Guidelines for writing Literature Review

What Is A Literature Review?

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A literature review is an appraising description of information found in the literature associated to

your chosen area of research. The literature review illustrates, summarize, appraise and clarify the literature for which you are writing literature review. It should give a hypothetical foundation for the research and helps you establish the nature of your research. Unrelated works are removed completely while the marginal ones are considered critically. Why Writing Literature Reviews? The importance of literature review cannot be denied because it is a review of writing on a subject. The under-mentioned reasons the importance of literature review: a. Literature review helps to find new ways to figure out any ambiguity or flaws in earlier researches. b. A literature review portrays the link of each work to the others. c. Literature review resolves any contradictory findings, or gaps in previous studies. d. Most importantly, literature review leads the way forward for further research. e. It adds the understanding and knowledge of the particular field. A Literature Review Should Cover These 4 Points 1. The literature review discovers the areas of controversy in the literature. 2. The literature review explains how each work is similar to and how it varies from the others. 3. Literature review should be well-structured around and directly linked to the research question you are developing. 4. The literature review should present an overview of the subject, issue or theory under consideration, along with the objectives of the literature review. 6 Crucial Tips On How To Write A Literature Review? Apply these tips to write a good literature review: i. You need to keep entire and exact records and references of what you read and find during research.
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http://www.educationalwriting.net/resource_center/Thesis/Writing/Literature_Review_Writing.htm

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Learn the required citation style. Make notes or summaries of the articles, books journals, papers whatever you read. You must infer and read between the lines when go through any written work. Broaden your vision and develop your own ideas without worrying that it might not be accepted. Just dont be relaxed with copying previous work.

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Divide the literature review into different thematic parts which will help you to focus.

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Read the leading published material and search for the current issues for the latest information.
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viii. ix. x. xi. xii.

Avoid technical terms.

Avoid abbreviations. Use simple sentences. Avoid common errors of punctuation and grammar. Dont use the first person (I, we) rather than use passive voice (it was done, or the author did it.

xiii. xiv.

Link your ideas into a sensible sequence without repetitions or discontinuities. Get feedback on your article from colleagues.

Pattern Write Literature Review: Introduction: Define the topic, together with your reason for selecting the topic. You could also point out overall trends, gaps, particular themes etc. 1. Body: In body, you discuss your sources. There are some way to in which you could organize your discussion: a. Chronologically: For example: If writers' views have a tendency to change over time. There is little point in doing the review by order of publication unless this demonstrates a clear style. b. Thematically:

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Here you can decide particular themes in the literature. For example in the literature review of poverty and disability, the writer can take the themes of the prevalence and structure of disability, education, employment, income and poverty, causes of disability, the path from poverty to disability and vice versa, and finally, policies for disabled people. c. Methodologically In this way, the focus is on the methods of the researcher. For example, qualitative versus quantitative approaches. 2. Conclusion: Summarize the major contributions, evaluating the current position, and pointing out flaws in methodology, gaps in the research, contradictions, and areas for further study. Literature Review Revision
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Have I used suitable number of sources for the length? Have I critically analyzed the literature I use? Have I just summarized the material I read? Does it have my own thoughts and insight? Have I used the citation properly? Will the reader find my literature review appropriate, and useful?