How to Write a Literature Review in a PhD Thesis & Dissertation

A PhD or Doctor of Philosophy is one of the highest academic degrees a student can earn. The duration of the PhD program is around 3 to 6 years, depending on the university and the specialization. On completing the program, the students will earn their doctoral degree, awarded by the university. To earn their doctoral degree and the ‘Dr.’ title, the learners are required to submit their dissertation, followed by a viva. 

Students who do not wish to submit their dissertation or want to earn their doctoral degree and the ‘Dr’ title without any coursework can opt for the online DBA program. An online DBA refers to the Doctor of Business Administration, which holds equal value to the regular PhD. 

Difference between a PhD Dissertation and a Thesis 

A dissertation and a thesis are both research papers, but they differ in academic scope and goal. A thesis is written by students during their master’s degree to demonstrate their knowledge of their subject with the help of already existing research. 

On the other hand, a dissertation is usually written by PhD students as their coursework. A thesis is a doctoral-level work that involves original research and creating new knowledge to make a significant contribution to the student’s field of study.

Here is the basic difference between a dissertation and a thesis: 

Dissertation	Thesis
Submitted for PhD	Submitted for Master’s
Synthesizing already existing research findings	Involves new research findings
Shorter	Comprehensive and longer
Reviewing already existing findings	Focused on new findings

What is a literature review?

A literature review is an overview of the previously published works on a particular topic or a simple summary of the sources. Through literature reviews, the researcher tries to analyze and identify the gaps in knowledge and arguments. 

The literature review is a crucial step in research formulation, as it helps the researcher to gain more knowledge about the subject and build a strong base for their research. 

Literature review has four main objectives: 

• It surveys the literature in the chosen area of study 
• It synthesizes the literature into a summary 
• It critically analyzes the literature and helps find the gaps in the literature 
• It presents the literature in an organized way 

Types of literature review 

Here are the types of literature review that individuals can use while carrying out their research- 

• Narrative Reviews

The narrative reviews are based on topics of interest and not based on predetermined research questions or a specified search strategy. The narrative reviews are not systematic. The narrative reviews help the researcher to explore diverse perspectives and insights based on the research topic. 

• Systematic reviews

The systematic review is considered the comprehensive review. It follows the structured approach of assembling, analyzing, and synthesizing existing research relevant to the particular topic. The systematic literature reviews help the researcher to identify the gaps in knowledge and evaluate the strength of knowledge. 

• Scoping Reviews

The scoping reviews are broader in scope and include a diverse range of study designs and methodologies. It adopts an iterative approach to systematically map the existing literature on a particular topic or research area. 

• Meta-analyses

The meta-analysis is a type of systematic review that uses statistical methods to combine and analyse methods from several similar studies. 

• Integrative Reviews

The integrative review critically analyzes, integrates, and interprets research from various methodologies. It explores intricate research issues, examining manifold perspectives and developing new research questions. 

Steps to write a literature review

Here are the steps to be considered while writing a literature review-  

1) Searching the relevant literature

As the first step of writing the literature review, individuals must find sources. The type of literature review depends on your research topic. The sources must be up-to-date. 

There are three main sources for the literature review- 

Primary sources

The primary sources are considered the first-hand sources or original data of the researcher. The primary scores include:

• Scholarly journal articles
• Memoirs 
• Interviews
• Letters 
• Peer-reviewed journals
• Reports 

Secondary sources

The secondary sources include a summary or analysis of the primary literature. Examples of secondary sources are:

• Literature review
• Textbooks 
• Reports 

Tertiary sources 

The reports made on the secondary literature and sometimes the primary sources are known as tertiary sources. The sources include:

• Academic books 
• Handbooks 
• Practice guidelines

2) Evaluate the source

After gathering the required sources, the individuals must check whether the sources are relevant to their research. To evaluate the sources, they must check the following aspects:

• The sources must be relevant to the research topic
• The sources must be credible 
• Key terms and concepts of the research and the sources. 

3) Identify the debates and themes

Analyze the selected sources and identify the common themes and patterns. The critical analysis of the sources will help them to point out the gaps in their research. 

4) Outline the structure 

The outline of the literature review is an important part of writing the research. Outlining the structure will help the readers focus on the points. It will give a basic idea of the research in short.   

5) Write your literature review

Once the sources are aligned according to the research. The researcher can start writing the literature review. The format of the literature review is-  introduction, main body, and conclusion. Also, it is crucial to put the list of cited references at the end. 

PhD literature review structure

The structure of the PhD literature review usually consists of three body paragraphs- which are an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. 

Introduction

The introduction can include:

• Define the topic by providing the appropriate literature review
• Provide your point of view on the topic
• State the scope of the topic 

Body 

The main body includes:

• Organizing the literature according to the common themes
• Insights into the relationship between the chosen topic and the wider subject area
• The body can be divided into several parts 
• Focusing on the specific topic of the research. 

Conclusion 

• The conclusion should be a summary of the literature review of the research done by the individual 
• An individual should also mention the identified flaws or gaps in the existing knowledge
• They must also evaluate the current state of the literature reviewed, along with its future. 
• The individual must link the research to the existing knowledge. 

Pursue your doctoral degree with the DBA program

The individuals who wish to pursue their dream of earning the doctoral degree and the title of ‘Dr’ by opting an alternate path of opting online DBA program. An online DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) program is considered equivalent to the regular PhD program.  An online DBA program is an ideal choice for those students who do not wish to submit a dissertation or viva. 

The online DBA program is an ideal choice for working professionals due to its flexible class timings. The individuals can take classes at their convenience. 

Key highlights of the online DBA program:

• The duration of the online DBA program is three years, and the classes will be held online
• The individuals will get a chance to earn their doctoral degree from a globally recognized university
• On completing their three-year program, the individuals will get their doctoral degree along with the ‘Dr’ title. 
• An online DBA is being offered in many specializations.
• To take admission into an online DBA, students are not required to appear for any entrance exams or interviews. 
• The DBA program offers flexible class timings, where students can take their classes at their convenience.
• The learners will connect to their subject-experts online, where they can learn more about their domain.
• After completing their DBA program, many doors of job opportunities will be open for the students. Many top companies will be eager to hire them.
• The students will also get to meet other students from diverse backgrounds online, and interacting with other students will enhance their personality development. 
• The knowledge that the learners will gain can be used in both national and international markets. 
• The learners will also gain research skills, which they can submit before the end of their program. 

Eligibility criterion

• Individuals who have their bachelor's degree in any of the specializations with a minimum of 5 years of experience,
• An individual having their master's degree in any subject or courses equivalent to the master's degree. 

Top universities offering the online DBA program

Here is the list of top foreign universities that offer the online DBA program, along with their fee structure: 

Universities	Fees
Birchwood Online University DBA Online	INR 6,00,000
Golden Gate University DBA Online	INR 8,14,000
Rushford Business School DBA Online	INR 8,12,500
EIMT Online DBA	INR 5,50,000
ESGCI International School of Management Paris DBA Online	INR 8,14,000
Swiss School of Business Management DBA Online	INR 7,50,000
Edgewood College DBA Online	INR 7,00,000