Literature review

Literature review

A Literature review is a survey of scholarly sources that provides an overview of a particular topic. It is a critical analysis of what has been researched on a topic, which is often a part of the introduction to an essay, research report, or thesis. In writing the literature review, the purpose is to convey to the reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are.

Purpose

The purpose of a literature review is to provide a review of writings on the given topic in order to establish the reviewer’s own position in the existing field of scholarship on that topic. A literature review provides a reader with a comprehensive look at previous discussions prior to the one the reviewer will be making in his/her own research paper, thesis, or dissertation.

Types

There are two types of literature reviews: Descriptive literature review and Analytical literature review. The descriptive literature review provides a broad overview of the research on a given topic, while the analytical literature review critically analyzes the research methods used in previous works on the topic.

Process

The process of conducting a literature review involves several steps:

1. Problem formulation - Define the topic or research question that the literature review will address.
2. Literature search - Find materials relevant to the subject being explored.
3. Data evaluation - Determine which literature makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the topic.
4. Analysis and interpretation - Discuss the findings and conclusions of pertinent literature.

See also

• Systematic review
• Meta-analysis
• Bibliography
• Annotated bibliography

References

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External links

• Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students
• Literature Reviews