CHAPTER 2.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE (RRL)

COMPONENTS/ PARTS:
Review of Related Literature - Clarifies and defines the
variables being studied from different published literature
Review of Related Studies gathers studies, theses and
dissertations which focused on similar variables
Synthesis summary of the comparison of all cited related
studies in terms of similarities and differences between or
among them and from the present study; it also describes
what makes the present study unique from all cited studies.
Conceptual Framework/ Theoretical Framework
investigates the body of existing knowledge or
theory about the chosen topic, which serves as the
building blocks of the researchers study; composed
of appropriate theory/ theories used to describe,
explain, predict or understand a certain
phenomenon, in an attempt to develop general
explanation for a phenomenon.
A theory defines observable constructs that are
inferred from observable facts/ events and that are
thought to have an effect on the phenomenon under
study. It describes the relationships among variables
for purposes of explaining a current state or
predicting future events
Paradigm of the Study a diagrammatical rendition of the
thesis

CONDUCTING A REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The RRL is a systemic process composed of 3 steps:
1. Find relevant materials

o It is the researchers priority to enrich his work by

reading literature containing important data so he can
fully comprehend the variables under study; Sources of
materials textbooks, journals/ periodicals, reference
books, theses & dissertations and internet
2. Actual reading
o Materials are pre selected based on their relevance to
the study
o Critique the contents of the chosen materials. Critiquing
involves asking questions which is focused on the study
variables, such as, What variables are mentioned?
and What are the characteristics or descriptions of
the variables?. These questions will help researcher
understand the said variables so that indicators will be
easily established. Further questions should be asked:
What relationship exists between the variables based
on the information given? How can the information
provided in this material be of used to my research?.
This will lead the researcher to decide if the book/
article is worth including in the final literature review or
not.
3. Note taking
o Establish a system of note taking - prepare index cards
on which he can take down notes relevant or related to
the variables of the study.
o Note taking is useful especially when synthesizing and
compiling ideas presented in the different references; it
facilitates consolidation of the literature gathered; it
also indicated the title, author, year of publication of
the materials used

The researchers reading skills are essential to the conduct

of a thorough literature review. Wilson (1990, cited in Cristobal &
Cristobal, 2010) identified 4 types of reading:

1. Elementary Reading
o The kind of reading demonstrated by an individual who
passes illiteracy to literacy; consists of literal
comprehension of sentences.
2. Systematic Skimming
o Research demands a lot of reading; hence, he must
establish a system through which he can maximize his
time searching for literature.
o Guide to systematic skimming
1) Quickly read the title page and preface of a research
abstract. Get an idea of the topic and place the article
in the appropriate category in your mind.
2) Study the table of contents carefully or scan the
headings in the article to get a general sense of the
structure of the piece. They ought to act as roadmap by
letting you know in advance where you are headed.
3) Check the index. Make a quick estimate of the range
of topics included and see which ones are relevant to
your interest.
4) Read the publishers blub or any boldface excerpts. It
is common for authors to summarize their main points
in these.
5) From your knowledge of the general nature of the
book or articles contents, look more carefully at
chapters or sections that seem pivotal. For example, in

the case of research report, read the section with the

heading Findings or Conclusions
6) Finally, leaf through the whole piece, dipping here
and there to read a paragraph. Remember to just read a
few lines, because most authors sum up important
points at the end.

3. Analytic Reading
o A good researcher asks questions to thoroughly
understand the article, such as, What is the book or
article all about?, What is being said in detail and
how? and What of it?. The researcher takes time to
understand every detail of the piece.
o Guide to Analytical Reading
1) Try to state in a sentence or two what you have
gained from reading
2) Try to X-ray a book or an article to uncover the
structure and see how the major parts are organized.
3) Find out what main questions or problems the article
or book set out to answer or solve. Determine which of
those problems are primary and which are secondary.
When reading a thesis, you should be able to do this by
comparing findings and conclusions to the study
purposes, objectives or hypothesis.
4) Note down important and unfamiliar words and
determine their definitions/ meanings.
5) Mark the most important sentences in an article or
book and uncover the propositions they contain. A good

time to perform this step is when you are reading the

conceptual framework for the study proposal or report.
6) Identify the basic argument or premises.
7) Find out what solutions or conclusions an author has
to come up with even before reading about them.
8) Be sure that your thoroughly understand the article
before your criticize it.

4. Comparative Reading
o The highest level of reading requires one to place what
he is currently reading in relation to other materials he
previously read. Hence, the reader can state the
similarities and differences between the two or more
articles in terms of variables and propositions. This skill
is very essential in research, as a researcher has to look
for similar studies for the firm foundation of his
investigation.
o Guide to Comparative Reading
1) Find the passages that bear on your question, needs
or interests.
2) Express the ideas on the various authors using your
own words.
3) Formulate your own set of questions and read
comparatively to determine how the respective authors
do or do not address them.
4) Define the issues that emerge so that you can
recognize, sort and resolve controversies or
contradictory findings in the literature.

5) Analyze the discussions you read by asking, Are

they true?

RELATED LITERATURE
o Also termed as conceptual literature
o The gathering of literature related to the study is very
important because:
1) it clarifies the different variables being studies;
2) it removes any vagueness surrounding concepts
central
3) to clarify and delimit the sub-variables
4) it summarizes previous studies done in order to
inform the reader of the state of current research
o The elements of the thesis that gives researcher an idea of
what related literature he needs:
1) title
2) statement of the problem
3) scope and delimitation and
4) paradigm of the study
o Includes foreign and local literatures; 5 10 years of
publication but preferably within the current 5 years

RELATED STUDIES
o an adequate review of related studies is required as this
serves as the basis of the analysis of results because it
allows the researcher to compare and contrast his findings
with those of previous studies.
o The gathered studies are related to the present study when:
1) they have the same variables, sub-variables,
concepts or constructs and
2) the central topic or subject of the study is similar or
the same

o Includes foreign and local studies; must be 5 years to

present
o In formulating this element of the thesis, the ff data must be
indicated for each study:
1) name of the author and date, setting when and
where the study was conducted
2) the title
3) the salient findings (the most important ingredients
to include since the discussion of the variables and their
relationship/s will be based on these)
CONCEPTUAL/ THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Framework is similar to a skeleton
o it is a basic structure or frame of reference
o Designed to support and give shape, form and strength
to the body so it can stand erect
o In thesis, different concepts and theories serve as the
building blocks or skeletons of the study to strongly
clarify the bases of the study
o It may be formulated from the existing theory or
theories and serves as the foundation of the study, as
such the paradigm originally used by the theorist can
be fully adapted by the present study. The researcher
can add or subtract variables from the original
framework, provided that the whole theory is utilized.
o The explanation of the scope and range of concept or
construct are discussed in combination of 2 or more
theories leading to a researcher-made framework
=combination of theories or parts of theory combined
with other parts of a theory will now be called the
conceptual framework
o Conceptual framework guides the researcher by making
direction of the study clearer. The result of the clearer
understanding of the theoretical or conceptual

framework is a diagrammatical presentation of the

study called research paradigm of the study.
RESEARCH PARADIGM OF THE STUDY
o Pattern or model or set of forms which contains a particular
element expressed visually by the researcher through
drawings/ sketches; the symbols used have specific
meanings.
o The usual figures used are regular shapes (rectangular,
square or circles), lines and arrows
o The paradigm is a visual representation of the entire thesis.
COMMON PARADIGMS/ MODELS USED:

A. I-P-O (Input- Process- Output) model

o Adapted from the General System Theory (GST) of
Bertalanffy using the input, process, output concepts as
well as the feedback loop mechanism for evaluation
purposes and possible modification on the input or on
the process.
SAMPLE DIAGRAM:
TITLE: ACCULTURATION OF FILIPINO NURSES IN THE
MIDDLE EAST: BASIS FOR POLICT RECOMMENDATION IN
NURSING EDUCATION (Vallesteros, 2013)
1.
INPUT
Acculturation

OUTPUT

2. Motivating
Factors
3. Coping
Strategies
4.
Perspectives
on Nursing
Education
5. Leinengers

Semistructured
interview

PROCESS

Use of
Internet
Services
(Email/
chatting or
facebook)
Generation of
theory
Policy

Development
of
Acculturation
Theory
And
Policy
Recommendat
ion on
Transcultural
Nursing
Course for
Filipinos

FEED
BACK

B. IV-DV ( Independent Variable Dependent Variable)

Model
o Used in experimental based studies
o Independent Variables are those that (probably)
cause, influence or affect outcomes. Also called
treatment, manipulated, antecedent or predictor
variables
o Dependent Variables are those that depend on the
independent variables; they are outcomes or results or
effects of the influence of the independent variables;
also called criterion, outcome or effect.
o Intervening or Mediating Variables stand
between the Independent and Dependent Variables;
they mediate the effects of the independent variable on
the dependent variable
SAMPLE DIAGRAM:

TITLE: RISK ASSESSMENT OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIME

(Ileto, 2014)

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
VARIABLE

DEPENDENT

Risk Assessment:
1. Emergency
Response Time
Categories

Reduction of
Injuries

2. Ambulance
Activities
Demographic Profile:
1. Age
2. Years of Experience
INTERVENING VARIABLES

C. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ( OR RESEARCHER MADE

MODEL/ FRAMEWORK) (For qualitative studies)
o The explanation of the scope and range of concept or
construct are discussed in combination of 2 or more
theories leading to a researcher-made framework
=combination of theories or parts of theory combined
with other parts of a theory will now be called the
conceptual framework

SAMPLE DIAGRAM:
TITLE: LIVED EXPERIENCES OF ONCOLOGY NURSES IN QATAR
(Ison, 2014)

Cultural
Challenges

Cultural
Adaptatio
n of Care
Coping
Mechanism
Experiences of
Oncology
Nurses

Differentiating Conceptual Framework from Theoretical Framework:

Conceptual Framework is consists of concepts that are placed
within a logical and sequential design. It represents less formal structure
and used for studies in which existing theory is inapplicable or insufficient.
It based on specific concepts and propositions, derived from empirical
observation and intuition. It may deduce theories from a conceptual
framework. Purposes of conceptual framework are to clarify concepts and

propose relationships among the concepts in a study, to provide a context

for interpreting the study findings, to explain observations and to encourage
theory development that is useful to practice.
Theoretical Framework provides a point of focus for attacking the
unknown in a specific area. If a relationship is found between two or more
variables a theory should be formulated to explain why the relationship
exists. Theories are purposely created and formulated, never discovered;
they can be tested but never proven.
Abdellah defined theory as an explanation of a phenomenon or an
abstract generalization that systematically explains the relationship among
given phenomena, for purposes of explaining, predicting and controlling
such phenomena. The theoretical framework consists of theories that
seem to be interrelated. The explanation concerns the relationship between
two or more variables or phenomena, more formal and used for studies
based on existing theories and derived from specific concepts and
propositions that are induced or deduced.
Source:http://www.slideshare.net/ludymae/chapter-6theoretical-conceptual-framework