There are many students who enroll in IGNOU The review of books is the most confusing aspect of their project. This is particularly true for those working on an ignou MCOM project where academic depth is expected, but the guidance isn’t as clear. Students often ask if they need to summarize books, write journal articles in a different way, or simply take notes of quotations. In reality, there is a place between, and understanding that the difference can impact the overall quality of the project.
A review of literature is not a document that demonstrates how much content you’ve read. It is written to show how well you understand the literature that is relevant to the subject you are researching and how your work fits in. IGNOU reviewers are attentive to this chapter, as it illustrates your ability to link knowledge with research directions.
Understanding the Purpose of Review of Literature
Before you write anything, it is crucial to understand why this chapter exists in an ignou mcom project. The literature review serves three primary purposes.
In the first place, it indicates that the topic you chose already has been explored and is of academic importance. In addition, it allows you to identify gaps or limitations in previous studies. It also provides an overview of your studies’ goals and research methodology.
Students often view this chapter as a formality and copy content from their previous projects or from online sources. This approach usually results in low marks or project rejection. IGNOU requires original work even when discussing previous studies.
What IGNOU Expects in Literature Review
IGNOU does not expect students to write at the level of an PhD thesis. Additionally those who write merely to explain their ideas are not permitted. For an ignou master’s degree project, the review of literature should reflect postgraduate knowledge.
The expectation is to look over books, research papers report, journals, and, sometimes, government publications relevant to your subject. The emphasis should be placed on studies related to your research area.
If, for instance, your research focuses on the financial performance of banks If so, your literature analysis must focus on earlier research dealing with financial ratios performances of banks, profitability studies and risk assessment.
Selecting Relevant Literature Sources
A common mistake that students make is selecting a lot of unrelated sources. It’s more about quality than quantity. For an ignou-mcom project it is recommended that you use between 15 and 20 sturdy sources is usually sufficient when they’re well-chosen.
Excellent sources include academic journals as well as reputable books by renowned names, RBI publishing, state reports as well as university research papers. Websites with ambiguous authorship should be avoided.
Always look for studies that are more recent at least from the last 10 years. More recent studies can be added only if they are fundamental in their nature.
Organizing the Review of Literature Chapter
A well-organized chapter increases comprehension and makes a good impression. Instead of writing random summaries and essays, you should divide all the reviews of books into sensible sections.
It is possible to organize the chapter by themes, time period, methodology, or variables to be studied. For example, one section might focus on studies that relate to profits, whereas another may focus upon liquidity, while another regarding operational efficiency.
The structure can aid evaluators in understanding that you are not just copying content but analyzing it.
Writing Style for IGNOU Literature Review
The writing style should be academic but simple. Avoid a lot of language and words. IGNOU believes in simplicity over complexity.
Every research you share should include the name of the author, year of study, goals, methodology, as well as significant findings. However, you shouldn’t list the findings in a way that is purely mechanical. Make sure to connect one study with another.
When you’ve discussed some study, you can mention how another author supported the results or countered them. The comparative approach adds more the depth of your ignou project.
Avoiding Common Writing Mistakes
One of the most frequent mistakes is to write the literature review as it is a textbook chapter. In explaining the basics of concepts like definition of accounting or meaning of management isn’t appropriate in this section unless it is directly connected in previous studies.
Another mistake is to use too many quotes. Your literature review should be written in your own words. A phrasing style shows understanding, whereas the copying of your review shows dependency.
Students may also not link works to their research topic. Every study you mention should have a clear connection with your research objectives.
Affiliation Literature Review with Research Gap
One of the most significant results of the review of literature is to identify the research gap. IGNOU evaluators expect you to expose what researchers of the past missed and where further research is required.
After discussing multiple studies, it’s possible that studies centered on large organizations and small businesses were disregarded. Or that earlier studies used secondary data, but the primary data was scarce.
This gap is the basis for your an ignou project. Without it, your program could appear to be repetitive.
Use of Citations and Referencing
When you write a review of literature The proper citation of the source is essential. IGNOU generally recognizes APA style, however consistency is more important than perfect.
All studies discussed must be included in the list of references at the conclusion of the project. A lack of references may raise doubts as to the study’s authenticity.
Avoid footnotes for literature review. The in-text citation is better and appears more professional in an ignou mcom project.
Length of Review of Literature Chapter
Students often ask how long the writing review must last. There’s no rule of thumb, but for an ignou mcom project, this chapter typically ranges from fifteen hundred in length to 2500 words.
The length should be determined by topics’ complexity. A topic that is more extensive requires more research while a narrowly focused subject requires less but deeper discussions.
Inadequately long reviews and no an analysis won’t help marks.
Example of Literature Review Writing Approach
Instead of writing like this
Author A conducted a study of the bank’s performance, and found positive results
Write this way
This author carried out a study on banking performance using financial ratios. They found that profitability improved because of better asset management. This was later validated by Author B in his study, who focused on the role played by operational efficiency when it comes to improving returns to banks.
This approach reflects the ability to analyze and comprehend, which is highly valued in an MCOM project.
Maintaining Originality and Academic Integrity
IGNOU is a firm believer in plagiarism. Many projects get cancelled or delayed due copied literature reviews. Even if the reference is to previously published studies, the style is yours.
Check for plagiarism using tools if possible. Rewrite content until it sounds natural. A sentence that is slightly imperfect is far better than perfect copied.
Final Review Before Submission
Prior to submitting your ignou mcom task, revisit the entire literature review. Find out if the study you are reviewing is relevant, whether the flow of information is clear and if the chapter flows naturally towards your research objectives.
Ask yourself one simple question. Does this chapter clarify the reasons for my research. If yes then it’s on the right track.
Closing Thoughts
Writing a review of literature for an ignou mcom project might be difficult at first particularly for students returning to academics following a gap. But once you understand that it is more about analysis and connecting than memorizing, the job is manageable.
Do your best to read, think and write in your unique voice. The effort you put into it will show clearly in your final product and can make the difference between an average submission and a solid one.