Literature Review
Description
This chapter is dedicated to the Literature Review, a critical section of your dissertation where you analyze existing research related to your topic. This chapter explains how to structure your literature review, identify gaps in the current knowledge, and position your research within the broader academic conversation.
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Courses includes:
- Level Expert
- Duration 11h 20m
- Lessons 12
- Quizzes 145
- Certifications Yes
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Establish Context
Start your literature review by providing background information on the topic. This helps the reader understand the broader context within which your research is situated.
Identify Gaps
One of the primary purposes of the literature review is to identify gaps or unanswered questions in the existing research. This sets the stage for your own study by highlighting what needs further investigation.
Build a Theoretical Framework
Use the literature review to construct a theoretical framework for your study. By synthesizing and integrating previous research findings and theoretical perspectives, you provide a solid foundation for your own research.
Support Hypotheses or Research Questions
The literature review helps justify your research hypotheses or questions by demonstrating how they emerge from previous research findings or theoretical debates
Provide Methodological Insights
By examining how previous studies have approached similar research questions, you can gain insights into appropriate research methodologies and methods for your own study
Avoid Redundancy
Ensure that your study contributes new insights or knowledge to the field, rather than merely replicating previous research.
Demonstrate Scholarly Engagement
A comprehensive literature review shows that you are familiar with the relevant literature and can critically evaluate and synthesize existing research.
Checklist
Establish the Context
- Begin with a broad overview of the topic.
- Provide background information that situates your study within the wider academic conversation.
Identify Research Gaps
- Highlight areas where existing research is lacking or where questions remain unanswered.
- Clearly explain how your study will address these gaps.
Construct the Theoretical Framework
- Integrate findings from previous research to build a strong theoretical foundation for your study.
- Ensure that the framework aligns with your research questions or hypotheses.
Support Your Hypotheses
- Use the literature review to justify your research hypotheses or questions.
- Demonstrate how these hypotheses emerge from existing research.
Gain Methodological Insights
- Review the methodologies used in previous studies to inform your own research design.
- Consider how your methodology will build on or differ from past approaches.
Contribute New Knowledge
- Ensure that your literature review highlights the unique contributions your study will make to the field.
- Avoid redundancy by focusing on new insights or perspectives.
Engage with the Literature
- Demonstrate your ability to critically evaluate and synthesize existing research.
- Show how your study fits into the broader academic conversation.
Action Items
Develop a Comprehensive Literature Review
- Start by gathering relevant studies, articles, and books on your topic
- Organize these sources into themes or categories that will structure your literature review.
Draft and Revise
- Begin writing your literature review, ensuring that each section flows logically from one to the next.
- Revise your draft to improve clarity, coherence, and depth of analysis.
Seek Feedback
- Share your literature review with your advisor or peers for feedback
- Incorporate their suggestions to strengthen your review
“Research is creating new knowledge.”
— Neil Armstrong
Additional Resources
How to Conduct a Literature Review
Graduate School Writing Guide
Building a Theoretical Framework for Your Study
Academic Success Resource
Critical Evaluation of Research Literature
University Library Guide
Case Study
Emma’s Thorough Literature Review
Emma, a doctoral candidate in Psychology, was determined to conduct a thorough literature review for her dissertation on the impact of early childhood education on cognitive development. She began by establishing the context of her study, reviewing key theories and models in the field. Emma then identified gaps in the existing research, noting that few studies had focused on the long-term effects of early education in rural areas. Using these gaps as a starting point, she built a theoretical framework that integrated findings from developmental psychology, education, and sociology. By critically evaluating the methodologies used in previous studies, Emma was able to design a research approach that addressed the shortcomings of earlier work. Her literature review not only provided a comprehensive overview of the topic but also set the stage for her unique contribution to the field. Emma’s advisor praised her for the depth of analysis and the clear, logical structure of her review.
