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There are many titles for this chapter, e.g. "Literature Survey";
"Previous Work", and other similar phrases. The Literature
Review is there for you to:
- provide details about the motivation for the project
- state why the problem addressed by the dissertation is important
- set the scene for the work described in the dissertation
- describe what others have done and hence sets a benchmark for
the current project
- jusify the use of specific solution techniques or problem solving
procedures in your work
It is called the Literature Review because the contents of this
chapter are based on published material. A thorough literature review
is essential because it shows that you have studied rigorously what
others have done. This lends credibility when you state the problem
the dissertation is addressing, and when you provide reasons as
to why obtaining a solution is important. Where applicable, you
should also include a critique of the available solutions to the
problem that your are tackling. This would implicitly provide justifications
for the project and, at the same time, establish benchmarks against
which your contributions can be assessed. Therefore, make sure that
you seek out the most recent information relating to your field
of study. You may, if you wish, include a discussion about your
approach to the problem, and which of the published work will form
the basis of your investigations.
The Literature Review is obviously a very important chapter. However,
students doing research for the first time often find it difficult
to write. There are a number of reasons for this:
- they do not know where to look for information
- there may be a huge amount of published work on the subject
area, dating back many years, and they find it difficult to judge
which material is relevant
- the work is a "hot-topic" and keeping track of the
state-of-the-art is difficult
- they find it difficult to summarise the ideas and results of
numerous publications into a coherent single account
Unfortunately, much of these skills can be gained only through
experience. The following tips will, hopefully, make life that much
easier.
| Tips |
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Most libraries have personnel who specialise in
certain disciplines. Ask them for information about
publications relevant to your field of study, whether
they are held in stock and where they are located
in the library.
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Nowadays, an increasing number of journals are
available on-line, accessed via web browsers. Many
libraries subscribe to these electronic journals,
meaning that you can read, download or print articles
from the comfort of your computer workstation. Even
if your library does not have a subscription to
a particular journal, you should still be able to
read the abstract. If the article looks interesting
and relevant, you could order a copy. Again, approach
your librarian for advice (and your supervisor or
advisor for finance).
 Students
at Newcastle will find the following links useful:
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Make it a point to keep abreast of developments
in your field of study by making regular visits
to the library and to the electronic journals websites.
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When reading a technical paper, jot down the key
points and make a note of the journal or technical
publication where the paper was published. Devise
a cataloguing system that will allow you to retrieve
the paper quickly. This will come in handy when
you write the Literature Survey, and when you compile
the reference list.
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When writing the Literature Review
- include only those work that is relevant
to your research. You may have read dozens
upon dozens of papers, but there will be some
that do not contribute to the points that your
are trying to make, or there will be papers that
give identical information. Because of the time
you spent trying to understand them, you may be
tempted incorporate all that you have read. Attempting
to do this will make what is already a difficult
task impossible.
- make sure that you have read and understood
cited work, otherwise you can get into hot
water. Assessors like to ask questions like: "So
tell me what you understand about the proposal
by Smith and Wesson 1945)".
- organise your content according to ideas
instead of individual publications. This helps
ensure the smooth flow
of contents and make the chapter more readable.
It also shows that you have an appreciation of
the subject area.
- do not simply quote or paraphrase the contents
of published articles. You should try to weave
the information into focussed views, incorporating
where possible, your own opinions and comments.
This will demonstrate your deeper understanding
of the topic.
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