(on a topic relevant to Organizational Leadership)
A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research. (Learn more about this here.)
Literature Review How-to → Conducting a literature review involves collecting, evaluating and analyzing publications (such as books and journal articles) that relate to your research question.
Literature Review - Sample 1
The Effects of Communication Styles on Marital Satisfaction
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hUjLM4u5wBO-MiyacPAoGD4ofc2i80kl/view?usp=sharing
Literature Review - Sample 2
Cyberbullying: How Physical Intimidation Influences the Way People are Bullied
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16HnssI-j0IIZnlQ9YxLi1i0EQ3rZj4Oj/view?usp=sharing
Literature Review - Sample 3
Living with Chronic Illness: How are those with chronic illness treated by their familites since their diagnosis?
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CN2lnGQC9eAdOEf5OuX8Ao9ZHInK8Iht/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=100403505966203496085&rtpof=true&sd=true
The quality and success of any literature review depends on the development of a well-crafted research question.
Here’s how to come up with a solid research question:
Identify the research area: Choose a topic that you are interested in and have a solid understanding of.
Review the existing literature: Familiarize yourself with the existing research on the topic by reviewing academic journals, books, and other sources.
Identify gaps in the literature: Look for areas where the existing research is limited or inconclusive, and consider what questions remain unanswered.
Formulate a research question: Based on the gaps in the literature, develop a clear and focused research question that guides your literature review.
Refine the question: Ensure that your question is specific, measurable, and relevant to your research area.
Check for feasibility: Evaluate whether the question can be answered with the available resources and within the time frame for your literature review.
Seek feedback: Share your question with others, such as your advisor or peers, to receive feedback and suggestions for improvement.
A well-crafted research question is essential to the success of your literature review, as it provides direction and focus to your analysis and synthesis of the existing literature.
Read and critically evaluate the sources: Read each source carefully and take notes, highlighting important information and analyzing the author's arguments and findings.
Organize the sources: Group the sources by themes or subtopics, and prioritize the sources based on their relevance to your research question.
Write an introduction: Provide context for your review by introducing the topic, explaining the significance of the research, and stating your research question.
Summarize and synthesize the sources: Summarize the key findings of each source and compare and contrast the results and conclusions. Identify any gaps or inconsistencies in the literature.
Evaluate the sources: Assess the quality of each source by considering factors such as the author's credentials, the reliability of the data, and the methods used.
Draw conclusions: Based on your evaluation of the literature, make conclusions about the state of knowledge on the topic, identify any areas where further research is needed, and make recommendations for future research.
Write the review: Organize the information you have gathered and synthesized into a coherent and well-structured review, following a clear structure and using proper referencing style.
Revise and edit: Carefully review and edit your literature review, checking for clarity, coherence, and consistency, and ensuring that it meets the requirements of your assignment or project.