· Step 1: Search for relevant literature. Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic. If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions · One common way to approach a literature review is to start out broad and then become more specific. Think of it as an inverted triangle: First briefly explain the broad issues related to your investigation; you don't need to write much about this, just demonstrate that Author: Sarah Britland · A literature review is a summary of studies related to a particular area of research. A literature review is used in the introduction and discussion of your manuscripts. It is important to note that there are differences in how literature reviews should be presented in each section
Literature Review Examples - A Guide to Writing
Before getting started on sourcing and reviewing the background literature for a research project, it is important to understand the role that a literature review plays in the research process, and how it can be helpful later on for placing your own findings in context.
Knowing the job that a literature review does means you can be more targeted and systematic in literature review how to start literature searching. The guidance on this page will explain what literature review how to start need to know about the purpose of a literature review and how to begin scoping your search. New discoveries don't materialise out of nowhere; they build upon the findings of previous experiments and investigations.
A literature review shows how the investigation you are conducting fits with what has gone before and puts it into context. If you are doing a thesis, dissertation, literature review how to start, or a long report it is likely that you will need to include a literature review.
If you are doing a lab write-up or a shorter report, some background reading may be required to give context to your work, but this is usually included as an analysis in the introduction and discussion sections. A literature review is a select analysis of existing research which is relevant to your topic, showing how it relates to your investigation.
It explains and justifies how your investigation may help answer some of the questions or gaps in this area of research. A literature review is not a straightforward summary of everything you have read on the topic and it is not a chronological description of what was discovered in your field. A longer literature review may have headings to help group the relevant research into themes or topics.
This gives a focus to your analysis, as you can group similar studies together and compare and contrast their approaches, any weaknesses or strengths in their methods, and their findings.
One common way to approach a literature review is to start out broad and then become more specific. Think of it as an inverted triangle:. Start by identifying what you will need to know to inform your research:.
Note down all your initial thoughts on the topic. You can use a spidergram or list to help you identify the areas you want to investigate further. It is important to do this before you start reading so that you don't waste time on unfocussed and irrelevant reading. It's easy to think that the best way to search for texts is to use the Internet - to 'Google it', literature review how to start. There are useful online tools that you may use, like Google Scholar.
However, for most literature reviews you will need to focus on academically authoritative texts like academic books, journals, research reports, government publications. Searching Google will give you thousands of hits, few of them authoritative, and you will waste time sorting through them.
A better idea is to use databases, literature review how to start. These are available through the Library in paper and electronic usually online forms. See the Library's guides to searching databases. The suggestions here will help you to improve your search techniques for books, journal articles and other texts, not just on databases, but also in the Library catalogue and in literature review how to start searches.
There is also a video on Doing your literature search. Links below. Use journal articles: They normally have the most up-to-date research and you will be expected to refer to them in your literature review. The Library has a guide on finding journal articles. The Library also has an Academic Liaison Librarian for each subject and guides to finding information in your subject.
You may find review articles that survey developments in your field. These are very useful for identifying relevant sources - but do go back to the original texts and develop your own critical analysis if possible.
Another good way to find sources is to look at the reference lists in articles or books already identified as relevant to your topic. You will be expected to prioritise recent research, literature review how to start, but it's also important to acknowledge the standard texts literature review how to start your field.
An easy way to identify these is to check reference lists to see which texts are frequently cited. Unlike undergraduates, you will be expected to focus on the most up-to-date research. This may include theses, conference papers and 'grey literature'. The Library has useful tips for keeping up-to-date in your area of research. It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older.
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Library LibGuides Literature reviews Starting your literature review Search this Guide Search. Literature reviews Expert guidance from Study Advice at the University of Literature review how to start. Home Starting your literature review Introduction Why write a literature review? What is a literature review? How do I get started? Searching for sources Undertaking your literature review Developing your literature review Writing systematic reviews Useful links for literature reviews Study Advice Guide: Literature Reviews Download a printable PDF version of this guide, literature review how to start.
Study Advice Helping students to achieve study success with guides, video tutorials, seminars and one-to-one advice sessions. Doing your literature review video Watch this brief video tutorial for more on the topic. Doing your literature review transcript Read along while watching the video tutorial. Literature searching A guide to finding articles, books and other materials on your subject. Doing your literature search - University of Reading Brief video on literature seacrhing from the Library.
Royal Literary Fund: Writing a Literature Review A guide to writing literature reviews from the Royal Literary Fund. What it means to be a critical student A brief and very useful video tutorial from the University of Leicester. Reading and notemaking LibGuide Expert literature review how to start on managing your reading and making effective notes.
Dissertations and literature review how to start projects LibGuide Expert guidance on planning, researching and writing dissertations and literature review how to start projects. Why write a literature review? A literature review demonstrates to your reader that you are able to: Understand and critically analyse the background research Select and source the information that is necessary to develop a context for your research It also: Shows how your investigation relates to previous research Reveals the contribution that your investigation makes to this field fills a gap, or builds on existing research, for instance Provides evidence that may help explain your findings later If you are doing a thesis, dissertation, or a long report it is likely that you will need to include a literature review.
Think of it as an inverted triangle: First briefly explain the broad issues related to your investigation; you don't need to write much about this, literature review how to start, just demonstrate that you are aware of the breadth of your subject.
Then narrow your focus to deal with the studies that overlap with your research. Finally, hone in on any research which is directly related to your specific investigation. Proportionally you spend most time discussing those studies which have most direct relevance to your research. Start by identifying what you will need to know to inform your research: What research has already been done on this topic? What are the sub-areas of the topic you need to explore?
What other research perhaps not directly on the topic might be relevant to your investigation? How do these sub-topics and other research overlap with your investigation?
Searching for sources It's easy to think that the best way to search for texts is to use the Internet - to 'Google it'. Top tip: See the Library's guides to searching databases, literature review how to start. Postgraduates: Unlike undergraduates, you will be expected to focus on the most up-to-date research.
Guide to searching databases Guide from the Library to help you make the most of your database searches. Finding journal articles A guide from the Library about how to find articles for your research. Contact your Academic Liaison Librarian. Subject guides Guides to specialist resources in subjects studied at the University. Keeping up-to-date Library Library guide to keeping up to date with new publications in your subject.
Doing your literature search - University of Reading Short video tutorial on literature searching from the Library. Report a problem. Understand and critically literature review how to start the background research Select and source the information that is necessary to develop a context for your research.
Shows how your investigation relates to previous research Reveals the contribution that your investigation makes to this field fills a gap, or builds on existing research, for instance Provides evidence that may help explain your findings later.
Writing the Literature Review (Part One): Step-by-Step Tutorial for Graduate Students
, time: 5:22How to Get Started on a Literature Review
· The following are guidelines on how to write a literature review: Organize the literature review around key topics of concepts. Use headings or topic sentences to convey your organizational principle. Tell a story about the research · A literature review is a summary of studies related to a particular area of research. A literature review is used in the introduction and discussion of your manuscripts. It is important to note that there are differences in how literature reviews should be presented in each section · One common way to approach a literature review is to start out broad and then become more specific. Think of it as an inverted triangle: First briefly explain the broad issues related to your investigation; you don't need to write much about this, just demonstrate that Author: Sarah Britland
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