Dissertation: Quick Tips on How to Write Literature Review

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Students already know what a literature review chapter is about.  It’s about collating relevant materials related to the topic and eventually, presenting it.  It’s about tapping an existing richness of related study and readings. 

However, few really knew how it is to attempt collating and making such collection cover a good deal of the oncoming study.  To address this, students may refer to the following quick tips:

(1) Map out your study.  By mapping it out, you are able to prioritise the concepts to which you will use as a keyword for your search of related readings and study.  This is already a good start for a complete coverage of all important concepts.

(2) Start the hunt.  In line to preparing a comprehensive dissertation literature review, set your eyes for a more open approach in researching.  As a consequence, apart from looking at printed dissertations, opt for gaining access to online pieces.  

(3) Set out a drafted elaboration.  In each of your collected readings and texts, don’t forget to indicate the connection such study or quoted texts have with your study.  You may not need to phrase it out properly; just indicate what comes in mind to maintain a steady flow of reference-review.

(4) Check for missing links.  As soon as you complete your preliminary comprehensive dissertation literature review, do not just write yet.  Rather, check if you got concepts lacking of references for backup.  If it’s a minor concept, you may leave it.  On the other hand, if it’s a major concept, you got to remain hunting and quoting.

(5) Organise your collection.  Start with a causal collection of the most related references and quotes.  As you review them, try to look at the bigger picture that you’d want to draw in your review chapter.  As soon as you come up with that approach, proceed to the next tip.

(6) Plan and execute that approach.  It’s essential that you create a good plan as to how to properly execute the presentation of the related study and readings.

(7) Take it to your advisor.  See that your first draft of the chapter is proofread and critique as this will guide you in further perfecting that chapter.

There, those are your seven quick tips for writing that comprehensive dissertation literature review!