A Dissertation Literature Review: Mistakes to Avoid

Stack of books.We are sure you have already heard about a dissertation literature review as one of the most important sections and the backbone of your project. It is really so, and we do not want to waste your time repeating the same.

In this article, we want to talk about some common mistakes that inexperienced dissertation writers tend to make in dissertation literature reviews.

Yet, before that, let us remind you some general facts about a literature review in a dissertation.

Purposes of making a dissertation literature review

  1. To get all possible information about research done, reputable scholars within your research area;
  2. To demonstrate your deep knowledge of the chosen field of study.

Dissertation literature review format

Actually, it depends on the format of the whole project. Here, you can check some essentials of writing an APA dissertation.

Major steps you need to take to write a dissertation literature review

  1. Formulate the main problem;
  2. Collect data;
  3. Evaluate data;
  4. Make an analysis;
  5. Present your results.

Sure, this is basic information on how to make a dissertation literature review, and you should ask your advisor for more details. We want to focus on mistakes that you should avoid in your dissertation literature review.

Mistake 1

A researcher fails to explain the relationship of already made findings to his/her own study.

Mistake 2

A researcher focuses mostly on secondary sources rather than on primary ones in his/her dissertation literature review.

Mistake 3

A researcher fails to accept the works and findings of other scholars critically.

Mistake 4

A researcher does not mention methods used for collecting data.

Mistake 5

A researcher does not take into consideration alternative and contrary findings.

Read our next article if you need help with a dissertation abstract.

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