Step 1: Articulate the theoretical framework
First of all, you need to analyse the theoretical background or models of your research area in detail to provide a solid foundation for the rest of the review. This is undoubtedly the cornerstone of all academic research.
Step 2: Synthesise existing research
Focus on the following two key tasks:
1. selecting what to focus on. Although it involves a review, it is not an untargeted pile of literature, but rather a selective one. Select four or five papers that are closely related to your research topic as the focus of your review, while others can be briefly summarised.
2. Reveal the interconnections. It is not a single piece of literature that is important, it is the interconnectedness of the different pieces of literature that is important! Therefore, you should summarise and compare the literature you have read. For example, you may want to present papers with similar ideas (or using the same research methodology) together in detail, and highlight conflicts and contradictions in the literature to stimulate deeper thinking.
Common Sentences
Recent research has shown… Research reveals… has been established as… Multiple recent studies point to… in-depth exploration…
Step 3: Highlighting Research Gaps
After a thorough review of existing research, it is time to present your findings. This paper will endeavour to answer the question, “Why did I do this research?
● What are the gaps in the research that has been conducted?
What aspects have not been adequately researched?
Are there any findings in the literature that do not convince you?
Are there areas that you feel need to be improved?
These are your critical reflections, your own unique ideas and originality.
Commonly used sentences (lack of previous research):
So far, there is little research literature on this issue
In addition, the role of… In addition, the role of… has uncertainty/less research/relatively shallow understanding in terms of… This seems to be a common problem in…. It has become more and more obvious.
Step 4: Revealing the current research
On this basis, we naturally move to the introductory stage of your research. Simply combine the findings of the previous review with your own research goals and you will be able to describe the current research in terms of its content. Simply combine the findings of the previous review with your own research goals and you will be able to describe the research content with ease.
[The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the research findings and objectives of the study.
The purpose of this study is to provide a concise overview/discussion of…. the role of… in… /The purpose of this research is twofold.
The purpose of this research is twofold, one is… and the other is… The purpose of this research is twofold, one is… and the other is…
