© Middlesex University
Overview
• What is a literature review?
• Searching for literature for your Literature Review (assignment 3)
• Strategies for reading the literature, organising and writing your literature review
• Further help
SES1242 literature reviews | 2
© Middlesex University
Questions from you and questions from me
• Phones out!
• Go to slido.com and enter the code: #Q405
• Submit any questions or things you’re not sure of as we go along
• Vote up questions you would like answered
• There will also be a couple of polls/quizzes to answer…
SES1242 literature reviews | 3
© Middlesex University
What Is A Literature Review?
What is a literature review?
What are you expected to include in your literature review?
SES1242 literature reviews | 4
Literature Review:
An effective summary, synthesis and review of selected documents on a research topic. It includes elements of
evaluation.
Slido code: Q405
© Middlesex University
Assignment 3 – Literature Review
SES1242 literature reviews | 5
Slido code: Q405
© Middlesex University
Why do people do literature reviews?
• Question time! Please answer the first poll on slido.com
— Event code: Q405
SES1242 literature reviews | 7
© Middlesex University
….you can swim there, but you can only take a small bag with you…
SES1242 literature reviews | 11
© Middlesex University
Choose four items to help you survive on the island
SES1242 literature reviews | 12
© Middlesex University
Adventure island: survivor kit
Assess the usefulness of each item and provide the reason why you chose it
Item 1
Reason:
Item 2
Reason
Item 3
Reason
Item 4
Reason
3 minutes
SES1242 literature reviews | 14
© Middlesex University
What were the stages in the process of making your survival kit?
1. Think about situation
2. Analyse the available range of items
3. Choose essential items
4. Assess the information and plan
5. Explain your reasoning
SES1242 literature reviews | 15
© Middlesex University
Stages of writing a literature review
How can you compare your island adventure to writing a literature review?
1. Think about situation (topic)
2. Analyse the available range of items (search for literature)
3. Choose essential items (choose the most relevant articles)
4. Assess the information and plan (assess the articles and plan how you’re going to include them)
5. Explain your reasoning (summarise and evaluate)
SES1242 literature reviews | 16
© Middlesex University
Process of writing a literature review
SES1242 literature reviews | 17
1. Think about the topic
2. Select your sources and start reading
3. Narrow down the topic and source list
4. Assess your information
and plan
5. Outline your plan
6. Write
7. Revise
© Middlesex University
Searching for articles
• Think about your keywords
• Where to search?
— Summon, Google Scholar
— Other databases on MyUniHub – PubMed, Web of Science, Sport
Discus
• Access: ALWAYS login to MyUniHub > My Study > My Library, even for Google Scholar
• Refine your search
— Journal articles, peer reviewed, publication date, subject…
• Is it relevant to your topic? Is it a research article?
— Read the abstract – often more helpful than the title
SES1242 literature reviews | 18
© Middlesex University
Keywords
• What are the main concepts in the topic?
• Are there other words/phrases for the same ideas?
• Not all authors will use the same terminology!
• Read the articles/abstracts you’ve found for inspiration and search again
SES1242 literature reviews | 19
© Middlesex University
Fundamental movement
skills
• Movement skills
• Skill acquisition
• Skill development
• Skill proficiency
• Motor skills / ability
Who?
• Children?
• Young people?
• Schoolchildren?
• Teenagers?
• Girls/boys?
Physical activity
• Exercise
• Sport participation
• Active lifestyle
Fundamental
movement skills
and physical
activity levels
Specific
skills…
© Middlesex University
Finding resourcesmyUniHub > My Study > My Library
Go to My Study…then
My Library
Select Summon or
Databases
Login to
MyUniHub
© Middlesex University
Refine your search results
Full text online
Scholarly &
peer review
Journal
Articles only
Date range
Discipline,
e.g. recreation &
sports
© Middlesex University
Google Scholar
Presentation title | 23
Papers that
have
referenced
this one
The same paper on
other websites –
sometimes good for
getting full text
Full text from
Middlesex and
other sources
• Make sure you have logged into MyUniHub, click on Summon first –
leave this open in another tab
• At home / on your own device, set up Google Scholar to link to journals
we buy for you:
- Click the menu icon (top left)
- Click Settings
- Library links
- Search for Middlesex University and save.
© Middlesex University
If you have too many results...
• Add more keywords (narrow it down)
• Be more specific (sprinting vs. running)
• Use “” to find exact phrases (“home advantage”)
• Add limits, e.g. date
© Middlesex University
If you do not have enough results...
• Use alternative keywords (football or soccer)
• Be less specific
• Split the question into simple concepts/words
• Try variations of the same word, e.g. swim, swimmers, swimming
© Middlesex University
Does it make it into your review?
• Answer poll no 2:
What criteria could you use to decide whether to include an article in your literature review?
SES1242 literature reviews | 26
© Middlesex University
Reading
• Read the abstract
— What is the purpose of the article? What are the main findings and
conclusions? Is it relevant to the topic?
• Quickly look through the article - read any headings and subheadings. Look at any diagrams, tables and graphs
• Skim through the relevant sections of the text quickly for general understanding
— What are the main points? What questions does it raise and/or
answer? How useful is it to me?
• Read again carefully
— Is there sufficient evidence given? Is the evidence given convincing?
Why / not? Are the conclusions supported by the rest of the article?
• Make notes!SES1242 literature reviews | 27
© Middlesex University
Note taking
• Note taking is important. How do you take notes?
• Good notes involve you and the text communicating – just highlighting words or sentences is not good note taking.
• How do you store your research?
SES1242 literature reviews | 28
A. Bottom of
my bagB. Excel
C. Spider Diagram
© Middlesex University
Assess your information and plan
• Now you can start to divide the reading you have done. What are the major themes that you have found?
• Select the appropriate sources of information – from what you have read, what can you use directly? Indirectly?
• Extract directly relevant information – a Literature Review isn’t the time to show off how much you have read. Keep it relevant!
• Try and summarise the information in your own words – you will need to have clarity in your writing
SES1242 literature reviews | 29
1. Think about the topic
2. Select your sources and start
reading
3. Narrow down the topic and
source list
4. Assess your
information and plan
5. Assess and outline your
plan
6. Write
7. Revise
© Middlesex University
Outline your plan
SES1242 literature reviews | 30
1. Think about the topic
2. Select your sources and start
reading
3. Narrow down the topic and
source list
4. Assess your information and
plan
5. Outline your plan
6. Write
7. Revise
• Sort and prioritise the literature you have already
• See which authors/ideas compliment each other
• See which authors/ideas disagree with each other
• Take the most interesting theme and start to outline your literature review
• Do I have enough to start writing? What more could I include?
© Middlesex University
What to include in your literature review?
Introduction
• What is the topic? Why is it interesting/important?
Discussion
• Review the main topics of the selected articles. How are they
similar/different? Did they reach similar conclusions? Why (not)?
Conclusions
Write an informative summary of the articles
• References listSES1242 literature reviews | 31
© Middlesex University
Need help?
Presentation title | 33
• Librarians in the Study Hub (1st floor of the library)
Monday – Friday 9-5
• LET drop-in help 12-3 Monday-Friday, Study Hub
• ‘My Subject’ Guide for Sport & Exercise(in MyUniHub > My Study > My Library)
• Ask!
© Middlesex University
Join the Learning Enhancement Team (LET) for:
ONE-TO-ONE
TUTORIALS
Bookable 30-minute tutorials
OPEN WORKSHOPS
Bookable 1-hour workshops
M-F, 2-3pm
Choose from our list of options.
GETTING YOUR
ASSIGNMENT READY
THE WRITING
SPACE
Drop in to the Writing Space
S108, M-F, 3-5pm
ONLINE RESOURCES
Drop in to the Study Hub in the
library
M-F, 12-3pm
Grove building
drop-ins coming soon!
Visit our site for
videos, worksheets
and more