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Analyzing and Synthesizing Findings

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Analyzing and Synthesizing Findings Prof. Dr. Khalid Mahmood Department of Library & Information Science University of the Punjab Synthesize Reassemble your notes ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Analyzing and Synthesizing Findings


1
Analyzing and Synthesizing Findings
  • Prof. Dr. Khalid Mahmood
  • Department of Library Information Science
  • University of the Punjab

2
Read the articles
  • completely in each topic together
  • Take notes in an organized manner computer
    files, note cards, etc.
  • Include all bibliographic info, especially page
    number when quoting!
  • Flag like information with same color post-its
    across articles.

3
Summarize
  • main purpose (research questions)
  • methodology
  • qualitative/quantitative
  • subjects, controls, treatments
  • findings
  • relevant details

4
Analyze
  • varying definitions of key terms
  • methodology used
  • size generalizability of subject pool
  • innovative methodology
  • enough evidence?
  • findings consistent with those of similar
    studies?

5
Analyze
  • currency lit review shows the latest work done
    in subject area. (last 5 years on average)
  • Include older articles if
  • landmark study
  • only evidence on a topic
  • helps explain the evolution of the research

6
Synthesize the Literature
  • How does each article relate to your topic and
    purpose?
  • Define your argument/thesis.
  • Identify major trends or patterns emerging from
    your reading.

7
Synthesize
  • Reassemble your notes based on results of
    reading, using organizational aids such as
    post-its, flags, etc.
  • Revise original outline of categories
  • Create a detailed topic outline
  • begin with your argument or claim
  • present evidence from articles researched that
    proves your claim
  • Do not string together a summary of articles. The
    outline is topic driven.

8
Sample topic outlinePsychological Aspects of
Organ Donation Individual and Next-of-Kin
Donation Decisions
  • IV. Methodological issues and directions for
    future research
  • A. Improvement in attitude measures and
    measurement strategy.
  • B. Greater differentiation by type of
    donation.
  • C. Stronger theoretical emphasis.
  • D. Greater interdisciplinary focus.
  • V. Summary, Conclusions, and Implications
  • A. Summary of points I-IV.
  • B. Need well-developed theoretical models
    of attitudes and decision making.
  • C. Current survey data limited in scope and
    application points to need for more
    sophisticated research in the future.
  • D. Need more use of sophisticated data
    analytic techniques.
  • E. Conclusion Psychology can draw from
    various subdisciplines for an understanding of
    donation decisions so intervention strategies can
    be identifiable. Desperately need to increase the
    available supply of donor organs.
  • I. Introduction
  • A. Establish importance of topic (cite
    statistics on scarcity of organs).
  • B. Delimit the review to psychological
    components of decisions.
  • C. Describe organization of the paper,
    indicating that the remaining topics in the
    outline will be discussed.
  • II. Individual decisions regarding posthumous
    organ donation
  • A. Beliefs about organ donation
  • B. Attitudes toward donating
  • C. Stated willingness to donate
  • D. Summary of research on individual
    decisions
  • III. Next-of-kin consent decisions
  • A. Beliefs about donating others organs.
  • B. Attitudes toward next-of-kin donations.
  • C. Summary of research on next-of-kin
    consent decisions

9
Synthesize
  • Note on your topic outline relationships among
    studies which researchers, what page, etc.
    support each point?
  • Note consistency of results from study to study.
  • Note discrepancies among studies and provide
    possible explanations such as dates of studies,
    different methodologies.

10
Synthesize
  • Note landmark studies and if replicated.
  • Note how individual studies help illustrate or
    advance theoretical notions.
  • Note gaps or areas needing more research.
  • Make sure your detailed outline follows a logical
    sequence of topics and subtopics. This will give
    your literature review the coherence it needs.

11
Some problems could be
  • Lacking organization and structure
  • Lacking focus, unity and coherence
  • Being repetitive and verbose
  • Failing to cite influential papers
  • Failing to keep up with recent developments
  • Failing to critically evaluate cited papers
  • Citing irrelevant or trivial references
  • Depending too much on secondary sources
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