For a majority of students enrolled at IGNOU reviewing research becomes the most confusing component of their project. This is especially the case when working on the ignou mcom course, where academic depth is expected. However, guidance usually appears to be limited. Students usually ask whether they need to summarize books, refret journal articles or simply take notes of quotations. The reality lies somewhere in between, and knowing that the difference can impact the overall quality of the project.

Literature reviews are not a document that demonstrates the amount of material you've read. It is written to show your understanding of the available research on your area of study and how your project is integrated into it. IGNOU assessment experts are attuned to the chapter since it demonstrates your ability to connect the research directions with your theory.

Understanding the Purpose of Review of Literature

Before you write anything, it is vital to understand the reason this section is part of an ignou mcom project. Literature review serves three primary purposes.

First, it demonstrates that the subject you picked is a subject that has been studied previously in the academic world and is relevant to research. The second is that it assists you to find gaps or weaknesses in earlier research. In addition, it can provide an outline for your research objectives and methodological.

A lot of students view this chapter as a formality, and copy content from earlier projects or online sources. This often results in poor marks or even project rejection. IGNOU will require original content even when discussing previous studies.

What IGNOU Expects in Literature Review

IGNOU MCOM project submission guide (lineage2.hys.cz) does not expect students to write at the level of a PhD thesis. But it is recommended that students write in a simple way. prohibited. In the case of an ignou mcom assignment, the review of literature should reflect postgraduate level understanding.

You are expected to review books, research papers Journals, reports, and sometimes, government publications related to the subject you are researching. The primary focus should be on research which directly relate to your research area.

In the case of example, if your project is on financial performance of banks, then your literature review should focus on prior research concerning financial ratios the performance of banks, profitability analysis and risk evaluation.

Selecting Relevant Literature Sources

A common mistake that students make is selecting too many unrelated sources. It is the quality that matters more than the quantity. For an ignou mcom project it is recommended that you use between 15 and 20 strong sources are usually enough for a good selection.

Good sources include academic journals well-known books written by renowned the authors RBI documents, Government reports and university research papers. Websites that don't have a clear authorship must be avoided.

Always go for the most recent research, ideally from the last 10 years. Some older studies are acceptable only if they're foundational in way.

Organizing the Review of Literature Chapter

An organized chapter improves perception and readability. Instead of writing short summaries that are not organized, divide each literature overview into sensible sections.

The chapter could be structured based on themes, time period research methodology, or other variables researched. For instance, one chapter could discuss research related to profitability, whereas another might focus on liquidity, and yet another on operational efficiency.

This format helps evaluaters understand the difference between copying content but analyzing it.

Writing Style for IGNOU Literature Review

The style of writing is to be professional but easy. Avoid a lot of language and words. IGNOU values clarity over complexity.

The study you are discussing should be listed with the author's name, year of study, objectives, the methodology used, and the main findings. However, you shouldn't list them mechanically. Make sure to connect one study with another.

For instance, when discussing one study, you may be able to mention that another author's findings backed or refuted the findings. The comparative approach adds more the depth of your ignou project.

Avoiding Common Writing Mistakes

A common error is to compose the literature review in the form of the kind of chapter in a textbook. Explaining basic concepts such as definition of accounting or meaning of management do not belong in this section unless it is directly connected to prior studies.

Another mistake is excessive quoting. Your review of literature should be written in one's own terms. Reading from the source shows understanding, and the copying of your review shows dependency.

They are also often unable to link study findings to their own study. Every study you write about should be clearly linked to the goals of your project.

Affiliation Literature Review with Research Gap

One of the most important result of the study of literature is to identify the research gap. IGNOU examiners are expecting you to be able to demonstrate what prior researchers missed or indicate areas where further research is required.

After reviewing a number of studies, you may observe that most studies centered on large organizations while smaller companies were neglected. Also, earlier studies employed secondary data, but the primary data was not enough.

This gap serves as the rationale for your an ignou project. Without this, your project could appear repetitive.

Use of Citations and Referencing

When writing a review of literature it is important to use a proper citation. IGNOU generally follows APA style, however it is more about consistency than perfection.

All studies discussed must be included in the reference list at the end of the project. The absence of references can raise doubts regarding authenticity.

Beware of footnotes when writing a literature review. A citation in text works better and looks cleaner in an ignou MCOM project.

Length of Review of Literature Chapter

Students often ask how long the literature review should run. There's no set timeframe to follow, but for an for an mcom project, the length typically runs from fifteen hundred to two thousand words.

The length of the discussion should be based on how complex the topic is. A more broad subject requires more study, while a specific topic requires fewer but deeper discussions.

Inadequately long reviews and no the ability to analyze them does not boost marks.

Example of Literature Review Writing Approach

Instead of writing this way,
Author A conducted a study of banking's performance and obtained good results

Write it like this
In the year A, Author B conducted a study of bank performance using financial ratios, and concluded that profitability improved because of better asset administration. This conclusion was later confirmed by Author B, who emphasized the role played by operation efficiency in improving return on investment for banks.

This approach emphasizes understanding and analysis, which is highly valued in an mcom project.

Maintaining Originality and Academic Integrity

IGNOU takes plagiarism seriously. Many projects are blocked or rejected because of review of literature that has been copied. Even if you reference previous studies, the language should be unique to your project.

Utilize plagiarism checking tools when possible. Then, rewrite the content until it sounds natural. A sentence that is slightly imperfect is much better than perfect copying.

Final Review Before Submission

Before you submit your ignou project, make sure you read the literature review carefully. Make sure that each study is relevant, whether you can follow the logic of the review and whether the chapters naturally connect to your research objectives.

Ask yourself one simple question. Does this section explain why my research is necessary. If yes, it's on the right path.

Closing Thoughts

Reviewing literature to be used in an ignou mcom assignment might be difficult at first particularly for students returning to school after a long hiatus. If you can realize that it is about analysis and connection rather than memorization, the task becomes doable.

You should take the time to read, think and write with your own voice. The effort you put into it will show clearly in your final work and often the difference is between two submissions: a standard one and a high-quality one.