The Dissertation Review of Literature

I am writing this following a spate of literature review problems and in answer to the question: Is it better to use a dissertation consultant before or after the writing of this chapter?

There seems to be a wide array of dissertators who have begun writing their Dissertation literature review—usually chapter 2—without understanding the purpose of this chapter. Since it is called a "review of the literature," many novice writers believe that all that is involved is describing the existing research, an activity that would be completely mechanical. In fact, while the this chapter may seem quite formulaic, there is little that is actually mechanical and a lot more that is analytical; moreover, it requires careful crafting to provide the foundation that integrates the present research into the specialized and general fields where the reader must recognize it. The novice writer’s dissertation committee is not always reliable in pointing out deficiencies until it is too late, the chapter is composed incorrectly, and the dissertator is stuck with material that must now be punched into the proper shape.