The process of writing a literature review (LR) is part and parcel of one’s research. It is considered to be of utmost importance not only as it helps to frame one’s own research, but also as it invites discussion in academic work. Though students understand its significance, many of them and sometimes even adept researchers find this task as onerous and perplexing. Moreover, students tend to feel confused as they are not familiar with the process of doing the LR. This essay, therefore, describes in general what a LR is, explores why to do it, and reveals what steps should be done to successfully accomplishing writing a LR.
Although there is no universal definition of what a LR is, many resources agree on the point that it is a critical analysis of literature on a particular topic (Liberty University, n.d.; ECWritingCenter, 2012). Interesting discussion occurs around a LR as a summary. To illustrate, ECWritingCenter (2012) argues that a LR is “an essay that synthesizes the results of our readings into a summary of what we know and what we need to know”. As a rebuttal to this point, Liberty University (n.d.) and The University of Queensland (n.d.) claim that it goes beyond summarization and presents more synthesis of the materials and justification for one’s own research. Interestingly, some authors resort to the help of stylistic devices in defining a LR. Perhaps, to make the term easier to understand, Libscnu (2009) metaphorically compares the process of writing a LR with