This paper is designed for academic researchers to understand the concept of a literature review, types of literature review and basic elements of literature review. Hope those piece of work would highly assist who indeed of research. All research starts with sound literature review. The purpose of a literature review is to provide a foundation of knowledge on the topic. Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication and give credit to other researchers. Identify inconstancies: gaps in research, conflicts in previous studies, open questions left from other research. Most of the researchers face difficulty in a review of past studies.
Table of Contents
1. What is Literature review?
1.1 Purpose of literature review
1.2 Types of literature review
1.3 Structure of sound literature review
2. Function of Literature Review
3. Empirical and Theoretical Review
3.1 Theoretical Review
3.2 Empirical Review
4.4 Summary
Objectives and Topics
The primary goal of this guide is to provide researchers with a comprehensive understanding of the literature review process, detailing its foundational role in academic inquiry, its core functions, and the methodological distinctions between theoretical and empirical reviews to ensure rigorous research design.
- The conceptual definition and academic purpose of a literature review.
- Methodologies for structuring sound and critical reviews.
- The distinction and significance of theoretical versus empirical review approaches.
- Strategies for identifying research gaps and establishing a conceptual framework.
- Best practices for maintaining objectivity, transparency, and replicability in research.
Excerpt from the Book
1. What is Literature review?
Literature review is commonly using term in research world and key component of any research work. In literature review, there are two words available, which are literature and review. The word literature commonly known as pieces of writing that are valued as works. Meantime, review means the comparative study or analysing the past available information. So the word literature review its self has the meaning of comparative analysis of past or existing piece of written work. There are many definition advanced by many authors. The common understanding for literature review is a critical assessment by the researcher of the prevailing body of knowledge on the theme or problem under inquiry.
Further, as cited by Uma and Roger (2016) literature review is “the collection of existing documents (both published and unpublished) on the topic, which comprise information, ideas, data and evidence written from a specific standpoint to fulfill certain aims or express certain views on the nature of the topic and how it is to be examined, and the effective evaluation of these documents in relation to the research being proposed” (Hart, 1998). This definition has included several concept which comes under literature review. Literature review gives the current and updated knowledge about the study phenomenon. Literature review permits the researchers to enter into a critical engagement with the existing theories, concepts, analysis, information and relevant authors.
Summary of Chapters
1. What is Literature review?: This chapter defines the core concepts of literature review and emphasizes its role as a critical assessment of existing knowledge to establish a research foundation.
1.1 Purpose of literature review: This section identifies the key objectives of a review, such as setting the research background, defining study limits, and identifying knowledge gaps.
1.2 Types of literature review: This part outlines distinct methodological approaches to reviewing literature, including systematic reviews, meta-analysis, and integrative reviews.
1.3 Structure of sound literature review: This section provides a procedural framework for clustering, thematic organization, and logical justification of knowledge gaps.
2. Function of Literature Review: This chapter details the multi-faceted functions of a review, including providing research context, acknowledging previous contributions, and building a conceptual model.
3. Empirical and Theoretical Review: This chapter introduces the two primary categories of review, explaining the necessity of both for academic research.
3.1 Theoretical Review: This section explores how theories forecast or clarify phenomena and the importance of selecting appropriate theories to guide research variables.
3.2 Empirical Review: This section discusses the evaluation of findings based on actual scientific testing, emphasizing characteristics like objectivity and replicability.
4.4 Summary: This concluding chapter synthesizes the main components of the guide, reinforcing the necessity of reviewing past literature to become an expert in the field.
Keywords
Literature Review, Research Methodology, Empirical Review, Theoretical Review, Conceptual Framework, Research Gap, Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, Research Objective, Scientific Inquiry, Academic Knowledge, Data Analysis, Replicability, Theory Building, Research Design
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental purpose of this work?
The work serves as a comprehensive guide for researchers to understand the definition, structure, and functions of a literature review in an academic context.
What are the central thematic areas covered?
The guide covers the definition of literature review, its key purposes, different types of reviews, and the structural differences between empirical and theoretical approaches.
What is the primary goal of conducting a literature review as described?
The primary goal is to map and assess existing academic knowledge to identify research gaps, justify the necessity of a study, and provide a solid theoretical foundation.
Which scientific methods are primarily discussed?
The text focuses on methodologies such as systematic reviews, meta-analysis, and integrative reviews, highlighting the importance of objective and replicable processes.
What is addressed in the main body of the work?
The main body treats the procedural aspects of structuring a review, the functional utility for the researcher, and specific analytical requirements for both empirical and theoretical studies.
How are the keywords defined?
The keywords relate to the technical components of research, specifically those required to construct a valid scientific argument and valid study methodology.
How does a theoretical review differ from an empirical review?
A theoretical review focuses on understanding and analyzing existing theories to build a conceptual framework, whereas an empirical review analyzes past research findings based on standardized data testing.
Why is "avoiding the reinvention of the wheel" a key point in the text?
The text emphasizes that a thorough literature review allows researchers to build upon existing knowledge rather than duplicating past efforts, thus ensuring that new research contributes something unique.
What characteristics ensure an empirical literature review is sound?
The text identifies systematic observation, objectivity, and transparency/replicability as the three core characteristics required for a rigorous empirical review.
- Quote paper
- Farwis Mahrool (Author), 2020, Research Methodology. A Guide for a Literature Review, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/947576
