and access. An registration system is basically included in one of the classification of information system that is stated by the author, thus it serves as a tool to support information management with regards to the student data, enrollment fees information and other with a connection to the enrollment process. Every school gain competitive advantage of having this system for they will have the capacity on handling important information at ease and with security. The iterative implementation approach is a theory that eliminates problems of using a waterfall study. This is invented to avoid a linear and sequential development of study. The overall functionality of the system is broken down into feature sets. These features sets often based upon use cases from the analysis stage, containing group of individual features that are related, typically by a functional area (Stephen McHenry, 2010) Adopting the theory of Stephen McHenry which is known as the iterative implementation covers the breakdown of overall functionality of the system to a what he called feature set and those feature sets represents different process involve in an enrollment system. It helps locate what feature an enrollment system will have since that this kind of systems does many activities and processes. As said by Dunn and Scott (2005), science and technology is the root of emerging innovations in this world. For many years now, a person in this field of expertise does not stop to reshape the landscape of today’s business world. Enrollment system has made huge impact into the school arena. It is a system that is built on innovative program strategies. It is a system that will help both the enrollment personnel-in-charge and the students to easily process the enrollment at a lesser time. Distinct from traditional enrollment, LAN enrollment system process large assortment of student records and provides efficient and consistent information services. As stated by Holmes (2006), “The Internet is neither an extraordinary communication tool nor revolutionary. It simply represents the current stage in the development of human capabilities through written language, which itself derived from the spoken form.” That statement only shows that advancement in modern technology is at their highest peak. Nowadays, Web-based applications are widely used due to their ubiquity. Web-based enrollment system is currently emerging on markets for they are offering transaction convenience and service efficiency through the use of Internet. This system becomes a powerful tool in dealing with information management regarding enrollment transactions. According to Forman (2007), continuing innovation in technologies can lead to organizational changes that range from improvement of day to day operation and for easy access it provides for the end users. Many schools today have adapted this innovation in offering of their services which is parallel with the concept of Tinn (2001), stated that the computerization responded to the call the office or any workplace to help their daily operation. Malolos et.al (2002) stated that the study of automation is important in the sense time it minimizes the time and effort normally exerted in manual process. While Janes (2001) stated that computers are extremely reliable device and very powerful calculators with some great accessories applications like word processing problem for all of business activities, regardless of size, computers have three advantages over other type of office equipment that process information because computer are faster, more accurate more economical. Reyes (2005) task would be time consuming to accomplish manually and more practical with the aid of computers field in cabinet. According to Flores (2002), the automation is described simply as the substitution of machine control of human. Dioso (2001) stated that computer assist careful intelligent planning, organizing, actuating and controlling .This maybe observed from the past that they monitor production activities, solve scientific problem and help arrive in tentative answer to a multitude of involved conditions. Ralph M. Stair (1999) emphasized that the development of technology through the years have enabled us to do more with less effort. From the orientation of the light bulb to the industrial revolution and beyond, we have continuously tried to in a more efficient means of doing tasks. Lewis (2002) stated that the reason for using computers vary from person to person. Some of the computers in business are to perform accuracy, to be as productivity, to decrease bottle necks or hassles to alter cash flows or to simplify elevate your status. Gold Chager et al (2003) said that computer as a device for processing information knew computer plays a significant role in their lives, but few are aware of just how pervasive role is. Mane (2000) mentioned that the creation of the computer made the easier to accomplish task than by doing it manually, to have the direct access on straightforward answer just monitoring record where in the needs of computer make possible for everyone to get data in a particular need. We can consider that the computer is necessary and it is a productive tool for individual. Gurewich (1999) stated that the database system makes the work faster for every institution. For the mere fact that instead of doing things manually, with the use of computer technology everything is done faster. Computer- Based Enrollment system Halili, M.C.N. (2004) that man’s actions are just involuntary movements especially when time allow to plan his next action. These responses pass through the process of reasoning and analysis. Huntchinson et.al (2001) stated that file is a collection of related records. Examples are the entire student’s courses card for Anthropology 101 or the transcript of all courses in the register’s office. Bryan (2006) emphasized the information system is a set of people, procedures and resources that collects, transforms and disseminates information in an organization to do’s ends rely on many types of information system (IS). They might include simple manual information system and informal system and also computer based information system that uses hardware, software telecommunication and other forms of information technology (IT). Sander (2002) computers are an intelligence amplifier that can free human to use their time effectively. Because a computer is a fast and accurate electronic symbol or data manipulating system that design automatically accept and store input data process and procedure output results under the direction of the stored program or instruction. Tows and (2005), stated that database is instructed collection of data. The data may be about people, product events in short, any type of information is to manage the collection of data for reporting and making decision. Adamski (2007), give some advantages of database processing first economy of scale getting more information from some amount of data, sharing data balancing conflicting requirement, enforcement of standard, controlled redundancy consisting integrity security ,flexibility and responsiveness ,increase programmers productivity, improve program maintenance and data independence Perkins (1999) stated that computer has an impressive impact upon business, governmental organization; bank and all sorts of organization and on how they are operate and manage. Alcaria (2004) explained that the use of computer are continue to grow, the need for a more timely information and data processing comes on demand keeping the records of any manual operations need the application of computer because handling it manually will only be conflicting. Kroenke (2002) in the early 1970’s database processing was considered an esoteric subject of interest only to the longest corporation with the largest computer. Information system-Database System Concept Today, database processing is becoming an information system standard. Silberschatz (2006) in his book “” the goal of database system is to simplify and facilitate access to data.In relation to Ahitud et.al (2007) mentioned that information system are more collection of hardware, software and people. They should be constructed to fit the organization’s strategy and structure so that it could easily be adapted to the information they needed. Asumbra (2002) Access to information is the best way to. In line with technology access to information within fingertips is the easier way to be equipped in the future. While Hammer (2003), said that computer could eliminate the need for copying and rearranging information, which was entered into system. They also perform mathematical computation; in short computer can eliminate most of the paper works. Microsoft Corporation (2002), explained that computer network are collection of computer and intelligent peripheral equipment that are inter connected by telephone lines, micro wave relays and other high-speed communication links of the purpose of exchanging data and sharing equipment. Cognos-based enrollment management system Southern California Community College Long Beach City College has gone live with a Cognos-based enrollment management system that was designed by Irvine, CA-based professional services firm e2e Analytic. Prior to installing the new system, LBCC, which has two main campuses and multiple satellites that support nine schools and 34 departments, handled its enrollment via manual spread sheets. With no reporting, continuity, or standard practices, and with lengthy error corrections, the school’s enrollment management budgeting and planning took up to three months to compile, consolidate, and implement (Koft 2007) The study on problems regarding on school such as the Long Beach City College is an aid for the proponents to have the idea on formulating solutions on transferring manual enrollment transactions to an automated or computerized one. According to the coordinator of Admission Support of Kerian Greenaway, the system known as the Edith Cowan University Web Enrollment System (ECUWES) had replaced the traditional hard copy system of enrollment. The system offers immediacy and convenience of course enrollment via the internet. The said university in Australia is currently enrolling more than 5,000 new students with easier transactions cause of their online enrollment system. In the local setting, academic institutions both the private and government schools are shifting from manual to computerized system including student registration. This is accomplished either on an intranet or internet-based environment. The desire to overcome these problems and difficulties has led the acceptance of advanced technology. It includes Local Area Network of computers, CD ROM and powerful processor. These technologies led to the development of information databases that provides simple and prompt retrieval of information through networking, In Local Area Network Enrollment System (LANES), the problems on admission and evaluation of academic records, subject reservation, assessment and payment of fees and issuance of class cards are besieged. Likewise, searching of records is effective due to its major key that is being used in retrieval of records. A Local Area Network Enrollment System (LANES) is a broad system. It is a combination of different function areas such as databases, searching, retrieval, and update of student records, checking of students’ schedule, computation of fees. (Dzubeck, Frank, 2003) Inspired by the advancement of modern technology and the problems regarding enrollment transactions the proponents have come up with an online enrollment system exclusively for school with many enrollees. Several factors are considered in designing the proposed system. First is the tedious task of filling out application forms and inaccuracies of information provided by the students that cause delay on the enrollment process. Other is that were problems on giving and announcing schedules of enrollees and cause for them to be late at their very first class. The researchers gathered data necessary in the enrollment system for the success of the study in providing benefit for the employees and students so they can have access and have the ability to manage information directly and conveniently. A software development and IT service firm implemented its catalyst in Governor Andres Pascual College was integrated web platform to provide content management, transaction processing, marketing, and interactive community function to the two rice schools. Catalyst deliver on the Jones school’s two primary criteria for selecting a web-based platform: simplifying content management; and enabling user response to information such as event RSVP and course registration. The content management tools lets the Jones school staff edit, update or add to the volume of curriculum and event information without calling for technical assistance. They simply cut and paste document into the content management system audit for consistency and publish to the web. The school’s diverse audiences, which include MBA’s executive Mb As, executive education participants, and alumni, now receives prompt notification of news and events, and can RSVP for event or register online for Executive Education courses.

Synthesis ¶

Similarities ¶.

With the above mention studies, Enrollment system of Veritas Parochial School used web-based and databases to stores their records. Students will logging on website, register and fill out certain forms. Liceo De Victoria Enrollment was developed and implements using relational databases. As for Quiver (2001), who also developed a program using database III which capable of retrieving, access in manipulating of data in easy way. The study of Lumber (2002), which is all about the systematic enrollment process using database in Saint John Academy, helps enrollment process increase its efficiency. Bacala & Reanno (2009), in their study that tells the significant advantage of building web applications to support a standard browser feature is the ability to perform as specified. With Stephen McHenry (2010),using WAMP(Windows Apache MySQL PHP is used to develop dynamic web sites with apache server, PHP5 script languages and database of MYSQL release 5. The studies support the use of applications using the web so that students can access the websites. The researchers used a database to increase the efficiency of registration procedures. They also used it for purposes such as storing records or information of students and access in manipulating data in an easy way. Using WAMP server and PHP languages is one way for them to develop their system.

Differences ¶

According to Ella (2012), the ideas and concept where the students will check their schedule, view subjects and teachers and set desired changes and pay online. While Gaton (2012), the system allows students to choose courses they want to take with the available class schedules. This allows students to make up their time schedules for different class courses without time schedule conflicts. After the allotted enrollment period, the system runs and assigns slots to students. Both concept and ideas does not cover the researchers system in terms of online payments or computation of student’s grades, class scheduling, and assessment of fees.

Table Of Contents

• Theoretical Background
• Local Studies
• Foreign Studies
• Similarities
• Differences

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• v.21(3); Fall 2022

Literature Reviews, Theoretical Frameworks, and Conceptual Frameworks: An Introduction for New Biology Education Researchers

Julie a. luft.

† Department of Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science Education, Mary Frances Early College of Education, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7124

Sophia Jeong

‡ Department of Teaching & Learning, College of Education & Human Ecology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210

Robert Idsardi

§ Department of Biology, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA 99004

Grant Gardner

∥ Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN 37132

Associated Data

To frame their work, biology education researchers need to consider the role of literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual frameworks as critical elements of the research and writing process. However, these elements can be confusing for scholars new to education research. This Research Methods article is designed to provide an overview of each of these elements and delineate the purpose of each in the educational research process. We describe what biology education researchers should consider as they conduct literature reviews, identify theoretical frameworks, and construct conceptual frameworks. Clarifying these different components of educational research studies can be helpful to new biology education researchers and the biology education research community at large in situating their work in the broader scholarly literature.

INTRODUCTION

Discipline-based education research (DBER) involves the purposeful and situated study of teaching and learning in specific disciplinary areas ( Singer et al. , 2012 ). Studies in DBER are guided by research questions that reflect disciplines’ priorities and worldviews. Researchers can use quantitative data, qualitative data, or both to answer these research questions through a variety of methodological traditions. Across all methodologies, there are different methods associated with planning and conducting educational research studies that include the use of surveys, interviews, observations, artifacts, or instruments. Ensuring the coherence of these elements to the discipline’s perspective also involves situating the work in the broader scholarly literature. The tools for doing this include literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual frameworks. However, the purpose and function of each of these elements is often confusing to new education researchers. The goal of this article is to introduce new biology education researchers to these three important elements important in DBER scholarship and the broader educational literature.

The first element we discuss is a review of research (literature reviews), which highlights the need for a specific research question, study problem, or topic of investigation. Literature reviews situate the relevance of the study within a topic and a field. The process may seem familiar to science researchers entering DBER fields, but new researchers may still struggle in conducting the review. Booth et al. (2016b) highlight some of the challenges novice education researchers face when conducting a review of literature. They point out that novice researchers struggle in deciding how to focus the review, determining the scope of articles needed in the review, and knowing how to be critical of the articles in the review. Overcoming these challenges (and others) can help novice researchers construct a sound literature review that can inform the design of the study and help ensure the work makes a contribution to the field.

The second and third highlighted elements are theoretical and conceptual frameworks. These guide biology education research (BER) studies, and may be less familiar to science researchers. These elements are important in shaping the construction of new knowledge. Theoretical frameworks offer a way to explain and interpret the studied phenomenon, while conceptual frameworks clarify assumptions about the studied phenomenon. Despite the importance of these constructs in educational research, biology educational researchers have noted the limited use of theoretical or conceptual frameworks in published work ( DeHaan, 2011 ; Dirks, 2011 ; Lo et al. , 2019 ). In reviewing articles published in CBE—Life Sciences Education ( LSE ) between 2015 and 2019, we found that fewer than 25% of the research articles had a theoretical or conceptual framework (see the Supplemental Information), and at times there was an inconsistent use of theoretical and conceptual frameworks. Clearly, these frameworks are challenging for published biology education researchers, which suggests the importance of providing some initial guidance to new biology education researchers.

Fortunately, educational researchers have increased their explicit use of these frameworks over time, and this is influencing educational research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. For instance, a quick search for theoretical or conceptual frameworks in the abstracts of articles in Educational Research Complete (a common database for educational research) in STEM fields demonstrates a dramatic change over the last 20 years: from only 778 articles published between 2000 and 2010 to 5703 articles published between 2010 and 2020, a more than sevenfold increase. Greater recognition of the importance of these frameworks is contributing to DBER authors being more explicit about such frameworks in their studies.

Collectively, literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual frameworks work to guide methodological decisions and the elucidation of important findings. Each offers a different perspective on the problem of study and is an essential element in all forms of educational research. As new researchers seek to learn about these elements, they will find different resources, a variety of perspectives, and many suggestions about the construction and use of these elements. The wide range of available information can overwhelm the new researcher who just wants to learn the distinction between these elements or how to craft them adequately.

Our goal in writing this paper is not to offer specific advice about how to write these sections in scholarly work. Instead, we wanted to introduce these elements to those who are new to BER and who are interested in better distinguishing one from the other. In this paper, we share the purpose of each element in BER scholarship, along with important points on its construction. We also provide references for additional resources that may be beneficial to better understanding each element. Table 1 summarizes the key distinctions among these elements.

Comparison of literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual reviews

This article is written for the new biology education researcher who is just learning about these different elements or for scientists looking to become more involved in BER. It is a result of our own work as science education and biology education researchers, whether as graduate students and postdoctoral scholars or newly hired and established faculty members. This is the article we wish had been available as we started to learn about these elements or discussed them with new educational researchers in biology.

LITERATURE REVIEWS

Purpose of a literature review.

A literature review is foundational to any research study in education or science. In education, a well-conceptualized and well-executed review provides a summary of the research that has already been done on a specific topic and identifies questions that remain to be answered, thus illustrating the current research project’s potential contribution to the field and the reasoning behind the methodological approach selected for the study ( Maxwell, 2012 ). BER is an evolving disciplinary area that is redefining areas of conceptual emphasis as well as orientations toward teaching and learning (e.g., Labov et al. , 2010 ; American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2011 ; Nehm, 2019 ). As a result, building comprehensive, critical, purposeful, and concise literature reviews can be a challenge for new biology education researchers.

Building Literature Reviews

There are different ways to approach and construct a literature review. Booth et al. (2016a) provide an overview that includes, for example, scoping reviews, which are focused only on notable studies and use a basic method of analysis, and integrative reviews, which are the result of exhaustive literature searches across different genres. Underlying each of these different review processes are attention to the s earch process, a ppraisa l of articles, s ynthesis of the literature, and a nalysis: SALSA ( Booth et al. , 2016a ). This useful acronym can help the researcher focus on the process while building a specific type of review.

However, new educational researchers often have questions about literature reviews that are foundational to SALSA or other approaches. Common questions concern determining which literature pertains to the topic of study or the role of the literature review in the design of the study. This section addresses such questions broadly while providing general guidance for writing a narrative literature review that evaluates the most pertinent studies.

The literature review process should begin before the research is conducted. As Boote and Beile (2005 , p. 3) suggested, researchers should be “scholars before researchers.” They point out that having a good working knowledge of the proposed topic helps illuminate avenues of study. Some subject areas have a deep body of work to read and reflect upon, providing a strong foundation for developing the research question(s). For instance, the teaching and learning of evolution is an area of long-standing interest in the BER community, generating many studies (e.g., Perry et al. , 2008 ; Barnes and Brownell, 2016 ) and reviews of research (e.g., Sickel and Friedrichsen, 2013 ; Ziadie and Andrews, 2018 ). Emerging areas of BER include the affective domain, issues of transfer, and metacognition ( Singer et al. , 2012 ). Many studies in these areas are transdisciplinary and not always specific to biology education (e.g., Rodrigo-Peiris et al. , 2018 ; Kolpikova et al. , 2019 ). These newer areas may require reading outside BER; fortunately, summaries of some of these topics can be found in the Current Insights section of the LSE website.

In focusing on a specific problem within a broader research strand, a new researcher will likely need to examine research outside BER. Depending upon the area of study, the expanded reading list might involve a mix of BER, DBER, and educational research studies. Determining the scope of the reading is not always straightforward. A simple way to focus one’s reading is to create a “summary phrase” or “research nugget,” which is a very brief descriptive statement about the study. It should focus on the essence of the study, for example, “first-year nonmajor students’ understanding of evolution,” “metacognitive prompts to enhance learning during biochemistry,” or “instructors’ inquiry-based instructional practices after professional development programming.” This type of phrase should help a new researcher identify two or more areas to review that pertain to the study. Focusing on recent research in the last 5 years is a good first step. Additional studies can be identified by reading relevant works referenced in those articles. It is also important to read seminal studies that are more than 5 years old. Reading a range of studies should give the researcher the necessary command of the subject in order to suggest a research question.

Given that the research question(s) arise from the literature review, the review should also substantiate the selected methodological approach. The review and research question(s) guide the researcher in determining how to collect and analyze data. Often the methodological approach used in a study is selected to contribute knowledge that expands upon what has been published previously about the topic (see Institute of Education Sciences and National Science Foundation, 2013 ). An emerging topic of study may need an exploratory approach that allows for a description of the phenomenon and development of a potential theory. This could, but not necessarily, require a methodological approach that uses interviews, observations, surveys, or other instruments. An extensively studied topic may call for the additional understanding of specific factors or variables; this type of study would be well suited to a verification or a causal research design. These could entail a methodological approach that uses valid and reliable instruments, observations, or interviews to determine an effect in the studied event. In either of these examples, the researcher(s) may use a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods methodological approach.

Even with a good research question, there is still more reading to be done. The complexity and focus of the research question dictates the depth and breadth of the literature to be examined. Questions that connect multiple topics can require broad literature reviews. For instance, a study that explores the impact of a biology faculty learning community on the inquiry instruction of faculty could have the following review areas: learning communities among biology faculty, inquiry instruction among biology faculty, and inquiry instruction among biology faculty as a result of professional learning. Biology education researchers need to consider whether their literature review requires studies from different disciplines within or outside DBER. For the example given, it would be fruitful to look at research focused on learning communities with faculty in STEM fields or in general education fields that result in instructional change. It is important not to be too narrow or too broad when reading. When the conclusions of articles start to sound similar or no new insights are gained, the researcher likely has a good foundation for a literature review. This level of reading should allow the researcher to demonstrate a mastery in understanding the researched topic, explain the suitability of the proposed research approach, and point to the need for the refined research question(s).

The literature review should include the researcher’s evaluation and critique of the selected studies. A researcher may have a large collection of studies, but not all of the studies will follow standards important in the reporting of empirical work in the social sciences. The American Educational Research Association ( Duran et al. , 2006 ), for example, offers a general discussion about standards for such work: an adequate review of research informing the study, the existence of sound and appropriate data collection and analysis methods, and appropriate conclusions that do not overstep or underexplore the analyzed data. The Institute of Education Sciences and National Science Foundation (2013) also offer Common Guidelines for Education Research and Development that can be used to evaluate collected studies.

Because not all journals adhere to such standards, it is important that a researcher review each study to determine the quality of published research, per the guidelines suggested earlier. In some instances, the research may be fatally flawed. Examples of such flaws include data that do not pertain to the question, a lack of discussion about the data collection, poorly constructed instruments, or an inadequate analysis. These types of errors result in studies that are incomplete, error-laden, or inaccurate and should be excluded from the review. Most studies have limitations, and the author(s) often make them explicit. For instance, there may be an instructor effect, recognized bias in the analysis, or issues with the sample population. Limitations are usually addressed by the research team in some way to ensure a sound and acceptable research process. Occasionally, the limitations associated with the study can be significant and not addressed adequately, which leaves a consequential decision in the hands of the researcher. Providing critiques of studies in the literature review process gives the reader confidence that the researcher has carefully examined relevant work in preparation for the study and, ultimately, the manuscript.

A solid literature review clearly anchors the proposed study in the field and connects the research question(s), the methodological approach, and the discussion. Reviewing extant research leads to research questions that will contribute to what is known in the field. By summarizing what is known, the literature review points to what needs to be known, which in turn guides decisions about methodology. Finally, notable findings of the new study are discussed in reference to those described in the literature review.

Within published BER studies, literature reviews can be placed in different locations in an article. When included in the introductory section of the study, the first few paragraphs of the manuscript set the stage, with the literature review following the opening paragraphs. Cooper et al. (2019) illustrate this approach in their study of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). An introduction discussing the potential of CURES is followed by an analysis of the existing literature relevant to the design of CUREs that allows for novel student discoveries. Within this review, the authors point out contradictory findings among research on novel student discoveries. This clarifies the need for their study, which is described and highlighted through specific research aims.

A literature reviews can also make up a separate section in a paper. For example, the introduction to Todd et al. (2019) illustrates the need for their research topic by highlighting the potential of learning progressions (LPs) and suggesting that LPs may help mitigate learning loss in genetics. At the end of the introduction, the authors state their specific research questions. The review of literature following this opening section comprises two subsections. One focuses on learning loss in general and examines a variety of studies and meta-analyses from the disciplines of medical education, mathematics, and reading. The second section focuses specifically on LPs in genetics and highlights student learning in the midst of LPs. These separate reviews provide insights into the stated research question.

Suggestions and Advice

A well-conceptualized, comprehensive, and critical literature review reveals the understanding of the topic that the researcher brings to the study. Literature reviews should not be so big that there is no clear area of focus; nor should they be so narrow that no real research question arises. The task for a researcher is to craft an efficient literature review that offers a critical analysis of published work, articulates the need for the study, guides the methodological approach to the topic of study, and provides an adequate foundation for the discussion of the findings.

In our own writing of literature reviews, there are often many drafts. An early draft may seem well suited to the study because the need for and approach to the study are well described. However, as the results of the study are analyzed and findings begin to emerge, the existing literature review may be inadequate and need revision. The need for an expanded discussion about the research area can result in the inclusion of new studies that support the explanation of a potential finding. The literature review may also prove to be too broad. Refocusing on a specific area allows for more contemplation of a finding.

It should be noted that there are different types of literature reviews, and many books and articles have been written about the different ways to embark on these types of reviews. Among these different resources, the following may be helpful in considering how to refine the review process for scholarly journals:

• Booth, A., Sutton, A., & Papaioannou, D. (2016a). Systemic approaches to a successful literature review (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage. This book addresses different types of literature reviews and offers important suggestions pertaining to defining the scope of the literature review and assessing extant studies.
• Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., Williams, J. M., Bizup, J., & Fitzgerald, W. T. (2016b). The craft of research (4th ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. This book can help the novice consider how to make the case for an area of study. While this book is not specifically about literature reviews, it offers suggestions about making the case for your study.
• Galvan, J. L., & Galvan, M. C. (2017). Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences (7th ed.). Routledge. This book offers guidance on writing different types of literature reviews. For the novice researcher, there are useful suggestions for creating coherent literature reviews.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS

Purpose of theoretical frameworks.

As new education researchers may be less familiar with theoretical frameworks than with literature reviews, this discussion begins with an analogy. Envision a biologist, chemist, and physicist examining together the dramatic effect of a fog tsunami over the ocean. A biologist gazing at this phenomenon may be concerned with the effect of fog on various species. A chemist may be interested in the chemical composition of the fog as water vapor condenses around bits of salt. A physicist may be focused on the refraction of light to make fog appear to be “sitting” above the ocean. While observing the same “objective event,” the scientists are operating under different theoretical frameworks that provide a particular perspective or “lens” for the interpretation of the phenomenon. Each of these scientists brings specialized knowledge, experiences, and values to this phenomenon, and these influence the interpretation of the phenomenon. The scientists’ theoretical frameworks influence how they design and carry out their studies and interpret their data.

Within an educational study, a theoretical framework helps to explain a phenomenon through a particular lens and challenges and extends existing knowledge within the limitations of that lens. Theoretical frameworks are explicitly stated by an educational researcher in the paper’s framework, theory, or relevant literature section. The framework shapes the types of questions asked, guides the method by which data are collected and analyzed, and informs the discussion of the results of the study. It also reveals the researcher’s subjectivities, for example, values, social experience, and viewpoint ( Allen, 2017 ). It is essential that a novice researcher learn to explicitly state a theoretical framework, because all research questions are being asked from the researcher’s implicit or explicit assumptions of a phenomenon of interest ( Schwandt, 2000 ).

Selecting Theoretical Frameworks

Theoretical frameworks are one of the most contemplated elements in our work in educational research. In this section, we share three important considerations for new scholars selecting a theoretical framework.

The first step in identifying a theoretical framework involves reflecting on the phenomenon within the study and the assumptions aligned with the phenomenon. The phenomenon involves the studied event. There are many possibilities, for example, student learning, instructional approach, or group organization. A researcher holds assumptions about how the phenomenon will be effected, influenced, changed, or portrayed. It is ultimately the researcher’s assumption(s) about the phenomenon that aligns with a theoretical framework. An example can help illustrate how a researcher’s reflection on the phenomenon and acknowledgment of assumptions can result in the identification of a theoretical framework.

In our example, a biology education researcher may be interested in exploring how students’ learning of difficult biological concepts can be supported by the interactions of group members. The phenomenon of interest is the interactions among the peers, and the researcher assumes that more knowledgeable students are important in supporting the learning of the group. As a result, the researcher may draw on Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory of learning and development that is focused on the phenomenon of student learning in a social setting. This theory posits the critical nature of interactions among students and between students and teachers in the process of building knowledge. A researcher drawing upon this framework holds the assumption that learning is a dynamic social process involving questions and explanations among students in the classroom and that more knowledgeable peers play an important part in the process of building conceptual knowledge.

It is important to state at this point that there are many different theoretical frameworks. Some frameworks focus on learning and knowing, while other theoretical frameworks focus on equity, empowerment, or discourse. Some frameworks are well articulated, and others are still being refined. For a new researcher, it can be challenging to find a theoretical framework. Two of the best ways to look for theoretical frameworks is through published works that highlight different frameworks.

When a theoretical framework is selected, it should clearly connect to all parts of the study. The framework should augment the study by adding a perspective that provides greater insights into the phenomenon. It should clearly align with the studies described in the literature review. For instance, a framework focused on learning would correspond to research that reported different learning outcomes for similar studies. The methods for data collection and analysis should also correspond to the framework. For instance, a study about instructional interventions could use a theoretical framework concerned with learning and could collect data about the effect of the intervention on what is learned. When the data are analyzed, the theoretical framework should provide added meaning to the findings, and the findings should align with the theoretical framework.

A study by Jensen and Lawson (2011) provides an example of how a theoretical framework connects different parts of the study. They compared undergraduate biology students in heterogeneous and homogeneous groups over the course of a semester. Jensen and Lawson (2011) assumed that learning involved collaboration and more knowledgeable peers, which made Vygotsky’s (1978) theory a good fit for their study. They predicted that students in heterogeneous groups would experience greater improvement in their reasoning abilities and science achievements with much of the learning guided by the more knowledgeable peers.

In the enactment of the study, they collected data about the instruction in traditional and inquiry-oriented classes, while the students worked in homogeneous or heterogeneous groups. To determine the effect of working in groups, the authors also measured students’ reasoning abilities and achievement. Each data-collection and analysis decision connected to understanding the influence of collaborative work.

Their findings highlighted aspects of Vygotsky’s (1978) theory of learning. One finding, for instance, posited that inquiry instruction, as a whole, resulted in reasoning and achievement gains. This links to Vygotsky (1978) , because inquiry instruction involves interactions among group members. A more nuanced finding was that group composition had a conditional effect. Heterogeneous groups performed better with more traditional and didactic instruction, regardless of the reasoning ability of the group members. Homogeneous groups worked better during interaction-rich activities for students with low reasoning ability. The authors attributed the variation to the different types of helping behaviors of students. High-performing students provided the answers, while students with low reasoning ability had to work collectively through the material. In terms of Vygotsky (1978) , this finding provided new insights into the learning context in which productive interactions can occur for students.

Another consideration in the selection and use of a theoretical framework pertains to its orientation to the study. This can result in the theoretical framework prioritizing individuals, institutions, and/or policies ( Anfara and Mertz, 2014 ). Frameworks that connect to individuals, for instance, could contribute to understanding their actions, learning, or knowledge. Institutional frameworks, on the other hand, offer insights into how institutions, organizations, or groups can influence individuals or materials. Policy theories provide ways to understand how national or local policies can dictate an emphasis on outcomes or instructional design. These different types of frameworks highlight different aspects in an educational setting, which influences the design of the study and the collection of data. In addition, these different frameworks offer a way to make sense of the data. Aligning the data collection and analysis with the framework ensures that a study is coherent and can contribute to the field.

New understandings emerge when different theoretical frameworks are used. For instance, Ebert-May et al. (2015) prioritized the individual level within conceptual change theory (see Posner et al. , 1982 ). In this theory, an individual’s knowledge changes when it no longer fits the phenomenon. Ebert-May et al. (2015) designed a professional development program challenging biology postdoctoral scholars’ existing conceptions of teaching. The authors reported that the biology postdoctoral scholars’ teaching practices became more student-centered as they were challenged to explain their instructional decision making. According to the theory, the biology postdoctoral scholars’ dissatisfaction in their descriptions of teaching and learning initiated change in their knowledge and instruction. These results reveal how conceptual change theory can explain the learning of participants and guide the design of professional development programming.

The communities of practice (CoP) theoretical framework ( Lave, 1988 ; Wenger, 1998 ) prioritizes the institutional level , suggesting that learning occurs when individuals learn from and contribute to the communities in which they reside. Grounded in the assumption of community learning, the literature on CoP suggests that, as individuals interact regularly with the other members of their group, they learn about the rules, roles, and goals of the community ( Allee, 2000 ). A study conducted by Gehrke and Kezar (2017) used the CoP framework to understand organizational change by examining the involvement of individual faculty engaged in a cross-institutional CoP focused on changing the instructional practice of faculty at each institution. In the CoP, faculty members were involved in enhancing instructional materials within their department, which aligned with an overarching goal of instituting instruction that embraced active learning. Not surprisingly, Gehrke and Kezar (2017) revealed that faculty who perceived the community culture as important in their work cultivated institutional change. Furthermore, they found that institutional change was sustained when key leaders served as mentors and provided support for faculty, and as faculty themselves developed into leaders. This study reveals the complexity of individual roles in a COP in order to support institutional instructional change.

It is important to explicitly state the theoretical framework used in a study, but elucidating a theoretical framework can be challenging for a new educational researcher. The literature review can help to identify an applicable theoretical framework. Focal areas of the review or central terms often connect to assumptions and assertions associated with the framework that pertain to the phenomenon of interest. Another way to identify a theoretical framework is self-reflection by the researcher on personal beliefs and understandings about the nature of knowledge the researcher brings to the study ( Lysaght, 2011 ). In stating one’s beliefs and understandings related to the study (e.g., students construct their knowledge, instructional materials support learning), an orientation becomes evident that will suggest a particular theoretical framework. Theoretical frameworks are not arbitrary , but purposefully selected.

With experience, a researcher may find expanded roles for theoretical frameworks. Researchers may revise an existing framework that has limited explanatory power, or they may decide there is a need to develop a new theoretical framework. These frameworks can emerge from a current study or the need to explain a phenomenon in a new way. Researchers may also find that multiple theoretical frameworks are necessary to frame and explore a problem, as different frameworks can provide different insights into a problem.

Finally, it is important to recognize that choosing “x” theoretical framework does not necessarily mean a researcher chooses “y” methodology and so on, nor is there a clear-cut, linear process in selecting a theoretical framework for one’s study. In part, the nonlinear process of identifying a theoretical framework is what makes understanding and using theoretical frameworks challenging. For the novice scholar, contemplating and understanding theoretical frameworks is essential. Fortunately, there are articles and books that can help:

• Creswell, J. W. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage. This book provides an overview of theoretical frameworks in general educational research.
• Ding, L. (2019). Theoretical perspectives of quantitative physics education research. Physical Review Physics Education Research , 15 (2), 020101-1–020101-13. This paper illustrates how a DBER field can use theoretical frameworks.
• Nehm, R. (2019). Biology education research: Building integrative frameworks for teaching and learning about living systems. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research , 1 , ar15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43031-019-0017-6 . This paper articulates the need for studies in BER to explicitly state theoretical frameworks and provides examples of potential studies.
• Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice . Sage. This book also provides an overview of theoretical frameworks, but for both research and evaluation.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS

Purpose of a conceptual framework.

A conceptual framework is a description of the way a researcher understands the factors and/or variables that are involved in the study and their relationships to one another. The purpose of a conceptual framework is to articulate the concepts under study using relevant literature ( Rocco and Plakhotnik, 2009 ) and to clarify the presumed relationships among those concepts ( Rocco and Plakhotnik, 2009 ; Anfara and Mertz, 2014 ). Conceptual frameworks are different from theoretical frameworks in both their breadth and grounding in established findings. Whereas a theoretical framework articulates the lens through which a researcher views the work, the conceptual framework is often more mechanistic and malleable.

Conceptual frameworks are broader, encompassing both established theories (i.e., theoretical frameworks) and the researchers’ own emergent ideas. Emergent ideas, for example, may be rooted in informal and/or unpublished observations from experience. These emergent ideas would not be considered a “theory” if they are not yet tested, supported by systematically collected evidence, and peer reviewed. However, they do still play an important role in the way researchers approach their studies. The conceptual framework allows authors to clearly describe their emergent ideas so that connections among ideas in the study and the significance of the study are apparent to readers.

Constructing Conceptual Frameworks

Including a conceptual framework in a research study is important, but researchers often opt to include either a conceptual or a theoretical framework. Either may be adequate, but both provide greater insight into the research approach. For instance, a research team plans to test a novel component of an existing theory. In their study, they describe the existing theoretical framework that informs their work and then present their own conceptual framework. Within this conceptual framework, specific topics portray emergent ideas that are related to the theory. Describing both frameworks allows readers to better understand the researchers’ assumptions, orientations, and understanding of concepts being investigated. For example, Connolly et al. (2018) included a conceptual framework that described how they applied a theoretical framework of social cognitive career theory (SCCT) to their study on teaching programs for doctoral students. In their conceptual framework, the authors described SCCT, explained how it applied to the investigation, and drew upon results from previous studies to justify the proposed connections between the theory and their emergent ideas.

In some cases, authors may be able to sufficiently describe their conceptualization of the phenomenon under study in an introduction alone, without a separate conceptual framework section. However, incomplete descriptions of how the researchers conceptualize the components of the study may limit the significance of the study by making the research less intelligible to readers. This is especially problematic when studying topics in which researchers use the same terms for different constructs or different terms for similar and overlapping constructs (e.g., inquiry, teacher beliefs, pedagogical content knowledge, or active learning). Authors must describe their conceptualization of a construct if the research is to be understandable and useful.

There are some key areas to consider regarding the inclusion of a conceptual framework in a study. To begin with, it is important to recognize that conceptual frameworks are constructed by the researchers conducting the study ( Rocco and Plakhotnik, 2009 ; Maxwell, 2012 ). This is different from theoretical frameworks that are often taken from established literature. Researchers should bring together ideas from the literature, but they may be influenced by their own experiences as a student and/or instructor, the shared experiences of others, or thought experiments as they construct a description, model, or representation of their understanding of the phenomenon under study. This is an exercise in intellectual organization and clarity that often considers what is learned, known, and experienced. The conceptual framework makes these constructs explicitly visible to readers, who may have different understandings of the phenomenon based on their prior knowledge and experience. There is no single method to go about this intellectual work.

Reeves et al. (2016) is an example of an article that proposed a conceptual framework about graduate teaching assistant professional development evaluation and research. The authors used existing literature to create a novel framework that filled a gap in current research and practice related to the training of graduate teaching assistants. This conceptual framework can guide the systematic collection of data by other researchers because the framework describes the relationships among various factors that influence teaching and learning. The Reeves et al. (2016) conceptual framework may be modified as additional data are collected and analyzed by other researchers. This is not uncommon, as conceptual frameworks can serve as catalysts for concerted research efforts that systematically explore a phenomenon (e.g., Reynolds et al. , 2012 ; Brownell and Kloser, 2015 ).

Sabel et al. (2017) used a conceptual framework in their exploration of how scaffolds, an external factor, interact with internal factors to support student learning. Their conceptual framework integrated principles from two theoretical frameworks, self-regulated learning and metacognition, to illustrate how the research team conceptualized students’ use of scaffolds in their learning ( Figure 1 ). Sabel et al. (2017) created this model using their interpretations of these two frameworks in the context of their teaching.

Conceptual framework from Sabel et al. (2017) .

A conceptual framework should describe the relationship among components of the investigation ( Anfara and Mertz, 2014 ). These relationships should guide the researcher’s methods of approaching the study ( Miles et al. , 2014 ) and inform both the data to be collected and how those data should be analyzed. Explicitly describing the connections among the ideas allows the researcher to justify the importance of the study and the rigor of the research design. Just as importantly, these frameworks help readers understand why certain components of a system were not explored in the study. This is a challenge in education research, which is rooted in complex environments with many variables that are difficult to control.

For example, Sabel et al. (2017) stated: “Scaffolds, such as enhanced answer keys and reflection questions, can help students and instructors bridge the external and internal factors and support learning” (p. 3). They connected the scaffolds in the study to the three dimensions of metacognition and the eventual transformation of existing ideas into new or revised ideas. Their framework provides a rationale for focusing on how students use two different scaffolds, and not on other factors that may influence a student’s success (self-efficacy, use of active learning, exam format, etc.).

In constructing conceptual frameworks, researchers should address needed areas of study and/or contradictions discovered in literature reviews. By attending to these areas, researchers can strengthen their arguments for the importance of a study. For instance, conceptual frameworks can address how the current study will fill gaps in the research, resolve contradictions in existing literature, or suggest a new area of study. While a literature review describes what is known and not known about the phenomenon, the conceptual framework leverages these gaps in describing the current study ( Maxwell, 2012 ). In the example of Sabel et al. (2017) , the authors indicated there was a gap in the literature regarding how scaffolds engage students in metacognition to promote learning in large classes. Their study helps fill that gap by describing how scaffolds can support students in the three dimensions of metacognition: intelligibility, plausibility, and wide applicability. In another example, Lane (2016) integrated research from science identity, the ethic of care, the sense of belonging, and an expertise model of student success to form a conceptual framework that addressed the critiques of other frameworks. In a more recent example, Sbeglia et al. (2021) illustrated how a conceptual framework influences the methodological choices and inferences in studies by educational researchers.

Sometimes researchers draw upon the conceptual frameworks of other researchers. When a researcher’s conceptual framework closely aligns with an existing framework, the discussion may be brief. For example, Ghee et al. (2016) referred to portions of SCCT as their conceptual framework to explain the significance of their work on students’ self-efficacy and career interests. Because the authors’ conceptualization of this phenomenon aligned with a previously described framework, they briefly mentioned the conceptual framework and provided additional citations that provided more detail for the readers.

Within both the BER and the broader DBER communities, conceptual frameworks have been used to describe different constructs. For example, some researchers have used the term “conceptual framework” to describe students’ conceptual understandings of a biological phenomenon. This is distinct from a researcher’s conceptual framework of the educational phenomenon under investigation, which may also need to be explicitly described in the article. Other studies have presented a research logic model or flowchart of the research design as a conceptual framework. These constructions can be quite valuable in helping readers understand the data-collection and analysis process. However, a model depicting the study design does not serve the same role as a conceptual framework. Researchers need to avoid conflating these constructs by differentiating the researchers’ conceptual framework that guides the study from the research design, when applicable.

Explicitly describing conceptual frameworks is essential in depicting the focus of the study. We have found that being explicit in a conceptual framework means using accepted terminology, referencing prior work, and clearly noting connections between terms. This description can also highlight gaps in the literature or suggest potential contributions to the field of study. A well-elucidated conceptual framework can suggest additional studies that may be warranted. This can also spur other researchers to consider how they would approach the examination of a phenomenon and could result in a revised conceptual framework.

It can be challenging to create conceptual frameworks, but they are important. Below are two resources that could be helpful in constructing and presenting conceptual frameworks in educational research:

• Maxwell, J. A. (2012). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (3rd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage. Chapter 3 in this book describes how to construct conceptual frameworks.
• Ravitch, S. M., & Riggan, M. (2016). Reason & rigor: How conceptual frameworks guide research . Los Angeles, CA: Sage. This book explains how conceptual frameworks guide the research questions, data collection, data analyses, and interpretation of results.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual frameworks are all important in DBER and BER. Robust literature reviews reinforce the importance of a study. Theoretical frameworks connect the study to the base of knowledge in educational theory and specify the researcher’s assumptions. Conceptual frameworks allow researchers to explicitly describe their conceptualization of the relationships among the components of the phenomenon under study. Table 1 provides a general overview of these components in order to assist biology education researchers in thinking about these elements.

It is important to emphasize that these different elements are intertwined. When these elements are aligned and complement one another, the study is coherent, and the study findings contribute to knowledge in the field. When literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual frameworks are disconnected from one another, the study suffers. The point of the study is lost, suggested findings are unsupported, or important conclusions are invisible to the researcher. In addition, this misalignment may be costly in terms of time and money.

Conducting a literature review, selecting a theoretical framework, and building a conceptual framework are some of the most difficult elements of a research study. It takes time to understand the relevant research, identify a theoretical framework that provides important insights into the study, and formulate a conceptual framework that organizes the finding. In the research process, there is often a constant back and forth among these elements as the study evolves. With an ongoing refinement of the review of literature, clarification of the theoretical framework, and articulation of a conceptual framework, a sound study can emerge that makes a contribution to the field. This is the goal of BER and education research.

Supplementary Material

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How to Write a Research Proposal: (with Examples & Templates)

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Before conducting a study, a research proposal should be created that outlines researchers’ plans and methodology and is submitted to the concerned evaluating organization or person. Creating a research proposal is an important step to ensure that researchers are on track and are moving forward as intended. A research proposal can be defined as a detailed plan or blueprint for the proposed research that you intend to undertake. It provides readers with a snapshot of your project by describing what you will investigate, why it is needed, and how you will conduct the research.  

Your research proposal should aim to explain to the readers why your research is relevant and original, that you understand the context and current scenario in the field, have the appropriate resources to conduct the research, and that the research is feasible given the usual constraints.  

This article will describe in detail the purpose and typical structure of a research proposal , along with examples and templates to help you ace this step in your research journey.  

What is a Research Proposal ?  

A research proposal¹ ,²  can be defined as a formal report that describes your proposed research, its objectives, methodology, implications, and other important details. Research proposals are the framework of your research and are used to obtain approvals or grants to conduct the study from various committees or organizations. Consequently, research proposals should convince readers of your study’s credibility, accuracy, achievability, practicality, and reproducibility.   

With research proposals , researchers usually aim to persuade the readers, funding agencies, educational institutions, and supervisors to approve the proposal. To achieve this, the report should be well structured with the objectives written in clear, understandable language devoid of jargon. A well-organized research proposal conveys to the readers or evaluators that the writer has thought out the research plan meticulously and has the resources to ensure timely completion.  

Purpose of Research Proposals  

A research proposal is a sales pitch and therefore should be detailed enough to convince your readers, who could be supervisors, ethics committees, universities, etc., that what you’re proposing has merit and is feasible . Research proposals can help students discuss their dissertation with their faculty or fulfill course requirements and also help researchers obtain funding. A well-structured proposal instills confidence among readers about your ability to conduct and complete the study as proposed.  

Research proposals can be written for several reasons:³  

• To describe the importance of research in the specific topic  
• Address any potential challenges you may encounter  
• Showcase knowledge in the field and your ability to conduct a study  
• Apply for a role at a research institute  
• Convince a research supervisor or university that your research can satisfy the requirements of a degree program  
• Highlight the importance of your research to organizations that may sponsor your project  
• Identify implications of your project and how it can benefit the audience  

What Goes in a Research Proposal?    

Research proposals should aim to answer the three basic questions—what, why, and how.  

The What question should be answered by describing the specific subject being researched. It should typically include the objectives, the cohort details, and the location or setting.  

The Why question should be answered by describing the existing scenario of the subject, listing unanswered questions, identifying gaps in the existing research, and describing how your study can address these gaps, along with the implications and significance.  

The How question should be answered by describing the proposed research methodology, data analysis tools expected to be used, and other details to describe your proposed methodology.   

Research Proposal Example  

Here is a research proposal sample template (with examples) from the University of Rochester Medical Center. 4 The sections in all research proposals are essentially the same although different terminology and other specific sections may be used depending on the subject.  

Structure of a Research Proposal  

If you want to know how to make a research proposal impactful, include the following components:¹  

1. Introduction  

This section provides a background of the study, including the research topic, what is already known about it and the gaps, and the significance of the proposed research.  

2. Literature review  

This section contains descriptions of all the previous relevant studies pertaining to the research topic. Every study cited should be described in a few sentences, starting with the general studies to the more specific ones. This section builds on the understanding gained by readers in the Introduction section and supports it by citing relevant prior literature, indicating to readers that you have thoroughly researched your subject.  

3. Objectives  

Once the background and gaps in the research topic have been established, authors must now state the aims of the research clearly. Hypotheses should be mentioned here. This section further helps readers understand what your study’s specific goals are.  

4. Research design and methodology  

Here, authors should clearly describe the methods they intend to use to achieve their proposed objectives. Important components of this section include the population and sample size, data collection and analysis methods and duration, statistical analysis software, measures to avoid bias (randomization, blinding), etc.  

5. Ethical considerations  

This refers to the protection of participants’ rights, such as the right to privacy, right to confidentiality, etc. Researchers need to obtain informed consent and institutional review approval by the required authorities and mention this clearly for transparency.  

6. Budget/funding  

Researchers should prepare their budget and include all expected expenditures. An additional allowance for contingencies such as delays should also be factored in.  

7. Appendices  

This section typically includes information that supports the research proposal and may include informed consent forms, questionnaires, participant information, measurement tools, etc.  

8. Citations  

Important Tips for Writing a Research Proposal  

Writing a research proposal begins much before the actual task of writing. Planning the research proposal structure and content is an important stage, which if done efficiently, can help you seamlessly transition into the writing stage. 3,5  

The Planning Stage  

• Manage your time efficiently. Plan to have the draft version ready at least two weeks before your deadline and the final version at least two to three days before the deadline.
• What is the primary objective of your research?  
• Will your research address any existing gap?  
• What is the impact of your proposed research?  
• Do people outside your field find your research applicable in other areas?  
• If your research is unsuccessful, would there still be other useful research outcomes?  

  The Writing Stage  

• Create an outline with main section headings that are typically used.  
• Focus only on writing and getting your points across without worrying about the format of the research proposal , grammar, punctuation, etc. These can be fixed during the subsequent passes. Add details to each section heading you created in the beginning.   
• Ensure your sentences are concise and use plain language. A research proposal usually contains about 2,000 to 4,000 words or four to seven pages.  
• Don’t use too many technical terms and abbreviations assuming that the readers would know them. Define the abbreviations and technical terms.  
• Ensure that the entire content is readable. Avoid using long paragraphs because they affect the continuity in reading. Break them into shorter paragraphs and introduce some white space for readability.  
• Focus on only the major research issues and cite sources accordingly. Don’t include generic information or their sources in the literature review.  
• Proofread your final document to ensure there are no grammatical errors so readers can enjoy a seamless, uninterrupted read.  
• Use academic, scholarly language because it brings formality into a document.  
• Ensure that your title is created using the keywords in the document and is neither too long and specific nor too short and general.  
• Cite all sources appropriately to avoid plagiarism.  
• Make sure that you follow guidelines, if provided. This includes rules as simple as using a specific font or a hyphen or en dash between numerical ranges.  
• Ensure that you’ve answered all questions requested by the evaluating authority.  

Key Takeaways   

Here’s a summary of the main points about research proposals discussed in the previous sections:  

• A research proposal is a document that outlines the details of a proposed study and is created by researchers to submit to evaluators who could be research institutions, universities, faculty, etc.  
• Research proposals are usually about 2,000-4,000 words long, but this depends on the evaluating authority’s guidelines.  
• A good research proposal ensures that you’ve done your background research and assessed the feasibility of the research.  
• Research proposals have the following main sections—introduction, literature review, objectives, methodology, ethical considerations, and budget.  

Frequently Asked Questions  

Q1. How is a research proposal evaluated?  

A1. In general, most evaluators, including universities, broadly use the following criteria to evaluate research proposals . 6  

• Significance —Does the research address any important subject or issue, which may or may not be specific to the evaluator or university?  
• Content and design —Is the proposed methodology appropriate to answer the research question? Are the objectives clear and well aligned with the proposed methodology?  
• Sample size and selection —Is the target population or cohort size clearly mentioned? Is the sampling process used to select participants randomized, appropriate, and free of bias?  
• Timing —Are the proposed data collection dates mentioned clearly? Is the project feasible given the specified resources and timeline?  
• Data management and dissemination —Who will have access to the data? What is the plan for data analysis?  

Q2. What is the difference between the Introduction and Literature Review sections in a research proposal ?  

A2. The Introduction or Background section in a research proposal sets the context of the study by describing the current scenario of the subject and identifying the gaps and need for the research. A Literature Review, on the other hand, provides references to all prior relevant literature to help corroborate the gaps identified and the research need.  

Q3. How long should a research proposal be?  

A3. Research proposal lengths vary with the evaluating authority like universities or committees and also the subject. Here’s a table that lists the typical research proposal lengths for a few universities.  

Q4. What are the common mistakes to avoid in a research proposal ?  

A4. Here are a few common mistakes that you must avoid while writing a research proposal . 7  

• No clear objectives: Objectives should be clear, specific, and measurable for the easy understanding among readers.  
• Incomplete or unconvincing background research: Background research usually includes a review of the current scenario of the particular industry and also a review of the previous literature on the subject. This helps readers understand your reasons for undertaking this research because you identified gaps in the existing research.  
• Overlooking project feasibility: The project scope and estimates should be realistic considering the resources and time available.   
• Neglecting the impact and significance of the study: In a research proposal , readers and evaluators look for the implications or significance of your research and how it contributes to the existing research. This information should always be included.  
• Unstructured format of a research proposal : A well-structured document gives confidence to evaluators that you have read the guidelines carefully and are well organized in your approach, consequently affirming that you will be able to undertake the research as mentioned in your proposal.  
• Ineffective writing style: The language used should be formal and grammatically correct. If required, editors could be consulted, including AI-based tools such as Paperpal , to refine the research proposal structure and language.  

Thus, a research proposal is an essential document that can help you promote your research and secure funds and grants for conducting your research. Consequently, it should be well written in clear language and include all essential details to convince the evaluators of your ability to conduct the research as proposed.  

This article has described all the important components of a research proposal and has also provided tips to improve your writing style. We hope all these tips will help you write a well-structured research proposal to ensure receipt of grants or any other purpose.  

References  

• Sudheesh K, Duggappa DR, Nethra SS. How to write a research proposal? Indian J Anaesth. 2016;60(9):631-634. Accessed July 15, 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5037942/  
• Writing research proposals. Harvard College Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. Harvard University. Accessed July 14, 2024. https://uraf.harvard.edu/apply-opportunities/app-components/essays/research-proposals  
• What is a research proposal? Plus how to write one. Indeed website. Accessed July 17, 2024. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/research-proposal  
• Research proposal template. University of Rochester Medical Center. Accessed July 16, 2024. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/MediaLibraries/URMCMedia/pediatrics/research/documents/Research-proposal-Template.pdf  
• Tips for successful proposal writing. Johns Hopkins University. Accessed July 17, 2024. https://research.jhu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Tips-for-Successful-Proposal-Writing.pdf  
• Formal review of research proposals. Cornell University. Accessed July 18, 2024. https://irp.dpb.cornell.edu/surveys/survey-assessment-review-group/research-proposals  
• 7 Mistakes you must avoid in your research proposal. Aveksana (via LinkedIn). Accessed July 17, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-mistakes-you-must-avoid-your-research-proposal-aveksana-cmtwf/  

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Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

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Deep learning approaches to detect breast cancer: a comprehensive review

• Published: 20 August 2024

Cite this article

• Amir Mohammad Sharafaddini 1 ,
• Kiana Kouhpah Esfahani 1 &
• Najme Mansouri 1  

Detection and diagnosis of breast cancer have greatly benefited from advances in deep learning, addressing the critical problem of early detection and accurate diagnosis. This paper presents a review of 68 high-quality articles related to deep learning techniques applied to various imaging modalities including mammography, ultrasound, MRI, histopathology, and thermography published in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, this paper discusses and compares the deep learning approaches to detect breast cancer based on the dataset, input size of the model, model architecture, the proposed approach, targeted problem, and output performance. There is a primary concern about the variability in imaging data, which can lead to inconsistency in diagnosis. In this study, deep learning, particularly Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), was leveraged to enhance image accuracy and consistency across multiple imaging modes. CNNs have demonstrated enhanced sensitivity and specificity in mammography imaging, for example, by detecting microcalcifications and masses. According to studies based on MRIs, deep learning models are able to distinguish between different tissue types, aiding in the precise localization of tumors. Thermography is less common, but deep learning models can detect abnormal thermal patterns associated with malignancies. In addition, this paper addresses the issue of limited and imbalanced datasets, which often hamper deep learning models' performance. Data augmentation and transfer learning are explored as solutions to improve model robustness and generalizability. This paper provides a comprehensive review of breast cancer detection and diagnosis datasets, highlighting their significance and unique characteristics. Researchers can select appropriate resources for their diagnostic studies and model development by analyzing these datasets thoroughly. Even so, larger datasets and improved model interpretability remain challenges. We propose future research directions to address these issues, emphasizing multi-modal data integration and advanced algorithmic development.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Deep Learning Radiomics

Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2

Disease-Free Survival

Hazard Ratio

Low-Dose Computed Tomography

Intra-Tumoral Region

Peri-Tumoral Region

Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic

Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis

Sensitivity

Specificity

Positive Predictive Value

Negative Predictive Value

Stochastic Gradient Descent

Pathologic Complete Response

Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy

Pathological Enhancement Imaging

Decision Tree-K-Nearest Neighbors

Random Forest-K-Nearest Neighbors

Magnification-Specific Binary

Magnification-Independent Binary

Multi-scale Two-fold Residual Recurrent Network

Third Harmonic Generation

ResNet-based Attention Neural Network for Breast Cancer Classification

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma

Multiple Instance Learning

Multi-Task Learning

Root Mean Square Error

Chromogenic Detection

CD with Automated Cell Segmentation

Deep Convolutional Neural Network

The Cancer Genome Atlas

Breast Cancer-Specific Survival

Estrogen Receptor

Receptor Tyrosine Kinase

Bright Field Microscopic Imaging

Autofluorescence Microscopic Imaging

Optical Phase Microscopic Imaging

Patch-Level Fusion

Decision-Level Fusion

Database for Mastology Research

Computer-Aided Diagnosis

Convolutional Neural Network

False Positive Rate

Curated Breast Imaging Subset of Digital Database for Screening Mammography

Mammographic Image Analysis Society

Improved Marine Predators Algorithm

Opposition-Based Learning

Area Under the Curve

Receiver Operating Characteristic

Digital Database for Screening Mammography

Shepherd Convolutional Neural Network

Internet of Things

Feedback Artificial Crow Search

Crow Search Algorithm

Feedback Artificial Tree

True Positive Rate

Optimal Multi-Level Thresholding-based Segmentation with DL enabled Capsule Network

Optimal Kapur’s based Multilevel Thresholding with Shell Game Optimization

Back Propagation Neural Network

Deep Learning

Visual Geometry Group

Patch Aggregation Architecture

Faster Region-based Convolutional Neural Network

Mean Average Precision

Jaccard Index

Hybrid Dragon-Rider Optimization

Federated Learning

Elman Recurrent Neural Network

False Discovery Rate

Matthews Correlation Coefficient

Support Vector Machine

Digital Mammogram Diagnostic Convolutional Neural Network

Field-Programmable Gate Array

Principal Component Analysis

Multi-Layer Perceptron

Multidimensional Scaling

Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection

Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer

Longitudinal Risk Prediction Network

Breast Ultrasound Image Dataset

Automated Breast Ultrasound

Deep Learning Network

Automatic Segmentation Network

Average Precision

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Transfer Learning

Genetic Algorithm

You Only Look Once version 3, tiny version

False Positive Count

Quantitative Ultrasound

Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Convolutional Neural Network-Long Short-Term Memory

Breast Tumor Ensemble Classification Network

Residual Feature Selection UNet (Ultrasound image)

Breast Ultrasound Images

Visual Geometry Group Network

US-guided Co-Attention

Residual Network 18

Deep Learning Radiomic Pathway

Crow Search Optimization Algorithm with weighted K-Nearest Neighbors

False Negative Rate

Classification Error Rate

Computer-Aided Diagnostic

Breast Cancer

Machine Learning

Convolutional Neural Networks

International Agency for Research on Cancer

Computed Tomography

Histopathology Images

Whole Slide Images

Gravitational Search Algorithm

Harris Hawks Optimization

Whale Optimization Algorithm

Support Vector Machines

Rectified Linear Unit

Natural Language Processing

Crow-Search Optimization Algorithm

Dragon-Fly Optimization Algorithm

Particle Swarm Optimization

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Sharafaddini, A.M., Esfahani, K.K. & Mansouri, N. Deep learning approaches to detect breast cancer: a comprehensive review. Multimed Tools Appl (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-024-20011-6

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Researchers in various studies looking for participants

Here is a list of research studies that currently are looking for participants.

Hearing and brain research study

The BRAiN Lab is seeking adults age 65 and older to participate in a research study that uses light to visualize brain activity when processing auditory and visual signals. This study involves two to three sessions, each lasting up to two hours. 

Individuals may be eligible to participate if they: 

• Have normal hearing sensitivity.
• No known neurological issues.

Participants will receive $15 per hour. 

If interested, email  [email protected]   or call 765-494-6844 for more information. The principal investigator is Maureen Shader, assistant professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, IRB-2022-687. 

Hearing and brain research study for cochlear implant users

The BRAiN Lab is seeking adults with cochlear implants to participate in a research study that uses light to visualize brain activity when processing auditory and visual signals. This study involves two to three sessions, each lasting up to two hours. 

Individuals may be eligible to participate if they are: 

• Adults age 18 and older. 
• Currently using one or two cochlear implants. 

Participants will receive $20 per hour, plus travel reimbursement 

Study on healthy eating choices in restaurants

Researchers are seeking individuals age 18 or older with recent dining experience in a sit-down restaurant to participate in a study aimed at understanding the factors that influence healthy eating choices when dining out. Participants will first complete a 5-8 minute Qualtrics survey to determine eligibility. Responses will be confidential. Qualified participants will receive an email with the scheduled focus group meeting time and location. The focus group meeting will last about 90 minutes. After attending the focus group, participants will receive a $30 Amazon gift card as a token of appreciation. Participation in this study is completely voluntary, and only the researchers will have access to the confidential data collected. Individuals interested in participating should complete the online survey .

For more information, contact Lucheng Wang at  [email protected] . The primary investigator is Karen Byrd, assistant professor of hospitality and tourism management. IRB#:2024-698.

Word learning study for preschool children with speech-language delays

Researchers are seeking 4- and 5-year-old children with speech-language delays to participate in a study of word learning.

There will be one to two sessions of testing to determine eligibility, followed by six research sessions if eligible. Each research session also includes general language enrichment activities centered on children’s books. Families receive $15 per session and a speech, language and hearing evaluation for their child. These one-hour sessions are scheduled at Purdue in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Lyles-Porter Hall.

The principal investigator is Laurence Leonard, professor of speech, language, and hearing sciences. For more information, contact Pat Deevy at 765-496-1821 or [email protected] . IRB#: 1603017480.  

Word learning study for preschool children

Researchers are seeking children to participate in a study of word learning. Children ages 4 to 5 ½ years old are eligible (stated in terms of age in months: 49 months through 70 months).

Families receive $15 per session and a speech, language and hearing evaluation for their child. Six one-hour sessions are scheduled at Purdue in the Department of Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences in Lyles-Porter Hall.

The principal investigator is Laurence Leonard, professor of speech, language, and hearing sciences. For more information, contact Pat Deevy at 765-496-1821 or [email protected] . IRB#: 1603017480.

Baby Exploration Project

Researchers are inviting families with babies up to 2-years-old in the West Lafayette-Lafayette and surrounding areas to participate in a study of how babies explore their home environment.

A researcher will visit participants at home for two to three hours while families and the baby go about daily activities. Participants will receive a $100 Amazon gift card.

For more information visit  www.baby-exploration-project.org . To sign up, contact Paige Thompson at  [email protected] .

The principal investigator is Laura Claxton, associate professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology. Purdue IRB# 2021-1249/ NYU IRB# FY2021-5660.

Health effects of grain foods in adults

Participants are needed by the Department of Nutrition Science to study the health effects of grain foods.

Participants must:

• Be age 18 and older.
• Have a hemoglobin A1c of 5.7-6.4%.
• Be a nonsmoker.
• Have no sensitivity or allergy to grain foods.

Participants have the potential to earn up to $1,000 in 14 weeks. Contact Giorgia at [email protected] to participate or for more information. The principal investigator is Richard Mattes, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Nutrition Science. IRB-2023-1071.

In vivo tendon properties across the lifespan of women

The purpose of the study is to characterize tendon tissue health in women, laying a foundation for developing strategies to improve their musculoskeletal function. Researchers are seeking women ages 21-75 to participate in a study evaluating the impact of menopause and exogenous estrogen use on tendon morphology and biomechanics. To participate, participants must meet the following criteria:

• 21-75 years old.
• Women who are pregnant will be excluded.
• Individuals with claustrophobia or implanted objects (metal plates, screws, etc) who cannot complete an MRI assessment will be excluded.
• Individuals with any orthopedic condition that would prevent them from properly performing knee extensions will be excluded.
• Individuals with prior knee replacement or knee surgeries (e.g. ACL reconstruction).
• Those with diabetes (HbA1c>6.5) will be excluded.
• Chronic users of acetaminophen, ibuprofen or prescription cyclooxygenase inhibitors.
• Individuals with physician-diagnosed liver disease.
• No previous history of severe cardiovascular disease including stroke, heart attack and arrythmias.
• No previous history of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis.

Participants will attend five to six sessions at Purdue. Each session will last 30-45 minutes. The first session is an initial interview and screening. The second session consists of a fasted blood draw, 1-repetition maximum test and body composition measurement. Visits three through five are patellar tendon assessments using ultrasound imaging (visits two and three may be combined). Visit six is an MRI scan of the patellar tendon.

Benefits for participants:

• Although there are no direct benefits, the knowledge gained from this study may have implications for individuals going through menopause and may aid in guiding the future development of treatment options for tendinosis
• Compensation. Participants will be compensated $75 for completing this study.

For more information or to participate, contact Gordon Smilanich at  [email protected]  or 317-721-3651 (leave a message). Learn more about the lab and research at  https://hhs.purdue.edu/carroll-lab/ .

The primary investigator is Chad Carroll, associate professor of health and kinesiology. IRB#: 2024-027.

Development and validation of a wearable sEMG monitoring system for swallowing function disorders

Researchers are recruiting older healthy adults for a swallowing and sensors study.

Individuals may be eligible to participate if they:

• Are 55-90 years old and generally healthy.
• Do not have problems swallowing.
• Are willing to come to the lab for a free swallowing evaluation once for approximately 2.5-3 hours.

Participants will receive up to $30 for the single visit.

If interested, email  [email protected]  or call 765-496-0207 for more information. The principal investigator is Georgia Malandraki, professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. IRB-2021-1247.

Development and validation of a wearable sEMG monitoring system for swallowing function disorders (study for veterans)

Researchers are recruiting veterans with a history of stroke or Parkinson’s disease with dysphagia for a swallowing and sensors study.

• Are 55-90 years old and have been diagnosed with swallowing difficulties.

Note:   Individuals with significant cognitive impairments, history of head and neck surgery, or radiation exposure to the head and neck area are not eligible to participate at this time.

Study on receiver, vehicle, and roadway systems for a dynamic wireless power transfer roadway testbed

Researchers are looking for adult residents in Indiana, specifically the Greater Lafayette area, to participate in a research study focused on understanding public perceptions and expectations regarding electric vehicles (EVs), EV charging, and a dynamic wireless power testbed project.

Participants will be asked to complete  an online questionnaire survey  of about 5-10 minutes in Qualtrics, which consists of questions related to perceptions about electric vehicles, charging technologies, and a dynamic wireless power transfer testbed, as well as some basic demographic information. The principal investigator is Nadia Gkritza, professor of civil engineering and agricultural and biological engineering. For more information, email  [email protected] . IRB-2023-786.

Effects of dance training on balance testing  

Individuals ages 18-30 are needed to participate in a study on the effects of dance training on clinical balance testing. Participants should have normal hearing and normal or corrected to normal vision; should not be susceptible to motion sickness; and should have no history of migraines or difficulties with balance. Researchers are seeking individuals who have dance experience as well as those with no dance experience. Researchers intend to enroll up to 40 participants, with equal numbers of dancers and nondancers.

Participants will be paid $15 for one session, approximately 60 minutes long. This study is conducted on the Purdue University campus in Lyles-Porter Hall. Participants must be able to come to the research site.

The principal investigators involved in the study are Alexander Francis and Melissa Newell in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. For more information or to schedule a time to participate, contact Gillian Battung at  [email protected] . IRB #: IRB-2024-515.

Study on exercise, cognition, and emotion

Young adults ages 18-25 are needed to participate in research studies on how exercise may influence cognitive function and emotion.

Participants will be compensated up to $120 for completing the study.

Participation requires three visits to Lambert Fieldhouse. Each visit will last about two hours, involving health questionnaires, computer games, exercise and assessment of brain activation (i.e., electroencephalogram [EEG]). Participation in this study will also involve the wearing of a small device (i.e., accelerometer) that measures daily movement for seven days.

For more information, contact the Physical Activity and NeuroCognitive Health Lab at  [email protected]  in the Department of Health. The principal investigator is Shih-Chun Kao, assistant professor of health and kinesiology. IRB-2024-355.

Study on serum advanced glycation end products and alterations of tendon properties

The purpose of this research is to determine if markers in blood serum are related to changes in tendon properties, especially in individuals with diabetes. Researchers are seeking men and women ages 40-75 to participate in a study evaluating impact of pre-diabetes and diabetes on tendon health. To participate, participants must meet the following criteria:

• 40-75 years old.
• Not physically active.
• Individuals with claustrophobia or implanted objects (metal plates, screws, etc.) who cannot complete an MRI assessment will be excluded.
• Chronic users of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or prescription cyclooxygenase inhibitors.

Participants will conduct five to six sessions at Purdue. Each session will last 30-45 minutes. The first session is an initial interview and screening. The second session consists of a fasted blood draw. Visits three through five are patellar tendon assessments using ultrasound imaging (visits two and three may be combined). Visit six is an MRI scan of the patellar tendon.

• Although there are no direct benefits, the knowledge gained from this study may benefit future diabetic patients with tendon problems by providing new information that could lead to the development of new treatment options.
• Participants will be compensated $75 for completing this study.

For more information or to participate, contact Eric Gutierrez at  [email protected]  or 765-205-2357 (please leave a message). Learn more about the lab and research at  https://hhs.purdue.edu/carroll-lab/ .

The primary investigator is Chad Carroll, associate professor of health and kinesiology. IRB#: 2023-1703.

Infant sense to learn word-learning study

Families with children ages 22-28 months are needed for a study about how children learn new words. Children learn language by interacting with the world around them using different senses, like sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. Researchers are interested in how sensory experiences affect how children learn language.

Families will complete a single one-hour visit at the child-friendly research space at Purdue. Children will do things like learn new words, look at pictures and interact with toys, and caregivers will complete online surveys. Families will receive $30 for visiting the lab plus $10 for completing surveys online, and children will receive a book. 

To confirm eligibility to participate, complete an  online survey  or contact the Language Learning and Meaning Acquisition (LLaMA) Lab at 765-496-0427 or  [email protected] . The principal investigator is Arielle Borovsky, associate professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. IRB-2022-1471.

Multi-fingerprint data collection 

The International Center for Biometric Research is looking for participants to test the performance of multiple fingerprint recognition systems. Outcomes of the study will help in furthering the understanding of the performance and how to improve the fingerprint recognition systems based on the collected data.    Participants should be age 18 and older and know and understand English. The study will consist of one 40-minute lab visit at Young Hall, Room B020. Participants will receive compensation of $20 at the completion of their visit.

Those interested in participating should follow the instructions below:  

• Sign up by  clicking here .
• Select “Multi-Fingerprint Test.”
• Pick a day and time that works for you.
• Fill in the required information.

The principal investigator is Stephen Elliott, associate dean for academic programs in the Polytechnic Institute. Any questions regarding the study can be addressed to  [email protected] . IRB-2022-1378.

Study on how the brain combines sight and sound for children with language difficulty

Children who have language difficulty are needed for a study on how the brain combines sight and sound.

To participate, children must meet the following criteria:

• 8-12 years old.
• Normal nonverbal intelligence.
• Small vocabulary.
• Slow to process written/oral language or have difficulty following instructions.
• Grammatical errors when speaking (such as sometimes omitting the past tense -ed or the plural -s) 
• Poor short-term memory for language. 
• Speak in sentences that are shorter or simpler than typical for their age.
• May have a diagnosis of learning disability, language delay, or sound processing disorder.
• No neurological disorders such as autism, seizures or cerebral palsy (we can include children with ADHD/ADD).
• Can be either monolingual or bilingual. However, if bilingual, English must be the primary language. 

Children will participate in up to eight research sessions. Each session will last 1.5-2 hours. During the first two sessions, standardized tests will be administered to evaluate children’s nonverbal intelligence and language skills. During the last six sessions, children’s brain activity will be recorded with the help of a special cap with built-in electrodes (similar to EEG recordings) while they are doing different tasks. There is no discomfort involved, and the method has been safely used with infants, children and adults. Families can withdraw at any time.

Benefits for families:

• Parents receive a detailed report on hearing and vision screening, nonverbal intelligence and comprehensive language and literacy skills of their child.
• Children are paid $10/hour and receive a small toy for each visit.
• Parents are paid $10/session to help with gas expenses.

For more information or to participate, contact Jennifer Schumaker at  [email protected]  or 765-494-4445 (leave a message). Learn more about the  lab online .

The primary investigator is Natalya Kaganovich, associate professor of speech, language and hearing sciences and psychological sciences. IRB#: 0909008484.

Study on how the brain combines sight and sound for school-aged children 

Eight- and 11-year-old boys and girls and 12-year-old boys are needed for a study on how the brain combines sight and sound.

• Eight- and 11-year-old boys and girls, and 12-year-old boys.
• Typical language skills.
• Right-handed.

Children will participate in up to eight research sessions. Each session will last 1.5-2 hours. During the first two sessions, standardized tests will be administered that will evaluate children’s nonverbal intelligence and language skills. During the last six sessions, children’s brain activity will be recorded with the help of a special cap with built-in electrodes (similar to EEG recordings) while they are doing different tasks. There is no discomfort involved, and the method has been safely used with infants, children and adults. Families can withdraw at any time.

Determining associations between oral cysteine exposure and bacteria that produce genotoxic hydrogen sulfide via cysteine metabolism  

The Wolf Research Lab in the Department of Nutrition Science is conducting a study to learn more about bacteria and items people put in their mouths, like food and tobacco products.  

This study may be a good fit for individuals if they are:

• 18-80 years old.
• Not pregnant.
• Have not taken antibiotics in the past six months.

Individuals who decide to take part in the research study will: 

• Come to Purdue for one screening visit and two research visits.
• Have their weight, height, body composition and calorie needs measured. 
• Complete several surveys about health, diet and experiences.
• Provide a stool and saliva sample.

Participants will receive a $25 gift card to compensate for their time and reimbursement for travel. To learn more about this research, contact Patricia Wolf, principal researcher and assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition Science, at 765-496-0143 or email  [email protected] . IRB #IRB-2023-916.

Study on infant and toddler vegetable acceptance 

The Child Temperament and Health Lab at Purdue is recruiting families to participate in a research study looking at infants’ responses to vegetables and caregivers’ decisions about offering them to their child. Participating in the study will require two study visits, which will take place virtually via Zoom. Each virtual visit will last approximately 60-90 minutes. Participants will receive up to $80 in gift cards for participating.   

Individuals may be qualified to participate if they meet the following criteria:  

• Child is between 6 months and 24 months of age.
• Child was born at term (>37 weeks) and has experienced at least one complementary food (e.g., rice cereal).
• Child has no food allergies or medical conditions.
• Parent or caregiver is between 18 and 50 years of age. 
• Participant home is located in the greater Lafayette area of Indiana.

The principal investigator is Kameron Moding, assistant professor in Department of Human Development and Family Studies. Those interested in participating in the study should contact Ellie Kielb at  [email protected]  and mention the “Infant Vegetable Study.” IRB-2019-451.

Recruiting participants for a survey on parent feeding strategies

The Child Temperament and Health Lab is looking to recruit parents of preschoolers (3-5 years of age) to participate in a Qualtrics survey conducted by researchers at Purdue. The survey will be conducted fully online and takes approximately 30-45 minutes to complete. Participants will be compensated $15 for their time.

The principal investigator is Kameron Moding, assistant professor in Department of Human Development and Family Studies. Individuals interested in participating in this study should contact Ellie Kielb at  [email protected]  with the header “Parent Feeding Strategies Survey.” IRB-2022-482.

Research study for breast cancer survivors and their partners

Purdue researchers are looking for breast cancer survivors and their romantic partners to complete a study exploring how relationships and stress affect couples’ health during survivorship. The study is looking for couples who live together and who have completed breast cancer treatment. Researchers are interested in relationships that are going well and those that are experiencing difficulties.

Participants may be compensated up to $300 as a couple for their time. This study has multiple ways to participate, depending on interests and availability. Participation could involve an online survey followed by a seven-day diary study with short questionnaires on a mobile app; completing one study visit as a couple (three hours) at Purdue; and/or wearing a heart rate monitor and collecting blood samples from the convenience of home.

Click  this link  to fill out the screening questionnaire. For more information, email  [email protected] , call 812-518-9498, or visit the  study website . The principal investigator is Rosie Shrout, assistant professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. IRB No. IRB-2022-538.

Healthy adult research participants needed for language study

Principal investigator Jiyeon Lee, associate professor in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, is seeking participants for a language study for healthy adults.

The study will be up to 12 sessions, and each session lasts approximately two hours. Testing will be conducted at Lyles-Porter Hall. To be eligible, individuals should be 40-85 years old, be a native speaker of English and have general good health. If eligible, participation will be compensated and free parking is available.

For more information, contact  [email protected] , call 765-496-0216, or visit the  Aphasia Research Laboratory website . IRB-2021-659.

Individuals with aphasia needed for study

The Purdue Aphasia lab invites people with aphasia to participate in a new NIH-funded training study. Participation will help researchers to better understand language recovery in aphasia, in hopes to develop new language treatments.

To be eligible, individuals should have aphasia as a result of a stroke, have no history of other neurological conditions (dementia, Parkinson’s disease, etc.) and be a native speaker of English. Eligibility for this training study will be determined after the initial language evaluation.

Studies will be conducted at Lyles-Porter Hall, at the Indianapolis lab site or virtually via Zoom. Participants, if eligible, will be compensated $20 per session, and free garage parking is provided.

The principal investigator is Jiyeon Lee, associate professor in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. For more information, contact  [email protected] , call 765-496-0216, or visit the  Aphasia Research Laboratory website . IRB-2021-659.

Study on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and mindfulness activity on cognition

Young adults ages 18-30 are needed to participate in a research study on how cognitive changes occur as a result of HIIT and mindfulness activity. 

Participants will be compensated $45 total for completing the study. Participation requires one visit to the Lambert Fieldhouse. The visit may last 2.5-3 hours, involving questionnaires, computer games, interval exercise and assessment of brain activation (i.e., electroencephalogram [EEG]).

For more information, contact the Physical Activity and NeuroCognitive Health Lab at  [email protected]  in the Department of Health and Kinesiology. Professor Shih-Chun Kao in the Department of Health and Kinesiology is the principal investigator. IRB-2022-1416.

Studies looking for Asian and multiracial individuals and families

Researcher in the Antiracism, Resistance, Identity, Socialization, and Equity (ARISE) Lab study how talking about race, ethnicity and culture impacts identity development and mental health.

Researchers are recruiting:

• Multiracial/biracial/mixed race youth and adults.
• Parents of multiracial youth.
• Asian American youth and adults.

By filling out this  short 1–3-minute survey , individuals can be added to the lab’s email list. They will have the option to sign up for newsletters that will share resources, an advice column and fun features like pop culture news and recipes from their community that are family-friendly. Individuals can also sign up for the lab’s participant pool to receive invitations to ongoing studies.

Participation in studies would involve tasks such as completing brief and potentially compensated anonymous surveys or interviews to share personal experiences and perspectives so researchers can learn more about multiracial and Asian American youth and families.

Questions can be directed to Annabelle Atkin, principal investigator and assistant professor of human development and family science, at  [email protected] . IRB-2023-249.

How children think and feel during and after exercise 

Children ages 8-10 are needed for a research study on how children think and feel during and after exercise.

Participation in this study requires two visits on separate days to the Physical Activity and NeuroCognitive Health (PANCH) Laboratory in Lambert Fieldhouse. The first visit may last approximately three hours and involve computer games and a fitness test. The second visit may last about three hours and involve health-related and demographic questionnaires, two sessions of 20-minute aerobic exercise, and recoding of brain waves using techniques such as electroencephalogram (EEG). Participation in this study will be compensated by a maximum total of $100.

Shih-Chun Kao, assistant professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology, is the principal investigator. To participate or for more information, email  [email protected]  or call 765-496-7781. IRB-2021-955.

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Equity in Grant-Making: A Review of Barriers and Strategies for Funders Considering Improvement Opportunities

Publication info, research methodology, description.

In 2023 the Chief Evaluation Office partnered with the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to fund a study focused on exploring approaches to measure and increase equity in ETA’s discretionary grant-making programs. This study sought to explore how grant-makers – such as Federal agencies, State and local government agencies, and philanthropic organizations – define, assess, and increase equity in their grant-making process.

This study explores research and strategies related to equity in the discretionary grant-making process based on a review of publicly available literature and Federal agency Equity Action Plans as well as interviews with Federal and philanthropic grant-makers. The report describes how funders define equity in the context of awarding grants, common barriers and promising action steps to increase equity in each stage of the grant-making process (pre-award, collection of applications, funding of awards, and post-award), and measurement strategies to help funders track their progress.

This report can support a variety of grant-makers examining equity, whether at government agencies (including at Federal, State, and local levels) or foundations. Recognizing that grant-making organizations vary in size, policy area, and scope, the study team provides findings and suggestions that funders can tailor to meet their context and goals. The findings focus on domestic (U.S.-based) grant-making, though international or transnational grant-makers may also find useful insights.

Key takeaways include:

• When selecting strategies to increase equity, grant-makers may invest time and resources to communicate the new approach to potential applicants and build trust, particularly with organizations and groups that provide services to underrepresented communities. For example, reviewed resources encourage funders to expand the networks they use to announce new funding opportunities and participate in community events. These trust-building activities may encourage new organizations to apply for grant programs and create space to provide feedback on challenging or inequitable aspects of the grant-making process. 
• Study interviewees also emphasized the value of continued internal communications with funding staff to build organizational motivation to implement and refine equity initiatives. Communication efforts include describing goals and progress, holding training sessions to increase awareness of action steps, and sharing tools to streamline implementation and affect change. 
• By implementing strategies to increase equity in grant-making, funders take a critical step toward addressing systemic inequities in the type of organizations, individuals, and communities that receive grant funding.