What do you do for the literature review when you are conducting research and can't find sources of research that has been done just like it before?

I can't find any so should I just find something that is a little related but not really similar to use as a previous study?

8/3/2011 2:26:45 PM

Sort of.

Need to research relevant topics, or sub-parts of your topic. For example, my MS project included technology that was brand new, but the individual pieces were not. We created a new type of stormwater filtration system. So I had to research filtration, sand filters, bacteria survival, fate, etc. While no one else had done what we were doing, there was plenty of information on directly related topics. It's the ancillary topics you have to touch on.

Care to share your topic?

[Edited on August 3, 2011 at 2:29 PM. Reason : .]

8/3/2011 2:29:08 PM

Haven't decided on my topic but its something in education or education management. I am asking this because I have several topics that I could easily do based on sources and then I have a topic from the heart that would give me headaches on the literature review. It comes down to me wanting to just get it done or do something useful.

8/3/2011 2:35:53 PM

^^this

Lit reviews don't always have to be directly what you're working on, so any principles that are used in your new type of study are relevant. Don't try to stray too far from your topic but be sure to check out other fields that may be interested in similar topics. I did a traffic study using bluetooth so I used a lot of electrical engineering sources in my last paper.

If this is going to be a standalone study and not just a lit review, I would lean toward what is most interesting to work on. Lit reviews are very important but at the same time the meat of a paper/research is the actual work you will be doing.

[Edited on August 3, 2011 at 2:38 PM. Reason : .]

8/3/2011 2:36:49 PM

^^do a topic you'll enjoy learning/writing about, which may or may not be an easier road. too many people join an MS program just to get a degree and end up hating because they got stuck with a crappy project or one they hated/had no interest in. and this really shows up in their work. It's ok to pick a difficult subject, and really, other than the school's statistics, going an extra semester or two to finish up your thesis is no big deal. Many MS students are going 3 years now. That is of course, if your funding party will/can last that long, if you have funding. It's also important to recognize and stick to the scope of your work. This may have to be revised as you delve into it - it needs to be manageable and on a MS level.

[Edited on August 3, 2011 at 2:44 PM. Reason : .]

8/3/2011 2:43:06 PM

Quote :

"What do you do for the literature review when you are conducting research and can't find sources of research that has been done just like it before? I can't find any so should I just find something that is a little related but not really similar to use as a previous study?"

What type of review is based on research that has not been done? Is this an up and coming technologies type publication or something else. Because when I think literature review I think of a synopsis of research in the field along with up and coming research.

If it is an up and coming research kind of thing, normally you just find prior research the new study (or your projected study) is going to be based on then describe how it relates. These types of articles are mainly speculative, so you can justify your ideas based on prior research and theory. Mainly this:

Quote :

"Need to research relevant topics, or sub-parts of your topic."

8/3/2011 3:13:53 PM