Step-by-step plan and practical tips for your literature research

What is a literature review?

A literature review often serves as the basis of a thesis and provides a scientific foundation for your own research. During a literature study, you search through various sources, such as scientific articles, books, policy papers, and annual reports, to identify relevant knowledge, theories, and methods.

A qualitative literature review goes beyond merely summarizing data; it involves critically evaluating the available information, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and gaps. Depending on the design of your thesis, a literature study can serve as the foundation for problem analysis or the theoretical framework.

The purpose of a literature review, therefore, extends beyond collecting information; it provides an in-depth understanding of the subject and contributes to the theoretical and methodological foundations of your own research. It requires careful planning, analysis, and synthesis of various sources to create a coherent whole.

Why literature research?

Literature searches are conducted for two primary reasons:

Literature research as a research method

When conducting literature research as the primary research method, it means that you do not gather your own data, but instead systematically gather and critically evaluate existing sources. This provides insight into the current state of your research topic or provides an overview of different perspectives. Ensure that your literature review goes beyond simply summarizing existing literature, but also demonstrates the connections between sources through critical analysis. Identify patterns, themes, conflicts, and gaps. Select an appropriate structure, such as chronological, thematic, methodological, or theoretical, based on your topic’s nature and your research objectives.

Literature research as part of the thesis

In many cases, conducting literature research may not be the primary research method for your thesis. However, it is still crucial to utilize literature research to acquire an understanding of the present state of the field and to build upon existing knowledge in your research. For instance, you can employ a literature review to introduce your study, support your hypotheses, or elucidate unexpected results. It acts as a foundation for your own research and offers valuable context for your findings.

Step-by-step plan for a literature research

When conducting a literature search, you can follow the steps below:

To prepare

In the initial phase, it is important to familiarize yourself with the topic in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the research area. The following steps can be followed:

• Read a recent publication on your topic, preferably by a renowned author that covers various aspects of the topic. This will provide you with a general understanding of the research field. If needed, you can also seek advice from teachers or supervisors to guide you.
• As you read the publication, identify relevant keywords that are commonly used in the context of your topic.
• Select keywords from your (preliminary) problem statement and research questions. This will assist you in conducting targeted searches for literature that is pertinent to your research.
• Compile a list of all the collected keywords or key concepts. These will serve as the foundation for your searches and be used as keywords when looking for literature and other sources.

Collecting literature

To locate specific literature and other sources, there are several databases that you can utilize. Here are a few commonly used options:

• The online catalog of your school or university library: Your educational institution often offers access to an extensive database of books, articles, theses, and journals, both online and in the library. You can often gain access from home as well through a VPN connection.
• Google Scholar: This is a specialized search engine for scientific literature. Visit Google Scholar to access a wide range of academic resources. Please note that not all articles are available for free, so you may need to use a VPN connection or access them through the university.
• PiCarta: You can usually search the PiCarta database for free via your school or university library. This database includes details of all publications available in the Netherlands, including books and magazines that may not be accessible in your own library.
• JSTOR: This digital library contains academic journals, books, and primary sources. Many educational institutions offer free access to JSTOR, allowing you to check the database for relevant literature.

In addition to searching databases, it is also valuable to review the reference lists of the publications you find. Here, you can often discover other relevant sources for your research. If you frequently encounter certain authors, this may indicate their area of expertise. You can then continue searching for more of their work, possibly through their own websites or online databases.

Assessing and selecting literature

When you have found a large amount of literature, it is often necessary to make a selection due to the limited time available to thoroughly study the most relevant sources. As a result, it is crucial to initially assess the relevance and scientific quality of the literature that has been found.

Assessment of relevance

A relevant publication is closely connected to your topic or problem statement. To ascertain this without reading the entire publication, you can begin by reading only the summary and conclusion. These sections often offer enough information to evaluate whether a publication is relevant to your research.

Assessment of quality

The quality of a publication depends on various factors. It is advisable to only use articles

• The quality of a publication depends on various factors. It is recommended to only use articles from reputable journals. You can utilize the Journal Quality List to identify these journals.
• To evaluate the quality of a publication, you can also consider the expertise of the author. You can assume an author is an expert if: Others frequently reference their publications, they have published extensively on the subject, or they are affiliated with a recognized scientific institution.
• Information obtained from websites is often unreliable unless it originates from scientific institutes. Additionally, it is important to use recent and up-to-date literature to avoid incorporating outdated information into your thesis.

Processing literature

Now that you have gathered relevant literature, it is time to process the information you have found. This can be done by conducting an independent literature search or by integrating the information into a broader context, such as a problem analysis or theoretical framework for your thesis. To accomplish this, it is important to carefully study the chosen publications.

• When studying literature, it is helpful to ask yourself the following questions:
• What is the problem being investigated and how is it being addressed?
• What key concepts play a central role and how are they defined?
• What theories and models are used by the authors?
• What are the main findings and conclusions of the research?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?
• How does this article compare to other publications within the research area?
• Does it confirm, refute, or contribute to the existing literature?
• How can this research be applied to my own research?

By studying all sources in this manner, you gain a deeper understanding of the research field and how your own research is related to it. With this knowledge, you can engage in a well-informed and critical discussion of the literature.

Also ensure correct source references

To ensure accurate referencing of sources in a literature review, it is crucial to adhere to the appropriate referencing style, such as APA (American Psychological Association) or the Guidelines for Legal Authors. Here are a few suggestions and resources for correctly citing sources.

• Reference style: Choose the appropriate reference style based on your course or field guidelines. APA is commonly used for social sciences and literature searches.
• Source list: Create a well-organized source list, grouping sources by the authors’ surnames. Include all relevant information such as authors’ names, publication dates, work titles, and publication details.
• Manual referencing: If manually referencing, refer to the APA manual for accurate formatting of in-text citations and bibliographic entries. Maintain consistency and precision in your references.
• Utilization of tools: Simplify citation processes by utilizing reference management tools like EndNote, Mendeley, or Zotero. These tools aid in source organization, generation of in-text citations, and preparation of source lists in the required style. Always double-check with the tools or have your sources verified.

By accurately referencing sources and utilizing helpful tools, you can avoid plagiarism and enhance the quality of your literary study.

Tip: Check the requirements of your course

The specific requirements for processing literature may vary from course to course and are usually explained in the study manual. For instance, in a theoretical framework, the focus is often on defining concepts and discussing relevant theories and models.

Tip: Your own opinion is of secondary importance

When writing a literature review, it is important to note that your personal opinion should take a backseat. The primary objective is to demonstrate your understanding of what has been written about your topic. It is highly recommended to minimize expressing your own opinion, as it can impact the quality and objectivity of your literature review. However, it is acceptable to gain insights from comparing the literature and describe them in your writing. Nevertheless, it is crucial to always provide proper justification for these insights, explaining how you arrived at them based on the literature you have used. This approach ensures that your literature review remains scientifically grounded and well-supported.

Literature research difficult? Get help!

If you find yourself having trouble with your literature research and are in need of assistance, consider seeking support. With the guidance of our experienced supervisors, you will receive:

• Focus and structure: We can assist you in establishing a clear structure for your literature review and identifying key research questions and objectives.
• A clear search strategy: Our supervisors can support you in developing effective search strategies to locate relevant literature and gather it from various sources.
• Assistance with literature analysis and synthesis: We provide guidance in critically analyzing and summarizing the literature found. Additionally, we can help you identify important themes, trends, and gaps.
• Enhanced writing skills: Our supervisors can offer guidance in improving your writing skills, including formulating clear and coherent arguments in your literature study.
• Regular feedback and revisions: Through regular feedback on your work, our supervisors can help you identify weaknesses and make improvements to your literature review.