Q: How does the review of related literature (RRL) help the accuracy and validity of the research?

A review of related literature (RRL) is important for obtaining an overview of the current knowledge on the topic. It provides the investigator with a framework on which to build an appropriate hypothesis. Further, an RRL guides the researcher in the direction of adding something new to the field without duplicating previous efforts. The RRL should not simply summarize sources, but critically analyze and evaluate published studies to provide a clear picture of the state of the knowledge on the subject.

Coming to your question, pinpointing exactly how an RRL would help the accuracy and validity of your research is a bit difficult without knowing the field of your research. However, broadly, as regards accuracy, a comprehensive RRL will ensure that your hypothesis is formulated considering all that is known about the topic and that the appropriate approaches and methods are employed to address the problem. In terms of validity, the RRL will point reviewers and readers to the pertinent studies to back up claims made in the current study and/or validate the approach(es) chosen.

Hope that helps. For more, you may refer to these previous queries by other researchers:

• What is the importance of a review of related literature in the study – and how do you organize it?
• How to write the review of related literature in research?
• How do I do a review of related literature (RRL)?