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10 months ago in Research Methodology By Krirthi

Literature Mapping: How to Visualize Your Research

My supervisor told me to "map" the literature for my review instead of just listing summaries. What does that actually mean, and how do I do it?

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By Roma Answered 3 months ago

It means moving from a list to a landscape. Instead of writing "Author A says X, Author B says Y," you create a visual or conceptual diagram that shows how all the ideas connect. You might make a mind map with central themes as branches, or a matrix comparing how different authors approach key debates. The goal is to see the relationships—who agrees, who contradicts, what themes cluster together, and most importantly, where the empty spaces (your research gap) are. It's the difference between cataloging books and drawing the intellectual territory they occupy.

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