Writing a Literature Review Some Tips & Tricks Open Enrollment Chris Rance. rance@phil.muni.cz Martin Guzi. Plan for Today > Magnifying glass showing decling performance •The Most Important Advice •General •What Writing IS (and Isn’t) •Tools to Help •Literature Reviews •Structuring the Literature Review • Start yesterday Plan your writing process •Break the process down into tasks •List all tasks and allocate time •Deadline for drafts (1st , 2nd , 3rd) •Plan for the unforeseen •Long term vs. short term plans •Consider your productivity Getting the Language Right What is This? •Nanni to Ea-nasir: a letter of complaint (circa 1750 BC). •Writing is transactional. •Keep your readers in mind. • • > 𒀀 𒈾 𒂍 𒀀 𒈾 𒍢 𒅕 𒆠 𒉈 𒈠 𒌝 𒈠 𒈾 𒀭 𒉌 𒈠 𒀀 𒉡 𒌑 𒈠 𒋫 𒀠 𒇷 𒆪 𒆠 𒀀 𒄠 𒋫 𒀝 𒁉 𒄠 𒌝 𒈠 𒀜 𒋫 𒀀 𒈠 𒄖 𒁀 𒊑 𒁕 𒄠 𒆪 𒁴 𒀀 𒈾 𒄀 𒅖 𒀭 𒂗𒍪 𒀀 𒈾 𒀜 𒁲 𒅔 𒋫 𒀠 𒇷 𒅅 𒈠 𒋫 𒀝 𒁉 𒀀 𒄠 𒌑 𒆷 𒋼 𒁍 𒍑 𒄖 𒁀 𒊑 𒆷 𒁕 𒄠 𒆪 𒁴 𒀀 𒈾 𒈠 𒅈 𒅆 𒅁 𒊑 𒅀 𒋫 𒀸 𒆪 𒌦 𒈠 𒌝 𒈠 𒀜 𒋫 𒈠 𒋳 𒋼 𒇷 𒆠 𒀀 𒇷 𒆠 𒀀 𒋳 𒈠 [𒆷] 𒋼 𒇷 𒆠 𒀀 𒀜 𒆷 𒅗 𒅀 𒋾 𒀀 𒈾 𒆠 𒈠 𒈠 𒀭 𒉌 𒅎 𒌅 𒅆 𒅎 𒈠 𒉌 𒈠 𒆠 𒀀 𒄠 𒋼 𒈨 𒊭 𒀭 𒉌 𒈠 𒊑 𒀀 𒉿 𒇷 𒀀 𒈾 𒈠 𒅗 𒋾 𒀀 𒈾 𒆠 𒋛 𒅀 𒈠 𒄩 𒊑 𒅎 𒀸 𒁍 𒊏 𒄠 𒈠 𒌅 𒈨 𒄿 𒊭 𒄠 𒈠 𒄿 𒈾 𒂵 𒂵 𒅈 𒈾 𒀝 𒊑 𒅎 𒅖 𒋾 𒅖 𒋗 𒅇 𒅆 𒉌 𒋗 𒊑 𒆪 𒋢 𒉡 𒌅 𒋼 𒅕 𒊏 𒄠 𒄿 𒈾 𒀀 𒇷 𒅅 𒋼 𒂖 𒈬 𒌦 𒈠 𒀭 𒉡 𒌝 𒊭 𒆠 𒀀 𒄠 𒄿 𒁍 𒊭 𒀭 𒉌 𒄿 𒈠 𒀜 𒋫 𒈠 𒅈 𒅆 𒅁 𒊑 𒅀 𒌅 𒈨 𒂊 𒅖 𒀀 𒈾 𒈠 𒆷 𒅗 𒊍 𒉿 𒅎 𒊭 𒄿 𒈾 𒂵 𒋾 𒅀 𒌅 𒊺 𒍪 𒌑 𒆠 𒀀 𒄠 𒋫 𒁕 𒁍 𒌒 𒅇 𒀸 𒋳 𒄿 𒅗 𒀀 𒈾 𒂍 𒃲 𒇷 𒌋 𒐍 𒄘 𒍏 𒀀 𒈾 𒆪 𒀜 𒁲 𒅔 𒅇 𒋗 𒈪 𒀀 𒁍 𒌝 𒌋 𒐍 𒄘 𒍏 𒄿 𒁲 𒅔 𒂊 𒍣 𒅁 𒊭 𒀀 𒈾 𒂍 𒀭 𒌓 𒆪 𒉡 𒊌 𒅗 𒄠 𒉌 𒍣 𒁍 𒀀 𒈾 𒉿 𒊑 𒅎 𒊭 𒀀 𒋾 𒆠 𒄿 𒋼 𒁍 𒊭 𒀭 𒉌 𒆠 𒋛 𒄿 𒈾 𒂵 𒂵 𒅈 𒈾 𒀝 𒊑 𒌅 𒊌 𒋾 𒅋 𒆠 𒋛 𒀀 𒈾 𒂵 𒋾 𒅀 𒋗 𒇻 𒈠 𒄠 𒂊 𒇷 𒅗 𒄿 𒋗 𒆠 𒈠 𒀭 𒉌 𒆠 𒀀 𒄠 𒉿 𒊑 𒀀 𒄠 𒆷 𒁺 𒈬 𒂵 𒄠 𒆷 𒀀 𒈠 𒄩 𒊒 𒅗 𒋫 𒆷 𒈠 𒀜 𒄿 𒈾 𒆠 𒊓 𒇷 𒅀 𒅖 𒋾 𒈾 𒀀 𒌑 𒈾 𒍝 𒀝 𒈠 𒂊 𒇷 𒅇 𒀀 𒈾 𒊭 𒌅 𒈨 𒄿 𒊭 𒀭 𒉌 𒈾 𒋛 𒄴 𒋫 𒄠 𒂊 𒁍 𒍑 𒅗 What is a Paragraph? Unity Everything in the paragraph is about X Completeness Everything about X is in the paragraph Order Topic sentence and evidence are placed in a logical order. Cohesion The paragraph flows both from sentence to sentence and from preceding to following paragraph Be flexible •When you plan at first, be flexible. •With research come changing ideas. •Plan in a way that supports rather than hinders them. Establish a Background > Magnifying glass showing decling performance •What are you writing for? •(Claim the importance of the topic) •What are you writing about? •(Make generalisations) •What do we know so far? •(Review the literature) • •Why then …? Engage the Audience > > Make a Claim for Your Paper •Counter-claim •Indicate a gap •Raise a question •Expand existing research • > White puzzle with one red piece Be Generous > •“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants” •Position your paper as a response – an addition to the conversation. •“This paper challenges…” • Is this thinking of the reader? •In today's dynamic and competitive marketplace, effective marketing communication holds the key to unlocking brand success. It allows businesses to rise above basic product or service offerings, forging meaningful connections with target audiences and shaping brand perception. However, with an ever-evolving media landscape and an influx of communication channels, crafting a strategic approach to marketing communication has become increasingly complex as such, understanding the intricacies of marketing communication strategy has become imperative for businesses seeking to thrive in competitive landscapes. Innovative marketing communication strategies are essential for businesses to thrive in today's competitive landscape. By embracing creativity, leveraging technology, and remaining sensitive to consumer preferences, businesses can forge stronger connections with their audience, drive growth, and position themselves for long-term success. Length •Don’t write walls of text → tl;dr. •Sentence length matters https://www.musical-sentences.com/ • Using ChatGPT A closer look at that text A closer look at that text Key Unlock success Forge connections Shape perception Influx of channels Thrive in landscapes Businesses … with their audience Use the right lexis > > A white rectangular with red and blue numbers and a red dot Description automatically generated •Google Ngram for “often, oftentimes” •https://books.google.com/ngrams/ • SKELL – corpus linguistics for non-linguists https://skell.sketchengine.eu/#home?lang=en Unlock success Forge connections Shape perception(s) Influx of channels Thrive in landscapes Business … with their audience Outline Your Paper in a Mind Map •www.Mindmup.com •www.Coggle.it •www.Mindmeister.com • Literature Review What a Literature Review Isn’t •a list •a simple summary of other people’s work •a chaotic jumping from point to point •an opportunity to ‘name drop’ • • > Abstract blurred public library with bookshelves Structure 1.Find Your Literature •Background & Research Area (limitations etc) 2.Assess its Relevance •Finding the Gap / Standing on the Shoulders of Giants 3.Identify Themes •What are the Key Themes / Areas of Research Relevant to Your thesis? 4.Decide on Your Outline 5.Write the Literature Review Get an overview - SciSpace •www.typeset.io •Input your question – see what’s out there. •Summarise and review. •Use that to generate your own research question. •Further/future research in conclusions/discussion is a good place to start > A screenshot of a computer Description automatically generated Lateral.io A screenshot of a computer Lateral.io A screenshot of a computer Description automatically generated A screenshot of a computer Description automatically generated Other Tools > Question mark on green pastel background •www.evidencehunt.com •Registration necessary •Will provide an answer to a question and a list of papers from citation •www.researchkick.com •Paid at present (institutional subscription) •Helps find research gaps and questions • • Take a break! > A framed picture of a typewriter Description automatically generated •If you’ve just solved all the world’s problems or even some of them …you probably haven’t. •Don’t become emotionally invested in your topic or argument. •Check your question is acceptable to the faculty/course. • • Questions to ask yourself: •How does it relate to my question? •Is it still relevant? •How does it relate to my other sources? •Which outline ‘template’ would be the best choice? • > Many question marks on black background Outline Choices 1.Chronological •Easiest for you; easiest to screw (up). •Make sure you analyse debates and patterns – why did such developments take place? 2.Methodological •Compare results using differing research methodologies (qualitative vs quantitative), empirical vs theoretical outlooks, differing source types. 3.Thematic •Compare different key areas within your question and organise your paper this way. •Added advantage on making sure the review is about your topic, not previous literature. 4.Theoretical •Identify key concepts and argue how and why different theories provide differing insight. A Keynesian outlook will differ significantly from a Monetarist one. • • • Graph on document with pen Write That Review •Introduction •Purpose of the review? Give the context (lots of research on X but not Y, for example). •Body •Synthesise: combine your sources into a cogent basis for your argument. •Analyse, interpret, evaluate. Don’t just paraphrase; relate the sources to your question and mention their strengths/weaknesses. •Conclusion •Emphasise significance of sources and show how you draw on them to construct a framework to answer your question. • Check your style of writing with Hemmingway •https://hemingwayapp.com/ A screenshot of a computer Description automatically generated Finally, Check Your Work •Four Pillars of the Paragraph. •(Unity / Completeness / Order / Cohesion) •Check for Redundancy / Collocation / Appropriacy. •Get someone else to read your work over. •(Check citations are correct!) • • (Re)sources > Abstract blurred public library with bookshelves •SciSpace typeset.io •Lateral lateral.io •Musical sentences musical-sentences.com •Google ngram viewer books.google.com/ngrams •Skell skell.sketchengine.eu •ChatGPT chat.openai.com •Evidence Hunt evidencehunt.com •Research Kick researchkick.com •Hemmingway App hemingwayapp.com • • • Suggested book •Doing economics : what you should have learned in grad school-but didn’t (2022), Bellemare, Marc • •E-book is available as E-Loan •https://katalog.muni.cz/Record/MUB01006507361 • •Chapter on Writing Papers is available in pdf •https://is.muni.cz/auth/do/econ/sm/akap/akademicky_text_a_proces_jeho_vzniku/Writting_papers_Belle mare_MIT_2022.pdf • 35 A picture containing text Description automatically generated References > Glasses on top of a book •Gritjon, Gruda. “Three Ways ChatGPT Helps Me in My Academic Writing.” Nature.com. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01042-3 •Oxford Brookes University. “Paragraphs.” https://www.brookes.ac.uk/students/academic-development/online-resources/paragraphs •Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel K. Durst. “They Say / I Say”: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2021. • Thank you for listening! • •Mindmup.com •Coggle.it •Mindmeister.com •Calmlywriter.com •Ilys.com/welcome •Ommwrite.com •Hemingwayapp.com •Quill.org/tools/grammar