PROJECT:  RESEARCH PROJECT
TASK 3 WITH AN EXAMPLE
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Objective: To construct the following sections of a research protocol


    Hand in by Monday November 10th

Literature Review

You need to consult the scientific literature about your research problem with a view to what is known, to summarising succinctly what is known and where the gaps in knowledge are,  and  relate this  to what you want to accomplish by your research (your aims and objectives). 

This may seem to be working backwards and it actually will mostly be in this context where we are trying to learn research skills. 

Typically, a perusal of the state of scientific knowledge about a topic one is interested in researching will reveal areas where knowledge is insufficient.  The aims and objectives are then crafted to produce the necessary information, or to test a particular hypothesis or statement.

 The best way of proceeding with a literature review is to find a good or reputable recent review article or perhaps chapter in a textbook on the topic.  This can be accomplished by searching the ILO Encyclopaedia or searching Pubmed and putting the word review in the search string.  For example:  "manganese neurotoxicity review".   Usually the review will cover all individual studies up to that date so you can then search forwards for studies after that.   At the end of this you will have a good idea of what is the state of existing knowledge,  and what are the gaps that need to be researched.

 

   

 

Learning activities:   

A SIMPLER EXAMPLE:  A  LITERATURE REVIEW OF NEEDLESTICK INJURIES IN A HOSPITAL PAEDIATRIC WARD shows an approach where a short precis of each reference is given with an overall  summary of the topic  at the end.  This is one way of doing a literature review but not really adequately developed.  You still need to knit together all the relevant references into a description of the problem you are studying.  It would be preferable therefore to characterise the problem, use the references to show what is known, what is not known, summarise all of this in a concentrated statement and proceed to the aims and objectives of your research.  This is shown in the more complex example below.

A MORE COMPLEX EXAMPLE:  A LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM EFFECTS OF OCCUPATIONAL  MANGANESE EXPOSURE  follows the approach outlined above where the problem is stated, the findings of the latest review are summarised,  the more recent findings giving contradictory views about the problem are summarised,  the  gaps in knowledge are outlined and the link is made from there to the aims and objectives of the Study.

 

References:

 Section B.  Epidemiological research methods and protocol development.  In "Epidemiology:  A manual for South Africa."  Eds Katzenellenbogen JM, Jubert G, Abdool Karim SS.  Oxford University Press, Cape Town 1997, pages 49-100.

Evaluation: 

Steps 1 through 6 will count 3 marks each (3x6 = 18), the final report 3 marks, and the final presentation oral 3 marks. This gives a total of 24 marks.

Marks will be allocated as follows:

3 = Complete, 2 = Progress, 1 = Markedly incomplete, 0 = no hand-in

                                                                                                                      


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