How to Write a Strong Literature Review
Follow these essential steps to create a comprehensive literature review:
Clarify the Purpose
- Understand the goal of the review: Is it part of a larger work or standalone?
- The review should provide context, identify gaps, and show how your research fits in.
Search for Relevant Literature
- Use academic databases like Google Scholar, PubMed, etc.
- Start with foundational or highly cited studies, but also include recent research.
Organize the Literature
- Group literature by themes, trends, or time periods rather than individually.
- Identify gaps where the literature lacks coverage or where there’s disagreement.
Critically Analyse the Sources
- Summarise the key points: What are the arguments, findings, and relevance?
- Evaluate the quality: Strengths, weaknesses, and methodologies of the studies.
Write the Review
- Introduction: State the purpose and scope of the review.
- Body: Organize by themes or trends, compare studies, and highlight gaps.
- Conclusion: Summarise the findings and explain how your research will address gaps.
Cite Properly
- Follow the required citation style (APA, MLA, etc.).
- Ensure all sources are properly referenced.