Literature Review:

Why does researcher need to review the existing literature? The most obvious reason is that researcher wants to know what is already known about researchers area of interest. Using the existing literature on a topic is a means of developing an argument about significance of current research and where it leads. Whatever different understandings of the literature review process that researcher adopted, it is perhaps easier to be clear about the goal that the process is directed towards achieving.

competent review of the literature is at least in part a means of affirming researcher credibility as someone who is knowledgeable in chosen area. This is not simply a matter of reproducing the theories and opinions of other scholars, but also being able to interpret what they have written, possibly by using their ideas to support a particular viewpoint or argument.

The purpose of exploring the existing literature should be to identify the following issues:
What is already known about this area? What concepts and theories are relevant to this area? What research methods and research strategies have been employed in studying this area? re there any significant controversies? re there any inconsistencies in findings relating to this area? re there any unanswered research !uestions in this area?

Reasons for writing a literature review

To know what is already known in connection with the current research area To learn from other researchers mistakes and avoid making the same ones To learn about different theoretical and methodological approaches to the research area "t may help to develop an analytical framework "t may lead researcher to consider the inclusion of variables in current research that researcher might not otherwise have thought about "t may suggest further research !uestions for researcher "t will help with the interpretation of the findings "t gives some pegs on which to hang the findings "t is expected#

Ways of conceptualizing a literature review

$ruces %&''() study of research students early experiences of the dissertation literature review identified six !ualitatively different ways in which the review process was experienced or understood by postgraduates. The six conceptions included

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Searching the existing literature and looking for business informatio n

Usually, students will have in mind a few initial references when they begin on a pro/ect. These will probably come from recommended reading in course modules or text books. The bibliographies provided at the end of textbook chapters or articles will usually provide a raft of further relevant references that can also be followed up. literature search relies on careful reading of books, /ournals, and reports in the first instance. fter identifying a few keywords that help to define the boundaries of the research area, electronic databases of published literature can be searched for previously work in the field.

Literature sources available

Primary Reports Theses Emails Conference reports Company reports Some government publications Unpublished manuscript sources Secondary Tertiary (Search tools) Newspaper !nde"es Books #bstracts ournals Catalogues !nternet Encyclopedias Some government $ictionaries publications Bibliographies Citation inde"es

$ibliographic details re!uired

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