Conducting Literature Reviews

• Understanding the Purpose: A literature review provides a comprehensive overview

of existing scholarly works relevant to your research topic. It helps establish the context,
identify gaps, and justify the need for your study.
• Identifying Relevant Sources: Begin by defining your research question or topic. Then,
systematically search for academic articles, books, conference proceedings, and other relevant
sources. Utilize databases like PubMed, Google Scholar, or academic libraries to access
scholarly literature.
• Evaluating Sources: Assess the credibility, relevance, and quality of the sources you
find. Consider factors like author credentials, publication venue, methodology, and currency of
the research. Select sources that contribute meaningfully to your understanding of the topic.
• Organizing Your Review: Structure your literature review in a coherent manner. You
can organize it chronologically to trace the historical development of the topic, thematically to
explore different aspects, or methodologically to examine various research approaches.
• Synthesizing Information: Analyse and synthesize the findings from different sources.
Identify common themes, conflicting viewpoints, and emerging trends within the literature.
Highlight connections between studies and gaps that your research aims to address.
• Writing the Review: Write your literature review using clear, concise, and scholarly
language. Provide an introduction that outlines the scope and purpose of the review, followed
by a systematic presentation of the literature, and a conclusion that summarizes key findings
and suggests avenues for future research.
• Citing Sources Properly: Ensure proper citation of all sources referenced in your
literature review. Follow the citation style specified by your academic institution or publication
guidelines (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). Accurate referencing gives credit to the original authors
and strengthens the credibility of your work.
• Revising and Updating: Continuously revise and update your literature review as you
progress with your research. Stay informed about new publications and developments in your
field to keep your review current and relevant.
Remember, a well-conducted literature review forms the foundation of a robust research study
and demonstrates your understanding of the existing scholarly discourse on your topic.