Abstract:
Literature review and writing form the basis of research to which it is indispensable. Its systematic process
however, remains mysterious, complex and problematic especially to postgraduate students most of whom
undertake research for the first time at graduate level. This paper explored the challenges, strengths and
mysteries with which literature review and writing was undertaken by graduate students at both master’s and
Doctoral levels. The paper used primary sources to gather data from graduate students’ theses and proposals.
Data from those sources revealed how literature review and writing showed different patterns depending on the
nature of the research, and the specific objectives of the study. Similarly, different approaches were found to be
suitable to different research contexts and methods. The challenges in writing and reviewing literature mainly
springs from the failure to clearly define the research problem which propels clarity in the presentation of
literature.
