LITERATURE REVIEW

M.G.ISWARIYA [11MAT03] G.JANANI [11MAT04] II M. Tech ATM

Definition
A literature review is a body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge including substantive findings as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic. Literature reviews are secondary sources, and as such, do not report any new or original experimental work.

 A literature review is a summary of research that has been published about a particular subject. It provides the reader with an idea about the current situation in terms of what has been done, and what we know. Sometimes it includes suggestions about what needs to be done to increase the knowledge and understanding of a particular problem.

 A well-structured literature review is characterized by a logical flow of ideas; current and relevant references with consistent, appropriate referencing style; proper use of terminology; and an unbiased and comprehensive view of the previous research on the topic. Literature reviews provide you with a handy guide to a particular topic. For professionals, they are useful reports that keep them up to date with what is current in the field.

 For scholars, the depth and breadth of the literature review emphasizes the credibility of the writer in his or her field. Literature reviews also provide a solid background for a research paper's investigation. Comprehensive knowledge of the literature of the field is essential to most research papers.

Purpose
Although literature reviews may vary according to discipline, their overall goal is similar. A literature review serves as a compilation of the most significant sources on a subject and relates the findings of each of these sources in a rational manner while supporting the literature review authors own thesis. A literature review establishes which sources are most relevant to its authors point and which sources are most credible to the discipline at hand.

 It relates a study to the larger, ongoing dialogue in literature about the topic, filling the gaps and extending prior studies. It provides a comprehensive outlook about his area of research. It is helpful to design your study and revise and extend your research design. It is helpful to frame the hypotheses and guide you to frame the objectives of your study. It is helpful to write research proposals.

Importance of review of literature

MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS
Fix the time limit and ensure to complete the literature search and move on. The researcher must not be so specific in his/her search. In addition, it is his/her duty and responsibility for identifying, retrieving, and reviewing those studies, which are very CLOSE to his/her study. Understand the available literature in print and non-print media. While full-text database are convenient and save time, the literature needs to be comprehensive and that will involve indexing and abstracting services and the use of Inter Library Loan (ILL). It is worthy to note that many of the researcher unaware the concept of ILL facilities.

Strategies for writing the literature review

Find a focus Construct a working thesis statement Consider organization

4 Sections
1) Introduction: Introduce your topic and briefly explain why this is a significant or important area for study. Define terms if necessary. 2) Summary of articles: In a paragraph or two for each study, briefly explain the purpose, how it was conducted (how information was gathered), and the major findings.
When referring to an article, use the last name of author or authors and date of publication in the text.

 3) Conclusion: Briefly summarize the major findings of the studies chosen. Comments about what questions need to still be answered may be included. 4) References: List the studies used on a separate page according to APA style format.

Process
1. Find several articles that deal with your research topic. Sometimes it is helpful to review the bibliography of one of the first scholarly sources that you encounter and compare it to the bibliographies of other sources on the topic. If the same source is listed within several of these bibliographies, it is probably a fundamental, credible source that will aid you in your review.

3. Once you begin reviewing, make an entry with complete bibliographical information and comments for each work that you are going to include in the review. 4. Compare the articles by evaluating the similarities and differences among them. This will be the initial stage in the formulation of your thesis. 5. Form a thesis that is clearly written and can be logically supported by the literature you will include in your review. 6. View the articles briefly again and jot down any notes that seem to relate to your thesis. 7. Decide which organizational pattern and format arc best for the topic of your review. 8. Construct an appropriate outline for the literature review. 9. Write an introduction that introduces the topic, reveals your thesis statement, and arranges key issues.

10. Organize and write the body of your paper according to the appropriate format: topical or chronological. 11. Write a conclusion that reconciles similarities and differences on the topic and reemphasizes the criteria used to arrive at this conclusion. 12. Complete the final draft of the literature review. 13. Cheek over the final draft for grammar and punctuation errors. 14. Use the checklist provided here to make sure that all parts of the literature review are addressed and focused.

Organizing the body

Once you have the basic categories in place, then you must consider how you will present the sources themselves within the body of your paper. Create an organizational method to focus this section even further
Chronological By publication By trend Thematic Methodological

Thank you