A literature review model
A literature review model has six crucial steps: topic selection, literature search, developing an argument, surveying the literature, critiquing the research, and writing a review that addresses the selected topic (Machi " McEvoy, 2016). The paper explores the second step (literature search) through the approaches, sorting strategies, and successes and frustrations I experienced during literature search with the aim to develop a research proposal.
My approach to the literature review
My approach to the literature review began by reading an article about my topic of study. From there I expanded the search to other sources such as books, scholarly journals, and websites so that I could expand my knowledge of the already existing knowledge about my topic of study. I obtained information both from online and libraries. Most of them were secondary sources, for example, books and journals, while others were primary sources including official reports from governments and organizations, autobiographies, and diaries. Today, information is readily available online, and a lot of pop-ups about a topic appears just by keying in keywords regarding a topic. I keyed in my keywords for search, and many sources appeared online. For this reason, I had to sort out the right sources for the study. To accomplish the process of sorting, I used three strategies: scanning, skimming, and mapping (Machi " McEvoy, 2016).
Elements considered in the search process
Some of the elements I looked at when applying the strategies mentioned above are the currency of the source (information timelines), relevancy, authority (the author or the source of information), purpose, and accuracy of the material. Reading through the summaries, prefaces, and conclusions of these sources helped in evaluating the necessary elements. Therefore, my success was facilitated by technology which has enhanced the ease of making notes and accessibility to sources. I also experience frustrations such as tediousness of the work and meeting deadlines.
Reference
Machi, L. A., " McEvoy, B. T. (2016). The literature review: Six steps to success. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
