A literature review is a compilation, classification, and evaluation of what other researchers

have written on a particular topic. A literature review normally forms part of a research thesis
but it can also stand alone as a self-contained review of writings on a subject. . Literature
reviews are also valuable in light of the knowledge explosion and the consequent impossibility
of reading everything. Therefore, it is good that one does literature reviews. A literature review
discusses published information in a particular subject area, and sometimes information in a
particular subject area within a certain time period. The latter will explain why literature review
is important as well as describe the main sources of literature review.

A Literature Review is a critical review of existing knowledge on areas such as theories,

critiques, methodologies, research findings, assessment and evaluations on a particular topic. A
literature review involves a critical evaluation identifying similarities and differences between
existing literatures and the work being undertaken. It reviews what have already been done in
the context of a topic. Therefore, on the basis of the existing knowledge, people can build up
innovative idea and concept for further research purpose (Cooper, 1998). In its simplest form
review of literature is a description of what others have published presented in the form of
summaries. For example, Younger et al. (2004: 247) point out that previous studies on teacher
education in the United Kingdom focused on “factors which attracted or alienated potential
recruits and those already in training”. Studies cited suggest that trainee teachers were
attracted to teaching largely for perceived intrinsic reasons related to the profession and by the
positive experiences of schools, classrooms, and teachers.

Review of related literature plays a crucial role in formulation of research problem and the
whole process of research. It is often argued those research problems not grounded in current
literature are weak. A literature review goes beyond the search for information and includes
the identification and articulation of relationships between the literature and the field of
research. While the form of the literature review may vary with different types of studies, the
basic purposes remain constant .

Consideration of prior, relevant literature is essential for all research disciplines and all research
projects. When reading an article, independent of discipline, the author begins by describing

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previous research to map and assess the research area to motivate the aim of the study and
justify the research question and hypotheses. This is generally referred to as the “literature
review,” “theoretical framework,” or “research background.” However, for a literature review
to become a proper research methodology, as with any other research, follow proper steps
need to be followed and action taken to ensure the review is accurate, precise, and
trustworthy. As with all research, the value of an academic review depends on what was done,
what was found, and the clarity of reporting (Moher 2009).

Literature reviews are important in dissertations and journal articles. In dissertations candidates
are expected to demonstrate a formal understanding of literature in their field, intellectual
independence, information fluency, and ability to continually reappraise ideas and practices
(Boote and Beile, 2006). The same is expected in journal articles. Researchers‟ aim of
presenting a literature review is to show that he or she has read, and understood the main
published work concerning a particular topic. The purpose of a literature review is to, as the
name suggests, “review” the literature surrounding a certain topic area. The word “literature”
means “sources of information” or “research.” The literature will inform you about the research
that has already been conducted on your chosen subject. If you are going to propose your own
study, as when writing a thesis, dissertation, or research proposal, your literature review must
be relevant to the work you plan to do.

 A literature review can broadly be described as a more or less systematic way of collecting and
synthesizing previous research (Baumeister 1997). An effective and well-conducted review as a
research method creates a firm foundation for advancing knowledge and facilitating theory
development (Webster 2002). By integrating findings and perspectives from many empirical
findings, a literature review can address research questions with a power that no single study
has.

a literature review may be the best methodological tool to provide answers. For example,
reviews are useful when the researcher wants to evaluate theory or evidence in a certain area
or to examine the validity or accuracy of a certain theory or competing theories (Tranfield,
2003). This approach can be narrow, such as investigating the effect of or relationship between

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two specific variables, or it can be broader, such as exploring the collective evidence in a certain
research area. In addition, literature reviews are useful when the aim is to provide an overview
of a certain issue or research problem. Typically, this type of literature review is conducted to
evaluate the state of knowledge on a particular topic. It can be used, for example, to create
research agendas, identify gaps in research, or simply discuss a particular matter.

Firstly, by undertaking a literature review, the information gathered from credible articles or
studies that are of relevance, important and valid can be summarized into a document (for
example, a thesis or a dissertation). This can then allow for the rationale or reason for a study
to emerge, which may include a justification for a specific research approach (McGhee et al,
2007). Second, it provides a starting point for researchers where they are required to identify
and understand what has been written about a particular area. That will usually mean reading
all the relevant texts and then going through each to summarize, evaluate, critically review,
synthesis and compare these research studies in their chosen area and last but not least, by
carrying out a literature review, it not only highlights the gaps in knowledge but it means that
students, researchers and managers alike are not replicating or repeating previous work - it
identifies discrepancies, knowledge gaps and inconsistencies in the literature.

Theoretical framework is an important part of a literature review. Theoretical framework is a

theoretical perspective. It can be simply a theory, but can also be more general a basic
approach to understanding something. Typically, a theoretical framework consists of concepts,
together with their definitions, and existing framework must demonstrate an understanding of
theories, and existing framework demonstrate an understanding of theories and concepts that
are relevant to the topic of your research proposal and that will relate it to the broader fields of
knowledge in the class you are taking.

A literature review may consist of simple a summary of key sources, but  it usually has an
organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis, often within specific
conceptual categories. A summary is a recap of the important information of the source,
but a synthesis is a re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information in a way that
informs how you are planning to investigate a research problem.

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 References

 Moher. D, A. Liberati. A,  Tetzlaff. J, D.G. Altman Preferred reporting items for systematic

reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement Annals of Internal Medicine, 151 (2009),
pp. 264-269
Boote DN, Beile P (2006). On “literature reviews of, and for, educational research”: a response
to the critique by Joseph Maxwell. Educ. Res. 35(9):32-35

Younger M, Brindley S, Pedder D, Hagger H (2004). Staring points; teachers‟ reasons for
becoming teachers and their perceptions of what this will mean. In Eur. J. Teacher Educ.
27(3):245-264

 Webster. J , R.T. Watson Analyzing the past to prepare for the future: Writing a literature
review Management Information Systems Quarterly, 26 (2002), p. 3
 Tranfield. D , Denyer. D , Smart. P. Towards a methodology for developing evidence-informed
management knowledge by means of systematic review. British Journal of
Management, 14 (2003), pp. 207-222
Webster. J,  Watson. R.T.  Analyzing the past to prepare for the future: Writing a literature
review Management Information Systems Quarterly, 26 (2002), p. 3

 Baumeister. R.F ,  Leary .M.R, Writing narrative literature reviews. Review of General

Psychology, 1 (1997), pp. 311-320,