Purpose and Uses of a Literature Review

Purpose of a Literature Review

• Sets the scene and provides the current state of knowledge on the topic
• Identifies gaps in current knowledge and justifies the aims of the study
• Establishes the credibility of the researcher and leads to the research questions

Uses of a Literature Review

• Provides a critical and comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge in the area under investigation
• Identifies the key issues or debates in the field
• Sets the context for the study and positions the research in relation to what has been done before
• Links the research to the body of knowledge

Literature Review as Foundation

• Identifies strengths and weaknesses of previous research and knowledge
• Brings clarity and focus to the research problem
• Provides a justification for the research methods
• Builds a platform from which to interpret and discuss the results and significance of the findings

Importance of a Literature Review

• Helps to understand the background context and explains its importance
• Includes only relevant books and articles that relate directly to the topic
• Requires analytical and critical thinking, not just description of the works read
• Is an essential preliminary task to familiarize oneself with the available body of knowledge in the area of interest
• Brings clarity and focus to the research problem, improves methodology, and broadens the knowledge base

Procedure for Reviewing the Literature

• Searching for existing literature in the area of study
• Reviewing the selected literature
• Developing a theoretical framework

Searching for Literature

• Involves searching various components such as books, journals, conference proceedings, and bibliographic databases
• Requires searching for specific information in the research area or project
• The internet and library resources can be used for searching
• A good step is to read an introduction to the topic before conducting a general search

Reviewing the Literature

• Involves reading the selected literature critically to identify themes and issues
• Requires identifying gaps in the body of knowledge
• A theoretical framework can be developed from the themes and issues identified

Developing a Theoretical Framework

• Aspects of the research topic can be used as a basis for developing a theoretical framework
• The framework can guide the research and provide a structure for the study

Writing up the Literature Review

• Provides theoretical background to the study
• Requires listing main themes that have emerged from the literature
• Themes can be converted into subheadings and main findings recorded under each subheading
• Gaps and issues can be identified and contextualized with other studies

Importance of Literature Review

• Helps to understand the background context and explain its importance
• Essential preliminary task to familiarize oneself with the available body of knowledge in the area of interest
• Improves methodology by identifying procedures and methods used by others and their limitations
• Broadens knowledge base in the research area and ensures a wider understanding of the subject

Purpose of Literature Review

• Sets the scene by providing an overview of the current state of knowledge on the topic
• Identifies gaps in current knowledge and justifies the aims of the research
• Establishes credibility and leads to the formation of research questions
• Provides a critical and comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge in the area under investigation

Procedure for Reviewing Literature

• Search for existing literature in the area of study
• Review selected literature
• Develop a theoretical framework

Searching for Literature

• Includes searching books, journals, conference proceedings, bibliographic databases, and the internet
• Involves searching for entire areas related to the research topic
• Focuses on articles that introduce new concepts or make significant advances in the field
• Involves refining research through continuous reading and summarizing relevant works

Uses of Literature Review

• Provides a clear picture of the research field and a broad and deep understanding of the topic
• Offers critical insight into current research and methodological limitations
• Justifies the aims of the research and leads to the formation of research questions
• Positions the study in relation to what has been done before and links to the body of knowledge