Introduction to Literature Reviews

• Typically it is your major or area of interest.
• In the sciences, a literature review is sometimes called a systematic review, and encompasses a more specific approach that favors data-driven, quantifiable research.
• In other areas, literature reviews can look at various schools of thought or the development of a particular theoretical viewpoint.

• —Self contained literature review articles - provide an overview and analysis of current state of research on a topic or question.
• —An essential chapter of a thesis or dissertation - how your proposed research will contribute to the field.
• —Part of a research report - included in your finished research, providing context to your work as a contribution to the field.

The purpose of a literature review is to:

• Provide an overview by reviewing scholarly literature relevant to a topic, what is known about a topic, or knowledge, information, or ideas that have been established on a topic.
• Identify:
• areas of study by pointing the way forward for further research
• areas of agreement and disagreement
• seminal works and highlight exemplary studies
• significant personalities and researchers working in the same field
• Help define or limit your problem, or design your methodology using methods others have used.
• Justify your research question by explaining how your question fits into the larger picture.
• Analyze strengths and weakness of previous research.
• Highlight gaps in research.
• Avoid unnecessary duplication.