Dissertation literature review

A dissertation literature review is a comprehensive survey and analysis of existing research and scholarship related to the studied topic or research question.

Writing a dissertation literature review is a critical step in the research process. It involves analysing existing research to establish the context, identify gaps and build the foundation for your study. This blog post will explore the purpose of a literature review, how to structure it effectively and the tools that can assist in the process. It will also discuss the benefits of using editing services to refine your work for a polished, professional result.

Purpose of a dissertation literature review
Structure of dissertation literature review
Sample dissertation literature review
Resources for writing dissertation literature review
Editing services for finalising dissertation literature review

What is the purpose of the dissertation literature review?

A dissertation literature review serves several critical purposes:

Contextualisation: The literature review situates your research within the broader field, demonstrating your understanding of the existing body of knowledge. It shows how your research fits into the ongoing academic conversation and highlights the significance of your work.
Critical analysis: A literature review is not just a summary of existing research but involves critically analysing and evaluating the sources. You assess the strengths and weaknesses of previous studies, identify gaps in the research and discuss how your work will address these gaps or build upon existing findings.
Theoretical framework: The literature review often helps establish the theoretical foundation for your research. It identifies the key theories, models and concepts that will guide your study and justify your chosen approach.
Research justification: The literature review helps justify your research question or hypothesis by reviewing what has already been done. It shows that your research is necessary and original, either by addressing a gap in the literature, challenging existing findings or extending current knowledge in a new direction.
Methodological insights: Literature review helps identify and discuss the methodologies used in previous studies, which can inform your research design. It helps you choose appropriate methods or justify why a different approach might suit your research.
Establishing credibility: A thorough and well-organised literature review helps to establish your credibility as a researcher. It shows that your research is grounded in a solid understanding of the existing literature and that you are contributing to an ongoing academic conversation.

How to structure a dissertation literature review?

The structure of a literature review in an academic dissertation or thesis typically follows a systematic and organised format. While the exact structure can vary depending on the field of study and specific requirements of the university, literature review usually includes the following elements:

1. Introduction

Purpose and scope: Briefly introduce the topic and explain the purpose of the literature review. Outline the scope of the review, including the time period, geographical area or specific aspects of the topic you will cover.
Organisation: Provide a brief overview of the literature review organisation, mentioning the main themes or sections that will be discussed.

2. Thematic or chronological organisation

Thematic approach: The literature review focuses on key themes, concepts or debates within the field. Each theme is discussed in separate sections, where you analyse and compare how different studies address the same theme.
Chronological approach: Alternatively, the review can be organised chronologically, tracing the research development on the topic over time. This structure is useful when you want to show how ideas or methodologies have evolved.

3. Main body

Summarisation of key studies: Summarise and discuss the most relevant studies in detail. Provide an overview of each study’s findings, methodologies and contributions.
Critical analysis and comparison: Critically evaluate the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of the existing research. Compare different studies, highlighting agreements, contradictions and gaps.
Identification of gaps: Identify gaps in the literature, inconsistencies or areas needing further research. This section helps to justify the significance of your research.

4. Theoretical framework

Link to theory: Discuss how the literature relates to the theoretical framework of your research. Highlight application of different theories to the topic and how they will guide your study.

5. Conclusion

Summary of key findings: Summarise the main findings from the literature review, reiterating the key themes, trends and gaps identified.
Justification for your research: Clearly articulate how your research will address the gaps or unresolved issues identified in the literature. Explain the contribution your study will make to the existing body of knowledge.

6. References

Citations: Include a comprehensive list of all the sources cited in the literature review, following the required citation style (e.g. APA, MLA, Chicago).

Sample dissertation literature review

The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health

1. Introduction

Social media has significantly influenced adolescent interactions, with growing concerns about its impact on mental health. This literature review explores existing research on how social media affects adolescent mental health, focusing on usage patterns, social comparison and cyberbullying. The review is organised thematically and aims to identify gaps that justify the present study.

2. Thematic Organisation

2.1 Social Media Usage and Mental Health

Studies link increased social media use with higher anxiety and depression in adolescents (Kross et al., 2013; Twenge & Campbell, 2018). However, research like Orben and Przybylski (2019) suggests that moderate use might have neutral or positive effects, highlighting the need to explore different usage patterns further.

2.2 Social Comparison and Self-Esteem

Social comparison on social media often leads to lower self-esteem and body dissatisfaction (Vogel et al., 2014; Fardouly et al., 2015). However, Meier and Schafer (2018) suggest that the impact varies based on individual factors like pre-existing self-esteem, indicating a more nuanced relationship.

2.3 Cyberbullying and Psychological Outcomes

Cyberbullying is strongly linked to increased anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts (Kowalski et al., 2014; Patchin & Hinduja, 2015). Yet varying prevalence rates suggest that cultural and contextual factors may influence its impact (Smith et al., 2018), necessitating further research in this area.

3. Theoretical Framework

This review supports using Bandura’s Social Learning Theory and Festinger’s Social Comparison Theory to understand how social media influences adolescent behaviour and self-perception. These theories provide a foundation for analysing the observed effects of social media.

4. Identification of Gaps

Key gaps in the literature include the need for more differentiation between social media platforms, reliance on self-reported data, and insufficient exploration of protective factors like parental involvement. Addressing these gaps requires more nuanced, longitudinal research.

5. Conclusion

The literature indicates a complex relationship between social media and adolescent mental health, influenced by usage patterns, social comparison, and cyberbullying. This review identifies gaps that justify the current study’s focus on these variables, aiming to provide a more comprehensive understanding of social media’s long-term effects on adolescent mental health.

Tools and software for dissertation literature review

Writing a dissertation literature review can be a complex task. Several tools and software can help streamline the process, organise your research and enhance your writing. Here are some key tools that can be useful:

Reference management software

Zotero: A free, open-source tool that helps you collect, organise, cite and share your research sources. It integrates with word processors for easy citation management.
EndNote: A comprehensive reference management tool that automatically stores and organises references and creates bibliographies.
Mendeley: A reference manager and academic social network that helps you organise your research, collaborate with others and discover recent developments in your field.

Literature search and discovery tools

Google Scholar: A freely accessible search engine that indexes scholarly articles across various disciplines. It is useful for finding peer-reviewed papers, theses, books and conference papers.
JSTOR, PubMed, IEEE Xplore: Discipline-specific databases that provide access to various academic papers and publications.
ResearchGate: A social networking site for researchers where you can find papers, ask questions and connect with other scholars in your field.

Writing and editing tools

Microsoft Word: A standard word processor with robust formatting and citation tools, often used for dissertations.
Google Docs: A cloud-based word processor that allows real-time collaboration, making sharing drafts with supervisors and peers easy.
Grammarly: An AI-powered writing assistant that helps with grammar, punctuation and style. Useful for ensuring clarity and correctness in your writing.
Hemingway Editor: A tool highlighting complex sentences, passive voice and readability issues, helping you make your writing clear and concise.

Mind mapping and brainstorming tools

MindMeister: An online mind-mapping tool that helps you organise your thoughts, structure your literature review and visualise connections between concepts.
XMind: A tool for creating mind maps, flowcharts and other diagrams to help you plan and structure your literature review.

Plagiarism checking tools

Turnitin: Widely used in academic institutions to check for plagiarism, ensuring that your literature review is original and properly cited.
Grammarly’s Plagiarism Checker: This tool also offers a plagiarism detection

How can editing services help finalise dissertation literature review?

Editing services, including copyediting and proofreading, can significantly enhance the quality and clarity of your dissertation literature review, ensuring that it meets the highest academic standards. Here is how these services can help:

Copyediting

Copyediting is a more in-depth editing process that focuses on improving the overall quality of your writing. Here’s how it can help:

Clarity and coherence: Copyeditors ensure that your arguments and ideas are clearly and logically presented. They help refine your writing so that each paragraph flows smoothly and your points are communicated effectively.
Structure and organisation: A copyeditor can assist in organising your literature review, ensuring that it follows a logical structure. They might suggest rearranging sections, improving transitions between ideas or enhancing the overall organisation of content.
Consistency: Copyediting ensures consistency in your writing style, tone and formatting. This includes consistent use of terminology, headings and referencing style throughout the literature review.
Grammar and syntax: Copyeditors will correct grammatical errors, awkward sentence structures and any issues with syntax. They help polish the writing to ensure it reads smoothly and professionally.
Accuracy of citations and references: Copyediting includes checking that all citations and references are accurately formatted according to the required citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.). This ensures that your sources are properly credited and your bibliography is correctly presented.

Proofreading

Proofreading is the final stage of the editing process, focusing on catching surface errors and ensuring the document is error-free. Here is how proofreading helps:

Typographical errors: Proofreaders will correct typos, spelling mistakes and other minor errors that might have been overlooked during the writing process.
Punctuation: Proofreading ensures that all punctuation marks are correctly placed, which is crucial for maintaining the clarity and readability of your text.
Formatting: Proofreaders check for consistency in formatting, such as font sizes, margins, line spacing and heading styles, ensuring your literature review adheres to your institution’s guidelines.
Minor consistency issues: Proofreading also involves checking for minor inconsistencies, such as the use of hyphens, capitalisation and number formats, ensuring that your document is polished and professional.

Benefits of using editing services

Enhanced readability: By improving the clarity and flow of your writing, editing services make your literature review more accessible to readers, including your dissertation committee.
Professional presentation: A well-edited and proofread literature review presents your work in the best possible light, reflecting your attention to detail and commitment to academic excellence.
Error-free submission: Editing services help ensure that your literature review is free of errors, reducing the risk of losing marks for avoidable mistakes.
Increased confidence: Knowing that your literature review has been thoroughly edited and proofread can give you greater confidence when submitting your dissertation.

Key takeaways

The literature review in a dissertation situates your research within the academic context, demonstrating your understanding of existing work and its significance. It critically analyses previous research, identifies gaps and establishes the theoretical foundation for your study. This process justifies the originality of your research and informs your methodology. A well-crafted review enhances your credibility by showing a deep understanding of the field. Editing services like copyediting and proofreading further refine clarity, structure and consistency, ensuring a polished and professional submission.

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