Social Sciences Research: Literature Reviews

In the book Research Methodology, Ranjit Kumar (2011) states that the literature review:

• "...provides a theoretical background to your study
• ...helps you establish the links between what you are proposing to examine and what has already been studied
• ...enables you to show how your findings [or proposed research] have contributed [or will contribute] to the existing body of knowledge in your profession."

This video, "Literature Review: An Overview of Graduate Students," by the North Carolina State University Libraries' goes through the steps of developing a literature review.