ABSTRACT
The most commonly used research methodology in psychology is not a randomized true experiment, a quasiexperimental design, or a correlational study; it is a literature review. Think about this for a moment. Every student doing a masters thesis or doctoral dissertation completes a literature review; so does every researcherwhoprepares a research report or a grant proposal. The format, depth, and type of review that is conducted in each case varies but all reviews have the same general goals: to critically examine a body of research, reach some conclusions, and suggest guidelines for future work. Literature reviews parallel steps taken in most individual studies: a research question is posed, a population is selected, data are collected, analyzed, and interpreted, and conclusions are reached. The general intent is to complete this entire task in a scientifically rigorous manner in order to increase the validity of the data and conclusions. Rigor is achieved by following the basic standards of the scientific method as closely as possible and these standards focus generally on such things as objectivity, precision, clarity, and reproducibility. Good science has these features and exceptional science has all of these characteristics plus creativity and insight.
