A literature review
establishes familiarity with and understanding of current research in a particular field before carrying out a new investigation
. Conducting a literature review should enable you to find out what research has already been done and identify what is unknown within your topic.
What are the 4 main functions of literature review?
In relation to your own study, the literature review can help in four ways. It can:
1 bring clarity and focus to your research problem
; 2 improve your research methodology; 3 broaden your knowledge base in your research area; and 4 contextualise your findings. The literature review involves a paradox.
What is a literature review in a research paper?
Definition. A literature review is
a comprehensive summary of previous research on a topic
. The literature review surveys scholarly articles, books, and other sources relevant to a particular area of research. The review should enumerate, describe, summarize, objectively evaluate and clarify this previous research.
What is the purpose of a literature review why would you include one in a research paper?
Literature reviews are designed
to provide an overview of sources you have explored while researching a particular topic and to demonstrate to your readers how your research fits within a larger field of
study.
What is literature review and example?
1. A literature review is
a survey of scholarly sources that provides an overview of a particular topic
. It generally follows a discussion of the paper’s thesis statement or the study’s goals or purpose. *This sample paper was adapted by the Writing Center from Key, K.L., Rich, C., DeCristofaro, C., Collins, S.
What a literature review is not?
A literature review is NOT:
is
a brief critical discussion about the merits and weaknesses of a particular book
. Book reviews of creative works are sometimes called literary reviews. Scholarly books are also reviewed by other scholars. Scholarly book reviews are often published in scholarly journals.
What is the importance of a literature review?
The purpose of a literature review is
to gain an understanding of the existing research and debates relevant to a particular topic or area of study
, and to present that knowledge in the form of a written report. Conducting a literature review helps you build your knowledge in your field.
What are the characteristics of a literature review?
- 1.It must clearly address the research question and the theoretical framework.
- A good literature review must conducted from reliable sources.
- 3.It must be narrow enough to eliminate irrelevant information from the research.
- The sources must lay a strong foundation for the research topic.
What is the structure of a literature review?
A literature review should be structured like any other essay: it should have
an introduction, a middle or main body, and a conclusion
.
What should a literature review look like?
A literature review consists of
an overview, a summary, and an evaluation (“critique”) of the current state of knowledge about a specific area of research
. It may also include a discussion of methodological issues and suggestions for future research.
How long is a literature review?
For a written literature review document, the size of a written literature review document should be
between 2000-3000 words
. But the size of a written literature review depends on many factors which are the area study of a written literature review document.
How do you begin a literature review?
How is a lit review organized?
Begin by establishing context, or background
, for the argument explored in the rest of the paper. Convey to your reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic. Next, narrow the focus: Discuss literature that aligns with the specific focus of your paper.
What is literature review format?
A literature review
follows an essay format (Introduction, Body, Conclusion)
, but if the literature itself is the topic of the essay, your essay will need to consider the literature in terms of the key topics/themes you are examining.
What should not be included in a literature review?
Do not include extended quotations
, and use direct quotes sparingly, if at all. The literature review is a synthesis and analysis of research on your topic in your own words. Most ideas can be and should be paraphrased. Professors sometimes perceive undue reliance on quotations as intellectual laziness.
Is a literature review one sided?
It is normal to do a
draft of the literature review then put it to one side to return to later in your project. You will still need to keep up-to-date in your field, so it may help to schedule some time each week for reading.
What should you avoid in a literature review?
- Over-reliance on low-quality sources.
- A lack of landmark/seminal literature.
- A lack of current literature.
- Description instead of integration and synthesis.
- Irrelevant or unfocused content.
- Poor chapter structure and layout.
- Plagiarism and poor referencing.
