Blog on Structure of literature review

Literature review:

When we survey on a specific topic for presenting current or scientific based knowledge as well as methodological contribution to this specific topic. In simple words, we can say that it is a scholarly paper in which we see our topic in depth. We have to analyze our topic in the literature review. The length of a literature review usually consists of 20 pages of a full chapter in thesis and dissertation. But if you are a student and you have been assigned an assignment then the literature review consists of few pages.

The main purpose of the literature review is to get an understanding of currently happening research. We present knowledge for the audience's understandings in written form. We need information related to our topic we can take information from books, articles. Now the question is how to write a good literature review? We can write a literature review by using a well-organized format but if you want to write a good literature review you have to use the following points:

·         You have to give arguments and reasons for proceeding to a conclusion.

·         Don't simply summarize articles that are relevant to your particular topic, you have to use these articles as reasons.

·         Your written report should have to show signs of synthesis.

·         Make sure that the literature review is understandable for your audience.

Structure of literature review:

We can write a literature review by using the following structure:

1) Choose a topic:

Firstly you have to choose your topic if you want to write a literature review but you have been assigned any topic then take your topic for defining your research question.

2) Collect your data:

If you are working in a higher section and you have to write a best and lengthy literature review of a particular topic you have to use the following sources for data collection:

·         Observations are also a source of information for your literature review.

·         History-based information.

·         By conducting interviews you can get a lot of information.

·         The questionnaire can be used for gathering information.

·         Surveys and focus groups are also used for data collection.

3) Draw a rough outline for your literature review:

You have to brainstorm here for organizing an outline of the literature review. First of all, you have to define your topic and use a research question for your literature review. Now write important reasons and arguments, you can also use your point of view. Write important information and decide what is included and what is not being included in your literature review. This is a rough idea for writing a literature review. This rough outline will help you in writing a literature review.

4) Organization of your paper:

You can use three different methods for the organization of your data. We can organize our literature review in following arrangements of data format

·         Arrange events by time: You have to mention your history-based information to their occurrence of time. Like you have information related to your topic of the years 1968 and 1969. When you are writing this information firstly you have to write the information of 1968 and then 1969.

·         Thematically: You can organize your data in grouped by topic means you have to put all similar data together. Suppose you have three topics as fruits, advantages of fruits and vegetables. The first two topics are similar you have to write together because of the same theme.

·         Procedures: You can organize your data in a specific method like any experiment that was happening have a sequence and reasons. You have to follow this sequence when you are writing a literature review.

4) Purpose:

When you start writing the literature review of your topic you have to mention your purpose first. You can write your research question in this part.

5) History:

Write an overview of your research topic. If you have to collect background information about your topic you can write here.

6) Procedure:

You have to describe the evaluation of your research in this part step by step by using any type of method mentioned above.

7) Body paragraph:

You have to analyze completely your research topic in this section. Discuss similar themes and make a comparison between them. If you have questions for further research you can also mention these questions in this section. You can introduce some issues related to your research topic and then give suggestions for these issues.

8) Conclusion:

In this section, you have to summarize your topic and evaluate your literature review. You have to write your research question in this section and then give answers to your question by using your current findings. You have to conclude your research topic here. The conclusion should be complete and concise.

9) References:

You can give reference to the research articles, papers, and websites that you are used for discussing the topic. If readers need more information about the research topic they can visit these research articles and get more information for their understanding.