One of the most troublesome tasks a student might experience during their investigations is composing a paper. A dissertation literature review is perhaps its most significant part. It makes sense of the foundation of the review, displays skill nearby, and brings up any gaps that your examination looks to address. The literature review length is one of the most frequent queries students have. Is a 5000-word literature review the ideal length? This article will examine the elements that go into deciding the ideal length for a literature review and assuming that 5000 words are a sensible objective.
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The Function of a Dissertation’s Literature Review
It’s essential to know the reason for the writing audit before getting too up to speed in word counts. The literature review evaluates and concentrates on what applies to your review point as well as gives an outline of past exploration. It lays out the system for your unique commitment to the subject and helps in outlining your exploration question.
Your university might give proposals about the configuration of your exposition, yet much of the time, students are left considering how long a paper writing survey ought to be.
What’s the Ideal Length for a Literature Review?
The subject, the degree level, and the university rules can all impact how long a writing survey should be. As a rule, the writing survey ought to represent 20-30% of the dissertation’s all-out word count. A commonplace UK dissertation could have a word count of 10,000-15,000 for an undergrad postulation, 15,000-20,000 for an expert’s, and 80,000-100,000 for a doctoral thesis.
This means that a 5000-word literature review for a master’s thesis might be appropriate, but it can be too big or too short for a PhD or undergraduate dissertation. Because of this, it’s crucial to consider how long should a literature review be for your particular topic before establishing a word count goal.
Is 5000 Words Enough for a Literature Review?
Contingent upon the degree and profundity of the exploration subject you’re dealing with, 5000 words may not be adequate. While choosing if 5000 words is the perfect proportion of composing for your exposition, remember the accompanying focuses:
- Depth of the Research Field
Certain subjects, especially those in the sciences, may call for a greater emphasis on the findings of experiments rather than as much theoretical investigation. A condensed literature review might be appropriate in certain circumstances. However, a longer literature study is necessary for the humanities and social sciences because they frequently entail more in-depth theoretical discussions.
- Scope of Research
A 5000-word restriction is reasonable because there can be less literature to review if the study focus is less. However, a review that is longer than 5000 words may be necessary for research that is more comprehensive or multidisciplinary.
- Institutional Requirements
It is prudent to allude to your university’s dissertation rules as they normally specify word counts for every part. An expert’s literature review ought to be somewhere in the range of 4,000 and 6,000 words, as per a few UK universities. Thusly, 5000 words may be great on the off chance that they fall inside this reach.
Breaking Down a 5000-Word Literature Review
Although a 5000-word literature review may seem overwhelming, it may be divided into smaller, more manageable portions. This is one potential format:
- Introduction (500 Words)
- Give a succinct overview of the subject and the goal of the literature study.
- Describe the review’s objectives and structure.
- Themes or Categories (3500 Words)
- Sort the literature according to themes, subcategories, or patterns, then critically assess the pertinent research within each.
- Name the important research and authors, describe their contributions, and draw attention to any contradictions or gaps.
- Gaps and Contributions (500 Words)
- Draw attention to the gaps in the literature that your dissertation will try to fill.
- Talk about the impact your research will have on the field.
- Conclusion (500 Words)
- Write a summary of the literature review’s key conclusions.
- Describe how your research topic or hypothesis is informed by the literature.
- The optimal length for a literature review varies significantly depending on the nature of the research, the level of academic rigour, and the policies of the organisation. 5000 words is a fair word count for the majority of master’s dissertations, giving ample room to cover the important material without being too long. Nonetheless, the optimal duration for doctoral or bachelor dissertations may differ, with shorter or longer forms preferred.
Difficulties in Calculating the Length of a Literature Review
Numerous students find it challenging to decide the proper length for a literature review. Some people can find it difficult to reach the word limit, while others might not know when to give up. This is where expert advice, such as that provided by dissertation writing services, may be quite helpful. These services offer professional guidance on how to organize, do research, and write your literature review, ensuring that you adhere to academic requirements without adding superfluous information to your work.
The optimal length for a literature review varies significantly depending on the nature of the research, the level of academic rigour, and the policies of the organisation. 5000 words is a fair word count for the majority of master’s dissertations, giving ample room to cover the important material without being too long. Nonetheless, the optimal duration for doctoral or bachelor dissertations may differ, with shorter or longer forms preferred.
3 Typical Mistakes to Steer Clear of
- Insufficient Information: Don’t incorporate every study you’ve ever read. Concentrate on studies that are specifically related to your study question.
- Absence of Critical Evaluation: A thorough literature review goes beyond just summarising the body of current research. It assesses the merits and demerits of the studies you have read critically.
- Over or Under-Release: The key is balance. Your literature review may come out as unclear or lacking if you provide either too much or too little information. Aim for a comprehensive conversation that is suitable for a length of dissertation.
How to Write a Superb Literature Review
- As soon as your dissertation is underway, begin collecting and reading sources. This will assist you in not rushing at the last minute and give you plenty of time to properly assess the material.
- Instead of listing individual research in your literature review, group them according to topics or categories. Making sense of the literature and synthesising it is much easier with this method.
- Have a draft of your literature review reviewed by your manager to make sure it’s on schedule in terms of quantity and quality.
Conclusion
The optimal length for a literature review varies significantly depending on the nature of the research, the level of academic rigour, and the policies of the organisation. 5000 words is a fair word count for the majority of master’s dissertations, giving ample room to cover the important material without being too long. Nonetheless, the optimal duration for doctoral or bachelor dissertations may differ, with shorter or longer forms preferred.
You may produce a thorough yet succinct literature review by emphasising critical thinking, depth, and relevancy. Your literature review should always serve its primary function, which is to define the background for your research and emphasise its value to the field, regardless of whether it is 5000 words or longer.
References
Hart, C., 2018. Doing a literature review: Releasing the research imagination.
TDH.2019.PhD Proposal Writing Guide for Non-Native English Speakers.Online Available at:<https://thedissertationhelp.co.uk/phd-proposal-writing-guide-for-non-native-english-speakers/> (Accessed: 20 September 2024).
