READING AND RESEARCHING SOCIAL RESEARCH - Essay Example

In order to come up with an appropriate literature review, it is important to understand the kind of research one is doing. This will lead one to the type of literature one is likely to do. An applied literature review surveys known information about a topic and helps identify information that is not yet known so that decisions for action or for further examination of a situation can be made (Kumar, 2005 p. 30). In other words, this type of review is not interested in filing the gap in the literature of a certain topic.

The main goal is an understanding of existing and missing knowledge. A literature review can also be of a simple nature. In this type of review, the question will be more general, as will the survey of the literature conducted (Dawidowicz, 2010 p. 7). The question will be one that dictates an overview of the information provided in numerous sources on the topic considered. It will also be one that lays the groundwork for future research of greater depth. In other words, a simple literature review will provide insight into areas that will each be reviewable in greater depth in future research.

After establishing the type of literature review one is going to write, the next step is to consider the time that it will take. A literature review for a secondary school or undergraduate class might take a month to three months. If the review is meant to support a grant proposal, a project development plan, or a case study of a program, a literature review development process might take more than a month or even a year. The depth of research required and the broadness of the topic at hand will determine the time constraints (Fink, 2009 p. 12). After determining the time constraints of the literature review development process, the next step is to narrow the topic of the research.

The topic is narrowed until the question or hypothesis is specific enough for a comprehensive literature review to be completed. Managing to narrow a topic