Writing A Literature Review In Academic Research ✓ Solved

Writing a Literature Review in Academic Research

The literature review enables you and your reader to get an overview of a certain subject, so that it is clear who the main writers are in the field, and which main points need to be addressed. It should be an evaluative piece of writing, rather than just a description. This means that you need to weigh up arguments and critique ideas, rather than just providing a list of what different writers have said.

It is up to you to decide what the reader needs to know on the topic, but you should only include the main pieces of writing in this area; a literature review does not need to include everything ever written on the topic. The most important thing is to show how the literature relates to your own work. You may be writing a literature review as part of a thesis, or as an exercise in itself. Whatever the reason, there are many benefits to writing a literature review.

It provides an opportunity to identify a gap in previous research, outline the main arguments in your field, show that you are familiar with the literature on your topic, indicate who the main writers are in a particular area, evaluate previous studies, position your work in relation to other writers, identify areas of controversy, support your own work by citing other authors, highlight current literature and use older sources where relevant, see what previous methodologies have been used and to avoid making the same mistakes as previous researchers.

The literature review is a critical component of academic research and writing. It serves multiple functions: it contextualizes your own research within the existing body of knowledge, articulates gaps or contradictions in previous work, and provides a theoretical framework for your own study.

Benefits of Writing a Literature Review

Writing a literature review has several important benefits, which include:

• Identifying gaps in previous research which your work could address.
• Outlining the main arguments and debates within your field.
• Demonstrating familiarity with the breadth of literature related to your topic.
• Positioning your research in relation to others, thus providing context.
• Supporting your arguments with established literature, thus enhancing credibility.
• Conducting a critical appraisal of previous studies to determine their reliability and relevance.

Key Components of a Literature Review

While crafting a literature review, certain elements should be included:

• Introduction: State the purpose and scope of your review while outlining key themes.
• Main Body: Organize literature into coherent themes or trends rather than summarizing individual articles.
• Conclusion: Recap the main insights derived from the literature and explain the relevance to your own research.

Organizing the review can be achieved by grouping works according to approaches, methodologies, or themes, thereby facilitating a better understanding of the field.

Evaluating Sources

When conducting a literature review, it is crucial to use academic sources. The evaluation may consider the following factors:

• Is the article peer-reviewed?
• Who are the authors and their affiliations?
• Is a clear methodology outlined?
• What is the relevance and recency of the study?

Utilizing this checklist can help distinguish reputable sources from less credible information.

Conducting the Literature Review

Developing an effective literature review involves several steps:

1. Select your topic, ideally in consultation with a supervisor.
2. Contextualize the topic in the wider body of research.
3. Conduct a comprehensive search for relevant literature.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a literature review is an integral part of academic research that requires careful planning, critical analysis, and coherent writing. By synthesizing existing knowledge and highlighting key arguments, researchers can lay a solid foundation for their own studies while contributing to the larger academic discourse.

References

• Bruce, C. (2002). Supporting literature reviews: materials for supervisors to use with students.
• Clerehan, R. (1999). Reviewing the literature. Monash University, Melbourne.
• Cone, J. D., & Foster, S. L. (1993). Dissertations and theses from start to finish. American Psychological Association.
• CQUniversity. (2010). Literature review tutorial, CQUniversity Library.
• Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2005). Practical research: planning and design (8th ed.). Merrill Prentice Hall.
• Littrell, R. F. (2003). The literature review: critically analysing information sources.
• Monash University. (2011). What are academic sources? Monash University Library.
• Roberts, K. L., & Taylor, B. J. (2002). Nursing research processes: an Australian perspective. Nelson.
• Study and Learning Centre, RMIT. (2005). Literature review: Learning lab.
• Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. B. (1994). Academic writing for graduate students. University of Michigan Press.