At this point, it is useful to ask yourself a number of
questions. By answering these questions, you will ensure that your literature review is on
the right track.
1. Check that your literature review matches the task.
Click here for example. (File C1.1 Lit Rev "What follows is…")
2. Where did the research problem come from? Click here for
example. (File C1.1 Lit Rev "with the advent…")
3. What is already known about this problem? Click here for
example. (File C1.1 Lit Rev "Durrell … was the first to redefine…")
4. What other methods have been tried to solve the problem?
Click here for example. (File C1.1 Lit Rev Ripper "describes the
transition…")
5. What are the gaps in this research? Click here for
example. (File C1.1 Lit Rev Ripper "There is no mention of…")
6. How many papers, books or journal articles should I
include? This depends on the word limit. Try to get a balance of journal articles and
books. Click here for example. (File C1.1 Lit Rev see reference list)
7. Which authors are the most important for my research?
(Identify the pioneers and leading authorities in the field and other closely related
disciplines - e.g. Science and Environmental Science: Durrell, Mazur and Ripper) Click
here for example. (File C1.1 Lit Rev)
8. How relevant do they have to be to be included? They
need to include a mixture of the major theorists and commentators. Click here for example.
(File C1.1 Lit Rev - see reference list, "Gerald Durrell, founder of the
Jersey…")
9. Where does my research fit in the total literature?
Click here for example. (File C1.1 Lit Rev - an "evaluation of the role of zoos and
Melb. Zoo specifically")
