Importance of Literature Survey in Research

Importance of Literature Survey in Research

The purpose of research is to create something new and useful to the society. The usefulness of any work is measured in comparison with the earlier research in the field. This phase of research will enlighten the research scholar with all the details of the field of research. The survey must be exhaustive. It's the process taken up reverse in time, starting from the present and move backwards in time. 

The first step is to fix up a base paper on which we are planning to begin our journey into research. 

Journey from the base paper

Start reading this paper carefully for their claims. Note all the claims made by the authors. Then verify the insights of how the claims are realised. Surely, we won't be following anything to start with. But with multiple readings, we start to follow the logic behind the claims of the paper. 

For better clarity, they suggest us to refer to the earlier research works. We simply follow this down the line for more clearer understanding. It's a recurring action. 

The base paper refer to some papers for its claims. These papers, in turn, refer the earlier works to support their claims and this continues. We just need to follow this till we understand the base paper thoroughly. 

Purpose of the Literature Survey 

This survey helps our research work in many ways:

1. Allows us to understand the research journey from the fundamentals till date. Understanding the path the research has taken in the field of our interest, we get higher insight about our field of research. 

2. Can understand the research methodology to take up. While reading the stories associated with earlier research works, we realise the various steps that are involved in the research work.

 

3. Each paper we go through, will reinforce the ideas that we intend to continue as our research work. All the unsolved problems, they present as the drawbacks or limitations of their research work, can be a very good sources of goals for our research work. 

At the end of the Literature survey phase, we are ready with: 

Background:  All the information required to begin our journey into research will be very clearly made available.

 Research Methodology:  Can understand how to proceed with the research work. The stories of other researchers can be highly inspirational. 

Defining Goal: The limitations of the past researchers can be a good source of defining goal for our research. 

Main Learning stage:  This phase of the research life is the most important one. We cannot proceed even a single step without understanding the background, research methodologies and fixing the field of our research. Hence maximum of our research time must be reserved for this activity. Usually more that 50% of the research time is required to understand the Literature for successful research work.

 

There is no way to bypass this phase. 

There are no shortcuts while surveying the Literature. Never ever try to search shortcuts.

 

Make sure to enjoy this phase of Research Life! 

Have a great Literature Survey for your successful research future. 

All the Best Wishes...