To conduct a literature review for your PhD research, follow these steps:

1. **Formulate the research question(s) and objective(s)**: Clearly define your research
question(s) and objective(s) to guide your literature review[1].

2. **Determine inclusion/exclusion criteria**: Establish the criteria for including or

excluding studies based on factors such as publication date, study design, and relevance to
your research question[5].

3. **Choose databases and conduct the search**: Select appropriate databases and search for
relevant studies using keywords and phrases related to your research question[5].

4. **Review your results**: Evaluate the search results based on your inclusion/exclusion
criteria and assess the quality of the studies. Identify the most relevant and high-quality
studies for your literature review[5].

5. **Analyze the research**: Read and analyze the selected studies to identify key themes,
concepts, and findings related to your research question. Take notes and create a summary of
each study[4].

6. **Synthesize the findings**: Combine the findings from the analyzed studies to develop a
comprehensive understanding of the topic. Identify gaps in the existing literature and areas
for further research[1].

7. **Write the literature review**: Organize the synthesized findings into a coherent
narrative that addresses your research question. Use a clear and concise writing style, and
provide citations for all sources used[1].

8. **Revise and refine**: Review and revise your literature review to ensure that it
effectively addresses your research question and provides a comprehensive overview of the
topic.

By following these steps, you can conduct a thorough and effective literature review for your
PhD research.
Citations:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK481583/
[2] https://iadt.libguides.com/c.php?g=695906&p=4995191
[3] https://libguides.cmich.edu/lit_review/LR_researchquestion
[4] https://library.famu.edu/c.php?g=577356&p=3982811
[5] https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/c.php?g=1060589&p=7710319
The key components of a literature review include:

1. **Objective of the Literature Review**: Clearly state the purpose of the literature review,
such as providing an overview, identifying research gaps, supporting a hypothesis, or offering
a critical analysis[5].

2. **Overview of the Subject Under Consideration**: Provide a brief overview of the topic
or field that is being reviewed. This helps to contextualize the literature review and provide
the reader with an understanding of the subject matter[5].

3. **Categorization of Sources**: Categorize the selected sources into those that support
your particular position, those that are opposed, and those that offer completely different
arguments. This helps to organize the literature and present a balanced view of the existing
research[5].

4. **Discussion of Source Distinctiveness and Similarities**: Discuss the distinctiveness of

each source and its similarities with the others. This involves comparing and contrasting the
findings, methodologies, and conclusions of the selected sources[5].

5. **Introduction**: Provide a quick idea of the topic of the literature review, such as the
central theme or organizational pattern. The introduction should also include the research
question or objective that the literature review aims to address[4].

6. **Body**: The body of the literature review contains the discussion of sources and is
organized either chronologically, thematically, or methodologically. This is where the
analysis and synthesis of the literature takes place[4].
7. **Conclusion and/or Recommendations**: End the literature review with a conclusion
and/or recommendations section. This should summarize the key findings and may also
suggest areas for future research or propose recommendations based on the literature
reviewed[4].

By including these components, a literature review provides a comprehensive and critical

examination of the existing literature in a certain field or subject area. It serves as a
knowledge synthesis, giving an overview and assessment of the existing literature to support
the research objective[1].

Citations:
[1] https://mindthegraph.com/blog/components-of-a-literature-review/
[2] https://gradcoach.com/literature-review-components/
[3] https://guides.library.ucsc.edu/write-a-literature-review
[4] https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/literature-reviews/
[5] https://library.concordia.ca/help/writing/literature-review.php?guid=components

To determine the relevance of a theoretical framework in a literature review, you can consider
the following key aspects:

1. **Relationship to Existing Theory and Research**: The theoretical framework should

show how your research fits into what is already known. It should establish a relationship to
existing theory and research, demonstrating an understanding of the theories and concepts
that are relevant to your study[1].

2. **Contribution to the Field**: The theoretical framework should also show how your
research makes a contribution to the topic and the field. It should demonstrate the intellectual
goals of your study and how it advances the existing knowledge base[1].

3. **Informing Research Questions and Methodology**: The theoretical framework informs

your research questions and methodology. It helps you justify your research problem and
shows why your research is important. In this way, it provides the structure and the
scaffolding for your dissertation or research study[1].
4. **Comparison and Critique**: When determining the relevance of a theoretical
framework, it's important to compare and critique different theoretical perspectives. This
involves evaluating their strengths and weaknesses and identifying the gaps and controversies
in the literature[2].

5. **Integration into the Literature Review**: The theoretical framework should be

integrated into the literature review, providing a foundational review of existing theories that
serves as a roadmap for your own arguments. It explains the existing theories that support
your research, showing that your topic is relevant and grounded in established ideas[5].

By considering these aspects, you can determine the relevance of a theoretical framework in a
literature review and its significance in guiding your research and contributing to the existing
knowledge base.

Citations:
[1] http://amandaszapkiw.com/artifacts/resources/tutorials/research-process/Step-2-Build-a-
Literature-Review-and-Identify-a-Theoretical-or-Conceptual-Framework.pdf
[2] https://www.linkedin.com/advice/1/how-do-you-compare-theoretical-frameworks-
literature-reviews
[3] https://pediaa.com/what-is-the-difference-between-literature-review-and-theoretical-
framework/
[4] https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185919
[5] https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/theoretical-framework/