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One of the biggest issues that PhD students and researchers might face while working on their research projects is the difficulties in writing review of related literature (also referred to as RRL). While the terms literature review and review of related literature are often used interchangeably, there is a slight difference. A literature review is an in-depth analysis of existing studies to identify gaps, which are then used to formulate a new hypothesis for your research. This review can either be a part of your main paper or a standalone paper. On the other hand, a review of related literature is a comprehensive analysis of existing studies that are relevant to a particular topic, but the primary purpose is to judge the soundness of the research methodology. While this process may also identify gaps in the existing database, these gaps need not necessarily be used to formulate a new research question. This is what makes it difficult to do a review of related literature.
In spite of knowing these basic differences, authors often face difficulties in writing a review of related literature. In this article, we have discussed a few of these issues, based upon most frequently asked 10 questions regarding the review of related literature.
Difficulties in writing a review of related literature
- Circumventing Google Search barriers
Searching for relevant literature can often pose a problem, since not all the sources are immediately listed in the search pages. One way to overcome this challenge is to be as specific as possible, while opting for the ‘Google Scholar’ option. This will filter out the unnecessary sources and only link the scholarly texts available. You can use smart reading apps like R Discovery or even sign up for relevant scientific newsletters, which give you routine updates regarding the latest literature in the topic of your interest, and link you to the authentic sources.
- Organizing huge portions of data
One of the most common difficulties in writing review of related literature is organizing the huge amount of data that is generated, along with the redundancy in information. To make this process simpler, you can begin working on your review with the help of the most generic sources first, which have an overview of the topic, and then move on to the specific sources, which talk about a particular sub-topic in depth. Having this macro perspective will simplify how you sort your data and ensure you are thorough in collecting all the relevant information needed for your review.
- Maintaining an unbiased perspective
Most often, what makes it difficult to do a review of related literature is maintaining an unbiased perspective toward the entire process. Researchers inadvertently end up comparing their own results with the results that they read, leading them to form a personal opinion regarding the literature at hand. To circumvent this, researchers can have in-depth discussions regarding their review, with peers and mentors, especially with people who have not worked with them on the same topic.
- Maintaining a balance between old and new data
Researchers often struggle while trying to understand the different types of literature that should be included in the review. Maintaining a balance between including the most fundamental studies in the topic of interest, with the latest updates regarding the topic, is one of the common difficulties in writing review of related literature. To overcome this challenge, you can work with a predefined formula by deciding the amount of old v/s new data that you would like to have in your review. This can be figured out by knowing what your ultimate objective is, for that review. If you intend to use the review of related literature as a base for formulating new hypothesis, then it is essential to be thorough in including more of the latest studies, so the gap areas can be identified easily. On the other hand, if your review is simply a comprehensive write-up about the topic in general, you can include both old as well as new studies in similar proportions.
- Formatting a review of related literature
There is no recommended format for a review of related literature. However, it is essential to set a format before working on the review, which will help you save considerable time and energy later. You can either opt for a structured format, with relevant headings, or go for a free-flowing format. Sometimes, this decision depends upon your guide/mentor as well as the educational institute that you are a part of. If you intend to submit your review to a journal, there might be specific requirements that you must take into consideration when formatting your review of related literature.
We hope the points above were a good overview of the difficulties in writing a review of related literature and how to overcome these to deliver a comprehensive piece.
Related reading:
- Review of related literature: A vital tool for researchers. Life Blog https://researcher.life/blog/article/review-of-related-literature-a-vital-tool-for-researchers/ (2022)
- Literature Review Guide: 7 Tips to write a good literature review. Life Blog https://researcher.life/blog/article/literature-review-guide-tips-for-writing-a-good-literature-review/ (2022)
- How do I do a review of related literature (RRL)? Editage Insights https://www.editage.com/insights/samples-of-rrl (2020)
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