Ah, how to start a literature review – those words will be all too familiar to battle-hardened researchers, but to the rest of us, they may be a bit of a mystery.
Are you a student trying to get ahead of the game with your first literature review? Or are you a professional looking to learn more about literature reviews? If so, then this post is for you.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to start a literature review, the types of sources used in literature reviews, and the benefits of writing them. We’ll also outline the steps for preparing and writing your own literature review.
Read on and let the magic begin!
Literature Reviews – The Researcher’s Friend
A literature review is an essential part of any research project. It is a compilation of all the literature and research related to a particular topic. It is used to provide context and background for a research project. Literature reviews are important for two primary reasons. First, they provide a comprehensive and objective review of the existing literature on a topic. Second, they provide support for any conclusions or hypotheses that may be drawn from the research.
Literature reviews are used in many different fields, including business, education, and the sciences. They are used to provide an overview of a topic and to support the conclusions and hypotheses of a research project.
What is a Literature Review?
A literature review is a critical appraisal of existing research on a particular topic. It is a systematic and comprehensive review of all the published work in a particular field. The purpose of a literature review is to provide an overview of the existing research on a topic, to identify gaps in the literature, and to propose new directions for future research.
The literature review is an important part of the research process and should be conducted thoroughly and objectively. It should include a critical analysis of the existing literature, an evaluation of the research methods used, and an assessment of the quality of the evidence.
Types of Literature Review
There are several different types of literature reviews. They include narrative reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and scoping reviews.
- Narrative reviews are the most common type of literature review. They provide an overview of the existing literature on a topic. Narrative reviews typically include an introduction, a review of the literature, and a conclusion.
- Systematic reviews are more rigorous and comprehensive than narrative reviews. They involve rigorous and systematic searches of the literature and include a critical appraisal of the evidence. Systematic reviews are typically used in clinical research.
- Meta-analyses are reviews that combine the results of multiple studies to evaluate the overall effect of a particular treatment or intervention. Meta-analyses are more rigorous and comprehensive than narrative reviews and systematic reviews.
- Scoping reviews are used to identify the range of research on a particular topic. They are typically used to identify gaps in the literature and to propose new directions for future research.
Sourcing Pieces for Your Review
When conducting a literature review, it is important to use a variety of sources. These sources include journal articles, books, conference proceedings, dissertations, and other academic sources. It is also important to use a variety of search strategies to identify the most relevant and up-to-date sources.
Research papers will probably form the bulk of your literature review, and this is where Audemic can help – simply load any papers you want to use into the app, and you can organise them intuitively to make sourcing a breeze.
It is important to note that not all sources are created equal. Some sources may be more reliable than others. When evaluating sources for your literature review, it is important to consider their credibility, relevance, accuracy, and objectivity.
Benefits of Literature Reviews
Literature reviews are an essential part of any research project. They provide an overview of the existing literature on a topic and can be used to identify gaps in the literature, as well as propose new directions for future research. They also provide support for any conclusions or hypotheses that may be drawn from the research.
Literature reviews can also help researchers save time and money. By conducting a thorough and comprehensive review of the existing literature, researchers can avoid redundant research and save time and money.
How to Start a Literature Review
Now that you understand the purpose and benefits of a literature review, it’s time to learn how to start one. The first step in starting a literature review is to identify a topic. Once you have identified a topic, you can start searching for sources.
When searching for sources, it is important to use a variety of search strategies, such as keyword searches, author searches, and database searches. It is also important to use a variety of sources, such as journal articles, books, conference proceedings, and dissertations.
Preparing for Your Literature Review
Once you have identified and located the sources for your literature review, it is time to start preparing. Before you begin writing, it is important to read and analyse each source. This will help you identify the key points of each source and understand how it contributes to the literature on your topic.
It is also important to organise your sources. This can be done by creating a spreadsheet or using a reference management software, such as Mendeley or Zotero. This will help you keep track of your sources and make it easier to cite them in your literature review.
Did somebody say Zotero? Audemic features Zotero integration, so you can not only organise your sources, but also listen to them when you need a change of pace. Nice, eh?
Searching for Sources for Your Review
Now that you have identified a topic and prepared your sources, it’s time to start searching for additional sources. When searching for sources, it is important to use a variety of search strategies. These search strategies include keyword searches, author searches, database searches, and library catalogue searches.
It is also important to use a variety of sources. These sources include journal articles, books, conference proceedings, dissertations, and other academic sources. It is also important to consider the credibility, relevance, accuracy, and objectivity of each source.
Writing and Structuring Your Literature Review
Once you have identified and located the sources for your literature review, it is time to start writing. When writing your literature review, it is important to keep the structure and organisation in mind. Your literature review should include an introduction, a review of the literature, and a conclusion.
- When writing your introduction, it is important to provide context for your topic. This should include an explanation of the purpose of the literature review and a description of the research question.
- The review of the literature should provide an overview of the existing literature on the topic. It should include a summary of each source and an analysis of the evidence. It should also include an evaluation of the research methods used and an assessment of the quality of the evidence.
- Finally, the conclusion should summarise the key points of the literature review and provide recommendations for future research.
Final Thoughts
A literature review is an essential part of any research project, so it pays to master this critical academic skill. And with the guidance in this post, you should be well on your way to knowing how to start a literature review for yourself. By putting it into practice, you can unlock your writing potential and produce a thorough, engaging and comprehensive literature review.
So what are you waiting for? Search for those sources and get started! And why not use Audemic to speed up the review process and boost it into the cosmos!
Keep striving, researchers! ✨
