Literature Review Guide

I was told to find a "gap in the literature." How do I do that?

What is a "gap" in the research?

As you are selecting a topic for your theses or dissertation, you might be told to look for a gap in the literature. When researchers talk about a gap in the literature, they are referring to areas of research that are unexplored or under-explored. Gaps in research could be related to a specific population, research method, intervention, or other research variable.

How do I find a gap in the research?

To locate gaps in the literature, you first need to get familiar with the scholarly literature in your subject area. By reading the titles and abstracts of articles, you can quickly ascertain the main topics covered in literature related to your broad topic of interest. Keep track of what you find to help you identify trends and look for what is missing. A literature matrix can be particularly helpful when working on this.

In a literature matrix you create a table in Excel or Google sheets that tracks the important information you need to remember about the articles you've seen or read. After you have surveyed a large amount of literature you will start to see trends, patterns, and gaps in your literature matrix. Each column in the spreadsheet should track the details that are important to you. You might include information like:

• Title
• Author
• Journal Title
• Year of Publication
• Primary Topic
• Secondary Topic
• Research Method
• Test / Measure / Instrument
• Theoretical Model
• Population
• Research Questions
• APA Citation

As you are reviewing the literature around your topic, ask critical questions about your topic like who, what, when, where, and why? Consider what recommendations other researchers have made for future research and whether existing research exists to address those recommendations.

What types of sources are okay to use in my literature review?

For your thesis/dissertation you are generally expected to use predominantly peer-reviewed journal articles in your work. Depending on your topic, books and book chapters also might be relevant to cite. However, there are certain topics that will require you to cite non-scholarly works in your thesis/dissertation, including grey literature.

Can I cite a dissertation?

For your thesis/dissertation you should generally not cite a prior thesis/dissertation. Instead, you should be citing the source of the claim made in the thesis/dissertation. 

Even if you can't cite a dissertation directly, you can use dissertations to find other potentially relevant literature on your topic through their bibliography!

Can I request a dissertation or theses from another institution through Interlibrary Loan?

The library provides access to a large number of theses and dissertations through our database subscriptions. Before requesting a dissertation through Interlibrary Loan:

Search the library catalog to see if we have access to a copy

Search Google to see if a copy is available on the web

It can be hard to get dissertations and theses via Interlibrary Loan due to loaning policies and format restrictions. Additionally, dissertation and theses authors may choose to place an embargo, or temporary hold, on their work, restricting access until the embargo period expires.

You can request a dissertation or theses through Interlibrary Loan, following the directions for manual loan requests. Be aware that if we are unable to locate the item we will notify you and cancel the loan.

What is a "seminal work"?

Seminal works, sometimes called landmark, pivotal, foundational, or keystone articles, are texts that are influential and groundbreaking, often introducing new ideas or approaches and significantly shaping the research that comes after them. Seminal works are cited frequently in the research, so if you see the same citation in almost every article you read, there's a good chance it's a seminal work! Although these articles may have been published decades ago, their significance to the field makes them important works to read and understand.

Unfortunately, there isn't usually a list or label for articles or books that are considered seminal. You will need to rely on your own exploration of the scholarly literature to determine which works hold significance, are cited frequently, and have influenced the work of others.

What is grey literature?

Grey literature refers to published or unpublished information not commercially available. It is not produced or distributed via traditional publication methods. It can include: government documents, census data, working papers, reports, white papers, policy statements, speeches, fact sheets, dissertations, newsletters, etc.

How do I find the original source of a test or instrument?

To locate the original source of a test or instrument, first check the source where you found the test mentioned. If the test was mentioned in an article, read their methods section to determine if they created the instrument themselves. If they did not, the instrument will be cited in the methods section with a full citation in the references of the paper.

If you did not find the test or instrument in an article, try looking for it in APA PsycTESTS. This is a database that provides information on tests and instruments. In the record for each test, there is a field called Source Citation which will show a citation for the originating article.

If neither of these methods work, try locating other articles or dissertations that have used this test or instrument. Search a library database by the name of the test or instrument and check researchers methods and references to see if another researcher has cited the original source.

How do I find articles that used a specific test instrument?

Search the library catalog for the name of your test or instrument. Put the name of the test in quotes to make sure it is searched as an exact phrase. This will return articles where the test is mentioned. You will have to read the methods sections of the articles to determine which ones actually used the test.

Alternately, you can use the database APA PsycArticles, which allows you to search for articles by the test or measure used in the research. When you open the database, scroll down until you see the Tests & Measures field. Put in the full name of your test, then enter a related keyword in the main search box and run the search. This will show you articles that are cataloged with your test in the Tests & Measures field.

Do I need permission to administer this test or measure I found?

Yes, it is essential to get permission to use an assessment tool! This may take time and perseverance. 

Commercially available tools may require professional credentials or supervision to administer. Information about these requirements will be provided by the publisher. For PsyD students, contact the Chicago Assessment Center or Vancouver Assessment Library for help with commercially available tests and measures. 

Permission to use freely available or unpublished tests and measures should be sought from the author/creator of the tool. Use APA PsycTests, Mental Measurement Yearbook, or Google to try to find author contact information. 

An exception may be instruments retrieved from the APA PsycTests database that explicitly state May use for Research/Teaching in the permissions field. 

Do my sources in the literature review of my dissertation need to be less than 10 years old?

The standards may vary depending on your program and Chair, so it is best to confirm with your thesis or dissertation Chair.

Check the handbook or manual for your program for information on program specific requirements.