Statistics and Research Methodology-Free-Samples for Students

Questions: 1.Why it is Important of your Research investigation that you are Critical when reviewing the Literature 2.What might Sarahs Project tutor mean by suggesting that a Critical Review should be Balanced. 3.What does Sarah need to do to develop a Literature review which is sufficiently Critical yet also sufficient balanced. Answers: 1.Importance of critical review of literature It is important for any researcher to do a thorough investigation of the topic that he or she has taken up before going ahead with the research. It implies, filling the gaps left by previous studies. Reviewing previous works critically brings forth the expertise of the researcher in the field. He or she is able to identify the weaknesses of the previous researches, that is, the areas that has not been explored or addressed. Critical review also allows the researcher to study the chosen topic without presuming anything. Sarah had assumed that complexity theory applies to organizational change and hence she based her review only on theories that supported this notion. This left her with no option to explore further and move ahead with her research. Being critical while reviewing the literature, allows the researcher to frame an apt theoretical question that establishes the ground for carrying out the research (Researchgate.net, 2017). While on the other hand, a general literature review that only summarizes the previous work allows minimum scope for the researcher to carry the work forward and establish what has already been said or discovered. 2.A balanced critical literature review Doing a critical literature review demands precision and minute observance of all the previous works. It means that the researcher must cover and uncover all the points that the author included in the previous works and the points that he missed out. Sarahs first literature review involved emphasis on the positive effects of complexity theory on organizational behavior. She included all the statements and theories that supported her research question. Later, she prepared a second draft where she rejected the relevance of complexity theory to organizational changes. It thus was evident from both her drafts that her literature review was either under critical or over critical. It was not balanced that is it did not explore the fields where she needed to work. A balanced critical review can be elaborated as the inclusion of positive reviews that supports the argument and negative reviews that rejects it. This allows the researcher to complete the research as per the requirement. The balanced critical review of literature also demonstrates the researchers keen knowledge and expertise in the field and shows the extent of her study (Machi McEvoy, 2016). 3.Developing a critical yet sufficiently balanced literature review Sarah was shocked with the feedback given by her project tutor on both occasions, as she could not comprehend the true meaning of a critical literature review. At first, she prepared a review that comprised hardly any criticism of the selected topic and later she did just the opposite of it. Her second draft consisted of heavy criticism of the topic. Sarah has to follow a systematic approach in order to develop a critical yet balanced literature review. The first thing Sarah needs to do is search the literature of the selected topic multiple times (Pautasso, 2017). After convincingly going through the literature, she then must identify all the relevant points that may include approaches, restrictions and conclusions. The next important thing she needs to do is to find answers to queries such as: Chief accomplishment in the reviewed area Key areas of dispute and Research questions that have not been answered In the end, Sarah can develop a constructive literature review that has reached equilibrium of both positive and negative reviews. References: Machi, L. A., McEvoy, B. T. (2016).The literature review: Six steps to success. Corwin Press. Pautasso, M. (2017).Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Literature Review. Retrieved 3 November 2017, from Researchgate.net. (2017). Retrieved 3 November 2017, from https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_the_importance_of_literature_review Saunders, M. N. (2011).Research methods for business students, 5/e. Pearson Education India.