Being organised and having a plan when searching for material for assignments and projects is essential. Having a search strategy will add structure, save you time and can also improve the relevancy of the results you find.
This guide is designed to be a general resource for students carrying out a literature review as part of a dissertation or final year project. Always refer to the instructions and guidelines your lecturer/supervisor has provided.
It will cover:
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Before you start, check if any literature reviews have been carried out in your topic area, use the keyword, review or literature review to limit a search.
e.g. 3d printing and literature review
If you find a review on exactly the same topic, published in the last 2 years you may need to change topics. Always check this with your lecturer/supervisor.
Finding a review on similar topics (even when the scope and context is different) can also help with identifying key terms. Look at the keywords assigned to the review by the authors and by the databases for help.
A literature review is a, "comprehensive study and interpretation of literature that relates to a particular question" (Aveyard, 2018).
In a nutshell, a literature review is a critical evaluation of the research written on a particular topic.
A literature review is not:
Literature reviews can be stand alone pieces of work or form part of a dissertation or research project.
There are many reasons to carry out a literature review:
Demonstrate that you are aware of what is already known and understood about a topic.
Demonstrate that you are up to date with current/relevant research.
Provide context and evidence for your own research.
Identify main theories, arguments, ideas, conclusions and interpretations.
Identify any gaps in the research and potential directions for future research.
To inform readers of your work of what is happening in a particular research area.
Use this template to start to plan out your search strategy.
