Literature Reviews

Challenges when writing a Literature Review

Managing Sources

• Volume of Information: Writers must sift through a vast amount of literature, which can be time-consuming and overwhelming.
• Quality of Sources: Ensuring that sources are credible and relevant is crucial. This involves evaluating the author's credentials, publication date, and peer-review status.

Organizing and Synthesizing Information

• Identifying Themes and Patterns: Writers need to identify and group main themes, trends, and gaps in the literature, which requires a clear and consistent system of note-taking and outlining.
• Comparing Perspectives: Synthesizing different perspectives and arguments from various sources to create a coherent narrative is challenging.

Maintaining Objectivity

• Avoiding Bias: It is essential to maintain an unbiased perspective and avoid letting personal opinions influence the review. This can be mitigated by consulting with peers and mentors.

Structural and Stylistic Issues

• Coherent Structure: Developing a clear structural plan before writing is crucial to avoid extensive rewriting later. Using reference management software can help in organizing sources efficiently.
• Balancing Old and New Data: Including both seminal and current literature while maintaining a balance can be difficult.

Time Management

• Handling Deadlines: Managing time effectively to handle numerous sources and meet deadlines is a common issue.

Technical Challenges

• Formatting and Referencing: Properly formatting the review and ensuring accurate citations are essential to avoid plagiarism and maintain academic integrity.

Identifying Research Gaps

• Reflecting on Literature: Identifying gaps in existing research requires thorough reflection and sometimes consultation with experts in the field.

Keeping the Review Up to Date

• Regular Updates: In rapidly evolving fields, keeping the literature review up to date by regularly searching for recent publications is necessary.

By addressing these challenges through systematic search strategies, critical evaluation of sources, structured organization, and maintaining objectivity, researchers can produce a comprehensive and high-quality literature review.

Sources:

Panse, M. (2023) Common Difficulties in Writing Review of Related Literature (RRL). Available at: https://researcher.life/blog/article/common-difficulties-in-writing-review-of-related-literature-rrl/ (Accessed: 31 July 2024).

Common traps when writing a Literature Review

When writing a literature review, it's important to avoid several common traps to ensure the review is coherent, comprehensive, and valuable:

1. Lack of Clarity

Unclear Purpose and Scope: Failing to clearly define the purpose, scope, and criteria of the review can lead to an unfocused and inconsistent literature review. Clearly articulate the research question, objectives, and scope of the review, and document your decisions and assumptions throughout the process.

2. Poor Organization and Structure

Bad Organization: A poorly organized literature review can confuse readers and obscure the main points. Use sub-headings to organize the review logically, ensuring a clear chain of logic and focus.

Irrelevant Content: Including irrelevant studies or details can distract from the main topic. Ensure all included studies are directly relevant to your research question and sub-headings.

3. Inadequate Background Information

No Background/Definition Section: Failing to provide necessary background information and definitions can alienate readers. Include a pre-literature review section that defines key concepts and provides relevant background information.

4. Over-Reliance on Secondary Sources

Neglecting Primary Sources: Relying too heavily on secondary sources without critically examining primary sources can lead to errors and omissions. Ensure you review and verify primary sources to maintain accuracy and comprehensiveness.

5. Skim Reading

Ineffective Screening: Skim reading titles and abstracts may lead to missing important information. Develop a systematic approach to screening and reviewing papers to ensure thoroughness.

6. Plagiarism

Unintentional Plagiarism: Copying or paraphrasing without proper citation can lead to serious ethical issues. Always provide accurate citations and references for all sources used.

7. Ineffective Communication

Poor Writing Skills: Ineffective communication due to poor writing skills or unclear messages can undermine the impact of the review. Ensure clarity, coherence, and appropriate language throughout the review.

By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can create a well-structured, clear, and comprehensive literature review that effectively supports your research objectives.

Sources:

Phair, D. (2021) Writing a literature review: 7 common (and costly) mistakes to avoid. Available at: https://gradcoach.com/literature-review-mistakes/ (Accessed 06 August 2024).