Unit 4. The review of the literature: critical evaluation

This is an unhelpful way to theorise…

It provides at best limited support for the conventional wisdom…

N’s approach lies behind the rationale for those…

This analogy does not appear to stand up closer examination within the framework suggested

A focus on [x] seems to miss a vital point of

N’s approach turns out to operate in a roundabout way

The fault line actually runs through the discipline

N tends to displace the concern with theoretical issues by a preoccupation with ()

The approach can be theoretically challenged

Instead of speculating on [x] it is possible to obtain new insights into the process of

(Frequently)

N’s approach

(to treating

the problem)/

the analogy

offered by N/

the discussion/

(formulated)

hypotheses

is/seems to

be

(somewhat)

vague and uncertain/ diffuse/confusing/ambiguous/misleading/

unconvincing/illegitimate/inadequate/vulnerable/error prone/

limited/polemical (for n reasons)/(quite a) commonplace (one)

is not

universal/quite so neat/one which can be settled in abstract

devoid of some serious drawbacks/ shortcomings/ flaws/ disadvantages

reveals

an unhelpful way to theorise/ an effect of (altogether)…

provides

at best limited support for the conventional wisdom…

lies behind

The rationale for (those…)/ all those approaches that view…

does not

(appear to)

stand up/

lend itself to

closer examination (especially within the framework suggested)/ easy visualization (in terms of any scale of)

account for [x]/ provide definitive guidance concerning ()/

sufficient explanation/ have any explanatory power for the observed phenomena

(From the point

of view of [z])

The approach

A focus on [x]

/Focusing on

[x]

seems/

proves/

appears/

turns out

to

lack…/ miss a vital point of

suffer from the patent flaw/reveal an evident lack of (concern…)

operate in a roundabout way

render [x] less relevant

reinforces the contemporary preoccupation with [x] at the expense of

can

be (theoretically) challenged/ no longer be assumed..

lead us into a () cul-de-sac

can

only partially be explained using the…

There is/

seems to be

nothing natural

(about the existing notion of [x])

hardly any indication

that

no clear evidence

of (the partial reversal of the traditional…)

no reason

to (deviate from the general emphasis)

[x] is an evidence/

signifies that

the fault line/

line of the fault

is becoming more visible and vulnerable

(actually) runs through the discipline

little advance in [x]

(may be) achieved

N

tends

to

underestimate

explaining [x] in terms of [z]

confuse

the symptom and the cause / two separable elements

displace

the concern with (theoretical issues) by a preoccupation with()

place stress

on the fault line

(routinely) use

the term [x] which now has lost any hint of connection to…

use

the notion of [x] very broadly to refer both to [z] and [y]

N

has not

elaborated / managed to explain

an important (final) factor/

the… requirements for/

the possible consequences/

implications

fails to

see / grasp / realise

doesn’t often fully realize/often overlooks/ignores

has an unbalanced view of…

A better result/

Explanation of [x]

can be attained

by

supplementing () explanation with a hypothesis

indicating the circumstances which are common to

Pursuing the politics of… to its logical conclusion is

a better option

The alternative standpoint is

to insist that

There is, however,

another view

Instead of using such analysis to speculate on (how…)/ attempting to discover () as N and NN have attempted and which follows a tradition going back to RR

we

could/

it is

possible to

consider/discover/completely

explain (the effect) gain stable

points of reference for ()

analysis/obtain new insights

into the process of

(Only) through this (approach)/ with this type of research

By introducing [x] / by modeling (this way)

The (best/only) way

One of the possible ways

to

deepen/

push forward/

broaden

understand

[x]/

this theory/

perspective

is to (reconceptualise [x] as a system)

lies (solely) in recognizing

(the historic scale of events)