Effective Literature Review Writing

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What is literature review?

A literature review surveys scholarly sources (journals articles or book) relevant to particular area of research. It gives an overview of knowledge, and allows identifying pertinent methods, gaps and theories in the existing research. Literature survey gives a way to enumerate, summarize, describe, clarify and objectively evaluate earlier research, while provides a theoretical base to determine the research nature. Writing any types of literature review usually involves finding publication, explaining and critically analyzing what is found. Here are the five crucial steps to consider when writing a literature review:

  1. Searching for pertinent literature
  2. Evaluating authentic sources
  3. Identifying debates, themes and gaps
  4. Outlining the structure
  5. Writing literature review

A well-researched and good literature review doesn’t summarize resources. It overviews, along with it analyze, appraise and synthesize in a critical manner to get a clear image of the state of knowledge on the subject.

Why to write a literature review?

When you write a research paper or dissertation, there is a need to conduct literature review in order to situate the research within current or existing knowledge. The literature review provides an opportunity to:

  • Determine familiarity with the scholarly context and the research topics
  • Formulate theoretical framework and methodology for the research
  • Position the study in relation to other theorist and researchers
  • Depict how research contributes to debate or addresses a gap

There is a possibility to write literature review as stand-along assignment. In such case, the purpose revolves around evaluating current state of research and exhibiting knowledge of scholar debate around the particular topic of interest.
Whether it’s a stand-alone literature review or a dissertation literature review, the UK writing through British writers covers all, from identifying the purpose of literature review to formulating literature review outline. When writing a literature review, it is expected to include variables, key themes, theories, methods and other fundamental factor relevant to the topic. It uses quite a few skills which everyone may not be aware of; despite they have viewed ample of literature review sample. Even if you’re from social science background and require a theoretical literature review or from medical background and need a systematic literature review, our subject matter expertise can draft an effective literature review given on any type in any discipline.

How to write a literature review

As discussed above, here are the steps in detail that gives a clear picture on how to write a literature review.

Step 1: Searching for pertinent literature

Before making a research for literature, make sure you have a clear and well-defined topic.

The literature review chapter of a dissertation requires searching for relevant literature linked to your research questions, objectives and problems. If it is a stand-alone assignment then select a focus and formulate a significant question to direct the search. In contrast to dissertation research question, it has to be answered without gathering original data and is based on a review of existing publications.

 

Example of research question:  How social media restricts students’ interest in physical activities?

Make a keywords list: At first make a list of keywords that links to research question. Use the key variables, concepts and other related terms.

 

Keywords example:  

  • social media, websites, electronic gadgets
  • self-perception, mental health, physical exercise, laziness
  • teenagers, youth, adolescents

 

Look for relevant sources:

  • Universities digital library or catalogue
  • JSTOR (a digital library of books, academic, journals and primary sources)
  • EBSCO (a free database that has more than 1.2 million thesis and dissertation globally)
  • Google Scholar (provide comprehensive search for scholarly literature in wide variety of discipline)
  • Project Muse (provide resources of humanities and social science)
  • Medline (provide resources of life sciences and biomedicine)
  • EconLit (provide resources of economics)
  • Inspec (provide resources of physics, computer science and engineering)

Reading abstract allow finding an article that show relevancy to question. After looking for useful journal, article or book; check bibliography to find other pertinent sources to research topic. To identify commonly used publications on topic, mark the recurring citations.

Step 2: Evaluating authentic sources

For each publication related to your topic, check;

  • What research problem or question does the author address?
  • What are the major key concepts and how it is defined in the paper?
  • What are the key methods, models and theories? Does the used research take an innovative approach or establish a framework?
  • What are the results and conclusions of the research study?
  • How the publications associate with other relevant literature in the research field? Does it challenge, add or confirm to established knowledge?
  • Does the publication give an opportunity to develop understanding of the topic? What are they main arguments and key insights?
  • What are the potential strength, weakness and opportunities of the research?

 

The sources used must be credible, also read the major theories and landmark studies in the field of research. High citation of article on Google scholar indicates that it has been influential in the field; most commonly used and is authentic.
The review scope depends on the discipline and research topic; usually in science a recent literature is reviewed whereas in humanities it often takes to historical perspectives (for instance, to trace how the concept has changed or altered the meaning overtime)

Make notes and cite the selected sources:
Keep track of the sources with proper citation in order to avoid plagiarism. Moreover, it can be useful to make an annotated bibliography, where full citation information is compiled along with paragraph of analysis and summary of each source. This helps in remembering what is read and saves time later in writing process. It is important to use proper referencing both in-text and bibliography.

Step 3: Identifying debates, themes and gaps

To organize literature review structure and arguments, make relationship and connection between the selected sources. Then look for;

  • Patterns and trends (in methods, theory and results): Check if certain approaches and research have popularized or lost its significance over time?
  • Themes: What concepts or questions persist across the literature?
  • Conflicts, debates and contradictions: Where do the relevant sources disagree?
  • Key publications: Is there any influential studies or theories that have altered the direction of the field?
  • Research gap: What knowledge gap does the literature demonstrate? What is the weakness in the research area that needs to be addressed?

The below step can be useful to work on the structure of literature review and demonstrate (if applicable) how the research contribute to current or existing knowledge. 

Examples of gaps and trends: For instance, reviewing the literature on the research question, you note that;

  • Most of the research has focused on teenagers.
  • There has been an increase in number of teenagers using gadgets that makes them spend most of their time on social media.
  • But there is lack of robust research on what factors, age groups and visual platform are likely to keep themselves away from physical activities – this gap needs to be addressed in own research.

Step 4: Outlining the structure

There are numerous ways to organize the literature review body. So make a rough strategy before you begin to write.  Depending on the length, combine numerous of these strategies (for instance, the structure can be thematic, but each of the themes can be debated chronologically)

Thematic:

When there are recurring key themes, organize the literature review into section which address different dimension of the research topic. 

For instance, if the literature is review on migrant health outcome which lead to inequality then the key themes will be language barrier, legal status, health care policy, economic access and cultural attitudes.

Chronological:

A simple approach is to trace the topic development over time. Though if this strategy is used, carefully avoid just summarizing and citing sources in order. Analyze key debates, turning points and patterns that shape the direction of the research field.  Provide interpretations of why and how certain developments have occurred.

Theoretical:

Literature reviews are often the foundation for theoretical framework. It can be used to discuss wide-ranging models, theories and definitions of key concepts.  Specific theoretical approach may argue for relevancy, or a research framework can be created by combining various theoretical concepts.

Methodological

If the sources are drawn from different fields or disciplines that use variety of research methods, then simply compare the conclusions and results which emerge from different approach. For example:

  • Look for the result that emerged from quantitative versus qualitative research
  • Debate on how the topic is approached by theoretical versus empirical scholarship
  • Divide the literature into cultural, historical and sociological sources.

Step 5: Writing literature review

Like every other academic paper, literature reviews have introduction, body paragraph and conclusion. Way to address each element depends on the objective and type of literature review.

Introduction: It clearly debates and discusses the purpose and focus of literature review.

Dissertation literature review:  Literature review as a part of dissertation reiterate research question and central problem, also provide concise summary of scholarly context. It highlights research gap and emphasize timeliness of the topic.

Stand-alone literature review: For this, provide background of the topic and its significance. Discuss the literature review scope (for instance, time period) and state the objectives.

Body paragraph: It can be divided into subsection and a subheading can be used for each theme, methodological approach or time period. While you write, carefully summarize and synthesize, analyze and interpret, critically evaluate and draft in well-structured paragraphs.

Conclusions: It requires summarizing the key findings from the literature selected and emphasize its significance.

Dissertation literature review:  Shows that research contributes to new knowledge and addresses gaps, or debate how existing methods and theories are drawn to develop a framework for the research.

Stand-alone literature review: Debate the implication of the literature or make recommendations/ suggestion for future research merely based on gaps which are identified. 

Each literature review written by our experts is customized and personalized to meet the client requirements. With advanced writing skills, years of experience and expertise they draft a structured, well-written and informative literature review across all subject areas. We take pride in delivering quality-oriented and original work regardless of subject area or research topic complexity. For further assistance or query related to the services, contact our customer support care which is available at any hour of need.

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