Transcription
[Music] In this video, we will discuss the purpose of the literature review in presenting a research project. First, what is the literature? The literature can be understood as the collection of academic and peer-reviewed writing on any given subject. A literature review, therefore, is an articulate summary of the most important and salient aspects of that literature for your field and the most pertinent or relevant to your research project. However, a lit review can be an arduous and frustrating process because it involves many hours reading and researching. So, in the first instance, it's important to understand why we include this process in our research.
The following six points are articulated by Diana Ridley in her book, *The Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students*:
Number one: The lit review provides a historical background for your research. This is critical for two reasons. First, you need to know what has been written about your research so that you can present something new and significant to the field in which you are studying. When you come to write about your research significance, you can be confident that you are contributing, even in a small way, to the existing understanding of the field. The second reason that providing the historical background for your research is critical is because it demonstrates to your reader or examiner that you know how to read theoretical concepts and translate them into your own words and that you understand your field.
Number two: It gives an overview of the current context in which your research is situated by referring to contemporary debates, issues, and questions in the field. This is important because your field of research is constantly updated and expanded upon through new and exciting work. Moreover, the ideas about your field might have a different meaning in a new context. For example, historical background about feminism in Australia might discuss the impact of the contraceptive pill in the 1960s. However, what discussions are impacting reproductive rights now, and how does contemporary research talk about these issues?
Number three: The lit review includes a discussion of relevant theories and concepts which underpin your research. There are countless ways to approach research. For example, if you are researching the relationship between the subject and the state, you need to explain how different theorists have approached this research and where your approach fits in. Are you following a Foucadian approach, or perhaps you're following a Marxian approach, or a mix between the two?
Number four: The lit review introduces relevant terminology and provides definitions to clarify how terms are being used in the context of your work. Clarifying how you use your key phrases is absolutely critical, and to do this you need to explain where and how you developed your definitions. For example, there are countless ways to define feminism, so you need to develop a definition that suits your needs and explains how others may have defined it in the past.
Number five: The lit review describes related research in the field and shows how your work extends or challenges this or addresses a gap in the field. Understanding a broad array of literature gives you the opportunity to identify what might be missing in an academic dialogue of your discussion. It can help contribute to your field by pointing this out and filling it in.
And finally, number six: The lit review provides supporting evidence for a practical problem or issue which your research is addressing, thereby underlining its significance. This means that your literature review also works to show the reader that your area of research is reputable and that you are developing upon already solid work that is important to others and that it would have a resounding impact for those researchers who also work in the area.
Understanding why literature reviews are important will help you write your review because now you know what readers and examiners are looking for and why they are looking for it. Undertaking your literature review might feel laborious at times, but after it is completed you will have an expert understanding of your field, and you will be able to discuss your work feeling confident and articulate. Thank you for [Music] watching.