Literature Review

What is a literature review?

The 'Literature Review' is the part of the dissertation where there is extensive reference to related research and theory in the field; it is where connections are made between the source texts that you draw on and where you position yourself amongst these sources. It is your opportunity to engage in a written dialogue with researchers in your area whilst at the same time showing that you have engaged with, understood and responded to the relevant body of knowledge underpinning your research.

What are the multiple purposes of a literature review?

Overall, the function of a literature review is to show how related work in the field has shaped and influenced your research. You should aim to use the literature selectively and creatively to provide a stimulus for your own work.

More specifically, the literature can be used for the following purposes:

1. to provide a historical context for your research
2. to give an overview of the current context in which your research is situated
3. to show relevant theories and concepts for your research
4. to provide definitions and relevant terminology for your research
5. to describe related research in the field and how your work extends this or addresses a gap in previous work in the field
6. to provide supporting evidence for a practical problem which your research is addressing

In the dissertation itself, the literature review can be realised in different ways:

1. It may occur in a chapter entitled Literature Review. This chapter is likely to be divided into topic-related sub-sections.
2. The literature review may occur in a chapter or series of chapters with topic-related titles.
3. The literature review may be interwoven throughout the whole dissertation. This is common in library-based research which focuses on a theoretical analysis of texts.