For a majority of students enrolled at IGNOU studying books is the most confusing section of the work. This is especially true for those who are working on IGNOU's mcom projects, in which academic depth is expected, but the guidance isn't available. Students usually ask if must write summaries of books, refret journal articles or simply gather quotations. In reality, there is a place between, and knowing that differences can affect the quality of the entire project.
Literature reviews are not written to show the quantity of information you've read. It's written to demonstrate how well you know the available research on the topic you're studying and how your research fits into it. IGNOU MCOM Project Guide assessors scrutinize the chapter since it demonstrates your ability to link concepts with research direction.
Before writing anything, it is important to understand why the section exists in an ignou mcom project. Literature reviews serve three essential functions.
In the first place, it indicates that the topic you selected has been extensively studied and has a scholarly significance. Additionally, it can help you find gaps or weaknesses in earlier studies. Thirdly, it serves as an outline for your research goals and methods.
Most students view this section as a formality and copy content from previous assignments or other online sources. This can result in the project being rejected or not getting marks. IGNOU demands original writing even when discussing existing studies.
IGNOU doesn't expect students to write at the level of an PhD thesis. In the same way extremely basic explanations are also not recommended. When a ignou mcom project is being developed the literature review will reflect understanding that is postgraduate.
You're expected review books, research papers or reports, journals and sometimes government publications related to your topic. The primary focus should be on research relevant to your area of study.
For example, if your research focuses on the financial performance of banks In your literature review, you will focus on prior studies that dealt with financial ratios, performances of banks, profitability studies, and risk evaluation.
A common mistake that students make is choosing too many different sources. It is the quality that matters more than the quantity. If you are looking to build an ignou mcom business between 15 and 20 powerful sources are generally enough for a good selection.
Some good sources are academic journals well-known books written by renowned creators, RBI newspapers, report from government agencies, as well as university research papers. Websites with unclear authorship should be avoided.
The best studies are those that are current at least from the last 10 years. These older studies may be included in the event that they are fundamental in study.
A well-organized chapter increases readability and impression. Instead of writing random summaries, you can divide each literature overview into clear sections.
You can organize the chapter in accordance with themes, time period as well as the methodology or variables to be studied. For instance, one section could discuss research related to profitability, while another could focus upon liquidity, while another is focused on operating efficiency.
This format helps evaluaters understand that you're not taking content and copying it, but also analyzing it.
The writing style should be simple but academic. Avoid overly complicated language and use of jargon. IGNOU favors clarity over complexity.
Each study you analyze should include the name of the author as well as year of study, research objectives, methods, and important findings. However, don't list them in a formal manner. Do your best to link one study with the other.
For instance, when discussing one study, you could write about how a different author's research supported or refuted these findings. This type of analysis adds the depth of your ignou mcom project.
A common error is writing the literature review like the textbook chapter. It is important to clarify the basic concepts, such as the definition of accounting or the meaning of management isn't appropriate here unless directly linked in previous studies.
Another error is quoting too much. Your literature review should be written by you in your own words. This shows your understanding. copying shows dependency.
Students may also not link works to their research focus. Each study you discuss should be clearly linked to your research goals.
One of important results of the review of literature is to identify the gap in research. IGNOU evaluaters want you to expose what researchers of the past missed or the areas where more study is needed.
After discussing multiple studies, you'll find that a lot of studies were focused on large businesses, while small firms were neglected. And earlier studies used secondary data, while primary data was not enough.
This gap serves as the rationale for your IGNOU mcom project. Without it, the project might appear monotonous.
In writing a review of literature An accurate citation is imperative. IGNOU generally accepts APA style, however consistent writing is more important than flawlessness.
Each study mentioned must be listed in the reference list at the conclusion of the project. References that are not included raise doubts about authenticity.
Avoid footnotes on literature reviews. Citation in text is more effective and appears cleaner in an ignou mcom project.
Students frequently ask what the length of the book review needs to run. There's no definitive rule but for an assignment in mcom, this chapter generally ranges from fifteen hundred up to two thousand words.
The length of the discussion should be based on topic complexity. A broad topic will require more studies, while a specific topic requires fewer but more extensive discussions.
Inadequately long reviews and no analysis does not improve marks.
Instead of writing as this
Author A has studied bank performance and discovered good results
Write this in the same way as
This author carried out a study on banking performance with financial ratios. He concluded that profitability improved by a better management of assets. This finding was later supported by Author B who also emphasized the importance of operational efficiency in increasing bank returns.
This approach reflects an understanding and analysis that is highly valued in an MCOM project.
IGNOU is a firm believer in plagiarism. Many projects get deferred or even rejected due to plagiarism in literature reviews. Even if you reference past studies, your language you use must reflect the original.
Use plagiarism checking tools if possible. You can also rewrite your content to make it sound natural. A slightly imperfect sentence is far better than perfect copied.
Before submitting an ignou mcom project, go back through the literature review carefully. Verify that each research is relevant, whether you can follow the logic of the review and if the chapter is logically linked to your research objectives.
Ask yourself one simple question. Does this chapter provide a reason the reasons why my study is required. If the answer is yes, then you're on the correct track.
Writing a literature review for an ignou project isn't easy at first particularly for students who are returning to college after a long absence. However, once you realize that it is more about analysis and connecting than memorization, the task becomes doable.
Take time to read, think and write in your own voice. The effort you put into it will show clearly into the final version of your work. This often can be the difference in the average submission and a powerful one.