Why write a literature review?

• it helps an author educate the reader on a topic and bring them up to date on the status of the research
• it reviews scholarly published content on what is already known in a given field of research
• it uncovers gaps in the knowledge and any hotly debated subjects
• it identifies who the key researchers are on the topic and their methodology
• by writing a literature review, you are building the foundation for your own work by supplying the reader with background information

Selected web guides for writing a literature review

• Conducting a Literature Review (Carleton U)
• The Literature Review: A few tips on conducting it (U. of Toronto)