Review of Related Literature

Review of Related Literature

Meaning

            Literature review is a comprehensive summary of previous research on a topic.  The literature review surveys scholarly articles, books, dissertations, conference proceedings and other resources which are relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory and provides context for a dissertation by identifying past research.

            It should give a theoretical base for the research and helps to determine the nature of the research.  It involves the systematic identification, location and analysis of documents containing information related to the research problem.  The term is also used to describe the written component of a research plan or report that discusses the reviewed documents.

A literature review is usually written as a part of postgraduate thesis proposal or at the beginning of a dissertation.  It gives an overview of the area of study: what has already been said on the topic:  who the key writers are, what the prevailing theories are and hypotheses are; what questions are being asked; and what methodologies are appropriate and useful.

Definition                                      

            "The review of the literature provides the background and context for the research problem. It should establish the need for the research and indicate that the writer is knowledgeable about the area." (Wiersma, 1995)

            It shares with the reader the results of other studies that are closely related to the study being reported.  (Fraenkel & Wallen, 1990)

"The selection of available documents and the effective evaluation of these documents in relation to the research being proposed.” (Hart, 2003)