1. Understanding the Current State of Knowledge:
* Identify the key concepts, theories, and methodologies in a particular field or topic.
* Summarize the existing research and highlight major findings, trends, and gaps in the literature.
* Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of previous studies.
* Provide a comprehensive overview of the subject matter for researchers, students, and practitioners.
2. Establishing a Research Framework:
* Identify potential research questions and hypotheses for future studies.
* Develop a theoretical framework for your own research by building on existing knowledge.
* Identify promising areas for further research and potential applications of existing findings.
* Contextualize your own research by showing how it fits within the broader literature.
3. Critically Evaluating Existing Research:
* Assess the reliability and validity of previous studies.
* Identify biases and limitations in the existing research.
* Synthesize contradictory findings and offer potential explanations.
* Highlight the need for further research to address existing gaps in the literature.
4. Supporting an Argument or Claim:
* Provide evidence to support your own arguments or claims.
* Refute opposing viewpoints by presenting counterarguments and evidence.
* Establish credibility by demonstrating your understanding of the relevant literature.
* Engage with the scholarly conversation and contribute to the ongoing dialogue within a field.
In short, a literature review aims to:
* Inform
* Guide
* Evaluate
* Synthesize
* Advance
Remember, the specific goals of a literature review will vary depending on the purpose and audience of the review.