A literature review is:
- A place to make connections between what you are investigating and what has already been investigated in your subject area
- A place to engage in a type of conversation with other researchers in your subject area
- A place to identify previous research on the topic
- A place to show there is a gap in the literature which your study can fill
- A place from which to begin your own investigation
Simply put, a literature review helps you and your readers understand: