Reviewing the Literature
Overall, a well-developed review of the literature demonstrates your mastery in the discipline. This process entails an in-depth review of the existing literature including the integration, synthesis, and evaluation of relevant theories and research. To complete this you must:
Identify critical and relevant literature.
Highlight the important theoretical and/or conceptual debates.
Identify the gap(s) in existing research or theory/theories.
Assess viable research designs and methodologies.
Based on your dissertation topic, identify five to eight key words or descriptors that you will use to create library search queries, indicating the types of Boolean operators you are using. Be sure to discuss your understanding of Boolean operators. Include the specific database(s) you will search to find relevant literature and indicate the specific fields you will search inside that (or those) database(s).