The Literature Review we didn’t do

This chapter traces our experience with the concept of a literature review and explores how we interacted at different times with the literature, and with the intentions, tasks and products of a literature review.

A literature review is a survey of the knowledge of an area of study already amassed. The goal of a literature review is to enter a conversation that exists in the field of study and show who is participating and what are the various arguments being discussed. For academic researchers, these conversations are represented in the literature. New research may grow out of that literature, but no new research can be fruitful without taking into account what others have written. However, in research done by practitioners the ongoing conversations they have with one another, which are based on their shared experience in the classroom, serve some of the same functions of a literature review.

From the beginning we struggled with the literature review. Our struggles included questions about the values and content of a literature review, practitioner knowledge and whose role it is to do a literature review. Marina brought the academic viewpoint and the experience of working with the literature. The practitioners on the team also knew that a literature review was a necessary part of a traditional research project, although did not have a concrete and detailed concept of what that entailed. During the process of doing the research team members read articles offered by Marina about doing interviews, doing research, collaboration and adult participation in and attitudes about literacy and adult basic education programs. Towards the end of the process, Bonnie spent time formally searching for literature about how adults with little formal education learn.

Dancing with the Literature: We Waltzed but we did not Tango

Looking back we realize that while we attempted to establish an in-depth conversation with the literature at different times, it did not happen. As we jokingly commented, rather than engage with it in a scholarly fashion, we danced with the literature. We waltzed with it, gracefully looking for readings that easily and elegantly applied to our focus. However, while we waltzed, we did not tango, which would have brought a deeper and more aggressive energy to seeing where and how our topic and findings could fit with the literature.

Our research question arose in some way from the literature. At the Adult Education Research Conference(4) Allan Quigley presented his thoughts on how most of the knowledge on adult literacy is based on research done with educated adults.(5) He called for research to be done with adults with little formal education. Later Marina summarized this article and posted it on the Research sub-conference of The Hub(6) to generate discussion. Hub subscribers participated actively and with interest in presenting their ideas both after the summary was posted, and later that year in an online discussion that Quigley facilitated on that same topic. In this discussion Quigley reiterated the interest the field had in pursuing the question:

4 The Adult Education Research Conference was held in Vancouver, British Columbia in June 2000.
5 Quigley, Allan (2000). Beyond participation and stereotypes: Towards the study of engagement in adult literacy education. AERC, Proceedings of the 41st Annual Adult Research Conference. UBC: Vancouver, BC.
6 The Hub is an electronic network and conferencing service for the BC Literacy community. The Hub is managed by Literacy BC in partnership with Capilano College. The communication system within the Hub is called First Class. The Hub is funded by the National Literacy Secretariat (HRDC) and the BC Ministry of Advanced Education (AVED). Visit http://www.nald.ca/Province/Bc/Lbc/electric.htm and click on electronic conferencing network.