Literature Review
A literature review is the section of the dissertation that discusses the literature that is already available on a topic and helps to showcase where the knowledge gap is (Writing A Literature Review, 2022). It is an important step in authoring a dissertation because it helps to establish the need for the research, but it can also help the researcher narrow down their research to a very small sliver of a knowledge gap that needs to be researched. This helps to keep the research manageable and a step to build on for future research.
A strong literature review shows a complete and mastered understanding of the topic. It shows the researcher's analytical thinking of the connections between the literature review and the knowledge gap. A strong literature review is a foundation for a rigorous and valid research dissertation. A good literature review will not just be a list of all the researched literature but a discussion about how that research needs to be furthered and where the knowledge gap is. A strong literature review is a foundation for a strong dissertation.
SWOT Analysis on Annotated Bibliography
To ensure that my annotated bibliography, the most important literature reviewed to date, is strong and sound, conducting a SWOT analysis is important. A SWOT analysis will help find the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of my to-date annotated bibliography (SWOT Analysis, 2022). It will also help me plan for changes that need to be made and incorporate them before much work on my dissertation. The Swot Analysis on my annotated bibliography is in the table below.
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Strengths · Fifteen strong articles—after removing some that did not tie the research but have over one hundred articles still to review and add. · Each source informs the reader of the relevance and quality of the cited source. · Each source is relevant to the research and shows the knowledge gap I am researching. |
Weaknesses · I need to go back and make sure that the summary is within 150 words, as some are a little longer. Keep it minimal but factual. · I need to have more focused literature that ties into my research. |
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Opportunities · Improve the conclusions of the articles and tie them into the research topic better. · Tie it into the relationship to other studies in the field. · Make sure the author's background is included in the annotation. |
Threats · Opinion being stated in an article rather than just fact. · Possible personal experiences being worked into the article over just facts and research knowledge. · There may be a possible distortion of what the author is truly saying. |
Strategy for Development
My strategy for developing at least one hundred or more research articles for my literature review is multi-faceted. Firstly, I research various articles weekly, and my goal is to add a minimum of three new articles every week to my annotated bibliography. Secondly, I use broad terms to do the research that ties into the research topic I am looking for a gap in knowledge regarding, as this will help show the need for the research I am doing. Thirdly, I narrow my research by putting it in a date range so that the data I am gathering is current and relevant to today's problems and research. Fourthly, I have a library database in Endnote specifically for my literature review to not lose the articles in the main library that I use for my assignments. This allows me to keep track of all my articles in one place with quick access. Lastly, I add five or more articles to my Endnote library each week. I then go back and research and review the article further to see if it should be added to my annotated bibliography. Before starting work on any classroom assignments for any dissertation class, I will spend ten to fifteen minutes in the CTU Library searching for articles that can be added to my Endnote library for further review.
I feel that this strategy will be beneficial, not overwhelming, and will allow me to manage my time and projects both in school and in life without becoming overwhelmed by the whole dissertation process. It is imperative to have a good strategy for building the annotated bibliography as this is a long and tedious task. Because it needs to have many articles attached to it, leaving it for the end can make it a daunting, almost impossible task complete. My strategy allows me to add a little each week and ensures that the articles are valid to my research.
Conclusion
Having a strong literature review can make or break the research being conducted in a dissertation. It helps to tie in the current research with the need for the research one is recommending through the dissertation prospectus. Ensuring that it is worked on daily or weekly throughout the beginning stages of the dissertation process will help keep it manageable and help to narrow down the gap in knowledge to a sliver that can then be built on with future research. Conducting a SWOT analysis of the annotated bibliography helps the researcher see what is working, not working, and what is a threat to ensuring that the literature review is valid and supports the gap in knowledge. After conducting the SWOT analysis producing a strategy to continue building the annotated bibliography and literature review is a valuable tool for the researcher to help keep them focused on the task and not overwhelmed with the dissertation processes.