The primary goal of writing a Literature Review?

According to [1], “…your task is to build an argument, not a library.”

In major academic writing projects, such as a bachelor’s dissertation or a bachelor’s thesis, researchers generally tackle the literature review work first, after deciding on a research topic. Reading existing literary works in tandem with critical examination of the text proves beneficial in furthering the topic in question and also enables the formulation of research questions [2]. The main goal of a literature review is to establish familiarity with and develop an understanding about the present research in a specific domain prior to delving into executing a new investigation.  A survey of the literature will help you find similar research that has been done in the past and highlight parts of your issue that deserve additional research [3]. In a nutshell, the purpose of a literature review is to;

• Assist you in identifying gaps in the existing literature.
• Reduces the need to reinvent the wheel by locating similar research that has previously been done.
• To give you an overview of what aspects of your topic have already been researched.
• Increase the range of your knowledge and expertise in your field of study.
• Find seminal works that have been completed in the past.
• Allow you to provide an intellectual context for your research and bring your research up to par with previous similar studies done in the past.
• To consider alternative opinions on the same topic.
• Allow you to locate appropriate research methodologies that could be used in your research.