There are many students who enroll in IGNOU review, reviewing literature can be the most confusing portion of their work. This is especially true for students working on the ignou master’s degree project where academic rigor is expected, however guidance often isn’t available. Students usually ask if must write summaries of books, write journal articles in a different way, or simply collect quotes. The reality lies somewhere in between, and knowing that difference can change the overall quality of the project.
Literature reviews are NOT written to illustrate how much you’ve read. It is written to show how well you know the current research related to your subject and how your project fits within it. IGNOU assessors scrutinize this chapter since it showcases your ability to link ideas with research direction.
Understanding the Purpose of Review of Literature
Before you write anything, it important to be aware of the reason this chapter exists in an ignou MCOM project. Literature review serves three primary functions.
First, it demonstrates it is clear that the topic you’ve chosen was studied before and has academic significance. Second, it helps you recognize gaps or limitations in earlier studies. In addition, it can provide a base for your research objectives and your methodology.
Students often view this chapter as a formality and copy content from earlier projects or online sources. This is a common practice that results in very low marks or projects being rejected. IGNOU demands original writing even when examining existing studies.
What IGNOU Expects in Literature Review
IGNOU doesn’t expect students to write on the scale of an PhD thesis. Additionally, very basic explanations are discouraged. In the case of an ignou mcom assignment, the review of literature should reflect postgraduate-level understanding.
You’re required to read research papers, books, journals, reports, and sometimes, government publications related to the subject you are researching. The concentration should be on the studies related to your research area.
For instance, if your research is focused on the financial performance of banks So, your literature reviews should focus on prior research that dealt with financial ratios, banking performance, profitability analysis, and risk evaluation.
Selecting Relevant Literature Sources
A common mistake made by students is choosing too many different sources. More important is quality than quantity. For an ignou mcom project about fifteen to twenty reliable sources will suffice as long as they’re carefully chosen.
An excellent source of information is academic journals reliable books from well-known authors RBI publication, reports from the government, and university level research papers. Websites that don’t have a clear authorship must be avoided.
Always pick studies from recent years, ideally from the last ten years. Other studies from the past may be considered only if they’re fundamental in the nature.
Organizing the Review of Literature Chapter
A well organized chapter improves quality of reading and impression. Instead of writing short summaries that are not organized, divide all the reviews of books into clear sections.
You can arrange the chapter using themes, period method, variables, or methodologies examined. For example, one section might focus on studies that relate to profit, while another could concentrate on liquidity, and yet another focus on efficiency in operations.
This format helps evaluaters understand that you’re not copying content but analyzing it.
Writing Style for IGNOU Literature Review
The writing style is to be professional but easy. Avoid dense language and excessive terms. IGNOU prefers simplicity over clarity.
Each research study you write about should include the author’s name, the year of study, the research objectives, methods, and important findings. Be careful not to list them chronologically. Do your best to link one study with another.
For instance, when discussing an article, you can write about how a different author’s research supported or disputed those findings. The comparative approach adds more depth to your IGNOU MCOM project submission guide (click the up coming website page) MCOM project.
Avoiding Common Writing Mistakes
A common error is to write the literature review as it is a textbook chapter. The need to explain the fundamental concepts like the definition of accounting, or the meaning of management is not appropriate in this article unless they are directly linked to previous studies.
Another mistake is to use too many quotes. Your review of literature should be written by you in Your own voice. A phrasing style shows understanding, whereas writing in a copy shows dependency.
Students may also not link works to their research topics. Any study you discuss must have a clear connection your research objectives.
Interlinking Literature Review with Research Gap
One of important result of reviewing literature is identifying the research gap. IGNOU assessors require you to explain what the previous researchers missed or indicate where additional research is needed.
After looking over several studies, you may observe that most research focused on large firms while smaller companies were left out. Additionally, previous studies utilized secondary data, but primary data was limited.
This void is the reason for your an ignou project. Without it, your work will appear to be repetitive.
Use of Citations and Referencing
In writing a review of literature The proper citation of the source is essential. IGNOU generally accepts APA style, but it is more about consistency than perfection.
Each study must be mentioned in the reference list at the end of the project. Without references, there is a chance to doubt the authenticity.
Avoid footnotes in literature reviews. In text citation works better and appears cleaner in an ignou mcom project.
Length of Review of Literature Chapter
Students often inquire about how long the book review needs to be. There is no set amount that can be followed, however for an MCOM project, the chapter typically spans from fifteen hundred in length to 2500 words.
The length of the discussion should be based on what the topic’s difficulty. A larger topic demands greater research, whereas a narrowly focused subject requires less but deeper discussions.
Unnecessarily lengthy reviews with no the ability to analyze them does not boost marks.
Example of Literature Review Writing Approach
Instead of writing this way,
Author A researched banking performance and found good results
Write this in the same way as
This author conducted research on banking performance using financial ratios and concluded that profitability increased by a better management of assets. This conclusion was later confirmed by Author B in his study, who focused on the role played by operational efficiency in enhancing return on investment for banks.
This type of approach shows understanding and analysis, which is essential to an MCOM project.
Maintaining Originality and Academic Integrity
IGNOU takes plagiarism seriously. Many projects get denied or delayed because of duplicated literature reviews. Even if the reference is to previous research, the language should be unique to your project.
Check for plagiarism using tools if you can and then rewrite the content until it sounds natural. A slightly imperfect sentence is far better than perfect copied.
Final Review Before Submission
Before submitting your ignou mcom assignment, you should read your literature review carefully. Be sure to check if each study is relevant, if your flow follows logically, and whether it is linked naturally to your research objectives.
Ask yourself one simple question. Does this article explain why my research is necessary. If yes your study’s literature reviews are on the right path.
Closing Thoughts
Reviewing literature to complete an ignou mcom research project may feel challenging at first particularly for students returning to college after a long absence. When you understand that it’s more about analysis and connecting than memorization, it is easy to handle.
Do your best to read, think and write with your own voice. It is reflected clearly on your final product and often can be the difference in two submissions: a standard one and a high-quality one.