Literature Reviews and Dissertation Proposals

[MST...@gsuvm1.bitnet]

Strauss and Corbin (1990) bring an interesting perspective to this
debate on literature reviews. They note that in a quantitative
study, the purpose of a literature review is to find gaps in the
body of knowledge so that the researcher can fill those gaps. In a
qualitative study, the purpose of a literature review is to sensitize
the researcher to the culture being studied. Acknowledging many of the
concerns already raised on this list, they note that the literature
review is an ongoing process but it does begin at the beginning of
the study.

I'm preparing my dissertation proposal, now, so this subject is of
particular interest to me. My committee has no problem with qualitative
research, but wanted to see some semblance of a literature review.

When writing the proposal, it occurred to me that the literature review--
if I am truly using it to sensitize me to the culture--should FOLLOW the
chapter on methods. (My committee originally expected a traditional
structure: Ch.1-Introduction, Ch.2-Lit Review, Ch3.-Methods. What they
will likely receive is Ch.1-Introduction, Ch.2-Methods, and Ch.3-Lit Review.)

Furthermore, because I am following Strauss and Corbin's advice and using the
lit review as a means of sensitizing me to the issues, I am proposing that it
be called "Theoretical and Cultural Sensitization." That better labels it as
a source of potential biases than the term, "Literature Review."

Any thoughts or opinions from the list?

"
Saul Carliner
Information Architect
mst...@gsuvm1.gsu.edu 404/892-3945

[Bev Smith]

Saul,
If I were doing your proposal, I'd make darn sure that the
chapter entitled "Theoretical and Cultural Sensitization" applied to
YOU rather than to the committee (altho of course it applies to both,
but I don't know the sensitivity index of your commitee)!

Seriously, the chapter title implies going beyond/behind the
literature. Where would you go? I like the idea. To pop culture?
To seemingly unrelated "disciplines?"

Bev Smith

[Beth Ferri]

please keep talking - this is very helpful.

i am writing a student initiated grant proposal for a qual study that i
plan to do for my dissertation. my field is sp. ed. (very quant/very
medical/behaviorist/mechanistic/etc.). the application itself is very
structured around quant. projects so i am finding the discussion very
helpful - as well as the sources.

the question that i want to ask is related to my methods - which will
have to be very detailed for this proposal - i wish to do a collaborative
design with women with learning disabilities and ways that they construct
their identities - and ways of "passing" - since a LD is a hidden marker.

i want to use an e-mail type discussion group among the participants for
data, i hope to allow the talk to take on a life of its own and allow
the questions that i ask to only create more questions that they ask of
each other. i am proceeding from an "outsider" perspective and therefore
i feel that it is important to authorize the analysis and the questions
both experientially and theoretically.(which is where i see the lit.
review as my contribution to the discussion)

i would appreciate any help/suggestions/ etc. to help make this proposal
tidy and rigerous enough to fit into the grant proposal - and any
suggestions for further reading.- have taken one qual. research methods
class and will take another this year, but not in time for this proposal.

thanks much!

beth ferri
bfe...@moe.coe.uga.edu
univ. of georgia

[Cynthia Russell]

Saul,
The literature review in grounded theory can also be seen as data and is
approached and analyzed, as any data would be, for concepts and relationships wh
ich relate to the
substantive theory which is emerging from your analysis. When you have analyzed
and coded your first interview (or whatever you are using as text), you use the
concepts you have identified to guide your further data collection--including
your review of the literature. For instance, if you come up with the concept of
"balancing" in persons who are attempting to manage careers and personal lives,
you might look at balancing in other contexts, such as balancing checkbooks,
balancing in gymnastics, etc. This is "theoretical sampling" as described by
Strauss "Qualitative Analysis for Social Scientists" (1987) and Barney Glaser in
"Theoretical Sensitivity"(1978)

[jimka...@gmail.com]

I'm preparing my dissertation proposal, now, and this subject is of
particular interest to me. My committee doesn't have trouble with qualitative
research, but desired to see some semblance of a literature review. https://www.affordable-dissertation.co.uk/dissertation-literature-review/