In order to assure successful structure, formatting, and content, it will be wise for any student faced with completing a dissertation to have access to sample dissertations. Samples of literature review format will be essential in identifying the proper style and structure of a dissertation literature review.
The samples of literature reviews the student selects should show the common aspects of all successful literature reviews. After reviewing several samples of literature reviews, the student may identify one sample that seems to succeed most thoroughly. The student may choose to use this literature review as the primary sample of literature review format and style and guide the creation of his or her own literature review by emulating this fine sample of literature review structure and content.
The formatting of any sample of literature review example is one crucial element to notice and learn. If the sample of literature review formatting is in the student's own field of study (as it should be), then the same style guide will be in use. The student should learn the proper source citation guidelines dictated by the preferred style guide. Samples of literature reviews in the same field will provide abundant examples of proper style and formatting.
If the student's sample of literature review example is in a very closely related topic, the sample may even point to specific sources the student may wish to review and discuss in his or her own literature review. The best way to gather sources for the literature review is to read samples of literature reviews within the field, then locate and consult the sources cited there. In this way, the student will become extraordinarily well-read in his or her dissertation topic and will be prepared to write a definitive dissertation.
Aside from formatting and content, a sample of literature review writing style will also be relevant for the student faced with dissertation writing. Regardless of topic, achieving the proper academic writing style is essential. Some of this can be learned by consulting the style guide, but much can also be learned by studying samples of literature reviews and other dissertation sections as the student prepares for the writing process.
