Literature Review can be seen as a survey or detailed yet brief analysis of the studies used for developing the Masters’ Dissertation or PhD Thesis. It provides an overview of the studies and researches conducted previously on a topic similar to the current research topic and helps in answering the research questions raised for the current study. But how can it become the backbone of your dissertation paper?
A literature review performs the four significant tasks to provide support and solid foundation to your research:
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Highlighting The Current Status Of The Research Topic
A literature review goes through the past research and studies as well. After understanding and going through several studies which are related to the current topic including journals, articles, research papers, data analysis and so on, literature review clearly provides the updates on the status. The findings and implications of these studies are brought together to put the light on the relevance of the topic choice.
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Coming Across The Experts On The Topic
Going through several studies from the past, it also makes it easier to explore through researchers who have conducted multiple research on the related topic. Finding out the experts on the topic can help you to choose the research work of those researchers who have spent much more time in research and exploring the particular topic than the ones who have just conducted one or two researches. The ones with more studies and more mentions in the references are obviously more reliable in terms of authenticity and reliability of the content for you to choose.
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Identifying The Research Questions Which Are Still Unanswered
Not all researchers think alike which can also enable you to highlight the points which remained in the background while going through the earlier studies. Moreover, it is possible that with time and advancements in the research tools and techniques, a more detailed research can be conducted for your dissertation topic, raising new questions and pointing out the research gaps which were not addressed from every aspect. Identifying the unanswered questions can open up new possibilities and limitations to the research, making it more specific and precise.
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Determining The Most Accurate Methodologies
Literature Review also helps in choosing the most dependable and relevant research methodology for collecting information. This happens by going through the previous studies and seeing how the different research methodologies affect the results and conclusions derived for those studies. The one which led to a more accurate result and which kept the research gap to the minimum becomes the most relevant for determining the research methodology for the current research as well.
A lIterature review provides a critically evaluated description of the studies which are done in the chosen research area. This sets the foundation for the choice of topic and identifies that the current work is not copying the already done research work in the past as well. Also, It enables the scholars to avoid the mistakes made by the researchers who conducted research on the same or similar topic prior to them. With the new questions, new possibilities and new conclusions can be drawn making your dissertation significantly improving the scope of the study.