Article
Scholars before researchers: on the centrality of the dissertation literature review in research preparation
Educational Researcher
(2005)
Abstract
A thorough, sophisticated literature review is the foundation and inspirationfor substantial, useful research. The complex nature of educationresearch demands such thorough, sophisticated reviews.Although doctoral education is a key means for improving educationresearch, the literature has given short shrift to the dissertation literaturereview. This article suggests criteria to evaluate the quality ofdissertation literature reviews and reports a study that examined dissertationsat three universities. Acquiring the skills and knowledgerequired to be education scholars, able to analyze and synthesize theresearch in a field of specialization, should be the focal, integrativeactivity of predissertation doctoral education. Such scholarship is aprerequisite for increased methodological sophistication and for improvingthe usefulness of education research.
Keywords
- literature review,
- education research
Disciplines
Publication Date
August, 2005
Citation Information
David N. Boote and Penny Beile. "Scholars before researchers: on the centrality of the dissertation literature review in research preparation" Educational Researcher Vol. 34 Iss. 6 (2005) p. 3 - 15 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/penny-beile/1/