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Writing Development

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What is a literature review?

A literature review is a review of research by different authors in a specific subject area. 

A literature review will highlight the key issues, ideas and theories in that subject in order to provide a theoretical context for your own research. It will enable you to identify any gaps in the existing research or areas that require further investigation.

  1. Select resources: search the library website for books and journal articles on your research subject. Keep a record of where you have searched and what you found so you can retrace your steps if necessary.
  2. Read and make notes: decide how useful and relevant the text is in relation to your research question. Use different reading techniques to find the key points and then make notes on the key issues and arguments in the text.
  3. Write the review: write a discussion of the key issues in your subject, comparing and contrasting the arguments of the different authors. Incorporate your own assessment of each argument.
  4. Structure:
    • Introduction: describe the purpose and scope of the literature review including the specific topics and themes that you will cover. Briefly explain how the review will be organised.
    • Main body: there are several ways of structuring the body of the review depending on the subject matter, but it should be clear and logical. For example, you may choose to arrange the material by theme or chronologically (or a combination of both). If the literature review is part of a report or dissertation, it is usual to include sub-headings. The most important and relevant literature should be dealt with first and in the most detail, then narrow your focus to specific points of interest.
    • Conclusion: summarise the key findings and discuss the implications for your own research or the field in general.

You will know the key issues in your subject area; the wider context of your research and the best way of doing your proposed research.

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