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Assistant Professor (Sociology)
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad
Dhanbad, 824006
Jharkand, India
Normal connotation: Summary and Synthesis of all
documents (published and unpublished) we read
Review of Literature means inquiring, analyzing and
interpreting the text (the past events, actions,
phenomenon )
Logically argued and a comprehensive understanding
of current state of knowledge
An attempt to contextualize your statement of
problem/question and objectives within the larger body
of literature (number of studies) available within a
specific discipline/specialization.
I. Major Theme of Review of Literature:
1. Literature Gap: What exists and what not
2. Identifying the variables and its roles in creating an event,
phenomena, actions, etc: examples, characteristics/properties
of chemicals, instruments, sex and gender, education, etc.
3. Understanding the relations between theory-Concepts and
Practice
4. Knowing - what methodologies and research designs were
followed by scientific community
II. Sub-Theme of Review of Literature:
1. Avoiding unnecessary replication
2. Identifying your (research) proposal strength and weakness
(lack of substance)
3. Internal contradictions and ideological suppositions within a
scientific community (who produces the document industry,
government, inter-governmental panel, NGO Macro-Micro
institutions)
Literature refers to discourse (cognition, representation and knowledge)