This new interdisciplinary book on preparing and using systematic reviews is the single-best resource on the topic I have encountered. It is exceptionally comprehensive, yet readable and practical. Every human service professional and social scientist who uses the research literature will benefit from reading this great new book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and will consult it frequently
Bruce A. Thyer, Ph.D., LCSW
Professor of Social Work, Florida State University Conducting, structuring and presenting a clear and concise literature review is a challenge for anyone conducting research, from undergraduate level to the post-doc. This book provides a comprehensive and scholarly guide to the how, what and not least the why of doing literature reviews. It shows the reader how to be critical, a difficult art, in an important section on quality assessment. The authors also explain the vital knack of making the review manageable and finite, discussing ways of avoiding the neatly termed scope creep. Finally, the most important task of all is to synthesise the review to make it a coherent whole - rather than a catalogue-style list of one item after another- and then to write it up in a palatable yet scholarly way. These tasks are explained fully in the final chapters thus completing the full guide to the how, what and why of systematic reviewing. I strongly recommend this text
Professor Jerry Wellington
Head of Research Degrees University of Sheffield
This book offers a comprehensive account on how to conduct a good literature
review. The book is clear and concise. The use of summary boxes and further
reading at the end of each chapter are excellent. This book would suit
students as well as those teaching research methods courses, at all levels
Dr Kalwant Bhopal
Reader in Education
and Director of Social Justice and Inclusive Education Research Centre, University of Southampton
This book fills a long-standing gap in the market for a practical and scholarly guide to planning, carrying out and evaluating a literature review. It places literature review in a position in which it can stand as a credible form of inquiry as part of the research community. The comprehensive content takes the reader through guided exercises and activities in order to systematically build up a useful and valid study. It will be of great value to both postgraduate and doctoral students and to those supervising them
Sue Schutz
Senior Lecturer, Department of Continuing Education, Oxford Brookes University
