Understand the topic. Develop your own ideas. Demonstrate knowledge.
What is meant by Literature Review? Analysis of the research that already exists
What is "the Literature?"
What does "The Literature" say?
Your time to analyze, synthesize
Understand, Develop ideas, demonstrate knowledge
Why? To focus your own research
What is a literature review? Further definitions:
A literature review discusses published information in a particular subject area, and sometimes information in a particular subject area within a certain time period. A literature review can be part of an article or be the whole article, as those published in a Review Journal. The literature review is part of an iterative process entered into before final selection of a dissertation topic, study, and research.
Thinking about a Literature Review:
I really like this library guide at the University of Arizona - 4 - step sequence to thinking about lit reviews.
I also like this 9 minute video - Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students - that helps people understand what and how a literature review works. It is from North Carolina State University.
My colleague Jordan Sly, built this web page on literature reviews for the Philosophy department, and it is nice and clear as well. The University of Wisconsin have a nice summary of how to write a lit review.
