How to Write a Literature Review

Usually, for the ones that are asked or advised to start working on the research paper, the good practice is to begin with working on the project-plan. Those who have ever done this know that it is impossible to simply follow the plan created. The reason for that is working on the thesis statement, organizing the paper and writing it in general is very creative work. Nobody can create something if they stick to the plan only, are limited by circumstances or have to perform under boundaries set. As for the literature review, the ones who says it has to be short, logical and objective, they probably have some point to this, but there is something more hidden in there. Because at the same moment you read this statement or come across with this saying, the very fist immediate question arises here naturally: how can we make sure that it is objectively convinces the reader while being full and stays complete? Isnt it? Apart from that, you might have encountered the following questions: what is a literature review? What is a review of literature in general? Reading the below will give you the answers on those two. To start from the beginning, the aim of a literature review is to show your reader (your teacher or supervisor) that you have read about the topic, and have a good understanding of it and made some research on the published work concerning a particular topic or question in your field. While a summary of what you have read is contained within the literature review, it goes the way far than simply summarizing professional literature. It focuses on a specific topic of interest of yours and includes a critical analysis among different works related to the topic, and connecting this research to your work. The purposes of the review are: to determine and narrow the problem you are working on to identify your study in a perspective of other related works to get rid of unnecessary duplication to evaluate and specify research methods to set the correlation of your findings with the previous discovered works propose to make further research A good literature review, therefore, is critical of what has been written, identifies areas of controversy, raises questions and identifies areas which need further research. The literature review should include the following: Objective of the literature review Overview of the subject under consideration. Clear references to sources selected to support your work Specified arguments proofs and particular position Elimination of similarities and differences of the findings made by other people. How to write a good literature review To write a literature review is quite challenging and time consuming work. How to do a literature review? it is a process that consist of preparation work and investigation. How to write a literature review APA formatting and style Your review must be written in a formal, academic style (APA style). Keep your writing clear and concise, avoiding colloquialisms and personal language. While writing a literature review, you should always aim to be objective and respectful of others opinions; this is not the place for emotive language or strong personal opinions. If you thought something was rubbish, use words such as inconsistent, lacking in certain areas or based on false assumptions. When introducing someones opinion, dont use says, but instead an appropriate verb which more accurately reflects this viewpoint, such as argues, claims or states. Use the present tense for general opinions and theories, or the past when referring to specific research or experiments. And remember at all times to avoid plagiarizing your sources. Always separate your source opinions from your own hypothesis, making sure you consistently reference the literature you are referring to. When you are doing your reading and making notes, it might be an idea to use different colors to distinguish between your ideas and those of others. How to write a literature review for a research paper You first need to decide what you need to read firstly. In many cases you will be given a booklist or directed towards areas of useful published work. Make sure you use this help and understand fully what exactly your objectives are and what you need to find out. Before you start reading it may be useful to look for some example of a literature review, compile a list of the main areas and questions involved then read with the purpose of finding out about or answering these. Unless something comes up which is particularly important, stick to this list, as it is very easy to get sidetracked, particularly on the internet. A good literature review needs a clear line of argument. You therefore need to use the critical notes and comments you made whilst doing your reading to express an academic opinion. Make sure that: you include a clear, short introduction which gives an outline of the review. there is always a clear link between your own arguments and the evidence uncovered in your reading. Use quotations if appropriate. you always acknowledge opinions which do not agree with your thesis. To sum it up, a literature review is a search and evaluation of the available literature in your given subject or chosen topic area. It documents the state of the art with respect to the subject or topic you are writing about. A literature review shows your readers that you have an in-depth grasp of your subject; and that you understand where your own research fits into and adds to an existing body of agreed knowledge. All in all, if you are not sure that is doable, our advice is to ask for professional help by ordering a writing from professional services.