A literature review is one the most essential part of any
given research paper. Basically, it is a survey of the scholarly sources that
have been written on a specific topic and subject. It is considered significant
because this is where a researcher is able to demonstrate that he/she has depth
knowledge and understanding of the academic writings on the specific topic that
is being examined. It is here that a writer is able to evaluate critically the
academic materials, interpret the concepts therein and apply them to the paper
being examined.

A literature review is one the most essential part of any
given research paper. Basically, it is a survey of the scholarly sources that
have been written on a specific topic and subject. It is considered significant
because this is where a researcher is able to demonstrate that he/she has depth
knowledge and understanding of the academic writings on the specific topic that
is being examined. It is here that a writer is able to evaluate critically the
academic materials, interpret the concepts therein and apply them to the paper
being examined.

The researcher is expected to provide his own interpretation
and critical analysis of the current knowledge being examined. It is through
the literature review that the researcher is able to show that he/she
understands the existing debates and current scholarly research on the specific
topic being examined and to present the knowledge in a report form.

Therefore, when conducting and writing a literature review
you must search for literature to the specific topic area being studied and
narrow it to the research being questioned. The researcher is expected to
critically examine the chosen papers according to the subtopics areas and
patterns of thought. It's from the literature that the researcher is able to
develop the thesis or purpose statement. The literature reviewed will become
the backbone of the research findings, discussions, and analysis, thus leading
to conclusions and further recommendations.