Literature Review
The dissertation guide states that about 100 articles and other sources must be referred to for the dissertation and interconnected to include the following in the literature review. Please consider
-Examination & evaluation of current knowledge, theories & understanding of the project topic.
-Background and history of the topic
-Any controversial issues or differing views about the topic
-All objectives must be fulfilled by the end of the literature review
-All matters discussed and included in the literature review must directly fulfil the aims and objectives and no unnecessary content must be used.
-Each point stated or made must be supported by various sources and not just one sources. The more the sources the better.
-Personal interpretation of the literature read must show in the literature review.
The following is copied from the dissertation handbook. Please read through and follow accordingly through the whole work. Please.
A literature review must therefore be organized so that it:
- Relates directly to the aim and objectives of the dissertation;
- Identifies concepts, themes or trends and the level of current knowledge and understanding;
- Identifies the characteristics of the sources and information;
- Establishes whether specific information relates to specific contexts;
- Establishes whether any bias can be detected or substantial differences of opinion exist;
- Determines whether there appear to be gaps in the knowledge or data.
Conclusion
The following is again taken from the handbook. Please go through.
Conclusions are not a summary!!! They are findings or deductions developed from the research and based on reasoning and evidence. It is important to communicate and present your conclusions in a logical and clear manner, since they form the outcome of your research. The conclusions should therefore be structured so that they remind the reader of the salient issues set out in the dissertation, refer back to the aim and objectives, and state whether these have been supported, or proven or not, and why.
Conclusions develop from your analysis, observations, critical evaluation, and synthesis of the data gathered and should include a discussion of how the findings are justified or contradicted by the literature and/or the empirical data. Conclusions are therefore what you have deduced from the information researched and/or gathered in previous chapters and so new material must not be introduced. Conclusions may result in new knowledge being added to the topic area and/or new insights being given into published data.
You must include your personal comments, observations and reflections on the information gathered. These must be based on reasoning and evidence and, where possible, supported by references. Your comments, observations and reflections should represent the added value that your investigation has provided to the knowledge that existed prior to your undertaking the dissertation.
The following are the word counts I expect under the respective headings
- Introduction including overview of project area, Aims and Objectives, Scope - 1000 to 1250 words
- Methodology - 1000 to 1250 words
- Literature review - 10,000 - 11,000 words. If secondary data analysis is done then Literature review would be 7,000 - 8,000 words and Analysis would be 2,500 - 3,000 words.
- Conclusion - 3000 - 3500 words.