The evaluation of literature is a scientific discipline that illuminates the existence of knowledge within a specific domain of research. A literary expert summarizes, studies, assesses, and integrates important scientific works related to a specific research area.
It explains the path of knowledge development within that field, emphasizing previous contributions, widely accepted patterns, promising ideas. Furthermore, literature reviews determine deficiencies in the current understanding, particularly, areas that remain unexplored or inadequately investigated.
Regardless of its briefness or expansiveness, a literature review sticks to comparable structural and linguistic standards. In this detailed blog, we have provided comprehensive guide on how to write a literature review for thesis/dissertation. You can achieve a successfully written literature review by following given guidelines.
What does it mean to review the literature?
Conducting a good literature review involves determining:
- The proven, countered, and acknowledged ideas within your research domain,
- Zones of dispute or disagreement among various theoretical frameworks,
- Unresolved problems or persisting issues,
- Emerging trends and innovative methodologies,
- The way your investigation advances, develops on, or separates from predecessor research.
It necessitates the critical appraisal of individual contributions and the integration of these works to formulate your own scholarly investigation.
What is a Literature Review in Research Methodology?
A literature review in research methodology is an essential and thorough investigation of existing research and academic resources linked to a precise research question or topic. It serves several key resolves:
Purpose and Importance
- Contextualization: Provides background knowledge and context for the research topic, helping to surround the research question within the accessible body of knowledge.
- Discovery of Gaps: Highlights gaps, irregularities, or areas where further research is needed, guiding the guidance of the new research.
- Organization for Research: Determines the theoretical and practical foundation upon which the new research is developed.
What is the purpose of literature review?
- Provide contextual groundwork for your study by condensing prior research on your topic,
- Organize the research into distinct categories and illustrate the evolution of scholarship in a specific area, including its historical roots and recent advancements,
- Elucidate areas of dispute and consensus among scholars while identifying prevailing perspectives,
- Critically assess prior research and pinpoint gaps, such as neglected or insufficiently explored areas,
- Support the justification for your research by highlighting its uniqueness and differentiation from existing studies in the field.
7 Key Steps for Writing an Effective Literature Review
Narrow Your Research Focus:
Begin by refining your topic and selecting relevant literature. Engage with your teacher, brainstorm thoughts, and investigate address notes and later journal issues. Limit your focus to a specific aspect of a broader topic (e.g., France’s role in WWII rather than WWII as a whole).
Search for Relevant Literature:
Establish your criteria for selecting sources, such as a specific date range, geographic region, or methodology. Use relevant keywords to search library databases and review the reference lists of recent articles. Be sure to include studies that present opposing viewpoints.
Critically Evaluate and Analyze the Literature:
Thoroughly read and assess the selected studies, paying attention to assumptions, methodologies, key researchers, conflicting theories, and the evolution of popular theories. Synthesize the findings to build a coherent understanding of the research landscape.
Organize Your Literature:
Categorize the selected papers by identifying patterns and developing subtopics. Highlight common or challenged discoveries, critical investigation patterns, and compelling speculations. Use tools like post-it notes or filing cards to physically arrange your findings into categories, adjusting as needed.
Develop a Thesis or Purpose Statement:
Craft a concise statement summarizing your conclusions about the major trends and developments in the research. This statement should reflect the direction of your thesis and its contribution to the field.
Compose the Literature Review:
Follow the organizational structure you’ve developed, ensuring logical transitions between sections. Structure the review by themes or subtopics rather than by individual researchers. Prioritize analysis over description, using evaluative language to compare and contrast the literature.
Review and Refine Your Work:
Assess the clarity and logical flow of your literature review by examining topic sentences and making an outline of each section. Alter for language structure, accentuation, and adherence to scholastic composing guidelines.
Ensure that all citations are accurate and that you have avoided plagiarism. The final draft should be clear, concise, and free of errors, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the relevant literature.
How to Organize a Literature Review in a Thesis
A writing survey is organized essentially to a standard paper, counting an presentation, body, and conclusion, and may moreover incorporate an unique if it’s a stand-alone piece. The review’s structure should reflect the topic’s nature and the argument being made. It must have common organizing patterns such as historical development, themes, concepts, debates, and theories.
Abstract
For extended literature reviews, an abstract is necessary to give readers an overview of the review’s content, background information, knowledge gaps, the purpose of the review, and the main findings.
Example:
Background: Discuss the increasing concentration of atmospheric CO2 and its predicted impact on global agriculture.
Scope: Focus on the potential effects of CO2 on wheat crops, a staple food source.
Findings: Recap key insights, such as the possible benefits of CO2 on growth and the complementary challenges presented by temperature increases.
Introduction
The introduction should start generally with background information, define key concepts, and explain the significance of the topic. It should then limit the particular scope and purpose of the review.
Example:
- Begin the topic with data on CO2 concentration and its environmental control.
- Highlight the consequences of wheat as a global food source and the potential challenges it faces.
- State the review’s intention to review the effects of CO2 on wheat and guide future research.
Body
The body of the review should be structured soundly, with subheadings to guide the reader. It’s notable to examine the literature, not just describe it, by comparing and contrasting findings, recognizing themes, and noticing gaps or disagreements.
Example:
Similar Findings: Discuss studies that support grown wheat growth due to advanced CO2.
Contrasting Findings: Present research indicates that while CO2 may boost growth, it could negatively influence yield and quality due to temperature increases.
– Discrepancies: Compare studies with opposing results to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the topic.
Conclusion
The conclusion should summarize how the review has addressed the research question or aim, emphasize key points, and suggest broader consequences or recommendations for future research.
Example:
- Repeat how the review assessed the impact of CO2 on wheat crops.
- Highlight the key discoveries, almost development and potential challenges.
- Suggest areas for future research, such as exploring improvement strategies for the negative effects of temperature increases on crop yield and quality.
Following these procedures will help structure a literature review in a clear and logical manner, efficiently manufacturing the existing research on a topic.
Tips for Crafting an Effective Literature Review
Here are some tips to help you write a literature review effectively:
Check for Currency of Sources
Make sure your sources are up-to-date, mainly if your review requires current information. Target for sources published within the past ten years, as they frequently reflect the latest research trends and developments. However, older sources may be relevant if you’re analyzing historical changes or introductory theories in the field.
Look at Examples
Examining examples of literature reviews can provide effective insights into structure, style, and content. They can act as a guidebook for how to grow your review and present your assessment. Don’t be reluctant to use them as a learning tool.
Keep Your Voice Present
While incorporating multiple perspectives, maintain your own analytical voice, especially in the introduction, analysis, and conclusion sections. Prevent first-person pronouns, but confirm your explanation and critical thinking are apparent throughout the review.
Don’t Overdo It
Concentrate on the most significant information. Including excessive details can reduce your analysis and minor your voice.
Paraphrase Instead of Quoting
Paraphrase the information to determine your understanding and incorporate it smoothly into your review. Use direct quotes carefully, only when the original wording is especially impactful or essential.
Organization
Develop headings and subheadings to organize your review. This will help manage your thoughts and guide the reader through the review logically. Clear organization enhances readability and helps convey your analysis efficiently.
Don’t Be Afraid to Revise
Revise your literature review several times to refine your arguments, improve clarity, and correct any issues. Please assess grammar, clarity of terminology, appropriate references, and overall skill Review ensures that your evaluation aligns with educational standards and your own expectations
By pursuing these steps, you’ll create a well-disciplined, understanding, and consistent literature review.
5 Cs in review literature
Here’s a classification of the 5 C’s in literature review writing and how each one contributes to constructing a thorough and effective review:
Cite
Purpose: To give right credit to the original authors of the ideas or research you are discussing.
In-Text Citations: When mentioning data from any study, theory, or other source in your analysis, it is advisable to include a reference in the text. This informs your readers where the information originated from and allows them to verify the original source if desired.
Bibliography/References Page: At the ending of your literature review, incorporate a full list of all the resources you cited. This is structured according to a particular citation style (e.g., APA, MLA).
Current Editions: Forever use the most latest version of the citation style you are required to follow (e.g., APA 7th edition).
Compare
Purpose: To identify and emphasize relationships between distinctive resources or studies.
Approach: Search how diverse resources method parallel topics, use similar methods, or come to similar conclusions. Contrasting facilitates a wider understanding of the research surroundings and recognizes agreements in the field.
Contrast
Purpose: To highlight differences between resources or perspectives
Approach: Explore how distinct studies or theories differ in their findings, methodologies, or conclusions. Distinguishing benefits to reveal irregularities or gaps in the literature, delivering a more thorough sight of the topic.
Critique
Purpose: To overview the qualities and inadequacies of the resources you review.
Approach: Survey the noteworthiness, validity, and arrangement of inquire about. Consider the strength of the methodology, accuracy of evidence, and the implications of the results. Conducting an analysis provides a thorough examination of literature and can assist in further research or improvement across various fields.
Connect
Purpose: To link the reviewed literature to your research question or thesis.
Approach: Show how the sources are related to each other and to your own research. Connect the points between different studies, shedding light on how they address your research question societally or contribute to your understanding of the topic. This integration helps create a coherent statement and demonstrates alignment with established literature in your field.
By incorporating the 5 C’s into your literature review, you safeguard a well-rounded and thorough examination of the existing research, improving you to present a clear and understanding review.
Varied Approaches and Contexts for Literature Reviews
Literature reviews can be integrated into research projects or proposals, or they may stand alone as extensive documents. In the context of course assignments, a literature review might span 500 to 1000 words, whereas those published as journal articles could exceed 5000 words.
Literature reviews appear in various academic formats. Concise reviews are often included in journal articles, book chapters, or coursework to provide context for the research topic.
In graduate research theses, the literature review is primarily focused on identifying research gaps and advocating for further investigation. Depending on the writer’s objectives and the context in which the review is presented, the approach may be selective or comprehensive.
A particular approach includes investigating a single or constrained number of sources, ordinary or shorter writing surveys found in diary articles. In addition, a comprehensive approach requires the examination of various sources and is frequently displayed as a significant chapter in a proposition or as a standalone academic article.
