Many times it happens that in order to substantiate a research question for a research based study, researchers carry out an extensive review of literature, in the due course of that process, they try to review every possible literature, which are being encountered by them. In doing so, besides carrying out review of relevant literature, they also come up with review of unnecessary literature, as well. Considering the limited time and other resources allocated to carry out the research based study, this process can turn out to be a total wastage, as to carry out a research work properly, review of relevant literature is required, not the survey of literature. And this case is mostly seen, when the researchers try to carry out a Meta analysis, and end up with a literature survey, based on which no research gap can be substantiated.

The aforementioned discussion can turn out to be clear, if an example of such a scenario can be cited. Suppose a researcher wants to carry out a Meta analysis on the nexus between energy consumption and economic growth. The Meta analysis should be carried out based on the articles, which talk about nexus between energy consumption and gross domestic product, energy consumption and gross national product, per capita energy consumption and per capita income, electricity consumption and economic growth, etc. based on the contexts of single country or cross country analysis. This review of literature can prove out to be a significant one. However, considering topics like petroleum consumption and economic growth, petroleum consumption and balance of payment deficit, energy consumption and environmental degradation, etc. can make the review of literature out of the track, will broaden the research area unnecessarily, thereby, making the entire research based study lose its focus. This can be a good literature survey, but a very poor Meta analysis.

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