A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question. It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation, or research paper, in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.
Can a thesis just be a literature review?
At least in my Faculty (of Computer Science), a master thesis can be “just” a literature review . A literature review can be an important contribution, and is part of what is usually called secondary research.
How much of my thesis should be literature review?
As a general guide, the dissertation literature review should be around 25% of the complete dissertation , although this will also depend on the wider structure of your dissertation and the scope of literature available to you.
What type of literature is a thesis?
Narrative or Traditional literature reviews critique and summarise a body of literature about the thesis topic. The literature is researched from the relevant databases and is generally very selective in the material used.
Can you do a literature review for a master's thesis?
It is essential that a master's student include a thoughtful, thorough, and critical literature review in his or her thesis, but there are few articles or guides for a literature review at this level. ... Nevertheless, the literature review in a master's thesis paper needs to be a substantive part of the paper.
How many citations should a literature review have?
Example: A stand-alone literature review that has 10 pages of content (the body of the paper) should examine at least 30 sources . These are not hard and fast rules by any means.
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 are the four literature review strategies?
Select only those sources that are most relevant to your project. 3) Analyzing: summarize, synthesize, critique, and compare your sources in order to assess the field of research as a whole. 4) Drafting: develop a thesis or claim to make about the existing research and decide how to organize your material.
What are the 2 types of literature?
The two types of literature are written and oral . Written literature includes novels and poetry. It also has subsections of prose, fiction, myths, novels and short stories. Oral literature includes folklore, ballads, myths and fables.
What are the five sources of literature?
When we talk about information sources for a literature review in education or nursing, we generally mean these five areas: the internet, reference material and other books, empirical or evidence-based articles in scholarly, peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings and papers, dissertations and theses, and grey ...
How long is a literature review master's thesis?
If you are writing a Master's dissertation, your literature review should probably be around 2-3,000 words , again depending on a wide range of factors. Ask your supervisor! If you are writing an undergraduate dissertation, your literature review will probably be about 2,000 words – but the same principle applies: ask!
What is the format of literature review?
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 makes a good literature review?
A good literature review will not only summarize the information, but also point out weaknesses in the experimental procedures as well as possible theoretical conflicts. It builds on the current knowledge by identifying gaps in the available literature and suggesting future directions for research .
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.
Can you use quotes 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. ... However, if you feel it necessary to use quotations, use them sparingly.
How many citations is too many?
Using too many references does not leave much room for your personal standpoint to shine through. As a general rule, you should aim to use one to three , to support each key point you make. This of course depends on subject matter and the point you are discussing, but acts as a good general guide.
