REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Review of literature is one of the most important steps in the research process. An account of what is already known about particular phenomenon. To convey to the readers about the work already done. The knowledge and ideas that have been already established on a particular topic. An account of the previous efforts and the achievements of scholar. It is a laborious task - To be successful. Knowledge gained from earlier studies is an integral part of research.

MEANING OF LITERATURE REVIEW

A literature review is a description and analysis of literature relevant to a particular field or topic. It gives an overview of what has been said , who the key writers are, what are the prevailing theories and hypothesis , what questions are being asked , and what methods and methodologies are appropriate and useful. As such , it is not in itself primary research, rather, it reports on findings of others. A literature review uses as its data base reports of primary or original scholarship and does not report new primary scholarship itself. The primary reports used in the literature may be empirical, theoretical, critical or analytic or, methodological in nature. Second a literature review seeks to describe , summarize, evaluate, clarify and or integrate the content of primary reports. ( H. M. Cooper, 1988) A literature review is an evaluative report of information found in the literature related to selected area of studies. The review describes , summarizes , evaluates, and clarifies this literature, its gives a theoretical base for the research and helps to determine the nature of research.(Queensland University, 1999)

 A literature review is a body of text that aims to review the critical points of knowledge on a particular topic of research.( ANA 2000)A literature review is an account of what has been already established or published on a particular research topic by accredited scholars and researchers. (University of Toronto 2001) Literature review is defined as a broad comprehensive , in depth , systematic and critical review of scholarly publication, unpublished printed or audio visual materials and personal communications.( S.K.Sharma, 2005) Literature review also evaluates and shows relationships between different materials, so that key themes can emerge. Even e descriptive review , however, should not just list and paraphrase, but should also add comment and bring out themes and trends.

IMPORTANCE OF LITERATURE REVIEW

Literature reviews provide a handy guide to particular topic. They are useful reports for professionals to keep up to date. Literature reviews also provide a solid background for a research study. Readers get a comprehensive knowledge of the literature of the field.

OBJECTIVES OF LITERATURE REVIEW

Identification of research problem and development of research questions. Generation of useful research questions. Orientation to what is known and not known about an area of inquiry. Determination of any gaps or inconsistencies in a body of knowledge Discovery of unanswered questions about subjects, concepts, or problems. Determination of a need to replicate a prior study in different study settings or different samples or sizes or different study populations. Identification of relevant theoretical or conceptual framework for research problems Identification or development of new or refined clinical interventions to test through empirical research. Description of the strength and weakness of the research. Development of hypothesis to be tested in a research study. Helps in planning the methodology of the present research study. It also helps in the development of research instruments. Identification of suitable design and data collection methods for a research study. Assistance in interpreting study findings and in developing implications and recommendations.

PURPOSES OF LITERATURE REVIEW

Understanding of subject under review. Describe the relationship of each study to other research studies under consideration. Identify new ways to interpret and shed light on any gaps in previous research. Resolve conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies. Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication of effort. Point away forward for further research. See what has and has not been investigated. Develop general explanation for observed variations in a behavior or phenomenon. Identify potential relationships between concepts and to identify researchable hypothesis. Learn how others have defined and measured key concepts. Identify data sources that other research have used. Develop alternative research projects. Discover how a research project is related to work of others. Place ones original work in context of the existing literature.

SOURCES OF LITERATURE REVIEW

Literature can be reviewed from two main sources. a) Primary Sources Research reports. Description of studies written by researchers who conducted them. primary source is written by a person who developed the theory or conducted the research. An investigation written by the person who conducted it. Most primary sources are found in published literature; for example, a nursing research article. b) Secondary Sources Description of studies prepared by some one other than the original researcher. They are written by people other than the individuals who developed the theory or conducted the research. The secondary sources may be used when primary sources are not available.

The main sources of literature are as follows

Computer assisted literature search. Electronic literature search through web. General literature search through search engines. Yahoo, Google, MSN search, Lycos, Web Crawler, Alta Vista

The useful other sources are

Journals Books Conference proceeding Government or corporate reports Newspapers Thesis and dissertations Internet CD-ROM Magazines Guide to library Research reports News letters, pamphlets and leaflets

STEPS OF LITERATURE REVIEW

Literature review is a systematic search for information, which follows the following steps: Search for sources Locate the source Review the selected literature Synthesize findings from relevant studies Organize the reviewed literature Write the literature review
Synthesize findings from relevant studies

Search for resources

Locate the source

Review the selected literature

Organize the reviewed literature

Write the literature review

PREPARING WRITTEN LITERATURE

There are three elements of written literature: introduction, body, and conclusion Writing the Introduction While writing the introduction, following steps should be taken care of: Define or identify the general topic; issue. Identify the area of concern. providing appropriate context. Point out overall trends, conflicts in theory, methodology, evidence, and conclusion. Gaps in research and scholarship. Establish the writers point of view for reviewing literature. Analyze and compare the literature. Organization of review. Sequence in arranging.

Writing the body Following measures need to be undertaken while writing the body of the literature. Qualitative versus quantitative approaches. Conclusions of authors. Specific purposes or objectives. Chronology in the write-up. Summarize individual studies Compare the importance in the literature. Be brief and summarize. Make sure to compare and analyze.

Writing the Conclusion

The points to be taken care of in the conclusion are as follows: Summarize major contributions of significant studies. Maintaining the focus established in the introduction. Evaluate the current state of the art for the body of knowledge reviewed. pointing out major methodological flaws or gaps. Finding the areas or issues pertinent to future study. Conclude by providing some insight into the relationship between central topic of the literature review.

POINTS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR WRITING THE REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Document the current knowledge Indicate the findings that are ready for use in practice A detailed outline should be developed Begins with an introduction Critically evaluate each contribution and include relevant studies Avoid technical terms Avoid abbreviation Use simple sentences Avoid common errors of punctuations and grammar Link your ideas in to a sensible sequence without repetitions or discontinuities Get feed back on your article from colleagues Maintain academic respectability Avoid anonymous material and self opinions Conclude with a summary of current knowledge

ADVANTAGES OF LITERATURE REVIEW

The literature review has the following advantages It provides rationale for the current study. It puts the present study into the context of what is known about the topic. Review of relevant literature. It provides theoretical and conceptual basis of the study.

CONCLUSION

The literature review provides a critical look at the existing literature, which is significant to the researcher to carry-out the project. It is a concise description of an article that highlights the relationship between different work and how it is related to the researchers own work.

SUMMARY
Review of literature is the critical appraisal of selected literature to find out how it can be useful to the present study. It brings clarity and focus to the research problem. Review follows a systematic process of searching and locating the sources, reviewing the relevant literature, synthesizing and organizing the reviewed literature and writing the review. Literature review is essential as it provides rationale for the current study, puts the present study into the context of what is known about the topic and provides theoretical and conceptual basis for the study.