HD·R4·02 Research
Literature Review Methods
Mapping what's already known before claiming to add to it.
A rigorous literature review maps the existing scholarly conversation and identifies a genuine gap a thesis can address, it is an argument, not a summary. This course covers systematic search strategy, critical synthesis across sources, and structuring a review that builds toward a clear research gap.
In Development
This course's full module content is being written. The outline below is final, subscribe for updates when it publishes.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- 01 Conduct a systematic literature search rather than an ad hoc one
- 02 Synthesise sources critically rather than merely summarising them sequentially
- 03 Identify and justify a genuine research gap from the reviewed literature
- 04 Structure a literature review around themes or debates, not source-by-source
- 05 Evaluate the quality and relevance of sources before including them
- 06 Update a literature review as new research emerges during a long thesis process
- Defined search criteria produce a more defensible, complete review
- Ad hoc searching risks systematic blind spots the researcher won't notice
- Synthesis connects sources into an argument; summary merely lists them
- A source-by-source structure is usually a sign synthesis hasn't happened yet
- Vague gap claims don't survive committee scrutiny
- A specific, well-evidenced gap claim is what justifies the thesis's contribution
- Thematic structure supports argument development
- Strict source-by-source structure often signals underdeveloped synthesis
- Source quality evaluation should precede inclusion, not follow it automatically
- Reviews need updating over a multi-year thesis timeline, not just at the start