Final answer:
A literature review is primarily useful for studying new or unexplored topics. It helps inform and shape your knowledge about the topic and is a crucial step in analytical understanding and research.
Step-by-step explanation:
When studying new or unexplored topics, conducting a literature review is primarily useful. A literature review is a scholarly research step that involves identifying and studying all existing studies on a topic to create a basis for new research. It helps to explore the topic further by providing links to other information sources or discussions.
A literature review helps inform you about the topic and shapes the scope of your knowledge. It allows you to consider all the options and avoid wasting time on topics that may lead to dead ends. It is a crucial step in understanding a topic analytically, especially when writing a report.
When conducting a literature review, it is important to gather primary evidence and consult general reference works to evaluate the topic's relevance and find additional sources for research.