Apply the three steps in developing a literature review

A thorough review of literature is an essential component of any research project. We'll delve into the importance of this review, explaining how it helps you situate your research within existing knowledge and identify potential research gaps. 

WHAT IS THE REVIEW OF LITERATURE? 

The review of literature is usually a standard topic of the research report, thesis or dissertation. It is an account of the research done in the field of study. The review forms an important topic in a thesis or dissertation, where its purpose is to provide the background to and justification for the research undertaken. The review would usually consist of empirical studies done in the area being investigated. It also includes theoretical positions or proposals related to the study, which are not necessarily empirical in nature.  

What is the aim of the literature review? The aim of the literature review is to show what has been done in the field and how your study relates to earlier research. It also indicates the approaches, the samples used, the variables examined, the statistical procedure used and most important of all, the findings obtained. The review gives an overview of the findings of various previous studies. The review traces the general patterns of the findings and the conclusions that can be made based on the findings.  

It also provides an insight into how your study is similar or different from previous studies. For example; is your study an extension of what others have done? Are you examining variables that have not been attended to in earlier studies? Are you attempting to replicate earlier studies in a different cultural context? Are you applying statistical procedures that have not been attempted by others? 

The review of literature requires you to locate, read and evaluate reports of research, as well as, reports of opinions and proposals. The review must be extensive and thorough because you are aiming to obtain a detailed account of the topic being studied.   

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE REVIEW OF LITERATURE 

Why is review of literature important? The review of literature is an important part of the research process because:  

(a) It forms the basis of any research and puts your work into perspective; 

(b) It gives an understanding of previous work that has been done (seminal works in the field); and 

(c) It familiarises you with the personalities doing research in the field and to demonstrate that you can access such works. 

The review of literature helps the student in delimiting the research problem by setting the parameters. By setting the limits of your study, you avoid being questioned “why didn’t you do this or do that?” You can confidently reply that your study is confined to studying what you had set out to study. Delimiting the research problem can be achieved if you read extensively and intensively the problem you plan to investigate and from the literature specify clearly what you want to study. 

The literature also provides insight into the approaches and methodologies adopted by different researchers. A common mistake made by learners is to pay attention only to the findings of studies. Besides findings, learners should also examine the methodologies used. There could be unique approaches adopted which you might want to replicate in the Malaysian context. For example, in most studies reviewed the sample used tended to be university students and your study is an attempt to use secondary school students, which could be a unique contribution to the field, because it is different. 

Some of the research studies include a section on “recommendations for further research” which indicates whether you are on the right track in studying something that has not been explored before. These suggestions are significant because they express the insight of the researcher after having studied the phenomenon. 

There are three steps in developing a literature review, which are: 

Step 1: Select a Research Topic 

Step 2: Collect and Read the Relevant Articles 

Step 3: Write the Review 

Now, let’s watch this video on the three steps mentioned above.