Peer-Orientation on Dissertation Writing, Series II

7^th October, 2021

Discussion on Dissertation Writing Skill

Discussed Part: Literature Review

Peer Facilitators: Pratigya Raut, Kranti Bhattarai, Sagar Baral, and Anjana Dhital

Major Ideas Shared

a. Literature Review section can be mainly categorized into 3 parts.

• Introductory Part: what is literature review and why is it important? ( 1 or 2 pages maximum)
• Major Literature Review ( Major Section)
• Literature Gap:  what gap is sensed in previous literatures which are reviewed? What are ostensible weaknesses or lacuna in those literatures? What shortfalls or missing have been found in those literatures? [ Preferably 2 or 3 paragraphs, better in number or bullet formats, if possible]

b. Other desirable qualities  in Literature Review

1. Literature Review should be done by following the research guidelines provided by the college.
2. The reviewed literature should be at least 12 in number as required.
3. Literature should be related to the dissertation issue and highly relevant as well.
4. The literature written or produced by acknowledged authority or cited scholars and published into respectable or highly known source, as far as possible, should be prioritized.
5. It is better to read many literatures and screen the required cum relevant to review than just to review whatever is found.
6. Reviewing latest (within of last 10 years), as far as possible, literature will be of better gravity in terms of personal opinion or researches. For laws, philosophical and foundational ideas (primary source of authority), time bar doesn’t come into effect.
7. Researcher should try to review various types of literatures i.e. books, research articles, cases, reports, newspaper articles and so on than only going on either of type.
8. Each literature should be reviewed in significant length: at least two paragraphs.
9. The total literature review section should be tentatively 25% of the whole dissertation in terms of volume.
10. While reviewing, all the literature should be named in proper case both in title and body.
11. While reviewing the literatures, besides briefing the message or proposition of literature, it is even good to review about applied methodology as well in some cases. Literature review is not limited only to know or extract the message of previous literatures; it is even to be familiar about research methods as well. Review should largely focus on message but should not mandatorily exclude the method.
12. Researchers are strongly advised to review good number of Nepalese literature as well than only relying and being overtly obsessed on mere westerns or non-native literature.