Answer:The literature review performs a number of
important functions:
• It demonstrates to a Ph.D. committee that the student has read a large amount of
statistical literature to prove that the student is aware of the wide range of research
in theory and methodology related to the proposed research topic.
• It provides proof to a Ph.D. committee that the student has an deep understanding of
the published statistical research related to the topic of the dissertation.
• It should convince the Ph.D. committee that the student can communicate this understanding of the statistical literature and its relationship to the proposed research.
• It should support the originality and relevance for the Ph.D. research problem.
– This is done by identifying specific gaps in the statistical literature. That is, the
student identifies statistical questions that have not been answered and problems
that have not been solved.
– By identifying gaps in the statistical literature, the student can justify the originality of the proposed dissertation research. The originality can be an extension
of research that has been published or a modification of existing methodology or
theory that can be used to perform the Ph.D. research.
• In the proposal you will emphasize or stress the originality of the dissertation. Without a good literature review, you cannot convince your committee that that the proposed research is original.
• A dissertation may be unacceptable because the Ph.D. student does not clearly show
that the research problem is original due to a poor literature review.
• Remember: the Literature Review is more than a summary of publications. It provides
evidence that your research will be an original and relevant contribution to statistics.
