21890 Chap.4 Literature Review and Source Evaluation
Literature Review and Source Evaluation
What the review is for
A preliminary literature review shows what is known and where more knowledge is needed, which is the basis of your research question.
The Week 3 lecture frames it in four steps: search, capture and evaluate, synthesise, and present.
Judging sources
The Week 2 lecture gives three frameworks, the 5Ws, the SMART check and the CRAAP test, and the Week 3 lecture adds questions about reliability, currency, bias and whether a source can be generalised.
Working efficiently
Read abstracts, introductions, conclusions, contents and reference lists before committing to a full reading, and record every search and source in a reading matrix.
What this chapter covers
- 01
Purpose of the literature review
- 02
Four steps to frame a review
- 03
The 5Ws, SMART check and CRAAP test
- 04
Critical review questions
- 05
Reading a paper efficiently
- 06
Industry databases and the reading matrix
Worked example · free
Test a supermarket media release with the CRAAP test
- 1Currency: it is recent, so timeliness is not the problem.
- 1Relevance: it speaks directly to supply chain disruption, so it fits the topic.
- 1Authority: the author is the company itself, not an independent body.
- 1Accuracy: it gives no figures or method, so the claim cannot be checked.
- 1Purpose: a media release exists to promote the company, so it can show the company's position but not prove recovery.
Key terms
- SMART Check
- A source test of source, motive, authority, review and a two-source comparison, suited to newspapers.
- Reading Matrix
- A table recording each source's details, focus, main argument and planned use in the research.
- Bibliometric Study
- A study that maps a research field by analysing its publications and citations.
Literature Review and Source Evaluation FAQ
Which source evaluation framework should I use?
All three taught in Week 2 cover similar ground. The lecture notes that the SMART check suits newspaper sources, while the CRAAP test is a quick screen for currency, relevance, authority, accuracy and purpose. Using one consistently, and saying so in your method, matters more than which you choose.
How many sources should I read in full?
Not all of them. Assess each paper first by its abstract, introduction and conclusion, contents and figures, and reference list, as the lecture recommends. Read in full only the sources that clearly inform your questions, and record the rest so you can explain why you set them aside.
Where can I find industry data through the UTS Library?
The business study guides list company, industry and country databases, including Marketline, Statista, Datanalysis, IBISWorld, Orbis and the OECD Library. Librarians and your tutor can help if you are unsure which one covers your industry.
What are the four steps in framing a literature review?
Search for appropriate sources; capture information from each text while evaluating its quality and relevance; pull the literature together into one critical synthesis; and present the review so it shows how it informs your project. Gaps found during synthesis often send you back to searching.
What makes a literature review good according to the tutorial?
It stays close to your research questions, draws on the leading experts in the field, uses current research or older seminal works, does not avoid sources that disagree with your argument, and evaluates every source objectively rather than selecting only supportive ones.
Why record search strings while I read?
Section 2 of the proposal asks you to list the search strings you pursued and explain which areas of literature proved relevant and which did not. Recording them as you search, including dead ends, is the only reliable way to answer that accurately later.
Is Google Scholar enough for finding literature?
The Week 3 lecture discusses both benefits and limitations of Google Scholar and points you to the UTS Library catalogue and its business databases as well. Reference software such as EndNote, available free, helps you catalogue what you find.
Assessment move
Start a reading matrix in Week 3 and add a row for every source you keep. Record search strings as you go, including those that failed. Once you have ten rows, sort them by theme to see where authors agree or conflict; those themes become the structure of your analysis. Apply one evaluation framework consistently and note its verdict in your matrix so the justification is ready when you write.
Each week, add at least one industry or government source alongside the academic ones, because the proposal expects both academic theory and professional practice, and the report rewards engagement with authoritative industry information.
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