Professional Documents
Culture Documents
What to include?
A summary of conclusions from your review of the relevant
literature
What is currently unknown (gaps in knowledge)
Inconclusive or contested results from previous studies on
the same or similar topic
The necessity to improve or build on previous research, such
as to improve methodology or utilize newer techniques and/or
technologies
The research objectives are the concrete steps you will take to
achieve the aim:
“The present study is significant because it addresses a pressing public health issue of the
negative impact of social media use on adolescent mental health. Given the widespread
use of social media among this age group, understanding the effects of social media on
mental health is critical for developing effective prevention and intervention strategies.
This study will contribute to the existing literature by examining the moderating factors
that may affect the relationship between social media use and mental health outcomes. It
will also shed light on the potential benefits and risks of social media use for adolescents
and inform the development of evidence-based guidelines for promoting healthy social
media use among this population. The limitations of this study include the use of self-
reported measures and the cross-sectional design, which precludes causal inference.”
DEFINITION OF TERMS
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Limitations are matters and occurrences that arise in a study that are out of
the researcher's control. They limit the extensity to which an investigation
can go and sometimes affect the result and conclusions that can be drawn.
No matter how well it is conducted and constructed, every study has
limitations. This is one of the reasons why we do not use the words "prove"
and "disprove" concerning research findings. It is always possible that future
research may cast doubt on the validity of any hypothesis or conclusion
from a study. Your study might have access to only certain people in an
organization, certain documents, and specific data. These are limitations.
Subsequent studies may overcome these limitations.
LITERATURE REVIEW
A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a
specific topic.
It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to
identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing
research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or
dissertation topic.
A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it
analyzes, synthesizes, and critically evaluates to give a clear
picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.
LITERATURE REVIEW
There are five key steps to writing a literature review:
LITERATURE REVIEW
Step 1 – Search for relevant literature
Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly
defined topic.
If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation
or research paper, you will search for literature related to your
research problem and questions.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Step 2 – Evaluate and select sources
You likely won’t be able to read everything written on your
topic, so evaluating which sources are most relevant to your
research question will be necessary.
Make sure the sources you use are credible, and make sure
you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field
of research.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Step 2 – Evaluate and select sources
You likely won’t be able to read everything written on your
topic, so evaluating which sources are most relevant to your
research question will be necessary.
Make sure the sources you use are credible, and make sure
you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field
of research.
Take notes and cite your sources.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Step 3 – Identify themes, debates, and gaps
To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and
structure, be sure you understand the connections and
relationships between the sources you’ve read.
This step will help you work out the structure of your
literature review and (if applicable) show how your own
research will contribute to existing knowledge.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Step 4 – Outline your literature review’s structure
Chronological. The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic
over time.
Thematic. If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize
your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the
topic.
Methodological. If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields
that use various research methods, compare the results and conclusions that
emerge from different approaches.
Theoretical. A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical
framework. You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions
of key concepts.
Shine Together, Cotta High!
COTTA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Shining High Towards Excellence in Education and Commitment to Service
LITERATURE REVIEW
Step 5 – Write your literature review
Introduction. The introduction should clearly establish the
focus and purpose of the literature review.
Body. Depending on the length of your literature review, you
should divide the body into subsections. You can use a
subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological
approach.
In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you
have taken from the literature and emphasize their
significance.
Shine Together, Cotta High!
COTTA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Shining High Towards Excellence in Education and Commitment to Service
References
Hassan, M. (2023, August 14). Significance of the study - examples and writing guide.
Research Method. https://researchmethod.net/significance-of-the-study/
McCombes, S. (2023, September 11). HOW TO WRITE A literature review: Guide, examples
& templates. Scribbr. https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/literature-review