I recently came across an insightful article by Emmanuel Tsekleves that completely transformed my understanding of what a 𝐏̲𝐡̲𝐃̲ ̲𝐋̲𝐢̲𝐭̲𝐞̲𝐫̲𝐚̲𝐭̲𝐮̲𝐫̲𝐞̲ ̲𝐑̲𝐞̲𝐯̲𝐢̲𝐞̲𝐰̲ ̲truly entails.
I have to appreciate his great infographic on the topic and think it will bring value to all those aspring PhDs out there!
In my own words, he is pointing out that the literature review is a fundamental part of any PhD thesis. It's not merely about summarizing existing research; it serves multiple critical roles that make it indispensable:
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬: It ensures your research is relevant and contributes meaningfully to the academic conversation, guiding you through existing knowledge.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜: By evaluating current literature, it sharpens your arguments and helps your work stand out, adding necessary depth and breadth.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐫: It identifies gaps in existing research, showing where your work can break new ground and make unique contributions.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭: It supports your arguments and helps in designing your research methodology, laying the foundation for your entire project.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞: It provides evidence to back up your claims, ensuring your thesis withstands scrutiny.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: It ties your research to the larger academic community, establishing the significance of your work and demonstrating why your PhD matters.
What do you people think? Anything missing? Or do you agree with me, that this is a truly eye-opening perspective on in-depth literature review - not only for your PhD-thesis?
