When selecting sources for a literature review, it is generally best to prioritize recent research, typically starting with studies published in the past five years. However, the definition of "recent" is relative to the topic: highly active research areas may require sources from the past one to two years, whereas less active fields may justify including research from the past decade.

Recency of Research Sources

A comprehensive literature search should deliberately include sources that help justify the interestingness and broader importance of the proposed research question. For instance, a study investigating the effects of cell phone use while driving might cite epidemiological or statistical sources on the prevalence of cell phone use and the frequency of motor vehicle crashes to firmly establish the topic's real-world significance.

Sources for Research Interestingness

The appropriate number of sources for a literature review depends on the specific goals of the researcher and how extensively the topic has historically been studied. While empirical studies indicate that the average number of sources cited in professional psychology journal articles is approximately $$50$$, student assignments typically require a much lower minimum, though the core principles of strategically selecting high-quality, relevant sources remain consistent across both levels.

Number of Sources in a Literature Review

Researchers conduct a literature review to strategically select sources that fulfill several primary objectives: refining the research question, identifying suitable research methods, and contextualizing the current study within previous findings. What is the fourth primary objective of this process?

When conducting a literature review, researchers should strategically select sources that fulfill four primary objectives: refining the research question, identifying suitable research methods, contextualizing the current study within previous findings, and providing guidance for writing an effective research report.

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The research literature in any given scientific field consists of all the published research in that area. It primarily includes articles in professional journals and scholarly books, while excluding sources intended for the general public, such as self-help books, dictionary entries, and websites, which lack rigorous peer review.

Research Literature

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KPU Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition

Electronic databases are the principal tools used to search the scientific literature. These computer systems provide a searchable interface for massive collections of academic works—including professional journals and scholarly books—allowing researchers to locate relevant publications across various disciplines by entering specific search terms.

Academic Database

A reference list search is a technique for finding relevant research literature by examining the bibliography of a good article or book chapter on the topic, such as a recent review article. By reviewing the sources cited by that work, researchers can easily discover other pertinent articles and books.

Reference List Search

Google Scholar is a specialized internet search engine that is particularly useful for conducting general web searches to find scientific research literature. Entering topic-related search terms or a specific researcher's name can lead directly to scholarly works, such as articles in open-access journals or publications hosted on researchers' personal websites.

Google Scholar

A citation search is a method of navigating the research literature by locating the database record for a classic, foundational article on a topic, and then linking to a list of newer works that have cited it. This technique is effective because subsequent researchers investigating the same topic are highly likely to reference the original classic article in their own publications.

Citation Search

Consulting knowledgeable individuals, such as instructors or university faculty members, is an effective strategy for searching the research literature. These subject matter experts are familiar with previous research in their area of expertise and can suggest relevant articles, book chapters, and specific topics to help novice researchers find inspiration and locate scholarly sources.

Expert Consultation Search Strategy

Goals of a Literature Search

Reviewing the research literature involves finding, reading, and summarizing published research relevant to a specific topic of interest. Conducting this review early in the research process is crucial because it helps researchers determine if their question has already been answered, evaluate the interestingness of the question, generate ideas for study design, and understand how their own work will fit into the existing scientific dialogue.

Reviewing the Research Literature

Sources such as self-help books, pop psychology publications, dictionary and encyclopedia entries, and general websites are excluded from the scientific research literature. These materials are intended mainly for the general public and are considered unreliable for academic purposes because they do not undergo peer review and are frequently based on personal experience or common sense rather than rigorous empirical data.

Non-Scholarly Sources

Another strategy for locating research literature is to consult with knowledgeable individuals, such as instructors or psychology faculty members. These experts can draw upon their familiarity with the field to suggest relevant articles, book chapters, and foundational works related to a specific research topic.

Consulting Faculty for Research Literature

Professional journals are periodicals that publish original research articles, typically issued on a monthly or quarterly basis in volumes. As a primary component of the research literature, they undergo a rigorous peer review process to ensure quality and primarily feature empirical research reports and review articles.

Professional Journals

Scholarly books are a core component of the research literature, written by researchers and practitioners primarily for use by their peers. Similar to professional journals, these books typically undergo a rigorous peer review process to ensure their quality and contribute significantly to scientific discourse.

Scholarly Books

Conducting a comprehensive review of existing research literature is a crucial early step in the scientific process. This review serves several key purposes: it helps researchers refine their specific research questions, identifies the most appropriate methodologies for their study, places the new investigation within the broader context of previous findings, and provides the necessary background to write a compelling research report.

Purpose of the Literature Review

PsycINFO is a comprehensive electronic database created by the American Psychological Association (APA). Because it indexes thousands of professional journals and scholarly books dating back over a century, its scope is essentially equivalent to the entire body of research literature in psychology, making it the most critical database for psychological research.

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