How to Research Your Dissertation or Thesis Literature Review

One of the most tedious aspects of writing a research paper is the literature review. A dissertation literature review tends to be longer than a thesis literature review, but both involve many hours of research. The internet has made the process easier because many journal articles are now available online, but it also has raised the bar of what your professors expect of you. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to keep your literature manageable so that you can focus on the body of your thesis or dissertation:

Instructions

1. Before you begin to research the existing body of knowledge, outline the key points that you want to show. Any assumptions that you base your research on should be included here, as well as any key findings that your subtopic is founded on. This will save you time because you will know what you are looking for, so you can stay on track.

2. Use the keyword search on Google Scholar to try to find articles that are similar to the points that you are trying to prove. Use RefWorks or another citation management source to try to keep track of your literature. If possible, paste in a few brief notes about these sources to save yourself time when it comes to writing your literature review.

3. Look for authors that you have cited more than once and visit their personal webpage. Often times there will be an electronic CV with access to all of their research, including newly released papers, that can be an excellent asset for your work. Additionally, there is normally an email address on their website so that you can contact them if you need additional information, which can be a huge help later.

4. If you find an article extremely similar to your research topic, go through the reference list to get the citations for any interesting topics. Often times this will be the best source for finding the key pieces of work that shaped your topic. Additionally, if the work has findings similar to what you hope to get, write down the author's email address so that you can contact him or her in order to try to get more information.

5. Talk to your colleagues and professors. Many times they will know of someone in the field who is working on a piece of work or specializes in the topic. By using the web to find that person's CV or by emailing them, you will be able to see the most current research available on your topic by the person that is widely considered to be the expert in the field.

6. Try to stay away from books and focus on articles. Often times researchers will publish a journal article and book on the same topic. The book tends to be full of great examples and antidotes, which are helpful for the general reader, but not for a literature review. Instead, use the key points in journal articles for the basis of your review.