Summarize the important aspects of the existing body of literature: evaluate the current state of the literature reviewed: identify significant flaws or gaps in existing knowledge

ASSIGNMENT

A literature review should be structured like any other essay: it should have an introduction, a middle or main body, and a conclusion.
Introduction: The introduction should:define your topic and provide an appropriate context for reviewing the literature: establish your reasons – i.e. point of view – for reviewing the literature: explain the organization– i.e. sequence – of the review: state the scope of the review – i.e. what is included and what isn’t included. For example, if you were reviewing the literature on obesity in children you might say something like: There are a large number of studies of obesity trends in the general population. However, since the focus of this research is on obesity in children, these will not be reviewed in detail and will only be referred to as appropriate.
Main body:The middle or main body should organize the literature according to common themes: provide insight into the relation between your chosen topic and the wider subject area e.g. between obesity in children and obesity in general: move from a general, wider view of the literature being reviewed to the specific focus of your research.
Conclusion: The conclusion should: summarize the important aspects of the existing body of literature: evaluate the current state of the literature reviewed: identify significant flaws or gaps in existing knowledge: outline areas for future study: link your research to existing knowledge.