For a majority of students enrolled at IGNOU reviews of books is the most confusing component of their project. This is particularly true for those who are working on the ignou mcom course, where academic rigor is expected. However, guidance usually feels a bit limited. Students are often asked if they are required to summarize books or make journal articles more readable, or simply gather quotations. The reality is somewhere between, and understanding that differences can affect the quality of the entire project.
A literature review is not meant to display how much of the literature you've read. It is written to show how well you comprehend the current research related to the topic of your choice and how you idea fits in with it. IGNOU evaluators look closely at this chapter as it shows your ability to connect theoretical concepts to research direction.

Before beginning any writing, it important to be aware of the reason this chapter is essential to an ignou MCOM project. Literature reviews serve three main goals.
In the first place, it indicates it is clear that the topic you've chosen has been extensively studied and has relevance to academic research. Thirdly, it assists you detect gaps or deficiencies in prior research. Thirdly, it establishes the foundation for your research goals and methods.
Many students treat this chapter as a formality and take content from other projects or even from online sources. This can result in the project being rejected or not getting marks. IGNOU Project Report for MCOM requires original work even when discussing the results of existing studies.
IGNOU does not require students to write on the scale of the PhD thesis. While doing so the use of very basic explanations is also discouraged. If you are working on an ignou-mcom project, the review of literature should reflect postgraduate-level understanding.
You're expected review books, research papers report, journals, and even government publications pertaining in your research topic. The concentration should be on the studies which are directly related to your research area.

If, for instance, your project is focusing on the financial performance of banks If so, your literature analysis will focus on prior studies regarding financial ratios efficiency of banks, profitability analyses and risk assessment.
A common mistake made by students is selecting a lot of unrelated sources. It is the quality that matters more than the quantity. In the case of an ignou MCOM project between 15 and 20 sturdy sources is usually sufficient if they are well chosen.
The best sources are academic journals and reputable books written by well-known authors RBI newspapers, report from government agencies, and university level research papers. Websites that do not have clear authorship requirements should be avoided.
Always look for studies that are more recent, ideally from the last 10 years. Studies from the past can be considered only if they're fundamental in study.
A well-organized chapter can improve readership and impression. Instead of composing unstructured summaries, split your literature reviews into sensible sections.
You could organize the chapter according to themes, time period, methodology, or variables which are being studied. For example, one section could focus on studies related profitability, while another could focus on liquidity and the third is focused on operating efficiency.
This structure helps evaluators understand that you're not copying content. You are actually studying it.
The style of writing should be simple and academic. Avoid overly complicated language and vocabulary. IGNOU is a firm believer in simplicity over clarity.
Each study you present should be accompanied by the name of the author, year of study, methodological objective, significant findings. Be careful not to list them in a logical manner. It is best to connect one study with the other.
When you've discussed some research, you might write about how a different author's research supported or refuted the findings. This kind of approach can add richness to your ignou project.
A common error is to write the literature review as the textbook chapter. The need to explain the fundamental concepts like what accounting is and the meaning of management doesn't belong in this article unless they are directly linked to other studies.
Another issue is the overuse of quoting. Your review of literature should be written by you in your own words. Paraphrasing shows understanding, while copying indicates dependence.
Students also forget to link studies to their own research issue. Each study you discuss should have a clear link to the research goals.
The most important results of a review of literature is identifying the research gap. IGNOU evaluaters want you to show what earlier researchers missed or if further research is needed.
After having discussed a myriad of studies you will notice that the majority of research focuses on large enterprises while smaller companies were ignored. The earlier studies also used secondary data, but the primary data was not enough.
This gap becomes the justification for your IGNOU mcom project. Without it, your program could appear repetitive.
When writing the review of literature An accurate citation is imperative. IGNOU generally accepts APA style, however coherence is more important than perfection.
Each study that is discussed should be included in the list of references at the conclusion of the project. Without references, there is a chance to doubt the authenticity.
Don't use footnotes to review literature. In text citations work better and appears better in an ignou mcom project.
Students frequently ask what the length of the length of their review on literature ought to last. There's no standard rule but, for an ignou MCOM project, this chapter typically runs from fifteen hundred in length to 2500 words.
The length should be determined by topic complexity. A broader topic requires additional research while a targeted topic requires fewer, but more in-depth discussions.
Writing unnecessarily long reviews without analyses does not increase marks.
Instead of writing as this
Author A analyzed bank performance and came across positive results
Write as such
The author A conducted a research study on the performance of banks by using financial ratios. The study concluded that profitability increased by a better management of assets. The findings were later confirmed by Author B who pointed out the role played by operation efficiency in improving bank earnings.
This is an approach that demonstrates the ability to analyze and comprehend, which is what counts in an MCOM project.
IGNOU takes plagiarism very seriously. Many projects are blocked or rejected because of plagiarism in literature reviews. Although you may refer to other studies, your language will have to match your own.
Use plagiarism checking tools as possible, and modify content to make it sound natural. A sentence that is slightly imperfect is better than copied perfection.
Before submitting an ignou mcom research, read through the literature review attentively. Make sure that each study is relevant, if the flow of information is clear and if the chapters flow naturally to your research objectives.
Ask yourself one simple question. Does this chapter help explain the reasons for my research. If yes that literature study is in the right track.
Writing a review of literature for an ignou project is not easy at first especially for those who return to school after a long hiatus. When you understand that it is all about connection and analysis rather than memorization, the task is easy to handle.
Make time to read, think and write in your personal voice. This dedication is clearly reflected on the final piece and often is the difference between being a weak submission and an average one. powerful one.