Introduction
Literature review prepares researchers by developing a background understanding of their study’s problem by linking it with relevant prior studies. It helps researchers in gathering factual and evidence-based data. A research study is ineffective and invaluable if it lacks a relevant literature review.
Is literature review necessary in research?
A dissertation is a lengthy work that carries necessary evidence and facts to support the claims. The support of evidence and claims are high in chapter two of the dissertation, known as a literature review. A literature review is an academic dissertation that requires analytical, argumentative, and critical discussion on the studys’ problem. In short, it requires systematic investigation of studys’ research questions or hypotheses one by one with evidence and facts. Conducting a review aims to avoid past researcher’s mistakes. It intends to explore a unique researchable problem based on past studies.
A literature review provides what aspects a study links with relevant past studies in either statistical or non-statistical information. By reviewing the literature, researchers equip themselves with the necessary information in their subject area. It helps researchers in outlining suitable methodology relevant to the study’s problem. It provides directions to researchers in making their research unique and different from prior studies. Hence, the literature review provides an overview of existing knowledge on the topic and assists in building a context for a new study. However, in case of any issue, there is an option to get cheap dissertation writing services from the best dissertation writers.
What to do if there is no literature review?
If there is no literature review relevant to a study’s problem, then a study is a contribution in its domain. There is an opportunity for a researcher to make a significant contribution by exploring the study’s questions. They can either explore it by directly finding a literature review on a study’s problem or indirectly linking it through building sound connections. The following steps will assist researchers in gathering relevant information to a study’s problem;
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Search and study
Searching and studying effectively develops the researcher’s understanding of a researchable problem. Researchers should not stop the search of gathering relevant literature reviews on the topic under study even if it is not available. They should study all the literature review that links most with the study’s problem. Each study may provide a small or single line to a given study’s problem. With the help of continuous search efforts, researchers can get the relevant data. The relevant data is either in the form of published or unpublished manuscripts.
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Find an indirect connection.
In a situation where literature reviews do not carry a direct connection to your study’s problem, there is a possibility that an indirect connection may exist. Again researchers should not stop the effort of searching the relevant literature review. For instance, if a researcher fails to get suitable literature reviews on the association between job satisfaction and withdrawal behaviour of employees in the services sector. The researcher can find what causes an employee to leave the organisation. The researcher can even search for what causes the retention of employees in an organisation. Both searches will serve the same purpose, help in identifying the association between job satisfaction and withdrawal behaviour of employees.
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Think more broadly
When researchers do not get a related literature review to a study’s problem, they get stressed and exhausted. Instead of losing hoping or getting angry, researchers should think more broadly. They should develop an inclusive or inherent connection with the study’s variables and available literature review. For instance, a researcher may find difficulty in gathering relevant reviews on nepotism practices. By using a strategy of thinking more broadly, a researcher should find a synonym of nepotism. The most common synonym for nepotism is favouritism and preferential treatment. Now, a researcher can use these keywords to search on the study’s main variable (nepotism).
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Map out the linked studies
Researchers should identify relevant literature reviews by mapping out relevant studies linking to a study’s question. The mapping strategy is, in fact, a boundary-setting approach. It helps researchers select what should be included in a study.
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Use skimming strategy
After setting out clear boundaries, the researcher can use a skimming strategy. This strategy refers to sorting out the most relevant and linked literature reviews on the topic under study. It entails categorising broad themes into specific categories. These categories assist researchers in building suitable keywords. So, researchers should not worry and continue their search until building appropriate keywords.
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Use keywords
The skimming strategy helps build keywords closely linked with the study’s problem. The keywords search will help in identifying the most relevant literature reviews. Hence, suitable keywords help narrow down a search.
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Do all research articles have a literature review?
Published manuscripts of research always carry a brief literature review. Sometimes they carry a long review, or even a complete article comprises it. Researchers can find it in the introduction section of the research articles. They can find it in the literature review section if it contains a proper heading. Moreover, researchers can find a literature review in the discussion section of the research article to support the study’s questions. If a research article comprises less than 40% literature review, it will affect research findings. It exhibits that researcher failed to develop a context of the study’s problem by linking it with past education. Hence, researchers should include a significant review in their research articles to present reliable research.
Final thoughts
A literature review provides suitable and appropriate intellectual context to a study’s domain. It exhibits gaps in past studies that lead to the foundation of your study’s research problem. If a research work carries no relevant literature review to a study’s problem, then research scholars do not consider it worthy.
