Literaturrecherche research is a critical tool for researchers, enabling them to generate new perspectives on their subjects and address gaps in existing knowledge. A literature review can be used to provide a theoretical foundation for research, substantiate the presence of a research problem, or validate the methods and approaches for future study (Sylvester, Tate, & Johnstone, 2013).

A literature review is a systematic summary and synthesis of previous scholarly articles, books, and other sources relevant to a particular area of research. It should enumerate, describe, summarize, objectively evaluate and clarify this previous research in order to give the reader (the author) a theoretical base for his/her work and ensure that the review has been well conceived.

Depending on your discipline, a literature review may be a single article or chapter, or it can be a book that covers different aspects of a topic. An article usually gives a coherent overview of a topic, and a book has multiple authors who discuss similar topics in separate chapters.

Literaturrecherche für Bachelor- und Masterarbeit

Writing a literature review can be challenging, but there are some strategies you can follow to make it easier. The first step is to read a wide range of sources.

When reading, take notes that will help you later in the writing process. Keeping track of what you read will also allow you to identify important research topics.

The next step is to organize your sources into paragraphs that discuss each source’s relevance to the discussion of your research question and the topic at hand. For example, if your assignment requires you to collect and analyze sources that deal with the graphic style of Bechdel’s story, cluster your sources around three major themes: her style, her allusions, and her implications regarding LGBT experiences in 20th century America.