Literature reviews: Tips on how to write a literature review

What is the purpose of a literature review?

Literature reviews mainly serve two purposes:

1. to summarize and evaluate the existing knowledge on a particular topic; or
2. to uncover a research problem for further study.

Conducting a literature review will help you define your hypothesis. It will help you narrow your focus and make your hypothesis more specific.

By looking at what research has already been done in an area, you can determine where your particular problem fits in -- and this will make interpretation of your research results easier.

A literature review is an organized way to research a chosen topic.

1. Select a topic. The topic must be researchable and stated as a well-defined question.
2. Search the literature.
3. Develop the argument. This means you need to decide how to organize and present your case.
4. Survey the literature. You need to synthesize and analyze the evidence to create a logical and defensible conclusion.
5. Critique the literature. The critique interprets the research and explains how current knowledge answers the question you are researching.
6. Write the review.

Remember -- going from a problem to the literature is not a straightforward process. You may have to go back and forth several times before you are satisfied with your topic.