There are many students who enroll in IGNOU, the review of literature can be the most elusive part of the assignment. This is especially the case for those who are working on the ignou mcom course, in which academic depth is expected, but the guidance isn't as clear. Students usually inquire if they must write summaries of books, amend journal articles, and simply gather quotations. The reality lies somewhere in between, and understanding that different perspectives can impact the overall quality of the project.
A literature review is not intended to be a record of how much you've read. It's written to demonstrate how much you comprehend current work in relation to your topic and how your research fits into it. IGNOU evaluaters pay close attention to this chapter due to your ability to connect ideas with research direction.
Understanding the Purpose of Review of Literature
Before writing anything, it is important to understand why this chapter is essential to an ignou MCOM project. Literature review serves three main purposes.
It first shows that the topic you selected is one that has been studied in the past and has a scholarly significance. Second, it aids you identify gaps or limitations in earlier research. Thirdly, it serves as an outline for your research goals and the methodology.
Students often view this chapter as a formality, and copy content from their previous assignments or online sources. This typically results in very low marks or projects being rejected. IGNOU will require original content even when presenting existing work.
What IGNOU Expects in Literature Review
IGNOU does not expect students to write at the level of the PhD thesis. The same time any explanation that is not basic is also not recommended. For an ignou MCOM project, the review of literature must reflect the postgraduate understanding.
The expectation is to look over research papers, books report, journals, and even government publications pertaining to the subject you are researching. The study should focus on topics closely related to your research field.
For example, if your project is on financial performance of banks Then your literature review should concentrate on studies that have been conducted previously concerning financial ratios bank performance, profitability analysis and risk assessment.
Selecting Relevant Literature Sources
One of the most common mistakes students make is selecting too many unrelated sources. Quality is more important than quantity. In the case of an ignou MCOM project it is recommended that you use between 15 and 20 high-quality sources are often enough as long as they're carefully chosen.
Academic journals are a good option as well as reputable books by renowned author, RBI books, public reports and university level research papers. Websites that don't have a clear authorship must be avoided.
Always choose studies that are recent that are from the last 10 years. Studies from the past can be considered only if they're foundational in terms of.
Organizing the Review of Literature Chapter
A well organized chapter improves readability and impression. Instead of writing short summaries that are not organized, divide your literature reviews into clear sections.
You could organize the chapter by theme, time period method, variables, or methodologies studied. For instance, one section may cover studies related the financial performance, while another may focus upon liquidity, while another focused on the efficiency of operations.
This structure makes it easier for evaluators to see that you're not taking content and copying it, but also analyzing it.
Writing Style for IGNOU Literature Review
The writing style is academic, but simple. Avoid using a lot of words and words. IGNOU values clarity over complexity.
Every research you share should include the name of the author, the year of study, the objectives, the methodology used, and the main findings. Be careful not to list them in a logical manner. Make an effort to link one study with a different one.
In the case of discussing one study, it is possible to write about how a different author's research supported or challenged those findings. This way of looking at comparisons adds the depth of your ignou project.
Avoiding Common Writing Mistakes
An error that is often made is to write the literature review like the textbook chapter. The need to explain the fundamental concepts like definition of accounting or meaning of management is not a good idea here unless directly linked to prior studies.
Another mistake is to use too many quotes. Your literature review should be written by you in you own language. A phrasing style shows understanding, whereas copying implies dependence.
Students often fail to connect works to their research topics. Each study you discuss should have a clear connection with your research goals.
Connecting Literature Review with Research Gap
One of most important outcomes of reviewing the literature is identifying the gap in research. IGNOU reviewers expect you to show what earlier researchers missed or the areas in which further research is required.
After having discussed a myriad of studies you may observe that most research was focused on large companies in contrast to small businesses being neglected. In the past, studies utilized secondary data but primary data was scarce.
This void is the reason for your project in the IGNOU Project MCOM, http://openconsortium.free.fr/tractim/links/click.php?url=http://tanpoposc.com/cgi-bin2/tanbbs/yybbs.cgi?list=thread, mcom. Without this, your project could appear to be repetitive.
Use of Citations and Referencing
When writing the review of literature it is important to use a proper citation. IGNOU generally follows APA style, however it is more about consistency than perfection.
Each study covered must appear in the list of references at the end of the study. Missing references create doubts about authenticity.
Avoid footnotes for literature review. A text-based citation is more efficient and looks cleaner in an ignou MCOM project.
Length of Review of Literature Chapter
Students frequently ask what the length of their literature reviews should run. There's no definitive rule in the case of an ignou to do an MCOM project the chapter generally spans from fifteen to or two thousand words.
The length of the discussion should be based on topic complexity. A topic that is more extensive requires more study, while a particular topic will require fewer, but more in-depth discussions.
Writing lengthy reviews that are not needed without any analysis doesn't increase marks.
Example of Literature Review Writing Approach
Instead of writing this way,
Author A conducted a study of banking performance and found good results
Write in this manner
For example, author A conducted research on banking performance using financial ratios. They found that profitability improved because of better asset administration. This finding was later supported by Author B, who emphasized the importance of operational efficiency in boosting bank returns.
This type of approach shows an understanding and analysis that is essential to an mcom project.
Maintaining Originality and Academic Integrity
IGNOU takes plagiarism very seriously. Many projects get rejected or delayed due to review of literature that has been copied. Although you may refer to past studies, your language must be your own.
Make use of plagiarism-checking tools if possible. You can also rewrite your content until it sounds natural. A sentence that is slightly imperfect is better than perfect copied.
Final Review Before Submission
Before submitting your ignou-mcom project, make sure you read the review of literature carefully. Review each article to determine if it is relevant, whether the flow of the study is coherent and if the chapter is logically linked to your research objectives.
Ask yourself one simple question. Does this chapter help explain the reasons why my study is required. If the answer is yes your research paper is right on path.
Closing Thoughts
Writing a review of literature to complete an ignou mcom research project is not easy at first in particular for students who are returning back to their academics after a period of. If you can realize that it's about analysis and connections rather than memorization, the task is manageable.
You should take the time to read, think and write in your unique voice. The effort you put into it will show clearly on your final product and often the difference is between an average submission and a outstanding one.