Welcome to Your Literature Review Guide
Welcome to one of the most important chapters in your Unit A2 1: Applied Research portfolio! For the CCEA GCE Health and Social Care specification, writing a literature review might feel a bit intimidating at first, but don't worry—it is simply about finding out what other researchers and experts have already said about your topic before you begin your own primary research.
Think of your literature review as joining an ongoing conversation at a dinner party. Before you jump in with your own opinions and ideas, you listen to what others are discussing, see who agrees or disagrees, and figure out where your own voice fits best!
1. What is a Literature Review?
Definition
A literature review is a systematic summary and critical evaluation of existing published research and information that is directly relevant to your chosen research topic.
Core Purpose in Unit A2 1
In your A2 1 portfolio, the literature review is one of the five essential sections of your research report. It does not exist just to fill up pages—it serves three vital purposes:
1. Identify what is already known: It provides an overview of the key facts, statistics, and findings already published about your topic.
2. Identify gaps in current knowledge: It helps you spot what researchers have missed or what hasn't been investigated yet.
3. Provide a theoretical framework: It builds a solid foundation of background theory and context that directly informs and guides your own primary investigation (like your questionnaires or interviews).
Quick Analogy: Imagine you are building a house. Your primary research (your questionnaire or survey) is the top floor, but your literature review is the concrete foundation underneath. Without a solid foundation of existing evidence, your whole project will wobble!
2. Selecting Your Sources
To score high marks, you cannot rely solely on a couple of general websites. CCEA examiners expect you to gather evidence from a wide range of reliable and academic sources.
Types of Sources to Include:
• Academic Textbooks: Great for established theories, definitions, and foundational concepts.
• Peer-Reviewed Academic Journals: Excellent for detailed studies, clinical findings, and up-to-date research papers.
• Government Reports & Policy Documents: Essential for official health guidelines, legislation, and national strategies (such as publications from the Department of Health NI).
• Reputable Health & Social Care Websites: Official statistics and guidance from bodies like the Public Health Agency (PHA) or national health bodies.
The Golden Rule of Relevance
Every single source you read and include must link directly to your chosen research question or hypothesis. If a source is interesting but does not help answer your specific research aims, leave it out!
Key Takeaway: Use a balanced mix of textbooks, academic journals, government publications, and reputable websites, making sure every source directly supports your research aims.
3. How to Structure Your Review: Themes vs. Source-by-Source
One of the biggest traps students fall into is organizing their review by source (e.g., writing one paragraph on Book A, the next on Journal B, and the next on Website C). This is called a "book report" approach, and it prevents you from reaching top marks.
Instead, your literature review must be organized thematically (by theme or topic):
• Look at your research objectives and identify 2 to 4 key themes or sub-topics.
• Group your sources under these themes.
• In each theme, discuss multiple sources together side-by-side.
Memory Aid: The TEA Theme Method
• T - Topic Sentence: Introduce the specific theme or issue (e.g., barriers to accessing mental health services).
• E - Evidence & Synthesis: Bring in two or more sources to show what different researchers have discovered.
• A - Analysis: Compare whether these authors agree or disagree, evaluate their strengths, and explain how this links to your research.
4. Critical Analysis vs. Descriptive Writing
To reach the highest mark bands, you must move beyond simple description and demonstrate strong critical analysis and synthesis.
Descriptive Writing (Lower Band):
"Smith (2020) says that stress causes high blood pressure. Jones (2022) found that exercise reduces stress in teenagers."
Why this is weak: It simply lists facts without comparing the studies or showing how they interact.
Critical Synthesis (Top Band 4):
"While Smith (2020) highlights a strong correlation between psychological stress and elevated blood pressure, Jones (2022) demonstrates that regular physical exercise can significantly mitigate this effect among adolescents. However, Jones's study focused exclusively on a small sample of teenagers, whereas broader health data from the Department of Health NI suggests that adult populations face distinct systemic stressors that exercise alone may not resolve."
Why this is strong: It compares findings, identifies limitations, and links the points together using regional context!
5. Referencing and Technical Standards
Harvard Referencing
CCEA requires a consistent, professional referencing system throughout your portfolio. You should use the Harvard Referencing style:
• In-text citation: Give the author's surname and year of publication in the text (e.g., "According to recent findings (Department of Health NI, 2021)..." or "Brown (2019) argues that...").
• Full Bibliography: At the end of your report, provide a complete alphabetical list of all sources cited, including author names, publication year, title, publisher/journal details, and URLs with access dates where relevant.
Academic Integrity Tip: Always make sure the reader can clearly distinguish between your own voice and the ideas taken from cited literature. This prevents any accidental plagiarism!
6. CCEA Mark Scheme: Aiming for Mark Band 4
Your portfolio is internally assessed by your teacher and externally moderated by CCEA. Understanding what examiners look for helps you aim for the highest marks:
Mark Band 4 (Top Tier) Requirements:
• Clear and coherent review: Well-structured, logical flow divided clearly by themes.
• Extensive research: A wide and balanced range of authoritative, relevant sources.
• Excellent critical analysis: Evaluating source strengths, comparing differing viewpoints, and effectively synthesizing data rather than merely summarizing.
7. Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Here are the most frequent mistakes noted by CCEA examiners and how you can avoid them:
1. Purely Descriptive Writing: Avoid writing a passive summary of books. Always compare, contrast, and evaluate your sources.
2. Outdated Sources: Do not rely on 10- or 15-year-old statistics for a current health issue. Ensure your data reflects the current social and medical landscape.
3. Lack of Northern Ireland Context: Because CCEA is a Northern Ireland awarding body, you should include relevant regional policies, strategies, and statistics (such as those from the Public Health Agency (PHA) or the Department of Health NI) wherever appropriate.
4. Inconsistent Referencing: Ensure every single fact or statistic you quote is correctly referenced using the Harvard system both in the text and in your final bibliography.
Quick Review Box
• Purpose: Summarize, critically evaluate, and synthesize existing research to provide a foundation for your primary study.
• Format: Thematic structure (grouped by sub-topics, not by individual sources).
• Referencing: Harvard referencing style used accurately throughout.
• Key Elements for Success: Wide variety of sources, regional NI context, up-to-date data, and critical comparison of authors.