Predictor Variables for Left Without Being Seen Rates in the Emergency Department

Review of the Professional and Academic Literature

The literature review content needs to be a comprehensive and critical analysis and synthesis of the literature related to the theory and/or conceptual model from the Theoretical/Conceptual Framework as well as the existing body of knowledge regarding the research topic. What a literature review should not be is an amalgamation of essays on the topic. The approach to this heading may vary by authors’ specific purpose. For example, if your study is to be grounded in the transformational leadership theoretical or conceptual framework, you will be examining or exploring your phenomenon through a leadership lens. You want to report on extant research that was grounded in the transformational leadership theoretical/conceptual framework. You would want to report on the literature that is as close to your topic/phenomenon as possible. In addition, if you are conducting a quantitative study, you need to include the literature for any other key variables. 

Critical analysis and synthesis of the relevant literature will be an important element of the literature review. The review of the literature is not to be a regurgitation of what you have read. It is also not to teach about a topic; rather, it is to show your mastery of the previous and recent research on your topic and provide a comprehensive up-to-date literature review on your topic. Start with an introductory heading and then report the literature. This should be an exhaustive review of the literature using the chosen theoretical/conceptual framework and consist of the key and recent writings in the field. Repeat this approach if there are any additional theories. In addition, in quantitative studies, there must be a critical analysis and synthesis for each variable.

There are three questions that students typically ask about the literature review: (a) length, (b) organizational structure, and (c) content.  The length will depend upon the theoretical foundation related to the topic and scholarly studies related to the theory.  Typically, for a doctoral study, a literature review will average 35-40 pages.  However, demonstrating a rich and comprehensive review of the topic is more important than the number of pages in a literature review.

The most common ways that one may organize the literature review are to use a chronological, topical, or combination of chronological and topical structure.  The literature review should be a succinct yet in-depth critical analysis of scholarly studies and authoritative seminal work.  The literature review should not be a summary of one’s reading or an amalgamation of essays on the topic.