Category Archives: literature mapping

how to start your literature review

Posted on August 3, 2020 by pat thomson

Thinking of starting a doctorate? Already deep into PhDing and worried about the literature work? Well, when it comes to working with literatures, the old saying that there’s more than one way to skin a cat might be ugly, but … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, literature mapping, literature review, literature reviews, literature themes | Tagged , | Leave a comment

reading against the literatures – #litreview

Posted on June 15, 2020 by pat thomson

Advice on literature reviews pretty well always say something like – the literature review should say what’s already been said about your topic – or – you need to bring together the particular literatures that your study is going to … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, literature a resource, literature mapping, literature review, literature reviews | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

getting to grips with new literatures

Posted on January 13, 2020 by pat thomson

Over time all researchers build a knowledge base about their key interests. A large part of this knowledge is a core set of literatures. They/we do need to keep up to date, but they/we can rely on – and use … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, Endnote, literature mapping, literature review, literature reviews, note-taking | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

getting ready to write about “the literature”

Posted on February 4, 2019 by pat thomson

You’ve all heard that the doctorate is about making an original contribution To the literature. Well, that’s right, although what that means is not nearly as scary as it sounds. What you may not be told is that doing a … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, literature mapping, literature review, literature reviews, preparation | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

quick lit – rapid evidence reviewing

Posted on May 14, 2018 by pat thomson

This is one of a very occasional set of posts about some of my own academic work that you might find useful. A colleague and I have just undertaken what is called in the (academic) trade a Rapid Evidence Review. … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, literature mapping, literature review, literature reviews, Rapid Evidence Review | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

literatures work – and a pair of new shoes…

Posted on September 25, 2017 by pat thomson

It’s September and the Autumn equinox. To mark the occasion, I took my new pair of lace-up boots out of their box and gave them their first wearing/airing. Now anyone who knows me knows that I always have a pair … Continue reading →

Posted in literature mapping, literature review, literature reviews, mapping, reading, scan-reading, scoping, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

working with literatures? take a hands on hips stance

Posted on August 31, 2017 by pat thomson

Hand on hips. That’s the stance to take with literatures work. Hands on hips is a metaphor. Think about times when you have put your hands on your hips, stood back and looked at something. Your gaze is not neutral … Continue reading →

Posted in hands on hips, literature mapping, literature review, literature reviews, literature themes | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

dealing with the space between literatures

Posted on May 26, 2016 by pat thomson

Jackie Barker is a second year PhD student at the University of the West of England (UWE). Her research is on patient and public involvement (PPI) in a health network. She tweets as @opsologist or you can find her on … Continue reading →

Posted in literature mapping, literature review, literature themes | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

working with literatures #phdknowhow

Posted on August 21, 2015 by pat thomson

It’s the time of year when many doctoral researchers are either just starting their PhDs, or starting to write their texts. Here are some things to remember when approaching the task of working with literatures. Rather than literature work being … Continue reading →

Posted in laundry, list, literature mapping, literature review, literature themes, PhD | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

I can’t find anything written on my topic… really?

Posted on April 6, 2015 by pat thomson

Sometimes people tell me that they can’t find any literature that is relevant to their research. They are doing something that nobody else has researched and written about and so there isn’t anything to read. What, they ask, can they … Continue reading →

Posted in focusing in, literature mapping, literature review, no literatures | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments