The literature review is a key component of any academic work, and for many University students in New Zealand, it is one of the most difficult parts to complete in their academic work. A literature review is not a summary of published work but a critical review of the literature that tests, synthesizes, compares, and interprets the literature sources and connects the results of the literature to what the student is studying. This is a skill that takes time to acquire, but many students find it difficult because they read the articles and simply try to write a bunch of article summaries.
New Zealand Universities require students to be independent thinkers, honest, and to evaluate evidence from reliable sources. To meet these expectations, more is required than simply locating journal articles; it requires them to be presented in a logical and meaningful manner. Help students develop assignments that are more readable, sound, and convincing, and that serve as solid supports for the research that follows, by understanding the organization of a literature review.
Knowing the purpose of a literature review
The literature review is intended to demonstrate knowledge of research already conducted on the topic. Rather than just repeating the work of others, you should be able to critique their work, describe similarities and differences, and describe the influence of former work on your study.
For many students who are searching for a thesis writer online, it is difficult to link various academic sources together and create a coherent discussion of them. The actual challenge is in analysing, not describing, the literature.
A well-organised review shows that you comprehend the academic discussion about your research query and may contribute to it in a valuable way.
Having a clear focus on the research topic is the first step
Articles could be collected, but the student may not have a clear idea of the topic they wish to study. It’s hard to know which sources to use and which to leave out if there is no research question.
The focus helps you find specific evidence, instead of a lot of irrelevant information. It also assures consistency during the review since all sources are a part of your research objective.
Students are expected to note the key ideas they want to look at and structure their reading around these ideas prior to the writing activity.
Group Sources Under Themes
The best way to enhance a literature review is to arrange the information by themes, instead of one author at a time.
Student engagement, for instance, could be a section of one of the papers, another on learning outcomes, and a third on technological challenges, if the topic is related to online learning. Each of the themes contains a selection of studies that can be compared and assessed as a group.
This thematic organization provides more connections within the ideas, and makes the review less “disjointed” and more “cohesive.”
Compare Studies, Rather than Summarise them.
A student’s conception of a literature review is that he/she should summarise every article they read. However, the typical University evaluators are seeking comparisons, not repetition.
Rather than explaining each study one by one, students should ask such questions as:
- Which researchers agree?
- Where do the differences of opinion lie?
- What processes led to the different results?
- What are the areas that haven’t been covered yet?
Often, one of the most apparent disparities between mediocre and good academic writing is the use of this analytical approach to essay writing, which is what students looking for essay help NZ often find (BAW, 2022).
Evidence comparison shows critical thinking and supports the development of academic arguments.
Make sure that there is a logical flow between the sections
Well done to any group that has done good work, but it will be less effective if it is not organised into a review. Obviously, the ideas should flow from one section to the next, so there is a logical progression to the writing.
Simple transition sentences are used to clarify and explain the sequence of themes. They also give readers tips on the contribution of each section to the overall research goal.
This logical sequence makes the literature review easier to follow, and this also enhances the quality of the literature review in the course of the assignment.
Analyze and compare the evidence accounts
Developing a strong literature review is more than just identifying previous research. It also assesses the merits and drawbacks of the previous investigations.
Students should look at the research design, sample size, method, and conclusions, and whether they are reliable or not. By emphasising these elements, students will be demonstrating independent thinking and that they have evaluated and selected the source material and not accepted it unconditionally.
Additionally, critical evaluation also helps to justify the need for further research and the need for the proposed study.
Relate your own research to the literature
A very important aspect of conducting a literature review that is often overlooked is explaining the relevance of the literature to your project.
The sections should progressively bring the reader to a comprehension of the need for your study. The review should discuss why the research is needed, such as questions that have not been answered, results or data that were conflicting, or industry-changing.
The Academic Writing resources from Massey University state that a successful literature review will “synthesise research, evaluate the research critically and clearly relate the previous research to the student’s research objectives” (Massey University, 2023).
This link empowers the review to become the starting point of a valuable academic endeavour.
Conclusion
The literature review must be organized, critically evaluated, and logically developed, and NOT include lengthy summaries of individual studies. Students can develop literature reviews that will satisfy the expectations of the New Zealand universities by focusing on themes, comparing research findings, evaluating the evidence, and ensuring that they make clear links throughout the discussion. The skills acquired in these assignments will enhance the quality of assignments and will be useful in future research projects and in the academic world.
Reference
Massey University. (2023). Literature Reviews – Academic Writing and Learning Support. https://owll.massey.ac.nz/academic-writing/literature-review.php
BAW (2022). How Academic Help Providers Save the Students’ Future? https://bestassignmentwriter.co.uk/blog/how-academic-help-providers-save-the-students-future/
