2. Review of Literature
• How other scholars have written about
this topic.
• The range of theories used to analyze
materials or data
• How other scholars connect their specific
research topics to larger issues,
questions, or practices within the field.
• The best methodologies and research
techniques for this particular topic.
Writing the literature review allows you to understand:
3. Review of Literature:
Rhetorical Functions
• Situates the current study within a wider
disciplinary conversation.
• Illustrates the uniqueness, importance of and
need for the particular project.
• Justifies methodological choices.
• Demonstrates familiarity with the topic and
appropriate approaches to studying it.
4. An Effective Literature Review should
• Flesh out the background of the study.
• Critically assess important research trends or areas of
interest.
• Identify potential gaps in knowledge.
• Establish a need for current and/or future research projects.
5. Tips on drafting a literature review
• Categorize the literature into recognizable topic
clusters:
– stake out the various positions that are relevant to your
project,
– build on conclusions that lead to your project, or
– demonstrate the places where the literature is lacking.
• Avoid “Smith says X, Jones says Y” literature reviews.
• Avoid including all the studies on the subject.
• Avoid polemics (forceful verbal or written argument),
praise, and blame.
6. Writing Literature Reviews: Key Point
• We are entering a scholarly conversation
already in progress. The literature review
shows that we’ve been listening and that
we’ve something valuable to say.
• After assessing the literature in our field,
we would be able to answer the following
questions:
– Why should we study (further) this research
topic/problem?
– What contributions will our study make to the
existing literature?
7. Literature Review: Example #1
• Barkat A et al. tried to identify the relative importance of
the factors affecting the first two of the “three-delays
model” proposed by Maine D7
. He showed that the first
two delays are related with the social, economic, illness
characteristics and the mechanical hindrances which
largely affect the outcome of pregnancy but the third one
is related only with quality of care. So, efforts should be
given over the first two of the three delays to achieve a
safe pregnancy outcome.
• (Barkat et al. 1997).
8. Literature Review: Example #2
• To evaluate the possible link between total abdominal
hysterectomy (TAH) and the subsequent appearance of
urinary symptoms, Langer et al. (1989) conducted a
prospective study among 156 patients waiting for total
abdominal hysterectomy for non-malignant
gynaecologic conditions. Clinically, they found no
symptoms of frequency, nocturia, urgency, urge
incontinence and stress incontinence in the entire group
at 4 months post-operatively. Finally they concluded
that urinary dysfunction should not be a consequence of
an uncomplicated TAH for benign conditions.
• (Langer et al. 1989)
9. Bibliography & Appendices
• Include a working bibliography of key texts
that inform your study and methodology.
• Your appendices may include Experiment
Diagrams, Permissions for Human Subject
Testing, etc.
• Both bibliographies and required appendices
tend to be discipline specific: know what the
requirements are.
10. Bibliography & Appendices
• Include a working bibliography of key texts
that inform your study and methodology.
• Your appendices may include Experiment
Diagrams, Permissions for Human Subject
Testing, etc.
• Both bibliographies and required appendices
tend to be discipline specific: know what the
requirements are.
