Module Description

Module 2 focuses on transforming a collection of scholarly sources into a structured, critical, and analytically useful literature review. Participants will learn how to move beyond simply summarising previous studies and instead identify patterns, relationships, disagreements, methodological approaches, and knowledge gaps within the literature.

The module also introduces theoretical and conceptual frameworks and demonstrates how concepts, variables, and relationships can be organised into a coherent research model. Participants will further learn academic referencing, reference-management tools, academic integrity, and the structure of a research proposal, synopsis, or research protocol.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Explain the purpose and functions of a literature review in research.
• Distinguish among narrative, systematic, scoping, and critical literature reviews.
• Differentiate between literature summary and literature synthesis.
• Organise scholarly literature around themes, concepts, variables, and research findings.
• Formulate an appropriate research question for a systematic review.
• Understand search strategies and inclusion/exclusion criteria.
• Explain the basic application of the PRISMA framework.
• Interpret and prepare a basic PRISMA flow diagram.
• Distinguish between a theory, theoretical framework, and conceptual framework.
• Identify and define key concepts, constructs, and variables.
• Explain relationships among variables.
• Develop a preliminary conceptual framework/model for their research.
• Apply appropriate academic referencing and in-text citation practices.
• Use reference-management software such as Zotero and Mendeley.
• Recognise plagiarism, self-plagiarism, patchwriting, and inappropriate citation practices.
• Apply appropriate paraphrasing and quotation techniques.
• Identify the major components of a research proposal, synopsis, or research protocol.
• Begin drafting a coherent research proposal aligned with their research problem and objectives.