Teaching Future Education Scholars: Literature Review Skills and the Doctoral Student

• In Event: Poster Session 8
  In Poster Session: Factors That Encourage Doctoral Student Success

Abstract

Initial studies reveal problems with the quality of doctoral dissertation literature reviews. Understanding the resources used in doctoral student instruction is a necessary first step in understanding potential sources of those problems. Using content analysis, this study examines how well frequently used textbooks in education doctoral programs cover literature review skills. Seven leading textbooks are evaluated and assigned a letter grade. Only two of the seven textbooks receive a ”B” or higher. The findings support the assertion that many of the leading textbooks spend a great deal of time discussing how to search for literature and less about how to synthesize and write a sophisticated and carefully crafted dissertation literature review.

Authors

• Melynda Harrison Fitt, Western Governors University

• Joel Lee Gardner, Utah State University

• Kristy Bloxham, Utah State University