What is literature review

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Introduction

A literature review is a critical component of academic research that involves summarizing, evaluating, and synthesizing existing research on a specific topic. It helps to identify what is known and unknown in the subject area, highlight areas of controversy, and formulate questions for further research.

Key Insights

Definition and Purpose:
- A literature review summarizes and evaluates a body of writings about a specific topic, providing a critical and in-depth evaluation of previous research .
- It identifies what is known and unknown, areas of controversy, and helps formulate questions for further research .
Types and Formats:
- Literature reviews can be systematic reviews, introductory sections for research studies, or standalone papers .
- They can be separate assignments or sections within longer papers, such as theses or dissertations .
Components and Structure:
- A good literature review involves scanning, making notes, structuring, writing, and building a bibliography.
- It should describe, summarize, evaluate, clarify, interpret, and synthesize information from various sources without adding new knowledge .
Academic Skills and Benefits:
- Writing a literature review requires research, careful reading, analysis, synthesis of theories and findings, and making organized arguments.
- It helps develop detailed knowledge about a topic and recognizes the dynamic nature of scholarship.
Role in Research:
- Literature reviews are essential in placing a project in the context of existing work, tracing the intellectual progression of a field, and identifying major debates.
- They are influential in directing academic discourse by mapping the state of the art and showing future research prospects.

Conclusion

A literature review is a critical, evaluative, and synthesizing process that summarizes existing research on a specific topic. It serves multiple purposes, including identifying gaps in knowledge, highlighting areas of debate, and providing a foundation for further research. Literature reviews can take various forms and are essential in situating new research within the context of existing scholarship.