How to prepare a literature review for a dissertation

Tired of being told "literature review" every five minutes at university? Not knowing what that means or where to begin? We've got your back with this step-by–step guide to writing a fantastic dissertation literature review.

WHAT IS A LITERATURE REVIEW?

The literature review is an essential component of a dissertation; it is an analysis and evaluation of the materials that you have researched and collated on the subject of your dissertation. After that, it identifies any holes in the existing research that will be filled by your study.

Many people have misconceptions about the meaning of a dissertation literature analysis. It can be complex. Although a dissertation review of the literature may occasionally include a synopsis of important sources, it is not always necessary to engage in a critical analysis of the text to express your positive and negative opinions. How should a certain source be interpreted? Is this analysis distinct from other points of view in the literature? This kind of critical interaction is what you ought to anticipate from a literature study.

Expectations for a literature review go beyond a summary, which is likely to provide a concise overview of the important points from the source(s). Reviews of the literature might offer fresh perspectives on well-known research publications or integrate several viewpoints (this is called the "gap"). A review of the literature could also be a thorough and critical analysis of intellectual trends in a certain area, with a particular focus on the most significant, frequently contentious subjects. A literature review can also be used to assess a source and inform the reader of its reliability, applicability, and relevance to the subject.

“A literature review is an overview of the research arguments you have learned about through your readings. It does not contain any fresh literary contributions. Hence, "literature review" becomes a phrase.”

Although academic articles and literature reviews are sometimes confused, they are not the same thing. New research on a topic is intended to be presented in academic articles. A literature review is an essential component of that goal. A research paper's foundation is a literature review. You can use it to find research gaps and support any new arguments or insights that you are going to present. You are attempting to summarise and analyse the research justifications you discovered from reading. However, you will not be making any new contributions. Thus the term "literature review".

IS A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE TRULY NECESSARY?

Now that you know what a literature review looks like, it is time to learn why you need one. A literature review, whether you want it or not, is an academic writing that requires it. It shows your tutor and reader that your knowledge of the sources is relevant to your question or research area.

The literature review, although it might seem unrelated, aids in persuading the person grading the work that what you wrote is pertinent and that your arguments are strong and worth the effort. A literature review is crucial, so take the time to do it correctly.

HOW SHOULD A DISSERTATION'S LITERATURE REVIEW BE WRITTEN?

We have broken down the next section of our blog into key steps that will make it easier for you to write your dissertation literature review. First, you identify your sources. Next, you read through them again. The next step is to identify any gaps in your research and literature. Using the knowledge you have gained and the preparations you have made, you will then compose your review.

 IDENTIFY SOURCES.

A good literature review for a dissertation requires you to have an idea of the sources you want to examine. If your teacher hasn't given you a formal list of references, you can use the techniques above.

Check to verify that the sources you're using are objective and balanced. Make sure to include a sufficient number of scholarly journals, books, and other helpful published materials by credible researchers. You might consider the objectives and parameters of your research to help you select the right sources. What are your goals? Your review literature should include: To what theoretical problems or points of view are you aiming to find solutions? What do you think of my strategy? What will you decide to concentrate on? Study types: quantitative or qualitative? Or perhaps a mix of the two? You can choose your sources with the aid of these queries. And once more, a source's abstract can be a helpful tool. You can tell whether a source is helpful by taking a fast look at the abstract and its keywords.

Focus can easily be lost when you're trying to identify sources. Keep a list handyMendeley is an online or desktop application-based reference tool that lets you preserve your sources. It's a terrific technique to maintain the order of your bibliography. These systems also come with citation tools that, if necessary, let you generate your citations in any format you like. These tools will save you a lot of time that you would have spent looking for the right Harvard and APA citations.

CHECK YOUR SOURCES

 Once you've sorted your sources, it's now time to start reading them. It's best to read the information in stages.

To get a feel for the content and arguments, you should first go through all the texts. This will assist you in selecting the sources to examine in more detail. You can examine your sources more closely and critically during the second phase of your investigation. Be critical, take copious notes, and ask lots of questions. What scholarly assessment would you make of the text? Any opinions on the theoretical justification, general hypothesis, or methodological approach? These should be noted. By doing this, you may make sure that your literature review does more than simply summarise your readings. Additionally, it will motivate you to develop a concise line of reasoning so that your work is cogent and reasonable.

EXAMINE YOUR RESEARCH FOR GAPS

An essential step in writing a dissertation review is to identify the research gap. It is especially critical to identify the gap if the review is included in research proposals. This will bring to light the significance of your research and make it easier for you to establish whether or not you were designed with the express purpose of filling the void. In other contexts, being able to spot the flaw might be interpreted as a demonstration of strong critical thinking and might get you bonus points.

It is essential to understand what the gap is before we can identify it. A research gap occurs when there is an issue, perspective, or topic that arises in the course of study but is not covered in the current body of research literature. It is crucial to identify the research gap in order to highlight the originality of your research. This will show that you are not just reciting or reiterating previously published research. This also demonstrates that you are up to date on the state of the literature in your chosen field of study. This, in turn, will show how much research you have done and the effort that went into your review.

Post-graduate students frequently struggle to discover research gaps in their discipline. You must identify research gaps and propose research questions to address them in post-graduate research papers. It doesn't have to be difficult to identify research gaps. There are numerous approaches to this.

START WITH READING

 A simple way to start is to review key articles related to your area of research. You will need to go through many articles to find the best one for your research. You can typically acquire a short summary of all the literature by entering keywords into Google Scholar. You can also use databases like JSTOR and Wiley Online Library. Click on "related articles" to see if any other papers have cited your source.

It is simple to focus on the most important points of articles relevant to your area of research. You will need to go through many articles to find the most relevant ones for your research. You can often find a quick summary of all the literature by utilising Google Scholar's keywords. You can also use databases like JSTOR and Wiley Online Library To see if any other publications have mentioned your source, click on "similar articles."

ABSTRACTS AND SUGGESTIONS

Whatever path you choose, the abstract could be a great place to start for understanding the articles' contents. It is also a good idea to read the final and introductory paragraphs of each article. These sections contain information about the research goals and outcomes, as well as recommendations for future research. You could also read as much about your subject as possible and then look at the literature to see if there are any gaps. This is often a sign of research gaps.

COMPILE YOUR EVALUATION

You are now ready to put your fingers on the keyboard. These are some tips to help you get started.

EXAMINE SOME SAMPLE LITERATURE

Please take a look at samples of dissertation literature reviews and take the time to read them. This will help you get familiar with key themes and debates. These can be used to help you structure and frame your own evaluation. You can get an idea of academic writing by looking at samples. Be aware of the formal language and academic style. Do not forget that the bibliographies and reference lists of certain texts can help you find more sources if you need them.

REMAIN SIMPLE

Your topic should be as specific as possible. There are many perspectives and sources available on any topic or subject. Research problems are often approached in a variety of ways by researchers. The literature on any given topic is very broad. You won't have to cover every perspective or argument in your literature review. This could actually hinder your ability to write coherent and focused pieces. Limiting the scope of your work will make it easier. Make sure you clearly define the focus of your work in your review.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE MOST UP-TO-DATE SOURCES

It is important that your sources are up-to-date in order to review scientific work. Research is always changing, especially in the medical field. A three-year-old source may be out of date. This rule might not be applicable to the social sciences, since many classic theoretical works will be familiar to you. You may be asked to review the works of Hobbes or Marx. It is important to maintain a balance between theory and current approaches. You must demonstrate how perspectives have shifted over time. Alternatively, you could show how scientists used classic theories to influence current research.

ANALYSE THE ORGANISATION OF YOUR ACTIVITIES

A dissertation review of the literature necessitates more organisation than just an introduction and body. Because you will be reading a large number of texts, it is important to organise your thoughts and ideas about themes, topics, and the argument. Here's a guideline on how to do it:

CONSIDER THE FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURE FIRST

A dissertation literature review is just like any other academic paper. It will have a simple introduction, content, and epilogue.

A literature review introduction should be concise, focused, and clear. The review should be concise and clear. It should also clearly define the scope of the review. A literature review should also give an overview of the arguments that will be made and why they are valid.

The body of your literature review will include an in-depth evaluation of the scholarly resources you have read. Your sources can be organised by concepts, approach, or chronological sequence. Your review should contain clear arguments and a link to the literature. Are there scholars who agree with you? Let the reader know by saying so in a way they can understand. This demonstrates that you are well-versed in scholarly research in your profession. Make a note of any competing viewpoints; this will decrease the methodological strength of your article. Direct quotations can be used in literature reviews, but you should use them sparingly to avoid appearing lazy. Tutors are unlikely to address it with kindness. The goal of literary reviews is to demonstrate your capacity to connect with content critically. Direct quotes are not a good indicator of your ability to do so. Try paraphrasing quotations and using direct quotes only when they are absolutely necessary to demonstrate your point.

It's crucial to summarise your dissertation literature review in a summary. This section should reflect the primary inferences that you have made based on the readings you have done. A comprehensive research strategy has to incorporate your analysis of the existing research. In addition to this, you should identify any holes that exist in the existing research and explain how your study would fill those holes. Within this area, you will also have the opportunity to provide suggestions for more research. This will demonstrate to the judge that you are analytically capable and get you more points.

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE BODY'S STRUCTURE

Now that you've established the framework for your research, it's time to consider what the body should look like. It is at the heart of your work. As a result, it is critical to consider how you will organise it. You can organise your work in a number of ways, such as by chronology, themes, trends, methodology, or arguments.

You will need to arrange your sources according to the date they were published in order to structure your work chronologically. This method has some drawbacks. It can make your arguments less coherent and, in certain cases, it can cause problems with the coherence of your work. Be careful.

It is easier to organise your work by grouping your sources according to the justifications they provide in a "for/against" format. This enables you to present your work more fluidly and makes it easier to understand for readers to see the main debates in the literature. If you were to explain the debates over European migrant policy to others, you could begin with this:

"While scholars like X believe that immigration policies should be more stringent in order to stop the increase in Syrian refugees seeking asylum in Europe, others such as Y have a different perspective. They advocate a human rights approach ..."

This method allows you to contribute your perspective to the work. This is an excellent example:

"While X supports the enactment of more restrictive migration policies, this paper argues that policies for migration should be based upon human rights considerations."

This strategy allows you to include supplementary literature to back up your claim.

If your review is focused on a single topic, you can organise your material by theme or sub-theme. This technique of organisation allows you to present a high-level summary of all contentious issues inside each sub-theme. You can also easily switch between chronological periods in a thematic review.

Although using a methodical approach to trying to organize sources to structure work is a typical strategy, Additionally, it is typically used in combination with other methods of resource organisation. This is particularly evident in the introduction when researchers might just want to indicate that a topic has been thoroughly investigated from either a quantitative or qualitative perspective. They will frequently mention a number of professors and research to back up their arguments. A methodological approach can be used in scientific reviews to guide the discussion. If that's the case, concentrate on the methodologies used by other researchers. What strategies did they use to answer a specific research question? Are there any drawbacks to this method? What alternatives would you still personally prefer?

You'll soon realise that arranging the body of your literature review might be a process that requires iteration. You will use many of these methods in your write-up. You might also have additional sections in your research that are not part of the overall structure. You might include a "context section" that gives some background information to help you understand the topic of your literature review. You might also include historical aspects. You could add a short section called "Methodology" to explain how you chose your sources and how you looked at them.

CREATE THE PARAGRAPHS THAT MAKE UP THE BODY

After you have decided on how you want to structure your body, it is time to start writing each paragraph in accordance with academic conventions. Consider the following passage from a literature study on stakeholder involvement in environmental management to help clarify what is being said.

Despite all the hype and worries, relatively few studies have been done to support the assertions made concerning stakeholders' participation (Webler 1999; Beierle 2002; Brody 2003; Blackstock et al., 2007). The few attempts at process evaluation have prioritised the procedure over the results (e.g., Beierle 2002; Renn and al. 1995; Rowe & Frewer 2000). This can be partially brought on by the challenge of selecting acceptable data gathering techniques and standards. All stakeholders should choose and use the criteria for participatory assessments, according to Blackstock and colleagues' (2007) argument. This is not simple. Webler and Tuler (2006) discovered strong disagreements among participants when they chose from ten case studies to determine what constitutes a "good" participatory experience. (Source: Reed, M.S., 2008.) A literature review on stakeholder participation in environmental management (141(10), i> Biological conservation

The example demonstrates how to write a dissertation literature review in a formal and academic way. Take note of how the sources were organised into arguments and topics. We also noticed that arranging sources within the body of your literature evaluation was never a linear procedure. You can employ several of the strategies we've discussed. Your work should be concise, unambiguous, and free of inflammatory or personal language. Avoid statements like "I despise X's work." A more formal approach to express your disagreement is as follows: "I would argue against X’s position that..."," or "X’s argument is inconsistent evidence because..."," or "X’s arguments are based upon false assumptions because...". Take note of how words like "dispute" are used in the preceding paragraph. This is an academic substitute for everyday terms like "says." You can also use "states", "assertions", "proposes", or "claims" as alternatives. There are many academic options, including "states," "asserts," "proposes," and "promulgate." Some readers and educators, however, believe these terms to be overly weighty and archaic. Make sure you are familiar with your institution's writing standards.

It is worth looking at the articles to get an idea of how your writing will look in peer-reviewed journals. Many tutors will give you a brief guideline for writing styles. It is important that you follow these guidelines. When writing literature reviews, You will be required to write in the third person. This means phrases like "this paper argues" and "this paper believes that..." are appropriate. There are a few limitations for post-graduate students and academic research, including when you've extensively published your work or conducted primary research, which gives you academic credibility to make big assertions. In these circumstances, you would use the first person, and sentences like "I argue" or "I offer" would be appropriate. When discussing ideas or theories, it is ideal to utilise the present tense (though in the context of specific research experiments, the past tense may be better).

In literature reviews, linking words and phrases is more important than the use of academic terms. You'll be assembling a group of writers with opposing viewpoints. Similar to, there are parallels in convergence with...

You may use the following if there is disagreement:

CONCLUSION

A literature review for a dissertation must conclude with a brief of all the consequences. This should be related to your main point or a broad research question.

A FEW FINAL WORDS

Academic traditions and your research area will influence the structure of your literature review. However, there are some steps that all disciplines should follow, and they apply to all research areas.

DO NOT JUST STATE THE AUTHORS' POINTS OF VIEW

Compare your findings to those of others.

USING MULTIPLE STRATEGIES, ORGANISE YOUR ARGUMENT'S BODY

Your framework should be organised around major themes, controversies, or contentious subjects, as well as methodological methods. Your evaluation must be vibrant while still being cohesive. Be sure to link your review to the literature gaps you have identified.

USE A LOT OF EVIDENCE

This is a crucial part of a dissertation literature analysis. When establishing a point, it is necessary to use multiple sources. See the preceding sample paragraph. Evidence must be used to back up all arguments and interpretations of study issues. Make no unsubstantiated claims. A literature review is not an opinion piece, but rather an academic piece.

BE EXTREMELY PICKY

Each item of research must be examined. Whether you're committed to demonstrate that you understand the research, you can try using writing methods like: There's extensive literature that studies the patterns of migration for Syrian refugees. Some of the most notable works are: X (2015), y (2013), Z (2014). It is not required to thoroughly analyse these works after you have acknowledged them. Be cautious of the sources you will be delving into during your evaluation.

DO NOT DEPEND TOO HEAVILY ON STRAIGHT QUOTES

Use them just to emphasise a point. Additionally, do not rely too heavily on a single author's creations. Instead, emphasise the significance of the author to your study before continuing. You must relate those conversations to your research if you must refer back to this author's writing. Give more than a simple synopsis of the author's work. What aspects of your work compliment those of the author? Be receptive to criticism.

CLARIFY YOUR OPINION

The whole purpose of a study is to give an in-depth analysis and an overview of the views that are there, However, a full study should include the requirement that you make your stance clear within the literary sense. Notice how skillfully, in the example paragraph of Reed (2008), the author integrates his views through references. Take a look back at the paragraph and try to master this technique.

MAKE SURE TO PROPERLY CITE YOUR WORK

Be sure to make use of the correct reference style.

Are you getting swamped by your literature review? You're not finished yet.

Writing a dissertation review of the literature can be difficult, especially in light of the extensive research and analysis that is required.

Discover further about our undergraduate essay and postgraduate dissertation literature evaluation services.

Are you feeling overburdened by your existing literature? You're not by yourself.

A literature review for a dissertation could be a time-consuming and difficult section to prepare, considering the extensive research and analysis necessary.

Get help where you need it

If you are working on a dissertation, you will likely be asked to prepare a literature review as part of your research. A literature review is an essential component of a dissertation, as it allows you to demonstrate your knowledge of your chosen research area and identify gaps that your study can help fill. However, preparing a literature review can be a daunting task, especially if you are new to academic writing or have not done extensive research in the past. If you are feeling overwhelmed, it would be wise to seek the guidance of a law tutor, who can help show you the ropes when it comes to conducting research, selecting sources, synthesising information, and writing clear and concise prose. With the help of a tutor, you can feel confident in your ability to produce a literature review that will impress your dissertation committee and contribute to the advancement of your field.