Box 1.2 Purposes for a literature review
- to place each work in the context of how it contributes to an understanding of the subject under review;
- to describe how each work related to the others under consideration;
- to identify new ways to interpret, and shed light on gaps in, previous research;
- to identify and resolve conflicts across seemingly contradictory previous studies;
- to identify what has been covered by previous scholars to prevent you needlessly duplicating their effort;
- to signpost the way forward for further research; and
- to locate your original work within the existing literature.