Analyzing the Past to Prepare for the Future: Writing a Literature Review

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Functions of Literature Review
Approaches to Writing Literature Review
Impact of Personal Preferences
Conclusion
Work Cited

Introduction

Any academic project starts with putting together a full and comprehensive literature review. Typically, literature reviews entail brief descriptions that convey the gist of the cited studies while highlighting their strengths and pointing out their weaknesses. Admittedly, the works mentioned in the literature review section of a research paper should pertain to the subject matter of the scientific inquiry. In this essay, the rationale behind writing a literature review will be discussed. The paper will also examine the approaches adopted by scholars when analyzing previous literature and the role of personal preferences in the choice of a topic and materials for referencing.

Functions of Literature Review

Writing a literature review helps to attain a number of goals at once. According to Webster and Watson, the first function of a literature review is to advance the theoretical development of a problem (14). In the context of any given paper, fulfilling this function would mean outlining the theoretical framework for a problem, which is of great importance, especially in social sciences. This field is characterized by the use of notions and concepts that are difficult to operationalize, and a good literature review helps to clarify them. The second function is closing areas where a significant amount of research was done. Lastly, the third function is exposing the gaps in current knowledge, which justifies conducting a new study in this area.

Approaches to Writing Literature Review

Writing a literature review can be fairly challenging; however, there is a number of approaches that may help to facilitate the process. The first recommendation given by Webster and Watson is to draw data from an extensive sample of scientific journals instead of only focusing on the top publications in the field (16). The next piece of advice relates to setting priorities straight: the authors suggest that researchers adopt the concept-based approach. Within this approach, it is essential to focus on phenomena: for instance, phenomenon X was investigated by author A and author B (Webster and Watson 16). The author-centered approach is not advised to adopt as it capitalizes the authors, which often makes a review irrelevant.

Impact of Personal Preferences

A researcher’s position and preferences may influence the choice of a topic and studies for the literature review. For instance, there is an association between past experiences and the inclination to examine a mature topic with an extensive body of evidence or, on the contrary, embark on new phenomena (20). An author’s personality determines the materials cited to a certain extent. Some people prefer practicality: their only requirement for a good literature review is for it to “provide answers to why (Webster and Watson 20).” Others, on the other hand, prefer to make their reviews unique and find the most interesting and resonant studies for a reader’s delights. Conservative researchers tend to trust top journals and accomplished authors, whereas more open-minded authors often give emerging names in their field a chance.

Conclusion

Writing a literature review may lay a great foundation for a scientific paper. A good literature review fulfills several functions: it helps to develop a relevant theoretical framework, analyze the existing knowledge, and find gaps in it that may be filled with a new study’s findings. A review should include study descriptions and their critical evaluation from a significant number of sources. When writing a literature review, it is essential to not merely enlist authors and their achievements but rather concentrate on examined phenomena. What is interesting is that a researcher’s personality may influence the choice of a topic and materials in terms of their complexity and uniqueness.

Work Cited

Webster, Jane, and Richard T. Watson. “Analyzing the Past to Prepare for the Future: Writing a Literature Review.” MIS Quarterly, vol. 26, no. 2, 2002, pp. 13-23.

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Analyzing the Past to Prepare for the Future: Writing a Literature Review

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