Literature Review

One of the mistakes you can make when writing a research paper is the failure to conduct a literature survey. A literature survey involves gathering or collecting information that is relevant to your field of specialization. Although you do not require to present an analysis in the literature review chapter, it is important that you possess critical analysis skills. Analysis skills guide you in the direction your research will take.

The purpose of conducting a literature review

The information collected during a literature survey helps to place your research into context and the significance of that literature in the research assignment.

Through conducting a literature review, you are able to establish a contextual framework for your research, define key terms for your study, and identify sources that support your position or your argument.

The literature review helps the researcher to narrow down on a specific perspective for the research activity. Through addressing a particular aspect of research, you are able to provide a satisfactory answer to the research question.

An intensive literature survey help in identifying areas that researches have already been done, thereby making sure there is no duplication of researches.

When conducted following the correct methods, a literature review reduces biases in determining the research that will be conducted.

A literature review is a fast way of making discoveries for example inconsistency or inconsistency of previously done researches. The contrast can help you in generating a thesis statement.

The irony

Although a literature review is supposed to help shed light and create a link between the past studies and the intended research, some argue that literature review is subjective instead of objective. This is so because research could choose to focus on sources that support his/her point of view.