You all know well about the
need to review literature while conducting research at any academic level.
However, many students may still not understand the significance of gathering
relevant literature for their research. To guide all such students, we discuss
here about the importance of undergoing this activity.
The review of literature starts supporting your research from the very
beginning. If you are confused about the selection of a topic for your
dissertation, then you can start reviewing relevant literature in the subject
area of your interest. Going through various other existing studies can reflect
upon the gap that exists in research in that area. This gives you opportunities
to pick up the right topic of your liking so you may proceed with your research
in order to fill up that gap.
Even if you have chosen a topic, literature review lets you know about the
scope of your research. It also gives a context to your study. When you explore
a topic, related studies guide you about the past work that has already been
done around that topic. Thus, you can verify those findings through your own
research and prove certain linked theories.
In addition, literature review gives a background to your research findings. If
you perform a study in a blank environment, then there would be nothing to make
comparisons with. However, literature review gives you a chance to compare your
results with those of the related studies. Thus, this background helps you to
perform a healthy discussion in relation to your research problem.
Thus, an effective review of literature makes you summarize your study within
the given subject environment. It helps you offer suggestions on conducting
future research in such academic areas where a research gap still exists and
needs to be filled up by scholarly work.