What is one advantage of conducting a literature review?

Conducting a literature review offers several advantages, one of the most significant being that it helps provide historical context for the research topic. A literature review systematically gathers and synthesizes existing research, theories, and findings related to the subject area. This process enables researchers to understand how the topic has evolved over time, identify gaps in the existing literature, and situate their research within a broader scholarly conversation.

By establishing a solid context, researchers can effectively justify their study's relevance and significance, demonstrating how it contributes to the ongoing discourse. This contextual grounding is essential for articulating the importance of the new research, supporting hypotheses, and framing questions that arise from earlier studies. Overall, a well-executed literature review not only informs researchers about their field's current state but also enriches their understanding of how historical developments and previous findings shape contemporary issues.