This document provides guidance on writing the literature review chapter of a thesis. It explains that the purpose of a literature review is to 1) orient the reader within the scholarly conversation on the topic, 2) demonstrate the author's knowledge of key findings and authors, and 3) identify a gap in the existing research that the study will address. It emphasizes developing a substantive literature review to establish credibility and avoid duplicating past work. The document recommends structuring the literature review thematically rather than author-by-author and critically evaluating the state of the field.

1. Writing your
literature review chapter
Noma Dumezweni
UCT Writing Centre
2017

2. Writing the literature review chapter
What is the purpose of conducting a literature review and including
it in your thesis?
• Educate & orient yourself within a scholarly conversation
• Demonstrate your knowledge of the field & key authors/findings
 establish your credibility as a scholar
• Update your reader on the state of the art in the field Not
reinventing the wheel.
• Determines originality of the study
• Identify the gap you will be addressing  argue for the relevance
& significance of your project
• Develops theoretical framework

4. “A substantive, thorough, sophisticated literature
review is a precondition for doing substantive,
thorough, sophisticated research.”
Boote & Beile, 2005, 3
Literature review chapter creates a strong impression of you as
a scholar  influences how your examiner reads the rest of
your thesis

6. Bloom’s (1956) taxonomy of cognitive operations
Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
Applied to writing literature
reviews by Granello (2001)

8. Bottom line
• Explicit chapter structure
• Do not structure author-by author -- synthesize the literature
according to themes / issues
• Critically evaluate the state of the field (ideas and methods).
• Clearly identify the gaps / opportunities that your research
addresses

11. Thank you & Good luck!

12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBYfFZUo
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RCFLobf
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