What is literature review and example?

What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question. It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation, or research paper, in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.

What do you include in a lit review?

A literature review consists of an overview, a summary, and an evaluation (“critique”) of the current state of knowledge about a specific area of research. It may also include a discussion of methodological issues and suggestions for future research.

What does a good lit review look like?

A good literature review shows signs of synthesis and understanding of the topic. There should be strong evidence of analytical thinking shown through the connections you make between the literature being reviewed.

What are the 3 parts of literature review?

Just like most academic papers, literature reviews also must contain at least three basic elements: an introduction or background information section; the body of the review containing the discussion of sources; and, finally, a conclusion and/or recommendations section to end the paper.

How long is a lit review?

The length of a literature review varies depending on its purpose and audience. In a thesis or dissertation, the review is usually a full chapter (at least 20 pages), but for an assignment it may only be a few pages. There are several ways to organize and structure a literature review.

How do you write a short literature review example?

The basic components of a literature review include:
  • a description of the publication;
  • a summary of the publication’s main points;
  • a discussion of gaps in research;
  • an evaluation of the publication’s contribution to the topic.

How do you begin a literature review?

One common way to approach a literature review is to start out broad and then become more specific. Think of it as an inverted triangle: First briefly explain the broad issues related to your investigation; you don’t need to write much about this, just demonstrate that you are aware of the breadth of your subject.

How do you structure a literature review?

In general, literature reviews are structured in a similar way to a standard essay, with an introduction, a body and a conclusion. These are key structural elements. Additionally, a stand-alone extended literature review has an abstract.

What are the 4 stages of literature review?

Definition and Use/Purpose

Place each work in the context of its contribution to the understanding of the subject under review. Describe the relationship of each work to the others under consideration. Identify new ways to interpret, and shed light on any gaps in, previous research.

What are the 4 stages of literature review?

Definition and Use/Purpose

Place each work in the context of its contribution to the understanding of the subject under review. Describe the relationship of each work to the others under consideration. Identify new ways to interpret, and shed light on any gaps in, previous research.

How do you structure a literature review?

In general, literature reviews are structured in a similar way to a standard essay, with an introduction, a body and a conclusion. These are key structural elements. Additionally, a stand-alone extended literature review has an abstract.

How do you begin a literature review?

One common way to approach a literature review is to start out broad and then become more specific. Think of it as an inverted triangle: First briefly explain the broad issues related to your investigation; you don’t need to write much about this, just demonstrate that you are aware of the breadth of your subject.

What is the process of literature review?

A literature review must do these things:

be organized around and related directly to the thesis or research question you are developing. synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known. identify areas of controversy in the literature. formulate questions that need further research.

What makes a literature review fail?

Poor writing in a literature review is often the result of failing to integrate arguments into the review. Many people make the mistake of simply summarising their readings. Avoid using words like ‘are reported’. These types of words often lead to descriptive writing.

How many papers should be in a literature review?

In general, undergraduate students will usually be required to use somewhere between 5 and 20 sources; graduate students typically will need between 20 and 40. However, the number can vary greatly, so always read your requirements and ask your professor.