What are the benefits of conducting a literature review before research?

1 Define your scope

A literature review helps you to define the scope and boundaries of your research topic or question. It helps you to narrow down your focus, refine your objectives, and avoid duplication or irrelevance. By reviewing the existing literature, you can identify the key concepts, theories, methods, and findings that are relevant to your research. You can also determine the gaps, limitations, and challenges that need to be addressed or explored further.

2 Develop your argument

A literature review helps you to develop your argument and position your research within the existing knowledge. It helps you to justify your research purpose, significance, and contribution. By reviewing the literature, you can establish the context and background of your research topic or question. You can also compare and contrast different perspectives, approaches, and evidence. This will help you to formulate your research questions, hypotheses, or aims, and to support them with logical and coherent reasoning.

3 Enhance your skills

A literature review helps you to enhance your skills and competencies as a researcher and a writer. It helps you to improve your critical thinking, analytical, and evaluative skills. By reviewing the literature, you can assess the quality, credibility, and relevance of different sources. You can also identify the strengths, weaknesses, and biases of different arguments, methods, and results. This will help you to develop your own stance and voice, and to avoid plagiarism and ethical issues.

4 Inform your design

A literature review helps you to inform your design and methodology of your research. It helps you to select the most appropriate and feasible methods, tools, and techniques for your research. By reviewing the literature, you can learn from the best practices, experiences, and lessons of other researchers. You can also avoid the common pitfalls, errors, and challenges that they faced. This will help you to plan and conduct your research effectively and efficiently.

5 Update your knowledge

A literature review helps you to update your knowledge and stay current with the latest developments and trends in your field of interest. It helps you to discover new ideas, insights, and innovations that can inspire and inform your research. By reviewing the literature, you can keep track of the changes, advances, and debates that are happening in your discipline. You can also identify the emerging opportunities, challenges, and directions for future research.

6 Communicate your findings

A literature review helps you to communicate your findings and implications of your research. It helps you to structure and organize your report or presentation in a clear and coherent way. By reviewing the literature, you can provide a comprehensive and balanced overview of the existing research on your topic or question. You can also relate your findings to the existing knowledge, and discuss how they confirm, extend, or challenge it. This will help you to demonstrate your understanding, contribution, and impact of your research.