Methods Literature as Part of a Review
By Janet Salmons, PhD Manager, Sage Research Methods Community
Review literature to situate the study in a research tradition
One definition of the literature review is: “a syntheses of previous work around a particular topic” (Salkind, 2010, p. 726). When we think about "previous work on a particular topic," we need to include literature about the methodology and methods for the study at hand as well as literature about the problem central to the study. To situate our study in a research tradition we build on previous work by others who have studied this problem and at the same time build on previous work by others who used the methodology and methods.
For example, I conducted a phenomenological study about female entrepreneurs. I collected data about entrepreneurs’ perceptions, motivations, and goals by conducting interviews. I needed to review literature about gender issues, and about entrepreneurship. But importantly, I needed to look at literature about phenomenology and interview methods. These scholarly foundations were just as important to the literature review as the articles from business journals about entrepreneurship.
Find previous work on research methods
The process for researching literature on research methods is somewhat different from the process used for researching literature about the topic, problem, or questions. What should we keep in mind when selecting methods literature?
A unique feature of methods literature is in the types of sources. While scholarly articles are the sources expected for a literature review about the research problem, we need a different set of materials to understand methodological foundations for the study. The main ways we learn more about the selected research approach are books and articles written about research methods, or articles and cases that describe studies conducted with research methods.
Use books and cases as methods sources
Depending on the journal, discussions of how the study was conducted, rationale for choosing the approach, or background of the research tradition, are generally given brief attention in a research article. In the methods section of a journal article we can learn about what approach was used, and how the study was conducted. We rarely get insights into why the approach was selected, whether it fit, or what obstacles the researcher encountered when planning or conducting the study. The exceptions are journals are focused on methods, such as the International Journal of Qualitative Methods or Methodological Innovations. While it is helpful to read articles that describe studies conducted with the methods you plan to use, for in-depth discovery of the philosophical roots and how-to design steps we turn to books.
Methods books fall into two broad categories: 1) primary sources, original writing by methodologists, or 2) secondary works such as textbooks by authors who use primary sources to explain methods. At an early design stage, when we are trying to decide which method fits the research problem, secondary works are very helpful. Once we have made a decision, we want to find primary writings by methodologists to use in a literature review. In most situations primary sources are the types expected when you are laying out the scholarly foundations for your study; textbooks or general background materials are not are typically included in a literature review.
Finding scholarly sources on methodologies and methods: An example
To prepare for the study mentioned above I could read the excellent Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions when trying to decide which tradition best fit their questions (Creswell & Poth, 2024). Creswell and Poth use primary sources to explain methods. I could look at Table 1.2 in the Introduction and see major methodologists Creswell and Poth drew upon. The authors explained:
The primary ideas that we use to discuss each approach come from select books. More specifically, we will rely heavily on two books on each approach. These are the books that we highly recommend for you to get started in learning a specific approach to qualitative inquiry. (Creswell & Poth, 2024, p. 11)
Once I selected phenomenology, I could follow Creswell and Poth’s recommendation for books by Moustakas (1994) or van Manen (2023). Based on this example, Creswell and Poth’s Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions could be considered a secondary work, while the books by Moustakas and van Manen are examples of primary sources. These primary sources go deeply into the methodology in question, providing both the rationale for choosing it, and the steps involved in using it to frame a study.
Once I have studied the primary writings from respected methodologists, I can go back into the library and look for articles that reference Moustakas or van Manen. By looking at the methods sections of those articles, I can find additional thinking about phenomenology and how it is used in contemporary research. This means I have both the premier methodologists and peer reviewed articles to discuss in the literature review.
Similarly, to delve into interview research, I could look at a research textbook to find broad discussion of interviews, but to dig more deeply I would want to read books from methodologists who are experts in this method. For example, I might study InterViews: Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing (2023) by Brinkman and Kvale or Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data (2011) by Rubin and Rubin.
Again, find reputable experts by looking at the sources referenced in your research textbooks. Once you have studied the key thinkers who invented or championed the approach you have chosen for your study, look for current researchers who might be updating earlier ideas. As with any area of scholarly life, the field evolves as new researchers build on and update early work.
Research cases are another excellent source for learning about methods. Cases offer detailed explanations about how and why the study was conducted using the selected methods.
Learn more on about methodologies and methods from Sage books and resources
SAGE Research Methods (SRM) contains both primary and secondary sources on a wide range of methods. Continuing with the above example, I can view a video tutorial from Dr. Poth about Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions. I can find the full text of Phenomenological Research Methods by Moustakas is available for download as pdf files for each chapter, as well as Doing Interviews by Brinkman and Kvale and the 2nd edition Rubin and Rubin’s book on Qualitative Interviewing. If your library doesn’t subscribe to SAGE Research Methods, access these resources with a free trial.
If you purchase books directly from Sage, use the code COMMUNITY3 for a 20% discount, valid worldwide until March 31, 2024.
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The process for researching literature on research methods is somewhat different from the process used for researching literature about the topic, problem, or questions. What should we keep in mind when selecting methods literature?