MSHAL Literature Review: Step 1: Scope of Review

It is also important to determine the precise scope of the literature review. For example,

• what exactly will you cover in your review?
• How comprehensive will it be?
• How long? About how many citations will you use?
• How detailed? Will it be a review of ALL relevant material or will the scope be limited to more recent material, e.g., the last five years.
• Are you focusing on methodological approaches; on theoretical issues; on qualitative or quantitative research?
• Will you broaden your search to seek literature in related disciplines?
• Will you confine your reviewed material to English language only or will you include research in other languages too?

It is essential that one defines a research topic very carefully. For example, it should not be too far-reaching. The following is much too broad:

insert example here

However, this is more focused and specific and, accordingly, a more appropriate topic:

insert example here

Limitations of Study

In specifying precisely one's research topic, one is also specifying appropriate limitations on the research. Limiting, for example, by time, personnel, gender, age, location, nationality etc. results in a more focused and meaningful topic.