What is a primary purpose of conducting a literature review?

The primary purpose of conducting a literature review is to provide context for your own work. A literature review allows researchers to situate their study within the broader academic discussion, demonstrating how their work relates to existing knowledge and addressing gaps or questions that have yet to be fully explored. This contextualization is vital in establishing the significance of the current research, justifying its aims, and articulating how it expands or builds on prior studies.

While enhancing personal writing skills can be a secondary benefit of engaging with existing literature, it is not the main objective of a literature review. Similarly, persuading the reader of a particular viewpoint can be a goal in specific contexts (such as argumentative essays), but in a literature review, the focus is more on objectively presenting and synthesizing existing research rather than advocating for a specific perspective. Summarizing all previous research is typically unrealistic and not the aim of a literature review; instead, it selectively discusses key studies that are relevant to the research question at hand to provide a clear framework for understanding past findings in relation to the current study.