How To Write A Dissertation Literature Review?
How To Write A Dissertation Literature Review?
The literature review is the second chapter of your dissertation and it surveys the relevant sources that have been published on your topic. It should:
- Identify and evaluate the main theories, concepts, models, frameworks, methods, findings, arguments, debates, etc. that are related to your research question and objectives.
- Synthesize and analyze the similarities, differences, gaps, limitations, strengths, weaknesses, etc. among the sources and show how they relate to each other and your research.
- Demonstrate your critical understanding of the existing literature and show how it informs, supports, or challenges your research.
To write a dissertation literature review, you can follow these steps:
- Conduct a comprehensive search of the sources that are relevant to your topic using various databases, catalogs, indexes, search engines, etc. You can use various criteria (such as currency, relevance, quality, authority, etc.) to select and evaluate the sources that you find.
- Organize the sources according to themes, categories, patterns, trends, perspectives, etc. that emerge from your analysis. You can use various strategies (such as outlining, mapping, grouping, etc.) to structure and arrange the sources logically and coherently.
- Write a summary of each source that highlights its main points, purpose, methods, findings, implications, etc. You can use various techniques (such as paraphrasing, quoting, citing, etc.) to integrate the sources into your writing and acknowledge their authors.
- Write a synthesis of the sources that compares and contrasts them and shows how they relate to each other and your research question and objectives. You can use various transitions (such as however, moreover, therefore, etc.) to connect and link the sources smoothly and clearly.
- Write a critical analysis of the sources that evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, identify any gaps or limitations in the existing literature, and explain how your research fills them or addresses them.
