How to write a literature review fast I write a lit review fast!

Summary

This video provides a simple six-step guide to writing a literature review for a dissertation or research project. It explains the importance of understanding the existing research, how to search and evaluate sources, and organize them into an annotated bibliography. The video also covers methods for structuring the literature review, such as chronological, thematic, or methodological approaches. By the end of the process, you'll know how to write a well-organized literature review that showcases your understanding of the field and identifies gaps in existing research, setting the stage for your own study.

Takeaways

• 😀 A literature review is a critical summary of existing research on your specific topic.
• 📚 A literature review helps you demonstrate your knowledge of the field and ensures your research is taken seriously.
• 🔍 Performing a literature review can also help identify gaps in existing research, guiding your study focus.
• 🌍 For example, you might find that research on a topic is abundant in one region but lacking in another, helping you narrow your focus.
• ✍️ Your literature review should not simply repeat existing research; it must contribute new knowledge or fill a research gap.
• 💡 A literature review also helps avoid redundant research by clarifying what has already been studied.
• 🔑 Step 1: Search for relevant literature by using keywords and phrases in scholarly databases like Google Scholar, PubMed, or ScienceDirect.
• 📊 Step 2: Evaluate and select sources by scanning results and saving relevant articles, noting their citation counts to gauge their importance.
• 🗂️ Step 3: File your sources in a reference management tool like Mendeley, ensuring that you organize the documents for easy access.
• 📝 Step 4: Create an annotated bibliography by summarizing each source, noting study methods, results, and your critical analysis.
• 📅 Step 5: Organize your literature review by choosing a structure—chronologically, thematically, methodologically, or by theoretical approach.
• 🖋️ Step 6: Write your literature review, ensuring it includes an introduction, main body, and conclusion, synthesizing the key points from your sources.

Q & A

What is a literature review?

A literature review is a critical recap of existing research on a specific, narrow topic. It helps researchers develop knowledge of the field, identify gaps in the research, and justify the relevance of their own study.

Why is a literature review important in academic writing?

A literature review is essential because it demonstrates a researcher's understanding of the field, identifies key contributors, and shows where their study fits within the existing body of knowledge. Without it, the research may lack credibility.

How can a literature review help focus a research study?

By reviewing existing research, a literature review can reveal areas where there is a lack of study or under-explored topics. This can help researchers focus their study on specific gaps, such as geographical or thematic areas that have not been well-researched.

What is the first step in conducting a literature review?

The first step is to search for relevant literature by identifying keywords or phrases related to your topic. These keywords can then be used in scholarly databases like Google Scholar or PubMed to find articles, journals, or books.

How should you evaluate and select sources for a literature review?

Scan through search results, typically the first 100 results, and select the most relevant sources based on their titles. It's important to save the relevant articles and keep track of key details like the author, title, and citation count.

What role do citations play when evaluating sources?

Citations indicate how often a study has been referenced by other scholars. A higher number of citations often suggests the study is influential in the field. However, newer studies may have fewer citations due to their recent publication.

How should you organize and store the literature you find?

Once you have found relevant literature, it's important to organize it using a system like Excel. You can track key information such as the date, author, and title, and save the documents using reference management tools like Mendeley.

What is an annotated bibliography and how is it created?

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources with brief summaries of each, including the study's design, methods, results, and conclusions. It also includes your critical analysis of the source, such as how the study's results compare to others.

What are the different ways to organize a literature review?

A literature review can be organized in several ways: chronologically, by themes, by methods, or by theoretical models used. The choice of organization depends on the research topic and the relationships between the sources.

What should be included in the structure of a literature review?

A literature review should include an introduction that explains the purpose of the review, a main body that discusses the relevant literature, and a conclusion that summarizes the key findings and suggests areas for future research.