Chapter 2: Research and Formatting – Increasing Professional Credibility
Learning Goals
- Identify the elements of a literature review
- Conduct a literature review
- Apply IEEE referencing style to various documents and presentations
Introduction
In almost any professional context, it will be necessary to do research and to prove that your work is influenced by that research. Although we are most often taught that plagiarism is the focus of providing appropriate citations and references, thinking about ethos — the credibility and ethics of the author — is also of primary importance. (Review Chapter 1 for more information about ethos and the rhetorical situation). As you progress through your career, it is important to demonstrate consistently that you are ethical, productive, and credible. If employers know they can rely on your work and your integrity, they are more likely to support your career development. One way to increase your credibility, and to improve your field-specific knowledge, of course, is to conduct a literature review.
Conducting a Literature Review
A literature review is a process that helps us to understand a field. It’s a way to conduct research so that we know of the key studies, scholars, and publications of a particular topic or in a particular field. The phrase “literature review” refers to the process of conducting the research and the document that is prepared through that process.
There are three main types of of literature reviews [1] as seen in Figure 1, below.
Figure 1: A depiction of the three main types of literature reviews, simple, applied, and academic [1].
The steps involved in conducting a literature review [2] are often as depicted below in Figure 2:
Figure 2. Depiction of the process involved in conducting a literature review. Adapted from [1].
Assessing Resources for Specific Uses
Before using a resource in a literature review document or presentation, it is necessary to assess its usefulness. The selection of credible and relevant resources also supports building ethos which is an important component of the rhetorical situation. Every resource used needs to be assessed carefully to understand how it fits into the research and to ensure that it is legitimate and relevant for the review.
The following are some of the key criteria that can help with the analysis of a resource [3]:
Authority: Look into the author’s identity, credentials, area of expertise, affiliated university, renowned works.
Usefulness: Check if the resource is relevant and related to your topic.
Reliability: Determine whether the source of information is trusted and reliable by looking at the date of publication, whether it is peer-reviewed, the publication body, etc.
Once the initial criteria are addressed, it is important to take a deeper look into the resources to confirm whether they will be valuable for the literature review. The following steps can help you with the assessment:
- Read the title, abstract, and introduction carefully
- Go through the titles, headings, and sub-headings in the paper
- Check for mathematical concepts (if applicable) to estimate the number of theoretical foundations
- Read the conclusions
- Check the references to see if other exciting papers can be utilized for the research [4].
IEEE Style and Structure
Articles used as references in documents and presentations are organized according to pre-determined standards to maintain consistency. There are several citation, reference, and formatting styles. Some of the more popular styles include: Chicago, MLA, APA, and Harvard. For many technical fields, especially in Engineering and Computer Science, IEEE is typically the style of choice and it refers to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. It’s important to clarify with your organization, professor, or department which style is preferred.
The IEEE style mainly calls for the following:
- Use of numbered citations that are labeled in order of appearance. The number is enclosed within square brackets. E.g. “[1]”
- All the referenced material must be maintained as a list at the end of the document (enlisted using the corresponding citation number).
Citations and references are required when the knowledge presented in the research depends on the work of others. Citations are used within the document where the derived knowledge is represented and references display the complete publication information used. Both citations and references are required in any documents and presentations.
IEEE Citations
Citation in IEEE is done using a number within square brackets, e.g. [1], where the number refers to the referenced paper that can be mapped from the references list. Citations are required for direct quotations, paraphrased passages, and summarized passages. Any ideas that come from a source require citations. The citations are numbered in sequence based on where they appear in your document or presentation.
IEEE References List
A reference corresponds to a citation and includes detailed bibliographic and publication information about a source. A reference list is generally provided at the end of a document to list all the works referred to and cited within that document. It details the source, authorship, date, and location of the referenced works. The details of the resources are mentioned in an ordered fashion following the enlisted standards. See Video 1, below, for a demonstration [5].
Video 1. Demonstration of the basics of IEEE referencing [6].
Referencing Software
There is a lot of software on the internet that can simplify the process of creating reference lists. Zotero is one example. However, whatever software you use to prepare your references list, it is important to ensure that they were done correctly by checking the results yourself. Learn the referencing style, use resources like this chapter, and double-check the results. Video 2, below, provides information on Zotero and offers a “quick start” guide if you would like to use it. (Note that use of Zotero or other software is at your own risk. Ensure that you are following all copyright and fair use policies before downloading any software).
Video 2. Introduction to Zotero referencing software [7].
Key Points
- Literature reviews are used to build a stronger understanding of the studies, scholars, and publications related to a field. The steps to conduct a literature review include (1) choosing a topic, (2) deciding the scope of the review, (3) searching databases and libraries for appropriate resources, (4) reviewing and writing about the selected literature.
- There are three types of literature reviews, each used for different purposes. The simple review is often used at the beginning of a research process. The applied review can seen in business, government or other professional fields. The academic review is used to analyze scholarly sources and is typically seen in academia.
- Referencing and citing in IEEE style requires numbers enclosed within square brackets. The reference material appears in an ordered list at the end of the document.
- All sources must be identified properly with a citation and full reference. Failure to do so could mean significant penalties for plagiarism and loss of professional credibility.
References
[1] University of South Carolina, “Literature Review: Purpose of a Literature Review”, Uscupstate.libguides.com, 2021, https://uscupstate.libguides.com/c.php. [Accessed Jan. 01, 2022].
[2] University of West Florida, “Literature Review: Conducting & Writing: Steps for Conducting a Lit Review”, Libguides.uwf.edu, 2021, https://libguides.uwf.edu/c.php?g=215199&p=1420520. [Accessed Jan. 01, 2022].
[3] Technological University of the Shannon, “Literature Review – What is a Literature Review, Why It is Important and How It is Done: Evaluating Literature Reviews and Sources”, LIT Library Guides, 2021, https://lit.libguides.com/c.php?g=664499&p=4701470. [Accessed Jan. 01, 2022].
[4] S. Keshav, “How to Read a Paper.” ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review, 37(3), 83-84, 2007. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/1273445.1273458 [Accessed Jan. 01, 2022].
[5] J. Horn, “IEEE Presentation Slides,” University of Windsor. Courtesy of the author, Summer 2021.
[6] Victoria University, IEEE Referencing – The Basics, (Jun. 09, 2017). [Online Video]. https://vimeo.com/220916942. [Accessed Nov. 05, 2021].
[7] Health Sciences Library JABSOM, Zotero Quick Start, (May 15, 2020). [Online Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OvKsCrW4hM. [Accessed Nov. 06, 2021].
