A literature review is a critical part of any dissertation. Writing a literature review might not be an easy task for all the students. The main reason is that most of the time the students end up writing a literature review that is just a summary. Such a review does not look appealing. Therefore, to make the literature look appealing, they need to know some of the methods that can help them improve their review.
Most of the students often believe that a literature review is nothing but a summary. It is more than just a summary. Along with the summary, a literature review also should completely explain the current state of knowledge. The main purpose of a literature review is to highlight the key finding and identify the gaps, contradiction, and inconsistencies in a literature. Moreover, it helps analyze the literature review methodology. With such importance, it is essential that students write a literature review dissertation very carefully. However, not every student knows how to write an appealing literature review. Following a few steps, you can write a very attractive and appealing literature review.
Focus Is the Key
Before starting with the literature review, it is essential that you clarify the expected research for the set topic. However, not everyone knows how to start a working on a literature review. To begin with, the students can define the general topic area, identify a particular issue, formulating the questions, and brainstorming the major points. Therefore, a literature review dissertation that is focused on a particular area of research, gains more attention comparatively.
Introduction and Conclusion Is a Must
Even if a literature review is not long, it is advised to have introductory and conclusion paragraph. The introduction provides the background information so that the readers find themselves connected to the entire review. Moreover, it also sets the base for the readers so that they get an idea what they would find in the review. This will tempt the readers to read the literature review. Also, a conclusion should summarize all the findings. Doing so will help the readers take away all the important points after reading the review.
Say No to Direct Quotations
Most of the students are tempted to paraphrase a literature and or include direct quotations and cite them to complete the review. Such a way of writing a literature review is considered as a poor quality. On the other hand, the students can utilize the opportunity to display their knowledge on the topic. Writing down the ideas in your own words with the shortcomings in the literature along with their future scope will make the literature more attractive. Also, avoiding quotes will symbolize that you have read and understood the literature. Moreover, a review written after understanding the literature will reduce the changes of plagiarism.
Do Not Organize By Author
Most of the students make the common mistake of organizing all the literature based on the name of the author. It is always a good literature review methodology to organize the identified literature based on a particular theme. For instance, you can organize them in a chronological fashion to identify the development of the topic through time. Being a student, it might difficult be difficult for some to identify high-quality resources for literature and organize them accordingly. In such cases, the students can get literature review help various services that help them with not the only the literature review but also with other academic needs.
Employ Heading
The use of headings is a very appealing way of writing a lengthy review. The main significance of a heading is to establish a visual break. It also identifies the shift from one topic to another. Moreover, to achieve the goal of organizing, the use of headings is the best way. You can give a separate heading for each theme. Doing so will not only help segregate the literature by theme buy will also give an idea to the readers about what they would find within that heading.
Make Use of Transitional Words
While doing a review of any literature can be hard and boring, the students must make attempts to make the literature review appealing. Apart from headings, another good way to make the content appealing is to add transitional words. Some of the transitional words are ‘however’, ‘furthermore’, and ‘additionally’. The use of such words can help you convey the author’s point of view.
Following these steps will make your lit review more appealing. Anyone reading the review, be it your tutor, will feel connected at every point of the review. Yet, if you find it difficult to employ these, you get literature review help from Uniresearchers, an academic writing service.