Guides: Public Policy and Public Management: Doing a literature review

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What is a literature reveiw?

According to the APA, a literature review is a: “Survey of previously published literature on a particular topic to define and clarify a particular problem; summarize previous investigations; identify relations, contradictions, gaps, and inconsistencies in the literature; and suggest the next step in solving the problem.”

Resources to help with planning literature reviews

SAGE Research Methods Project Planner
Includes a useful guide of how to review the literature.

SAGE Research Methods Online This link opens in a new window
A range of resources designed to support researchers of all levels through the research process. Books and journals, case studies and sample datasets, plus a planner tool to help organise your research project.
SAGE Research Methods Videos This link opens in a new window
Streaming videos covering every aspect of the research process and hundreds of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods.

Resources to help with writing literature reviews

The Literature Review by Diana Ridley
ISBN: 9781446201435
Publication Date: 2012-07-31
A step-by-step guide to conducting a literature search and literature review, using cases and examples throughout to demonstrate best practice. Ridley outlines practical strategies for conducting a systematic search of the available literature, reading and note taking and writing up your literature review as part of an undergraduate research project, Masters dissertation or PhD thesis.
Writing the Literature Review by Sara Efrat Efron; Ruth Ravid
ISBN: 9781462536894
Publication Date: 2018
This accessible text provides a roadmap for producing a high-quality literature review

Research skills (literature review and critical thinking)
Higher degree study challenges you to further develop your research, writing, and critical thinking skills. This useful resource from Student Learning includes sections on Reviewing the literature, Critical thinking and Research skills.
Writing a literature review
Guide from Purdue Online Writing Lab. Outlines the parts of a literature review and how it can be organised.