the literature review

  • follow curiosity
  • challenge assumptions and narratives
  • consider what is know, unknown and contested
  • start small, be critical and make links between sources.
  • use it iteratively, consider how each source informs your own methods
  • literature review justifies your research
  • what are current trends and how to fit within and diverge from
  • check sources of other papers, can refute or back up other research
  • more like film review - own perspective and critical analysis
  • provides your context to move forward
  • use other people’s work to situate your work
  • we have assumptions to confirm/correct
  • form relation to others interested in the topic
  • does it make sense in the current context or publishing context
  • locate and engage with existing works
  • synthesise existing knowledge and ideas
  • can concern web sources/social media/web platforms also, wider inspirations
  • show how each source contributes to our understanding of the research problem
  • how the sources connect — plus new perspectives from their combination
  • understand how existing work relates to your inquiry
  • identify tensions or gaps
  • position your own practice and methods within these conversations
  • could be academic articles, book chapters, policy reports, design case studies, or examples of speculative practice
  • reflect on the assumptions, frameworks, and methods used
  • make connections
  • explain how each source informs your own framing/choices.
  • comparative analysis - highlight differences and similarities, strengths and weaknesses
  • historical analysis - traces evolution of ideas over time
  • methodological analysis, strengths and weaknesses of research designs
  • theoretical analysis - assess validity and applicability of conceptual frameworks
  • identify patterns or themes
  • construct taxonomies, classifications to organise
  • visual maps to illustrate relationships between concepts
  • develop integrative frameworks to combine insights from various studies
  • What assumptions are made in this text?
  • Who is included or excluded in the analysis?
  • How does the text frame inequality, power, or justice — or does it avoid doing so?
  • Could you apply or adapt this methodology? Why or why not?
  • What new questions or directions did the text open up?