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100 Best Literature Research Paper Topics For Students

Literary research paper topics are among the most interesting to write about. Books are the best teachers for most learners. And, students love reading interesting literature books. But, when asked to write research papers, most students have difficulties choosing their topics. That’s because many issues can be investigated and written about.

For instance, literary topics can be about characters’ personalities in certain works. They can also be about particular characteristics of specific literary genres. Learners can also choose literary analysis topics that focus on the life story of famous writers or poets. But, regardless of what a learner opts to write about, they should choose interesting topics.

What are Interesting Literary Research Paper Topics?

Several factors make a topic interesting to write about. A topic for a research paper or a graduate thesis should generally be definite, specific, and innovative. Also, it should be interesting to research and write about. Here’s how to select interesting literature topics:

Think about something. Explore the idea to select a topic for which you can find sufficient research data from credible sources. Narrow down your subject if you find it too broad.

English literature topics can be classified into different categories. Here some of these categories and topics can be considered in each category.

Great World Literature Research Topics

Perhaps, you’ve been asked to write a literature research paper with a global perspective. Here are some of the literary analysis research paper topics that you can consider.

Explain how the supernatural and spirituality help in furthering the development of the plot in the Latin American literature of the early 20th century.
What themes are common in the Japanese poems of the early 20th century? How do they differ from those of the early 19th century?
Compare the early Chinese literary works and European literary works of the middle ages. How different or alike are they?
How were European literary works in the early 20th century shaped by the revolutionary works of Engels and Marx? What examples can demonstrate this influence?
Explain how the Muslim philosophers’ work of the 15th century led to new ideas and inventions across the globe.
Compare and contrast different anti-British works that originated in India in the 19th century with pro-colonialist works that came from England at the same time.
How did the nightmarish utopian future ideas of Aldous Huxley influence modern-day science fiction writers across the world?
Explain how the Antigone play by Sophocles deals with the conflict between the central characters while relating to the state laws and individual conscience.
How are the sentiments of the authors reflected in Animal Farm by George Orwell and concerns about the October Revolution?
Explain some of the examples of literary fiction pieces that have shaped cultures in the world. Have historic, societal, and cultural factors played some roles in shaping these literature pieces?
Being a prolific writer in the early and mid-19th century, Charles Dickens’s works were published in serialized forms. How and why has this approach become less fashionable?
Compare and contrast the early Japanese literature works and the early Chinese literature works. How do they differ in terms of values and culture?
Explain how comedy differs in literature across cultures. What comedy appeared in the early theatrical performances and it’s still present in modern literature?
Analyze chivalry and honor critically in the Green Knight and Sir Gawain. What are the qualities of these works from a similar period?
Compare and contrast the Odyssey and Iliad by Homer the Ancient Greek. Explain how cultures across the world have adapted the themes presented in the poem.

British Literature Research Paper Topics

Students have many topics to choose from when it comes to British literature essay topics. Here are some of the best literature topics from the works of British authors.

Discuss Victorian England’s picture with the works of Charles Dickens in mind
Discuss the theme of Orphans with the Oliver Twist character in mind
Explain how British Literature has influenced different cultures
Explain how British literature has addressed gender issues
Explain how King Lear highlights the differences between anti-heroes and villains
Explain William Shakespeare’s personality- Highlight facts and myths
Choose two famous British novels and then compare the characters in them
Explain the viewpoint of different writers about the Utopian civilization idea
With Harry Potter books in mind, explain why some literature books are considered classics
Explain how love and romantic love are presented in Charlotte Bronte’s works
Explain how modern literary works have been affected by the Victorian period works
Discuss the adultery theme in Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Who are the main characters in Lake Poets’ works?
Explain how violent imagery was used in World War I poetry
Explain talent as a theme in Milton’s on His Blindness
Explain innocence loss in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies
Explain the theme of individualism versus collectivism in Oliver Twist
Explain why the popularity of detective novels increased in the XIX century
What role did the supernatural play in Macbeth: a case study of three witches
Class demarcation in XVII century- The vengeance theme

American Literature Topics

Some teachers ask students to choose American literature research topics for certain reasons. If asked to write on such topics, here are some of the American literature research paper topics to consider.

Analyze key aspects of American ideology, particularly in the literature written before the 20th century.
Determine thematic concerns and literary styles of the major historical period of American literature between the colonial period and post-modernism.
Show the American identity uniqueness of texts
Propose connections between the American literature concerns and themes in the larger historical development and social issues that face the present world
Examine major concerns and themes that reappear across the American literature
Highlight the major themes in Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner
Explain the African American Experience with female authors like Alice Walker, Zora Neal Hurston, and Toni Morrison
Explain the predominant theme in The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Explain how Jonathan Edwards epitomizes Puritan definitions in his sermons
Explain the use of historical personalities and events by Washington Irving as the background for his works
The Crucible demonstrates how a community can be torn apart by hysteria. Explain
Explain how Sylvia Plath demonstrates the social pressure faced by women in the 1960s in the Bell Jar.
Explain how John Knowles demonstrates the impact of war on everyone
Explain the strong belief in the education power by Maya Angelou as depicted in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Explain how Thornton Wilder conveys life as a gift in Our Town
Discuss the themes of anger and pity in the Grapes of Wrath
Explain how Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck portrays the Great Depression struggles
Discuss the portrayal of the unconquerable spirit in Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway.
Plays by Eugene O’Neil are tragically realistic. Explain
God is humanized in The Creation poem by James Weldon Johnson. Explain

Some of the ideas here are great poetry topics. Nevertheless, they require careful research and analysis to write about.

High School Literary Essay Topics

Some topics in literature are ideal for high school essays. Here are examples of literary analysis paper topics for high school students.

Compare and contrast the major characters in your preferred book
Choose your favorite character in a book and explain your reasons for liking it
Please explain why the quality of a literature book is not determined by its length
Highlight the similarities of your favorite books
Discuss the top 4 authors in horror books
Explain why reading some books is more difficult than reading others
Explain what it takes to write a high-quality poem
Who is your favorite poet and why?
Explain what makes your favorite book interesting
Who is your favorite character in literary works and why?
What makes some literature books difficult to read?
Who are your favorite top 5 authors and why?
Should the age of readers be restricted to some books?
What is your favorite literary genre?
Explain why the author determines the quality of a book more than the story
Discuss the literary works of your favorite authors
Why is it important to captivate readers with the introductory chapter of a book?
Which book genre makes great movies?
Why is the work of Harry Potter so popular?
Explain why your favorite horror book is scary

Unique Research Topics in English Literature

Some literature research topics are unique and can be written about by learners at different study levels. Here are examples of such topics.

Analyze the use of literary devices in novels
Discuss the author’s autobiography
Analyze literary genres and the role played by an artist in them
Compare the works of a similar genre
Highlight the gender roles of characters in literary works
Social stratification and Harry Potter- Discuss
With Charles Dickens’ work in mind, explain the peculiarity of the bildungsroman genre.
Explain how The Lord of the Rings uses artificial language
Explain how the Sherlock Holmes image influences the world of detective fiction
Explain the war theme in the world literature

These are also great literary journalism topics. Nevertheless, they require extensive research to write about.

In a nutshell, students have many literary argument topics to consider. The most important thing is to choose an interesting topic that you can find sufficient data to write about. Also, don’t hesitate to check our history topics .

Literature Thesis Topics

This page provides a comprehensive list of literature thesis topics , offering a valuable resource for students tasked with writing a thesis in the field of literature. Designed to cater to a wide array of literary interests and academic inquiries, the topics are organized into 25 diverse categories, ranging from African American Literature to Young Adult Literature. Each category includes 40 distinct topics, making a total of 1000 topics. This structure not only facilitates easy navigation but also aids in the identification of precise research areas that resonate with students’ interests and academic goals. The purpose of this page is to inspire students by presenting a breadth of possibilities, helping them to formulate a thesis that is both original and aligned with current literary discussions.

1000 Literature Thesis Topics and Ideas

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The evolution of African American narrative forms from slave narratives to contemporary fiction.
An analysis of the Harlem Renaissance: Artistic explosion and its impact on African American identity.
The role of music and oral tradition in African American literature.
A study of code-switching in African American literature and its effects on cultural and linguistic identity.
Gender and sexuality in African American women’s literature.
The portrayal of race and racism in the works of Toni Morrison.
The influence of African spirituality and religion in African American literature.
Exploring Afrofuturism through the works of Octavia Butler and N.K. Jemisin.
The representation of the family in African American literature post-1960s.
The use of southern settings in African American literature: A study of place and identity.
Intersectionality in the writings of Audre Lorde and Angela Davis.
The depiction of African American men in literature and media: Stereotypes vs. reality.
The impact of the Black Arts Movement on contemporary African American culture.
Literary responses to the Civil Rights Movement in African American literature.
The role of education in African American autobiographical writing.
The portrayal of historical trauma and memory in African American literature.
Analyzing black masculinity through the works of Richard Wright and James Baldwin.
The treatment of racial ambiguity and colorism in African American fiction.
The influence of hip-hop and rap on contemporary African American poetry.
The narrative strategies used in African American science fiction.
Postcolonial readings of African American literature: Transnational perspectives.
The evolution of black feminism reflected in literature.
The significance of folk motifs in the works of Zora Neale Hurston.
The impact of the Great Migration on literary depictions of African American life.
Urbanism and its influence on African American literary forms.
The legacy of Langston Hughes and his influence on modern African American poetry.
Comparing the racial politics in African American literature from the 20th to the 21st century.
The role of African American literature in shaping public opinion on social justice issues.
Mental health and trauma in African American literature.
The literary critique of the American Dream in African American literature.
Environmental racism and its representation in African American literature.
The adaptation of African American literary works into films and its cultural implications.
Analyzing class struggle through African American literary works.
The portrayal of African Americans in graphic novels and comics.
Exploring the African diaspora through literature: Connections and divergences.
The influence of Barack Obama’s presidency on African American literature.
Representation of African American LGBTQ+ voices in modern literature.
The use of speculative elements to explore social issues in African American literature.
The role of the church and religion in African American literary narratives.
Literary examinations of police brutality and racial profiling in African American communities.
The evolution of the American Dream in 20th-century American literature.
An analysis of naturalism and realism in the works of Mark Twain and Henry James.
The depiction of the frontier in American literature and its impact on national identity.
Exploring postmodern techniques in the novels of Thomas Pynchon and Don DeLillo.
The influence of immigration on American narrative forms and themes.
The role of the Beat Generation in shaping American counter-culture literature.
Feminist themes in the novels of Sylvia Plath and Toni Morrison.
Ecocriticism and the portrayal of nature in American literature from Thoreau to contemporary authors.
The depiction of war and its aftermath in American literature: From the Civil War to the Iraq War.
The treatment of race and ethnicity in the novels of John Steinbeck.
The role of technology and media in contemporary American fiction.
The impact of the Great Depression on American literary works.
An examination of gothic elements in early American literature.
The influence of transcendentalism in the works of Emerson and Whitman.
Modernist expressions in the poetry of Wallace Stevens and Ezra Pound.
The depiction of suburban life in mid-20th-century American literature.
The cultural significance of the Harlem Renaissance in the development of American literature.
Identity and self-exploration in the essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Analyzing the concept of alienation in the works of Edward Albee and Arthur Miller.
The role of political activism in the plays of August Wilson.
The portrayal of children and adolescence in American literature.
The use of satire and humor in the novels of Kurt Vonnegut.
Exploring the American South through the literature of Flannery O’Connor and William Faulkner.
The representation of LGBTQ+ characters in American novels from the 1960s to present.
Consumer culture and its critique in American post-war fiction.
The legacy of slavery in American literature and its contemporary implications.
The motif of the journey in American literature as a metaphor for personal and collective discovery.
The role of the wilderness in shaping American environmental literature.
An analysis of dystopian themes in American science fiction from Philip K. Dick to Octavia Butler.
The representation of Native American culture and history in American literature.
The treatment of mental health in the short stories of Edgar Allan Poe.
American expatriate writers in Paris during the 1920s: Lost Generation narratives.
The influence of jazz music on the narrative structure of American literature.
The intersection of law and morality in the novels of Herman Melville.
Post-9/11 themes in contemporary American literature.
The evolution of feminist literature in America from the 19th century to modern times.
Examining consumerism and its discontents in the novels of Bret Easton Ellis.
The portrayal of American cities in 20th-century literature.
The impact of the civil rights movement on American literary production.
The use of magical realism in the works of contemporary American authors.
The role of fairy tales in the development of child psychology.
Representation of family structures in modern children’s literature.
Gender roles in classic vs. contemporary children’s books.
The evolution of the hero’s journey in children’s literature.
Moral lessons and their conveyance through children’s stories.
The impact of fantasy literature on children’s imaginative development.
Depictions of cultural diversity in children’s books.
The use of animals as characters and their symbolic meanings in children’s stories.
The portrayal of disability in children’s literature and its impact on inclusivity.
The influence of children’s literature on early reading skills.
Analysis of cross-generational appeal in children’s literature.
The role of illustrations in enhancing narrative in children’s books.
Censorship and controversial topics in children’s literature.
Adaptations of children’s literature into films and their impact on the stories’ reception.
The representation of historical events in children’s literature.
Exploring the educational value of non-fiction children’s books.
The treatment of death and loss in children’s literature.
The role of magic and the supernatural in shaping values through children’s books.
Psychological impacts of children’s horror literature.
The significance of award-winning children’s books in educational contexts.
The influence of digital media on children’s book publishing.
Parental figures in children’s literature: From authoritarian to nurturing roles.
Narrative strategies used in children’s literature to discuss social issues.
Environmental themes in children’s literature and their role in fostering eco-consciousness.
The adaptation of classic children’s literature in the modern era.
The portrayal of bullying in children’s books and its implications for social learning.
The use of humor in children’s literature and its effects on engagement and learning.
Comparative analysis of children’s book series and their educational impacts.
Development of identity and self-concept through children’s literature.
The effectiveness of bilingual children’s books in language teaching.
The role of rhyme and rhythm in early literacy development through children’s poetry.
Sociopolitical themes in children’s literature and their relevance to contemporary issues.
The portrayal of technology and its use in children’s science fiction.
The representation of religious themes in children’s books.
The impact of children’s literature on adult readership.
The influence of children’s literature on children’s attitudes towards animals and nature.
How children’s literature can be used to support emotional intelligence and resilience.
The evolution of adventure themes in children’s literature.
Gender representation in children’s graphic novels.
Analyzing the narrative structure of children’s picture books.
Cross-cultural influences in the modernist movements of Europe and Japan.
The depiction of the Other in Western and Eastern literature.
Comparative analysis of postcolonial narratives in African and South Asian literatures.
The concept of the tragic hero in Greek and Shakespearean drama.
The treatment of love and marriage in 19th-century French and Russian novels.
The portrayal of nature in American transcendentalism vs. British romanticism.
Influence of Persian poetry on 19th-century European poets.
Modern reinterpretations of classical myths in Latin American and Southern European literature.
The role of dystopian themes in Soviet vs. American cold war literature.
Magic realism in Latin American and Sub-Saharan African literature.
Comparative study of feminist waves in American and Middle Eastern literature.
The depiction of urban life in 20th-century Brazilian and Indian novels.
The theme of exile in Jewish literature and Palestinian narratives.
Comparative analysis of existential themes in French and Japanese literature.
Themes of isolation and alienation in Scandinavian and Canadian literature.
The influence of colonialism on narrative structures in Irish and Indian English literature.
Analysis of folk tales adaptation in German and Korean children’s literature.
The portrayal of historical trauma in Armenian and Jewish literature.
The use of allegory in Medieval European and Classical Arabic literature.
Representation of indigenous cultures in Australian and North American novels.
The role of censorship in Soviet literature compared to Francoist Spain.
Themes of redemption in African-American and South African literature.
Narrative techniques in stream of consciousness: Virginia Woolf and Clarice Lispector.
The intersection of poetry and politics in Latin American and Middle Eastern literature.
The evolution of the epistolary novel in 18th-century England and France.
Comparative study of the Beat Generation and the Angolan writers of the 1960s.
The depiction of spiritual journeys in Indian and Native American literatures.
Cross-cultural examinations of humor and satire in British and Russian literatures.
Comparative analysis of modern dystopias in American and Chinese literature.
The impact of globalization on contemporary European and Asian novelists.
Postmodern identity crisis in Japanese and Italian literature.
Comparative study of the concept of heroism in ancient Greek and Indian epics.
Ecocriticism in British and Brazilian literature.
The influence of the French Revolution on English and French literature.
Representation of mental illness in 20th-century American and Norwegian plays.
Themes of migration in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean literatures.
Gender and sexuality in contemporary African and Southeast Asian short stories.
The literary portrayal of technological advances in German and American literature.
Comparative study of children’s fantasy literature in the British and Egyptian traditions.
The role of the supernatural in Japanese and Celtic folklore narratives.
The impact of digital culture on narrative forms in contemporary literature.
Representation of the global financial crisis in 21st-century novels.
Analysis of identity and self in the age of social media as depicted in contemporary literature.
The role of dystopian themes in reflecting contemporary societal fears.
Post-9/11 political and cultural narratives in American literature.
The influence of migration on shaping multicultural identities in contemporary novels.
Gender fluidity and queer identities in contemporary literary works.
Environmental concerns and ecocriticism in 21st-century fiction.
The resurgence of the epistolary novel form in the digital age.
The depiction of mental health in contemporary young adult literature.
The role of indigenous voices in contemporary world literature.
Neo-colonialism and its representation in contemporary African literature.
The intersection of film and literature in contemporary storytelling.
Analysis of consumerism and its critique in modern literary works.
The rise of autobiographical novels in contemporary literature and their impact on narrative authenticity.
Technological dystopias and human identity in contemporary science fiction.
The representation of terrorism and its impacts in contemporary literature.
Examination of contemporary feminist literature and the evolution of feminist theory.
The literary treatment of historical memory and trauma in post-Soviet literature.
The changing face of heroism in 21st-century literature.
Contemporary plays addressing the challenges of modern relationships and family dynamics.
The use of supernatural elements in modern literary fiction.
The influence of Eastern philosophies on Western contemporary literature.
The portrayal of aging and death in contemporary novels.
The dynamics of power and corruption in new political thrillers.
The evolution of narrative voice and perspective in contemporary literature.
Representation of refugees and asylum seekers in modern fiction.
The impact of pandemics on literary themes and settings.
Postmodern approaches to myth and folklore in contemporary writing.
The critique of nationalism and patriotism in 21st-century literature.
The use of satire and irony to critique contemporary political climates.
Emerging forms of literature, such as interactive and visual novels, in the digital era.
The representation of class struggle in contemporary urban narratives.
Changes in the portrayal of romance and intimacy in new adult fiction.
The challenge of ethical dilemmas in contemporary medical dramas.
Examination of space and place in the new landscape of contemporary poetry.
Contemporary reimaginings of classical literature characters in modern settings.
The role of privacy, surveillance, and paranoia in contemporary narratives.
The blending of genres in contemporary literature: The rise of hybrid forms.
The portrayal of artificial intelligence and its implications for humanity in contemporary works.
The role of memory and nostalgia in the literature of the Jewish diaspora.
Narratives of displacement and identity in the African diaspora.
The portrayal of the Indian diaspora in contemporary literature.
Cross-cultural conflicts and identity negotiations in Korean diaspora literature.
The influence of colonial legacies on Caribbean diaspora writers.
The concept of “home” and “belonging” in Palestinian diaspora literature.
Exploring the Irish diaspora through literary expressions of exile and return.
The impact of migration on gender roles within Middle Eastern diaspora communities.
Representation of the Vietnamese diaspora in American literature.
Transnationalism and its effects on language and narrative in Chicano/Chicana literature.
Dual identities and the search for authenticity in Italian-American diaspora writing.
The evolution of cultural identity in second-generation diaspora authors.
Comparative analysis of diaspora literature from former Yugoslav countries.
The depiction of generational conflicts in Chinese-American diaspora literature.
The use of folklore and mythology in reconnecting with cultural roots in Filipino diaspora literature.
The representation of trauma and recovery in the literature of the Armenian diaspora.
Intersectionality and feminism in African diaspora literature.
The role of culinary culture in narratives of the Indian diaspora.
Identity politics and the struggle for cultural preservation in diaspora literature from Latin America.
The portrayal of exile and diaspora in modern Jewish Russian literature.
The impact of globalization on diaspora identities as reflected in literature.
Language hybridity and innovation in Anglophone Caribbean diaspora literature.
Literary portrayals of the challenges faced by refugees in European diaspora communities.
The influence of remittances and transnational ties on Filipino diaspora literature.
The use of magical realism to express diasporic experiences in Latin American literature.
The effects of assimilation and cultural retention in Greek diaspora literature.
The role of digital media in shaping the narratives of contemporary diasporas.
The depiction of the African American return diaspora in literature.
Challenges of integration and discrimination in Muslim diaspora literature in Western countries.
The portrayal of Soviet diaspora communities in post-Cold War literature.
The narratives of return and reintegration in post-colonial diaspora literatures.
The influence of historical events on the literature of the Korean War diaspora.
The role of diaspora literature in shaping national policies on immigration.
Identity crisis and cultural negotiation in French-Algerian diaspora literature.
The impact of diaspora on the evolution of national literatures.
Literary exploration of transracial adoption in American diaspora literature.
The exploration of queer identities in global diaspora communities.
The influence of the digital age on the literary expression of diaspora experiences.
Themes of loss and alienation in Canadian diaspora literature.
The role of literature in documenting the experiences of the Syrian diaspora.
The role of the supernatural in the works of Shakespeare.
The portrayal of women in Victorian novels.
The influence of the Romantic poets on modern environmental literature.
The depiction of poverty and social class in Charles Dickens’ novels.
The evolution of the narrative form in British novels from the 18th to the 20th century.
Themes of war and peace in post-World War II British poetry.
The impact of colonialism on British literature during the Empire.
The role of the Byronic hero in Lord Byron’s works and its influence on subsequent literature.
The critique of human rights in the plays of Harold Pinter.
The representation of race and ethnicity in post-colonial British literature.
The influence of Gothic elements in the novels of the Brontë sisters.
Modernism and its discontents in the works of Virginia Woolf and T.S. Eliot.
The treatment of love and marriage in Jane Austen’s novels.
The use of irony and satire in Jonathan Swift’s writings.
The evolution of the tragic hero from Shakespeare to modern plays.
Literary depictions of the British countryside in poetry and prose.
The rise of feminist literature in England from Mary Wollstonecraft to the present.
The portrayal of children and childhood in Lewis Carroll’s works.
Analyzing the quest motif in British Arthurian literature.
The influence of the Industrial Revolution on English literature.
Themes of alienation and isolation in the novels of D.H. Lawrence.
The representation of religious doubt and faith in the poetry of John Donne and George Herbert.
The role of espionage and national identity in British spy novels.
Literary responses to the Irish Troubles in 20th-century British literature.
The evolution of comic and satirical plays in British theatre from Ben Jonson to Tom Stoppard.
The treatment of death and mourning in the works of Emily Dickinson and Christina Rossetti.
Comparative study of myth and mythology in the works of William Blake and Ted Hughes.
The depiction of the British Empire and its legacies in contemporary British literature.
The role of landscape and environment in shaping the novels of Thomas Hardy.
The influence of music and poetry on the lyrical ballads of Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
The impact of technology on society as depicted in the novels of Aldous Huxley.
The critique of societal norms and manners in Oscar Wilde’s plays.
Literary explorations of mental illness in the early 20th century.
The intersection of literature and science in the works of H.G. Wells.
The role of the sea in British literature: From Shakespeare’s tempests to Joseph Conrad’s voyages.
The impact of Brexit on contemporary British literature.
Themes of exile and displacement in the poetry of W.H. Auden.
The influence of American culture on post-war British literature.
The role of the detective novel in British literature, from Sherlock Holmes to contemporary works.
The portrayal of the “New Woman” in late 19th-century English literature.
The evolution of feminist thought in literature from the 19th century to the present.
Analysis of the portrayal of women in dystopian literature.
Intersectionality and its representation in contemporary feminist texts.
The role of women in shaping modernist literature.
Feminist critique of traditional gender roles in fairy tales and folklore.
The portrayal of female agency in graphic novels and comics.
The influence of second-wave feminism on literature of the 1960s and 1970s.
Postcolonial feminism in the works of authors from Africa and the Caribbean.
The depiction of motherhood in feminist literature across cultures.
The impact of feminist theory on the analysis of classical literature.
Ecofeminism: exploring the link between ecology and gender in literature.
Feminist perspectives on sexuality and desire in literature.
The intersection of feminism and disability in literary texts.
The role of the female gothic in understanding women’s oppression and empowerment.
Representation of transgender and non-binary characters in feminist literature.
Feminism and the critique of capitalism in literary works.
The representation of women in science fiction and fantasy genres.
Analysis of domesticity and the private sphere in 19th-century literature.
Feminist reinterpretations of mythological figures and stories.
The role of women in revolutionary narratives and political literature.
Feminist analysis of the body and corporeality in literature.
The portrayal of female friendships and solidarity in novels.
The influence of feminist literature on contemporary pop culture.
Gender and power dynamics in the works of Shakespeare from a feminist perspective.
The impact of digital media on feminist literary criticism.
Feminist literary responses to global crises and conflicts.
Queer feminism and literature: Exploring texts that intersect gender, sexuality, and feminist theory.
The portrayal of women in wartime literature from a feminist viewpoint.
Feminist poetry movements and their contribution to literary history.
The influence of feminist literary theory on teaching literature in academic settings.
Feminist analysis of women’s voices in oral narratives and storytelling traditions.
Representation of women in the detective and mystery genres.
The use of satire and humor in feminist literature to challenge societal norms.
Feminist perspectives on religious texts and their interpretations.
The critique of marriage and relationships in feminist novels.
Women’s narratives in the digital age: Blogs, social media, and literature.
Feminist literature as a tool for social change and activism.
The influence of feminist literature on legal and social policy reforms.
Gender roles in children’s literature: A feminist critique.
The role of feminist literature in redefining beauty standards and body image.
The evolution of the Gothic novel from the 18th century to contemporary Gothic fiction.
The representation of the sublime and the terrifying in Gothic literature.
The role of haunted landscapes in Gothic narratives.
Psychological horror vs. supernatural horror in Gothic literature.
The portrayal of madness in classic Gothic novels.
The influence of Gothic literature on modern horror films.
Themes of isolation and alienation in Gothic fiction.
The use of architecture as a symbol of psychological state in Gothic literature.
Gender roles and the portrayal of women in Victorian Gothic novels.
The revival of Gothic elements in 21st-century young adult literature.
The depiction of villains and anti-heroes in Gothic stories.
Comparative analysis of European and American Gothic literature.
The intersection of Gothic literature and romanticism.
The influence of religious symbolism and themes in Gothic narratives.
Gothic elements in the works of contemporary authors like Stephen King and Anne Rice.
The role of curses and prophecies in Gothic storytelling.
Gothic literature as social and cultural critique.
The representation of death and the afterlife in Gothic novels.
The use of dual personalities in Gothic literature.
The impact of Gothic literature on fashion and visual arts.
The role of secrecy and suspense in creating the Gothic atmosphere.
The depiction of the monstrous and the grotesque in Gothic texts.
Exploring the Gothic in graphic novels and comics.
The motif of the journey in Gothic literature.
The portrayal of science and experimentation in Gothic stories.
Gothic elements in children’s literature.
The role of nature and the natural world in Gothic narratives.
Themes of inheritance and the burden of the past in Gothic novels.
The influence of Gothic literature on the development of detective and mystery genres.
The portrayal of patriarchal society and its discontents in Gothic fiction.
The Gothic and its relation to postcolonial literature.
The use of folklore and myth in Gothic narratives.
The narrative structure and techniques in Gothic literature.
The role of the supernatural in defining the Gothic genre.
Gothic literature as a reflection of societal anxieties during different historical periods.
The motif of entrapment and escape in Gothic stories.
Comparative study of Gothic literature and dark romanticism.
The use of setting as a character in Gothic narratives.
The evolution of the ghost story within Gothic literature.
The function of mirrors and doubling in Gothic texts.
The portrayal of traditional spiritual beliefs in Indigenous literature.
The impact of colonization on Indigenous narratives and storytelling.
Analysis of language revitalization efforts through Indigenous literature.
Indigenous feminist perspectives in contemporary literature.
The role of land and environment in Indigenous storytelling.
Depictions of family and community in Indigenous novels.
The intersection of Indigenous literature and modernist themes.
The representation of cultural trauma and resilience in Indigenous poetry.
The use of oral traditions in modern Indigenous writing.
Indigenous perspectives on sovereignty and autonomy in literary texts.
The role of Indigenous literature in national reconciliation processes.
Contemporary Indigenous literature as a form of political activism.
The influence of Indigenous languages on narrative structure and poetics.
The depiction of urban Indigenous experiences in literature.
Analysis of Indigenous science fiction and speculative fiction.
The portrayal of intergenerational trauma and healing in Indigenous stories.
The role of mythology and folklore in contemporary Indigenous literature.
Indigenous authors and the global literary market.
The use of non-linear narratives in Indigenous storytelling.
Comparative study of Indigenous literatures from different continents.
The portrayal of Indigenous identities in children’s and young adult literature.
Representation of gender and sexuality in Indigenous literature.
The role of art and imagery in Indigenous narratives.
The influence of non-Indigenous readerships on the publication of Indigenous texts.
Environmental justice themes in Indigenous literature.
The depiction of historical events and their impacts in Indigenous novels.
Indigenous literature as a tool for education and cultural preservation.
The dynamics of translation in bringing Indigenous stories to a wider audience.
The treatment of non-human entities and their personification in Indigenous stories.
The influence of Indigenous storytelling techniques on contemporary cinema.
Indigenous authorship and intellectual property rights.
The impact of awards and recognitions on Indigenous literary careers.
Analysis of Indigenous autobiographies and memoirs.
The role of mentorship and community support in the development of Indigenous writers.
Comparative analysis of traditional and contemporary forms of Indigenous poetry.
The effect of digital media on the dissemination of Indigenous stories.
Indigenous resistance and survival narratives in the face of cultural assimilation.
The role of Indigenous literature in shaping cultural policies.
Exploring hybrid identities through Indigenous literature.
The representation of Indigenous spiritual practices in modern novels.
The application of deconstruction in contemporary literary analysis.
The impact of feminist theory on the interpretation of classic literature.
Marxism and its influence on the critique of 21st-century novels.
The role of psychoanalytic theory in understanding character motivations and narrative structures.
Postcolonial theory and its application to modern diaspora literature.
The relevance of structuralism in today’s literary studies.
The intersection of queer theory and literature.
The use of ecocriticism to interpret environmental themes in literature.
Reader-response theory and its implications for understanding audience engagement.
The influence of New Historicism on the interpretation of historical novels.
The application of critical race theory in analyzing literature by authors of color.
The role of biographical criticism in studying authorial intent.
The impact of digital humanities on literary studies.
The application of narrative theory in the study of non-linear storytelling.
The critique of capitalism using cultural materialism in contemporary literature.
The evolution of feminist literary criticism from the second wave to the present.
Hermeneutics and the philosophy of interpretation in literature.
The study of semiotics in graphic novels and visual literature.
The role of myth criticism in understanding modern reinterpretations of ancient stories.
Comparative literature and the challenges of cross-cultural interpretations.
The impact of globalization on postcolonial literary theories.
The application of disability studies in literary analysis.
Memory studies and its influence on the interpretation of narrative time.
The influence of phenomenology on character analysis in novels.
The role of orientalism in the depiction of the East in Western literature.
The relevance of Bakhtin’s theories on dialogism and the carnivalesque in contemporary media.
The implications of translation studies for interpreting multilingual texts.
The use of animal studies in literature to critique human-animal relationships.
The role of affect theory in understanding emotional responses to literature.
The critique of imperialism and nationalism in literature using postcolonial theories.
The implications of intersectionality in feminist literary criticism.
The application of Freudian concepts to the analysis of horror and Gothic literature.
The use of genre theory in classifying emerging forms of digital literature.
The critique of linguistic imperialism in postcolonial literature.
The use of performance theory in the study of drama and poetry readings.
The relevance of Antonio Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony in literary studies.
The examination of space and place in urban literature using spatial theory.
The impact of surveillance culture on contemporary narrative forms.
The application of chaos theory to the analysis of complex narrative structures.
The role of allegory in political and religious texts through historical and contemporary lenses.
Adaptation theory and the translation of literary narratives into film.
The role of the director as an interpreter of literary texts in cinema.
Comparative analysis of narrative techniques in novels and their film adaptations.
The impact of film adaptations on the reception of classic literature.
The portrayal of historical events in literature and film.
The influence of screenplay structure on literary narrative forms.
The representation of gender roles in book-to-film adaptations.
The intertextuality between film scripts and their source novels.
The use of visual symbolism in films adapted from literary works.
The portrayal of psychological depth in characters from literature to film.
The adaptation of non-fiction literature into documentary filmmaking.
The impact of the author’s biographical elements on film adaptations.
The role of music and sound in enhancing narrative elements from literature in films.
The evolution of the horror genre from literature to film.
The representation of science fiction themes in literature and their adaptation to cinema.
The influence of fan culture on the adaptation process.
The depiction of dystopian societies in books and their cinematic counterparts.
The challenges of translating poetry into visual narrative.
The portrayal of magical realism in literature and film.
The depiction of race and ethnicity in adaptations of multicultural literature.
The role of the viewer’s perspective in literature vs. film.
The effectiveness of dialogue adaptation from literary dialogues to film scripts.
The impact of setting and locale in film adaptations of regional literature.
The transformation of the mystery genre from page to screen.
The adaptation of children’s literature into family films.
The narrative construction of heroism in literary epics and their film adaptations.
The influence of graphic novels on visual storytelling in films.
The adaptation of classical mythology in modern cinema.
The ethics of adapting real-life events and biographies into film.
The role of cinematic techniques in depicting internal monologues from novels.
The comparison of thematic depth in short stories and their film adaptations.
The portrayal of alienation in modern literature and independent films.
The adaptation of stage plays into feature films.
The challenges of adapting experimental literature into conventional film formats.
The representation of time and memory in literature and film.
The adaptation of young adult novels into film franchises.
The role of directorial vision in reinterpreting a literary work for the screen.
The cultural impact of blockbuster adaptations of fantasy novels.
The influence of cinematic adaptations on contemporary novel writing.
The role of censorship in the adaptation of controversial literary works to film.
The portrayal of the American Revolution in contemporary historical novels.
The impact of the World Wars on European literary expression.
The depiction of the Victorian era in British novels.
Literary responses to the Great Depression in American literature.
The representation of the Russian Revolution in 20th-century literature.
The influence of the Harlem Renaissance on African American literature.
The role of literature in documenting the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.
The depiction of colonialism and its aftermath in African literature.
The influence of historical events on the development of national literatures.
The role of literary works in shaping public memory of historical tragedies.
The portrayal of the Holocaust in European and American literature.
The use of allegory to critique political regimes in 20th-century literature.
The depiction of indigenous histories and resistances in literature.
The representation of the French Revolution in romantic literature.
Literature as a tool for national identity construction in postcolonial states.
The portrayal of historical figures in biographical novels.
The influence of the Cold War on spy novels and political thrillers.
The impact of migration and diaspora on historical narratives in literature.
The role of the ancient world in shaping modern historical novels.
The depiction of the Industrial Revolution and its impacts in literature.
The role of women in historical novels from the feminist perspective.
The representation of religious conflicts and their historical impacts in literature.
The influence of myth and folklore on historical narrative constructions.
The depiction of the American West in literature and its historical inaccuracies.
The role of literature in the preservation of endangered languages and cultures.
The impact of digital archives on the study of literature and history.
The use of literature to explore counterfactual histories.
The portrayal of piracy and maritime history in adventure novels.
Literary depictions of the fall of empires and their historical contexts.
The impact of archaeological discoveries on historical fiction.
The influence of the Spanish Civil War on global literary movements.
The depiction of social upheavals and their impacts on literary production.
The role of literature in documenting the environmental history of regions.
The portrayal of non-Western historical narratives in global literature.
The impact of historical laws and policies on the lives of characters in novels.
The influence of public health crises and pandemics on literature.
The representation of trade routes and their historical significance in literature.
The depiction of revolutions and uprisings in Latin American literature.
The role of historical texts in the reimagining of genre literature.
The influence of postmodernism on the interpretation of historical narratives in literature.
The exploration of existential themes in modern literature.
The representation of Platonic ideals in Renaissance literature.
Nietzschean perspectives in the works of postmodern authors.
The influence of Stoicism on characters’ development in classical literature.
The portrayal of ethical dilemmas in war novels.
The philosophical underpinnings of utopian and dystopian literature.
The role of absurdism in the narratives of 20th-century plays.
The concept of ‘the Other’ in literature, from a phenomenological viewpoint.
The depiction of free will and determinism in science fiction.
The influence of feminist philosophy on contemporary literature.
The exploration of Socratic dialogue within literary texts.
The reflection of Cartesian dualism in Gothic novels.
Buddhist philosophy in the works of Eastern and Western authors.
The impact of existentialism on the characterization in novels by Camus and Sartre.
The use of allegory to explore philosophical concepts in medieval literature.
The portrayal of hedonism and asceticism in biographical fiction.
The exploration of phenomenology in autobiographical narratives.
Literary critiques of capitalism through Marxist philosophy.
The relationship between language and reality in post-structuralist texts.
The depiction of nihilism in Russian literature.
The intersection of Confucian philosophy and traditional Asian narratives.
The exploration of human nature in literature from a Hobbesian perspective.
The influence of pragmatism on American literary realism.
The portrayal of justice and injustice in novels centered on legal dilemmas.
The exploration of existential risk and future ethics in speculative fiction.
The philosophical examination of memory and identity in memoirs and autobiographies.
The role of ethics in the portrayal of artificial intelligence in literature.
The literary interpretation of Schopenhauer’s philosophy of pessimism.
The reflection of Epicurean philosophy in modern travel literature.
The influence of Kantian ethics on the narratives of moral conflict.
The representation of libertarian philosophies in dystopian literature.
The philosophical discourse on beauty and aesthetics in literature.
The exploration of virtue ethics through historical biographical novels.
The philosophical implications of transhumanism in cyberpunk literature.
The use of literature to explore the philosophical concept of the sublime.
The narrative structures of temporality and eternity in philosophical novels.
The impact of neo-Platonism on the symbolism in Renaissance poetry.
The portrayal of existential isolation in urban contemporary novels.
The reflection of utilitarianism in social and political novels.
The exploration of ethical ambiguity in spy and thriller genres.
The portrayal of psychological disorders in modernist literature.
Exploration of trauma and its narrative representation in post-war novels.
The use of stream of consciousness as a method to explore cognitive processes in literature.
The psychological impact of isolation in dystopian literature.
The depiction of childhood and development in coming-of-age novels.
Psychological manipulation in the narrative structure of mystery and thriller novels.
The role of psychological resilience in characters surviving extreme conditions.
The influence of Freudian theory on the interpretation of dreams in literature.
The use of psychological archetypes in the development of mythological storytelling.
The portrayal of psychological therapy and its impacts in contemporary fiction.
Analysis of cognitive dissonance through characters’ internal conflicts in novels.
The exploration of the Jungian shadow in villain characters.
Psychological profiling of protagonists in crime fiction.
The impact of societal expectations on mental health in historical novels.
The role of psychology in understanding unreliable narrators.
The depiction of addiction and recovery in autobiographical works.
The exploration of grief and mourning in poetry.
Psychological theories of love as depicted in romantic literature.
The narrative portrayal of dissociative identity disorder in literature.
The use of psychological suspense in Gothic literature.
The representation of anxiety and depression in young adult fiction.
Psychological effects of war on soldiers as depicted in military fiction.
The role of psychoanalysis in interpreting symbolic content in fairy tales.
The psychological impact of technological change as seen in science fiction.
The exploration of existential crises in philosophical novels.
The depiction of social psychology principles in literature about cults and mass movements.
Psychological aspects of racial and gender identity in contemporary literature.
The representation of the subconscious in surreal and absurd literature.
The application of psychological resilience theories in survival literature.
The portrayal of parental influence on child development in family sagas.
Psychological theories of aging as explored in literature about the elderly.
The depiction of sensory processing disorders in fictional characters.
Psychological effects of immigration and cultural assimilation in diaspora literature.
The role of narrative therapy in autobiographical writing and memoirs.
The portrayal of obsessive-compulsive disorder in narrative fiction.
Psychological implications of virtual realities in cyberpunk literature.
The representation of psychopathy in anti-hero characters.
The exploration of group dynamics and leadership in epic tales.
Psychological interpretations of magical realism as a reflection of cultural psyche.
The use of literature in the therapeutic practice and understanding of mental health issues.
The influence of Christian theology on medieval epic poems.
The role of allegory in interpreting medieval morality plays.
The depiction of chivalry and courtly love in Arthurian legends.
Comparative analysis of the heroic ideals in Beowulf and the Song of Roland.
The impact of the Black Death on the themes of medieval poetry and prose.
The portrayal of women in medieval romances.
The use of dreams as a narrative device in medieval literature.
The representation of the otherworldly and supernatural in medieval texts.
The function of medieval bestiaries in literature and their symbolic meanings.
The influence of the Crusades on medieval literature across Europe.
The evolution of the troubadour and trouvère traditions in medieval France.
The depiction of feudalism and social hierarchy in medieval narratives.
The role of satire and humor in the Canterbury Tales.
The impact of monastic life on medieval literary production.
The use of vernacular languages in medieval literature versus Latin texts.
The portrayal of sin and redemption in Dante’s Divine Comedy.
The literary responses to the Mongol invasions in medieval Eurasian literature.
The development of allegorical interpretation in medieval biblical exegesis.
The influence of Islamic culture on medieval European literature.
The representation of Jewish communities in medieval Christian literature.
The concept of kingship and rule in Anglo-Saxon literature.
The use of landscape and nature in medieval Celtic stories.
The role of pilgrimage in shaping medieval narrative structures.
The depiction of witchcraft and magic in medieval texts.
Gender roles and their subversion in Middle English literature.
The literary legacy of Charlemagne in medieval European epics.
The portrayal of disability and disease in medieval literature.
The use of relics and iconography in medieval religious writings.
The medieval origins of modern fantasy literature tropes.
The use of cryptography and secret messages in medieval romance literature.
The influence of medieval astronomy and cosmology on literary works.
The role of manuscript culture in preserving medieval literary texts.
The depiction of Vikings in medieval English and Scandinavian literature.
Medieval literary depictions of Byzantine and Ottoman interactions.
The representation of sermons and homilies in medieval literature.
The literary forms and functions of medieval liturgical drama.
The influence of classical antiquity on medieval literary forms.
The use of irony and parody in medieval fabliaux.
The role of the troubadour poetry in the development of lyrical music traditions.
The impact of medieval legal texts on contemporary narrative forms.
The influence of urbanization on narrative form in Modernist literature.
Stream of consciousness technique in the works of Virginia Woolf and James Joyce.
The role of symbolism and imagery in T.S. Eliot’s poetry.
The depiction of the World War I experience in Modernist novels.
The impact of Freudian psychology on Modernist character development.
The intersection of visual arts and narrative structure in Modernist poetry.
The critique of imperialism and colonialism in Modernist texts.
The representation of gender and sexuality in Modernist literature.
The influence of technology and industrialization on Modernist themes.
The use of fragmentation and non-linear narratives in Modernist fiction.
The evolution of the novel form in Modernist literature.
The role of existential philosophy in shaping Modernist themes.
The critique of traditional values and societal norms in Modernist works.
The portrayal of alienation and isolation in the Modernist era.
The impact of Jazz music on the rhythm and structure of Modernist poetry.
The role of expatriate writers in the development of Modernist literature.
The influence of Russian literature on Modernist authors.
The exploration of time and memory in Modernist narrative techniques.
The depiction of urban alienation and anonymity in Modernist literature.
The role of patronage and literary salons in the promotion of Modernist art.
The impact of cinema on Modernist narrative techniques.
The representation of religious doubt and spiritual crisis in Modernist texts.
The influence of Cubism on the form and structure of Modernist poetry.
The use of irony and satire in the critiques of Modernist society.
The interplay between Modernist literature and the emerging psychoanalytic discourse.
The depiction of the breakdown of language and communication in Modernist works.
The role of the anti-hero in Modernist novels.
The impact of existential despair on the themes of Modernist literature.
The representation of the New Woman in Modernist fiction.
The influence of Eastern philosophies on Modernist thought and writings.
The critique of materialism and consumer culture in Modernist literature.
The role of myth and narrative reconfiguration in Modernist poetry.
The depiction of war trauma and its aftermath in Modernist literature.
The representation of racial and ethnic identities in Modernist works.
The impact of avant-garde movements on Modernist literary forms.
The influence of European intellectual movements on American Modernist writers.
The role of the flâneur in Modernist literature and urban exploration.
The exploration of linguistic innovation in the works of Gertrude Stein.
The critique of historical progress in Modernist narratives.
The impact of existentialism on the depiction of the absurd in Modernist theatre.
The representation of colonial impact on identity in postcolonial narratives.
The role of language and power in postcolonial literature.
The portrayal of gender and resistance in postcolonial women’s writings.
The depiction of hybridity and cultural syncretism in postcolonial texts.
The influence of native folklore and mythology in postcolonial storytelling.
The critique of neocolonialism and globalization in contemporary postcolonial literature.
The exploration of diaspora and migration in postcolonial narratives.
The role of the subaltern voice in postcolonial literature.
The impact of postcolonial theory on Western literary criticism.
The representation of landscapes and spaces in postcolonial works.
The portrayal of historical trauma and memory in postcolonial fiction.
The exploration of identity and belonging in postcolonial children’s literature.
The use of magical realism as a political tool in postcolonial literature.
The depiction of urbanization and its effects in postcolonial cities.
The role of religion in shaping postcolonial identities.
The impact of apartheid and its aftermath in South African literature.
The representation of indigenous knowledge systems in postcolonial texts.
The critique of patriarchy in postcolonial narratives.
The exploration of linguistic decolonization in postcolonial writing.
The portrayal of conflict and reconciliation in postcolonial societies.
The depiction of postcolonial resistance strategies in literature.
The representation of climate change and environmental issues in postcolonial contexts.
The role of education in postcolonial literature.
The impact of tourism and exoticism on postcolonial identities.
The exploration of economic disparities in postcolonial narratives.
The representation of refugees and asylum seekers in postcolonial literature.
The portrayal of political corruption and governance in postcolonial works.
The depiction of cultural preservation and loss in postcolonial societies.
The role of oral traditions in contemporary postcolonial literature.
The portrayal of transnational identities in postcolonial fiction.
The exploration of gender fluidity and sexuality in postcolonial texts.
The depiction of labor migration and its effects in postcolonial literature.
The role of the media in shaping postcolonial discourses.
The impact of Western pop culture on postcolonial societies.
The portrayal of intergenerational conflict in postcolonial families.
The depiction of mental health issues in postcolonial contexts.
The exploration of postcolonial futurism in African speculative fiction.
The representation of native resistance against colonial forces in historical novels.
The critique of linguistic imperialism in postcolonial education.
The depiction of decolonization movements in postcolonial literature.
The use of metafiction and narrative self-awareness in postmodern literature.
The role of irony and playfulness in postmodern texts.
The exploration of fragmented identities in postmodern novels.
The deconstruction of traditional narrative structures in postmodern works.
The representation of hyperreality and the simulation of reality in postmodern fiction.
The critique of consumer culture and its influence on postmodern characters.
The exploration of historiographic metafiction and the reinterpretation of history.
The role of pastiche and intertextuality in postmodern literature.
The depiction of paranoia and conspiracy in postmodern narratives.
The portrayal of cultural relativism and the challenge to universal truths.
The use of multimedia and digital influences in postmodern writing.
The exploration of existential uncertainty in postmodern philosophy and literature.
The role of gender and identity politics in postmodern texts.
The depiction of postmodern urban landscapes and architecture in literature.
The representation of globalization and its effects in postmodern novels.
The portrayal of ecological crises and environmental concerns in postmodern fiction.
The critique of scientific rationalism and technology in postmodern literature.
The exploration of linguistic experimentation and its impact on narrative.
The role of the anti-hero and flawed protagonists in postmodern stories.
The depiction of social fragmentation and alienation in postmodern works.
The representation of non-linear time and its effect on narrative perspective.
The portrayal of the dissolution of boundaries between high and low culture.
The use of parody and satire to critique political and social norms.
The exploration of subjectivity and the breakdown of the authorial voice.
The role of performance and spectacle in postmodern drama.
The depiction of marginalization and minority voices in postmodern literature.
The representation of the interplay between virtual and physical realities.
The portrayal of ephemeral and transient experiences in postmodern texts.
The critique of capitalism and neoliberal economics in postmodern narratives.
The exploration of human relationships in the context of media saturation.
The depiction of dystopian societies and their critiques of contemporary issues.
The role of surreal and absurd elements in postmodern storytelling.
The portrayal of cultural pastiches and their implications for identity formation.
The exploration of narrative unreliability and ambiguous truths.
The depiction of multiple realities and parallel universes in postmodern fiction.
The representation of anarchism and resistance in postmodern literature.
The critique of colonial narratives and their postmodern reevaluations.
The exploration of therapeutic narratives in postmodern psychology and literature.
The role of chance and randomness in the structure of postmodern plots.
The portrayal of artistic and cultural decadence in postmodern settings.
The impact of humanism on the themes and forms of Renaissance poetry.
The influence of Renaissance art on the literature of the period.
The role of court patronage in the development of literary forms during the Renaissance.
The depiction of love and courtship in Shakespeare’s comedies.
The use of classical myths in Renaissance drama.
The portrayal of political power in the plays of Christopher Marlowe.
The evolution of the sonnet form from Petrarch to Shakespeare.
The representation of women in Renaissance literature and the role of gender.
The impact of the Reformation on English literature during the Renaissance.
The development of narrative prose during the Renaissance.
The influence of Italian literature on English Renaissance writers.
The role of allegory in Spenser’s The Faerie Queene .
The depiction of the supernatural in Renaissance drama.
The exploration of identity and self in Renaissance autobiographical writings.
The rise of satire and its development during the English Renaissance.
The concept of the tragic hero in Renaissance tragedy.
The role of travel and exploration narratives in shaping Renaissance literature.
The influence of Machiavellian philosophy on Renaissance literary characters.
The representation of religious conflicts and sectarianism in Renaissance texts.
The depiction of colonialism and its early impacts in Renaissance literature.
The portrayal of the city and urban life in Renaissance literature.
The use of rhetoric and persuasion in the sermons and speeches of the Renaissance.
The depiction of friendship and societal bonds in Renaissance literature.
The influence of Renaissance music on the poetic forms of the time.
The role of magic and science in the literature of the Renaissance.
The treatment of classical philosophy in Renaissance humanist literature.
The representation of nature and the environment in pastoral literature.
The depiction of courtly and peasant life in Renaissance drama.
The influence of Renaissance literature on later literary movements.
The portrayal of villains and their motivations in Renaissance plays.
The development of printing technology and its impact on Renaissance literature.
The role of language and dialect in the literature of the English Renaissance.
The depiction of the New World in Renaissance travel literature.
The exploration of moral and ethical issues in Renaissance philosophical writings.
The impact of Spanish literature on the Renaissance literary scene.
The role of soliloquies in deepening character development in Renaissance drama.
The treatment of death and mortality in Renaissance poetry.
The representation of court politics and intrigue in Renaissance historical plays.
The development of comedic elements in Renaissance literature.
The exploration of Renaissance literary criticism and its approaches to interpretation.
The exploration of nature and the sublime in Romantic poetry.
The role of the individual and personal emotion in Romantic literature.
The impact of the French Revolution on Romantic literary themes.
The representation of the Byronic hero in Romantic novels.
The influence of Gothic elements on Romantic literature.
The depiction of women and femininity in the works of Romantic poets.
The role of imagination and creativity in Romantic theories of art and literature.
The portrayal of childhood and innocence in Romantic literature.
The influence of Eastern cultures on Romantic poetry and prose.
The interplay between science and religion in Romantic texts.
The Romantic fascination with death and the macabre.
The depiction of landscapes and rural life in Romantic poetry.
The role of folklore and mythology in shaping Romantic narratives.
The impact of Romanticism on national identities across Europe.
The exploration of exile and alienation in Romantic literature.
The critique of industrialization and its social impacts in Romantic writing.
The development of the historical novel in Romantic literature.
The role of letters and correspondence in Romantic literary culture.
The representation of revolutionary ideals and their disillusionment in Romantic texts.
The exploration of human rights and liberty in Romantic works.
The portrayal of artistic genius and its torments in Romantic literature.
The depiction of friendship and romantic love in Romantic poetry.
The influence of Romantic literature on the development of modern environmentalism.
The role of music and its inspiration on Romantic poetry.
The exploration of time and memory in Romantic literary works.
The depiction of urban versus rural dichotomies in Romantic texts.
The impact of Romanticism on later literary movements such as Symbolism and Decadence.
The role of melancholy and introspection in Romantic poetry.
The representation of dreams and visions in Romantic literature.
The depiction of storms and natural disasters as metaphors in Romantic writing.
The exploration of political reform and radicalism in Romantic works.
The portrayal of the supernatural and its role in Romantic narratives.
The influence of Romantic literature on the visual arts.
The depiction of heroism and adventure in Romantic epics.
The role of solitude and contemplation in Romantic poetry.
The exploration of national folklore in the Romantic movement across different cultures.
The critique of reason and rationality in favor of emotional intuition.
The depiction of the quest for immortality and eternal youth in Romantic literature.
The role of the pastoral and the picturesque in Romantic aesthetics.
The exploration of spiritual and transcendental experiences in Romantic texts.
The role of dystopian worlds in critiquing contemporary social issues.
The portrayal of artificial intelligence and its ethical implications in science fiction.
The evolution of space opera within science fiction literature.
The depiction of alternate histories in fantasy literature and their cultural significance.
The use of magic systems in fantasy novels as metaphors for real-world power dynamics.
The representation of gender and sexuality in speculative fiction.
The influence of scientific advancements on the development of science fiction themes.
Environmentalism and ecocriticism in science fiction and fantasy narratives.
The role of the hero’s journey in modern fantasy literature.
The portrayal of utopias and their transformation into dystopias.
The impact of post-apocalyptic settings on character development and moral choices.
The exploration of virtual reality in science fiction and its implications for the future of society.
The representation of alien cultures in science fiction and the critique of human ethnocentrism.
The use of mythology and folklore in building fantasy worlds.
The influence of cyberpunk culture on contemporary science fiction.
The depiction of time travel and its impact on narrative structure and theme.
The role of military science fiction in exploring warfare and peace.
The portrayal of religious themes in science fiction and fantasy.
The impact of fan fiction and its contributions to the science fiction and fantasy genres.
The exploration of psychological themes through science fiction and fantasy narratives.
The role of colonization in science fiction narratives.
The impact of science fiction and fantasy literature on technological innovation.
The depiction of societal collapse and reconstruction in speculative fiction.
The role of language and linguistics in science fiction, such as in creating alien languages.
The portrayal of non-human characters in fantasy literature and what they reveal about human nature.
The use of science fiction in exploring philosophical concepts such as identity and consciousness.
The representation of disabled characters in science fiction and fantasy.
The influence of historical events on the development of fantasy literature.
The critique of capitalism and corporate governance in dystopian science fiction.
The role of political allegory in science fiction during the Cold War.
The representation of indigenous peoples in fantasy settings.
The impact of climate change on the settings and themes of speculative fiction.
The exploration of bioethics and genetic modification in science fiction.
The impact of globalization as seen through science fiction narratives.
The role of women authors in shaping modern science fiction and fantasy.
The exploration of sentient machines and the definition of life in science fiction.
The use of archetypes in fantasy literature and their psychological implications.
The narrative strategies used to build suspense and mystery in fantasy series.
The influence of Eastern philosophies on Western science fiction.
The portrayal of family and community in post-apocalyptic environments.
The representation of the British Empire and colonialism in Victorian novels.
The impact of the Industrial Revolution on the social landscape in Victorian literature.
The depiction of gender roles and the domestic sphere in Victorian novels.
The influence of Darwinian thought on Victorian characters and themes.
The role of the Gothic tradition in Victorian literature.
The portrayal of morality and ethics in the works of Charles Dickens.
The exploration of class disparity and social mobility in Victorian fiction.
The depiction of urban life and its challenges in Victorian literature.
The role of realism in Victorian novels and its impact on literary form.
The representation of mental illness and psychology in Victorian fiction.
The critique of materialism and consumer culture in Victorian literature.
The portrayal of children and childhood in Victorian narratives.
The exploration of romanticism versus realism in Victorian poetry.
The depiction of religious doubt and spiritual crises in Victorian texts.
The role of women writers in the Victorian literary scene.
The portrayal of the “New Woman” in late Victorian literature.
The exploration of scientific progress and its ethical implications in Victorian works.
The depiction of crime and punishment in Victorian detective fiction.
The influence of aestheticism and decadence in late Victorian literature.
The representation of imperial anxieties and racial theories in Victorian novels.
The role of sensation novels in shaping Victorian popular culture.
The portrayal of marriage and its discontents in Victorian literature.
The depiction of rural life versus urbanization in Victorian narratives.
The exploration of philanthropy and social reform in Victorian texts.
The role of the supernatural and the occult in Victorian fiction.
The portrayal of art and artists in Victorian literature.
The representation of travel and exploration in Victorian novels.
The depiction of the aristocracy and their decline in Victorian literature.
The influence of newspapers and media on Victorian literary culture.
The role of patriotism and national identity in Victorian writings.
The exploration of the Victorian underworld in literature.
The depiction of legal and judicial systems in Victorian fiction.
The portrayal of addiction and vice in Victorian texts.
The role of foreign settings in Victorian novels.
The depiction of technological advancements in transportation in Victorian literature.
The influence of French and Russian literary movements on Victorian authors.
The role of epistolary form in Victorian novels.
The portrayal of altruism and self-sacrifice in Victorian narratives.
The depiction of servants and their roles in Victorian households.
The exploration of colonial and postcolonial readings of Victorian texts.
The role of translation in shaping the global reception of classic literary works.
The impact of globalization on the development of contemporary world literature.
Comparative analysis of national myths in literature across different cultures.
The influence of postcolonial theory on the interpretation of world literature.
The depiction of cross-cultural encounters and their implications in world novels.
The role of exile and migration in shaping the themes of world literature.
The representation of indigenous narratives in the global literary marketplace.
The portrayal of urbanization in world literature and its impact on societal norms.
The exploration of feminist themes across different cultural contexts in literature.
The depiction of historical trauma and memory in literature from post-conflict societies.
The role of magical realism in expressing political and social realities in Latin American literature.
The exploration of identity and hybridity in diaspora literature from around the world.
The impact of censorship and political repression on literary production in authoritarian regimes.
Comparative study of the Gothic tradition in European and Latin American literature.
The influence of religious texts on narrative structures and themes in world literature.
The role of nature and the environment in shaping narrative forms in world literature.
The exploration of time and memory in post-Soviet literature.
The portrayal of love and marriage across different cultural contexts in world novels.
The impact of technological changes on narrative forms and themes in world literature.
The exploration of human rights issues through world literature.
The depiction of war and peace in Middle Eastern literature.
Comparative analysis of the tragic hero in Greek tragedy and Japanese Noh theater.
The role of traditional folk stories in contemporary world literature.
The influence of African oral traditions on modern African literature.
The exploration of social justice and activism in world literature.
The portrayal of children and childhood in world literature.
The depiction of the supernatural and the uncanny in world literary traditions.
The impact of colonial histories on contemporary literature in former colonies.
The exploration of gender and sexuality in Scandinavian literature.
The portrayal of disability and mental health in world literature.
The role of food and cuisine in cultural identity as depicted in world literature.
Comparative study of poetry from the Middle Eastern and Western traditions.
The exploration of death and the afterlife in world religious texts and their literary influences.
The portrayal of the artist and the creative process in world literature.
The impact of economic crises on characters and plot development in world novels.
The exploration of architectural spaces and their symbolism in world literature.
The role of multilingualism and code-switching in narrative development in world literature.
The depiction of aging and intergenerational relationships in world novels.
The influence of classical Chinese literature on East Asian modern narratives.
The role of the sea and maritime culture in world literary traditions.
The portrayal of identity and self-discovery in YA literature.
The representation of mental health issues in YA novels.
The evolution of the coming-of-age narrative in modern YA fiction.
The role of dystopian settings in YA literature as metaphors for adolescent struggles.
The depiction of family dynamics and their impact on young protagonists.
The treatment of romance and relationships in YA fiction.
The exploration of LGBTQ+ themes and characters in YA literature.
The impact of social media and technology on character development in YA novels.
The portrayal of bullying and social exclusion in YA fiction.
The representation of racial and cultural diversity in YA literature.
The use of fantasy and supernatural elements to explore real-world issues in YA fiction.
The role of friendship in character development and plot progression in YA novels.
The depiction of resilience and personal growth in YA protagonists.
The influence of YA literature on young readers’ attitudes towards social issues.
The portrayal of disability and inclusivity in YA narratives.
The role of sports and extracurricular activities in shaping YA characters.
The exploration of historical events through YA historical fiction.
The impact of war and conflict on young characters in YA literature.
The depiction of academic pressure and its consequences in YA novels.
The portrayal of artistic expression as a form of coping and identity in YA literature.
The use of alternate realities and time travel in YA fiction to explore complex themes.
The role of villainy and moral ambiguity in YA narratives.
The exploration of environmental and ecological issues in YA literature.
The portrayal of heroism and leadership in YA novels.
The impact of grief and loss on YA characters and their journey.
The depiction of addiction and recovery narratives in YA literature.
The portrayal of economic disparities and their effects on young characters.
The representation of non-traditional family structures in YA novels.
The exploration of self-empowerment and activism in YA literature.
The depiction of crime and justice in YA mystery and thriller genres.
The role of mythology and folklore in crafting YA fantasy narratives.
The portrayal of exile and migration in YA fiction.
The impact of YA literature in promoting literacy and reading habits among teens.
The exploration of gender roles and expectations in YA novels.
The depiction of peer pressure and its influence on YA characters.
The portrayal of escapism and adventure in YA fiction.
The role of magical realism in conveying psychological and emotional truths in YA literature.
The exploration of ethical dilemmas and moral choices in YA narratives.
The depiction of the future and speculative technology in YA science fiction.
The portrayal of societal norms and rebellion in YA dystopian novels.

We hope this comprehensive list of literature thesis topics empowers you to narrow down your choices and sparks your curiosity in a specific area of literary studies. With 1000 unique topics spread across 25 categories, from traditional to emerging fields, there is something here for every literary scholar. The diversity of topics not only reflects the dynamic nature of literature but also encompasses a range of perspectives and cultural backgrounds, ensuring that every student can find a topic that resonates deeply with their scholarly interests and personal passions. Utilize this resource to embark on a thought-provoking and intellectually rewarding thesis writing journey.

Literature and Thesis Topic Potential

Literature encompasses a vast and vibrant spectrum of themes and narrative techniques that mirror, critique, and reshape the complex world we live in. For students embarking on the challenging yet rewarding journey of thesis writing, delving into the multitude of literature thesis topics can unlock profound insights and present significant scholarly opportunities. This exploration is not merely an academic exercise; it is a deep dive into the human experience, offering a unique lens through which to view history, culture, and society. Engaging with literature in this way not only enhances one’s understanding of various literary genres and historical periods but also sharpens analytical, critical, and creative thinking skills.

Current Issues in Literature

One prevailing issue in contemporary literary studies is the exploration of identity and representation within literature. This includes examining how narratives portray race, gender, sexuality, and disability. The rise of identity politics has encouraged a reevaluation of canonical texts and a push to broaden the literary canon to include more diverse voices. Such studies challenge traditional narratives and open up discussions on power dynamics within literature.

Another significant issue is the impact of digital technology on literature. The digital age has introduced new forms of literature, such as hypertext fiction and digital poetry, which utilize the interactive capabilities of digital devices to create multifaceted narratives. This shift has led to new interpretations of authorship and readership, as the boundaries between the two blur in interactive media. Thesis topics might explore how these technological innovations have transformed narrative structures and themes or how they affect the psychological engagement of the reader.

Environmental literature has also emerged as a poignant area of study, especially in the context of growing global concerns about climate change and sustainability. This trend in literature reflects an urgent need to address the relationship between humanity and the natural world. Theses in this area could examine narratives that focus on ecological disasters, the anthropocene, or the role of non-human actors in literature, providing new insights into environmental ethics and awareness.

Recent Trends in Literature

The recent trend towards blending genres within literature has led to innovative narrative forms that defy conventional genre classifications. Works that fuse elements of science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction challenge readers to engage with literature in new and complex ways. These hybrid genres often address contemporary issues through the lens of speculative or fantastical settings, offering fresh perspectives on familiar problems. Thesis topics in this area could explore how these blended genres comment on societal issues or how they represent historical narratives through a fantastical lens.

Another noteworthy trend is the increasing prominence of autobiographical and memoir writing, which highlights personal narratives and individual experiences. This shift towards personal storytelling reflects a broader societal interest in authentic and individualized narratives, often exploring themes of identity, trauma, and resilience. Students could develop thesis topics that analyze how these works serve as both personal catharsis and a social commentary, or how they use narrative techniques to blur the lines between fiction and non-fiction.

Global literature, written in or translated into English, has expanded the geographical boundaries of literary analysis and introduced a plethora of voices and stories from around the world. This trend not only diversifies the range of literary works available but also introduces new themes and narrative strategies influenced by different cultural backgrounds. Thesis research could investigate how global literature addresses universal themes through culturally specific contexts, or how it challenges Western literary paradigms.

Future Directions in Literature

As literature continues to evolve, one of the exciting future directions is the potential integration of literary studies with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning. These technologies could lead to new forms of literary creation and analysis, where AI-generated literature becomes a field of study, or where machine learning is used to uncover patterns in large volumes of text. Thesis topics might explore the ethical implications of AI in literature, the authenticity of AI-authored texts, or how AI can be used to interpret complex literary theories.

Another future direction is the increasing intersection between literature and other disciplines such as neuroscience, psychology, and anthropology. This interdisciplinary approach can deepen understanding of how literature affects the human brain, influences behavior, or reflects cultural evolution. Students could develop theses that examine the neurocognitive impacts of reading fiction, or how literary studies can contribute to our understanding of human culture and societal development.

Finally, the role of literature in addressing and influencing social and political issues is likely to increase. As global challenges like migration, inequality, and climate change persist, literature that addresses these issues not only provides commentary but also raises awareness and fosters empathy. Future thesis topics could focus on how literature serves as a tool for social justice, how it influences public policy, or how it helps shape collective memory and identity in times of crisis.

The exploration of literature thesis topics offers students a panorama of possibilities for deep academic inquiry and personal growth. By engaging deeply with literature, students not only fulfill their academic objectives but also gain insights that transcend scholarly pursuits. This exploration enriches personal perspectives and fosters a profound appreciation for the power of words and stories. The pursuit of literature thesis topics is thus not merely academic—it is a journey into the heart of human experience, offering endless opportunities for discovery and impact.

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100 Best Literary Research Topics – Fresh Perspectives on Literature Pieces

Selecting the right literature topics for a research paper work can be challenging due to the wealth of literary works and themes available. To find the perfect topic, focus on your personal character interests, the scope of your assignment, and the availability of resources or requirements of American universities. Reflect on the literary periods, authors, or themes that captivate you, and investigate potential questions or ideas related to them. Seeking guidance from your instructor or peers can also be beneficial, as can browsing academic journals, literary critiques, or scholarly databases to discover trending literature research paper topics or ongoing debates in the literary and cultural field.

How to Understand If a Topic Is Good?

Choose literary topics for research paper works that genuinely interest you ensure there is a sufficient amount of primary and secondary sources, and contribute to the existing body of knowledge. You need to determine if literary research topics in history are suitable for your literary research paper, consider the factors: interest and engagement with the literary research topic, the scope and maintenance of the subject.

Test it with an Outline

You need to create a preliminary outline for your paper, organizing your ideas and potential arguments logically. Together with our research paper writing service , you gain the success results. In another way, you can concentrate on the text`s main points and reveal the literary research topics intricacy, pertinence, and scope.

Write a Thesis Statement

Craft a premise statement that encapsulates your central argument and offers a fresh perspective on your chosen literature research paper ideas to ensure it is neither overly broad. An effective premise statement should be clear, concise, and debatable, sparking further discussion and analysis, and if you feel troubled with managing this task our website writes for you any essay .

List of Literature Research Topics

When choosing literary research topics, consider exploring various spheres of interest that offer diverse subjects for examination. For instance, focus on the works of specific authors, the characteristics of a particular literary period, or the themes and poetry that recur across different eras. Delve into the representation of historical and social issues in literary research topics, such as gender roles, race, or mental health, and investigate how to make the list of the best research paper topics . By examining American literature research topics, you can find literature topics for research that resonates with your interests and contributes to the existing body of literary knowledge. Additionally, you may explore genres like science fiction or magical poetry, examining their impact on society and culture. Investigating the relationship between literature and other disciplines, such as philosophy, psychology, or history, can also yield fascinating American or British lit research paper topics.

British Literature Research Paper Topics

You can investigate captivating elements of literary research paper topics through an array of research work topics. By scrutinizing distinct themes, genres, and historical eras, you can profoundly comprehend the multifaceted and diverse landscape of English literary research subjects and their impact on American authors. This exploration allows you to broaden your knowledge, develop critical thinking skills, and foster a genuine appreciation for the creative and intellectual contributions within the field of English literature research topics.

Gender Roles in Shakespeare’s Plays.
Power Representation in Jane Austen’s Novels.
Love and Marriage in John Donne’s Poetry.
Gothic literature’s influence on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
Imperialism in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.
Symbolism in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies.
Nature’s Role in William Wordsworth’s Poetry.
Social Class in George Eliot’s Middlemarch.
Supernatural Elements in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
World War I’s Impact on Early 20th-Century Literature.

American Literature Topics

From iconic novels to influential authors, these literary research topics encompass the essence of American identity, history, and culture. Unravel the complexities of this vast literary landscape as you delve into themes of race, ethnicity, the American Dream, and more, uncovering the unique perspectives and voices that have shaped and defined American literature throughout the centuries.

The American Identity in Toni Morrison’s Beloved.
The American Dream in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.
The American Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter.
Race and ethnicity in James Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain.
The American Slavery in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Road Trip in Jack Kerouac’s On the Road.
Magical Realism in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude.
The American Civil Rights Movement’s Impact on 1960s American Literature.
The American Religion in Flannery O’Connor’s works.
The American West in Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian.

Science Fiction Literary Research Essay Topics

With these topics, you can delve into a myriad of literary research topics that explore the depths of futuristic societies, alternate realities, and advanced technology. Unearth the themes, symbolism, and socio-political commentary embedded within these stories, fostering a deeper appreciation for the power and allure of sci-fi literary research topics.

Artificial Intelligence in Asimov’s “I, Robot” and Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”
Dystopia in Orwell’s “1984” and Huxley’s “Brave New World.”
Alienation in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” and Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle.”
Time Travel in Wells’ “The Time Machine” and L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time.”
Genetic Engineering in Huxley’s “Brave New World” and Atwood’s “Oryx and Crake.”
Environmentalism in Herbert’s “Dune” and Butler’s “Parable of the Sower.”
Virtual Reality in Gibson’s “Neuromancer” and Stephenson’s “Snow Crash.”
Post-apocalyptic settings in McCarthy’s “The Road” and Mandel’s “Station Eleven.”
Identity in Le Guin’s “The Left Hand of Darkness” and Delany’s “Dhalgren.”
Extraterrestrial Life in Clarke’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” and Lem’s “Solaris.”

High School Literary Research Essay Topics

These subjects should be carefully selected for their relevance and appeal, they provide the perfect foundation for developing critical thinking, analytical skills, and a love for literature. Discover thought-provoking issues relevant to high school readers with these high school literary research topics. By delving into contemporary literary research topics that resonate with teenage audiences, you can foster a greater appreciation for literature and its impact on young minds.

Mental Illness in Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye” and Plath’s “The Bell Jar.”
Symbolism in Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” and its relevance today.
Identity and Self-Discovery in Baldwin’s “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and Walker’s “The Color Purple.”
Racism and inequality in Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” and Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye.”
Nature and Symbolism in Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights” and Frost’s works.
Isolation and Loneliness in Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” and Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire.”
Gender Roles in Bronte’s “Jane Eyre” and Chopin’s “The Awakening.”
Magical Realism in Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude” and Allende’s “The House of the Spirits.”
War and its effects in Hemingway’s “A Farewell to Arms” and Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five.”
The American Dream in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” and Miller’s “Death of a Salesman.”

Modernist Literature Research Paper Topics

Discover interesting literature topics of self-discovery, rebellion, and experimental styles that resonate with teenagers, while gaining an understanding of the cultural and historical influences that fuelled this revolutionary movement. Fell the groundbreaking literary movements in these modernist research topics in literature and chose the best one for you.

Fragmentation in Modernist Literature: Joyce’s Ulysses and Eliot’s The Waste Land.
Modernist Literature and Trauma: Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway and Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises.
World War I’s Influence on Modernist Literature: Owen’s Works and Ford’s Parade’s End.
Time in Modernist Literature: Proust’s In Search of Lost Time and Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury.
Women’s Role in Modernist Literature: Barnes’ Nightwood and Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea.
Identity in Modernist Literature: Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain and Ellison’s Invisible Man.
Stream of Consciousness in Modernist Literature: Mansfield’s “Bliss” and Woolf’s To the Lighthouse.
Modernist Literature and the City: Pound’s “In a Station of the Metro” and Eliot’s “Preludes.”
Modernist Literature and the Movement: Pound’s The Cantos and H.D.’s Trilogy.
The “Lost Generation” in Modernist Literature: Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises and Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

Renaissance Literature Research Paper Topics

The era, characterized by a remarkable resurgence in culture, art, and intellectual pursuits, has impacted the trajectory of human civilization. Uncover the rich tapestry of the revival literary research topics for your literary research paper.

Love in Shakespeare’s Sonnets
Women in Twelfth Night and the Duchess of Malfi
Humanism in Utopia and Petrarch’s Sonnets
Fate in Romeo and Juliet and Doctor Faustus
Courtly Love in the Faerie Queene and Astrophil and Stella
Classical Themes in Julius Caesar and Dido, Queen of Carthage
Reformation in Paradise Lost and the Temple
Power in Macbeth and The Revenger’s Tragedy
Revival Influence on Hamlet and the Spanish Tragedy
Kingship between Richard II and Edward II

Controversial Literature Research Paper Topics

Debate and analyze character issues in literature with these controversial literature literary research topics. These subjects allow you to explore literary research topics, ethical dilemmas, and social commentaries within literary works, providing an opportunity for intellectual growth and open dialogue.

Mental Illness Portrayal in Literature: Helpful or Harmful?
Cultural Appropriation in Literature Ethics.
Racial Slurs Use in Literature Controversy.
Trigger Warnings in Literature and Free Speech Impact.
Censorship Effects on Literature and Society.
Authorial Intent Ethics in Literary Interpretation.
Sexuality Representation in Literature Controversy.
Violence against Women’s Portrayal in Literature and Society’s Impact.
Cancel Culture’s Impact on Literature and Publishing.
Literary Classics Value Debate in Modern Society.

World Literature Research Topics

Embark on a literary journey around the globe with these World literary research topics.

War Depiction in Global Literature
Novel Evolution in Different Cultures
Immigration and Diaspora in Literature
Love and Relationships in Global Literature
Colonialism’s Impact on Global Literature
Mythology in Global Literature
Cultural Identity in International Literature
Political Oppression and Resistance Themes
Eastern Philosophy’s Influence on Western Literature
Spirituality and Religion in Global Literature

Literature Research Paper Topics for Students

These literary research topics are designed to challenge students’ critical thinking and analytical skills while fostering a deeper appreciation for literature.

Technology’s Impact on Contemporary Literature.
LGBTQ+ Community Portrayal in Literature.
Mental Health Representation in Young Adult Literature.
Feminism’s Role in Shaping Contemporary Literature.
Globalization’s Impact on Literature and Culture.
Social Justice and Activism Themes in Modern Literature.
Race and Ethnicity in Contemporary Literature.
Postmodernism’s Influence on Contemporary Literature.
Environment and Climate Change Representation in Literature.
Science Fiction’s Role in Reflecting and Shaping Contemporary Society.

Modern Literature Research Paper Topics

Analyze the intricacies of modern literary research topics masterpieces for university students.

Magic Realism in Garcia Marquez’s Works
Morrison and Baldwin’s Literary Techniques
Feminism in Alice Munro’s Short Stories
Postmodernism in Don Delillo’s Novels
Mental Illness in the Bell Jar and the Yellow Wallpaper
Identity in Adichie and Lahiri’s Works
Colonialism’s Impact on Achebe and Ngugi WA Thiong’O
Stream of Consciousness in Mrs. Dalloway and Ulysses
Masculinity in Hemingway’s Novels
Memory Role in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Novels

Ancient Literature Research Topics

Delve into the origins of storytelling and literary research topics for your literary research paper. These literary research topics will allow you to investigate various themes, genres, and styles across different time periods, ultimately enhancing your appreciation for the transformative power of storytelling.

Women in Greek Tragedies
Mythology in Homer & Virgil Epic
Poetry: Greece vs Rome
Prophecy in Greek Tragedies
Fate in Oedipus Rex & Macbeth
Dreams in Egyptian Literature
Gods in Mesopotamian Literature
Love Poetry: India & China
Oral Tradition in African Literature
Karma in Mahabharata

In conclusion, selecting literary research topics is an essential step in the writing process, as it sets the foundation for your entire paper. Explore various subjects within English, American, or global literature, and consider literary research topics such as gender roles, power representation, or the impact of historical events on literature discuss. Remember to choose literary research topics that genuinely interest you, as this will make the literature discussion and writing process more enjoyable and engaging. Test your literary research topics with an outline and a premise statement to ensure it is focused, specific, and manageable.

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Literature Topics and Research

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What kinds of topics are good ones?

The best topics are ones that originate out of your own reading of a work of literature, but here are some common approaches to consider:

A discussion of a work's characters: are they realistic, symbolic, historically-based?
A comparison/contrast of the choices different authors or characters make in a work
A reading of a work based on an outside philosophical perspective (Ex. how would a Freudian read Hamlet ?)
A study of the sources or historical events that occasioned a particular work (Ex. comparing G.B. Shaw's Pygmalion with the original Greek myth of Pygmalion)
An analysis of a specific image occurring in several works (Ex. the use of moon imagery in certain plays, poems, novels)
A "deconstruction" of a particular work (Ex. unfolding an underlying racist worldview in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness )
A reading from a political perspective (Ex. how would a Marxist read William Blake's "London"?)
A study of the social, political, or economic context in which a work was written — how does the context influence the work?

How do I start research?

Once you have decided on an interesting topic and work (or works), the best place to start is probably the Internet. Here you can usually find basic biographical data on authors, brief summaries of works, possibly some rudimentary analyses, and even bibliographies of sources related to your topic.

The Internet, however, rarely offers serious direct scholarship; you will have to use sources found in the library, sources like journal articles and scholarly books, to get information that you can use to build your own scholarship-your literary paper. Consult the library's on-line catalog and the MLA Periodical Index. Avoid citing dictionary or encyclopedic sources in your final paper.

How do I use the information I find?

The secondary sources you find are only to be used as an aid. Your thoughts should make up most of the essay. As you develop your thesis, you will bring in the ideas of the scholars to back up what you have already said.

For example, say you are arguing that Huck Finn is a Christ figure ; that's your basic thesis. You give evidence from the novel that allows this reading, and then, at the right place, you might say the following, a paraphrase:

According to Susan Thomas, Huck sacrifices himself because he wants to set Jim free (129).

If the scholar states an important idea in a memorable way, use a direct quote.

"Huck's altruism and feelings of compassion for Jim force him to surrender to the danger" (Thomas 129).

Either way, you will then link that idea to your thesis.

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What is a Literature Review? | Guide, Template, & Examples

What is a Literature Review? | Guide, Template, & Examples

Published on 22 February 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 7 June 2022.

What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research.

There are five key steps to writing a literature review:

Search for relevant literature
Evaluate sources
Identify themes, debates and gaps
Outline the structure
Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarise sources – it analyses, synthesises, and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

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Why write a literature review, examples of literature reviews, step 1: search for relevant literature, step 2: evaluate and select sources, step 3: identify themes, debates and gaps, step 4: outline your literature review’s structure, step 5: write your literature review, frequently asked questions about literature reviews, introduction.

Quick Run-through
Step 1 & 2

When you write a dissertation or thesis, you will have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:

Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and scholarly context
Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
Position yourself in relation to other researchers and theorists
Show how your dissertation addresses a gap or contributes to a debate

You might also have to write a literature review as a stand-alone assignment. In this case, the purpose is to evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of scholarly debates around a topic.

The content will look slightly different in each case, but the process of conducting a literature review follows the same steps. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.

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Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.

Example literature review #1: “Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature” ( Theoretical literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)
Example literature review #2: “Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines” ( Methodological literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)
Example literature review #3: “The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Thematic literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)
Example literature review #4: “Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Chronological literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)

You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.

Download Word doc Download Google doc

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .

If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research objectives and questions .

If you are writing a literature review as a stand-alone assignment, you will have to choose a focus and develop a central question to direct your search. Unlike a dissertation research question, this question has to be answerable without collecting original data. You should be able to answer it based only on a review of existing publications.

Make a list of keywords

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research topic. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list if you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.

Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth

Search for relevant sources

Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some databases to search for journals and articles include:

Your university’s library catalogue
Google Scholar
Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
EconLit (economics)
Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)

You can use boolean operators to help narrow down your search:

Read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.

To identify the most important publications on your topic, take note of recurring citations. If the same authors, books or articles keep appearing in your reading, make sure to seek them out.

You probably won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on the topic – you’ll have to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your questions.

For each publication, ask yourself:

What question or problem is the author addressing?
What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
What are the key theories, models and methods? Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
What are the results and conclusions of the study?
How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
How does the publication contribute to your understanding of the topic? What are its key insights and arguments?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible, and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

You can find out how many times an article has been cited on Google Scholar – a high citation count means the article has been influential in the field, and should certainly be included in your literature review.

The scope of your review will depend on your topic and discipline: in the sciences you usually only review recent literature, but in the humanities you might take a long historical perspective (for example, to trace how a concept has changed in meaning over time).

Remember that you can use our template to summarise and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using!

Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It’s important to keep track of your sources with references to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography, where you compile full reference information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.

You can use our free APA Reference Generator for quick, correct, consistent citations.

Prevent plagiarism, run a free check.

To begin organising your literature review’s argument and structure, you need to understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

Most research has focused on young women.
There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.
But there is still a lack of robust research on highly-visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat – this is a gap that you could address in your own research.

There are various approaches to organising the body of a literature review. You should have a rough idea of your strategy before you start writing.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological

The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarising sources in order.

Try to analyse patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organise your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.

Methodological

If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:

Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical

A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Like any other academic text, your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

If you are writing the literature review as part of your dissertation or thesis, reiterate your central problem or research question and give a brief summary of the scholarly context. You can emphasise the timeliness of the topic (“many recent studies have focused on the problem of x”) or highlight a gap in the literature (“while there has been much research on x, few researchers have taken y into consideration”).

Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.

As you write, make sure to follow these tips:

Summarise and synthesise: give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole.
Analyse and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers – add your own interpretations, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole.
Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources.
Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transitions and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts.

In the conclusion, you should summarise the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasise their significance.

If the literature review is part of your dissertation or thesis, reiterate how your research addresses gaps and contributes new knowledge, or discuss how you have drawn on existing theories and methods to build a framework for your research. This can lead directly into your methodology section.

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a dissertation , thesis, research paper , or proposal .

There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:

To familiarise yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic
To ensure that you’re not just repeating what others have already done
To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved problems that your research can address
To develop your theoretical framework and methodology
To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic

Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.

The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .

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A literature review surveys prior research published in books, scholarly articles, and any other sources relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory, and by so doing, provides a description, summary, and critical evaluation of these works in relation to the research problem being investigated. Literature reviews are designed to provide an overview of sources you have used in researching a particular topic and to demonstrate to your readers how your research fits within existing scholarship about the topic.

Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper . Fourth edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2014.

Importance of a Good Literature Review

A literature review may consist of simply a summary of key sources, but in the social sciences, a literature review usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis, often within specific conceptual categories . A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information in a way that informs how you are planning to investigate a research problem. The analytical features of a literature review might:

Give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations,
Trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates,
Depending on the situation, evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most pertinent or relevant research, or
Usually in the conclusion of a literature review, identify where gaps exist in how a problem has been researched to date.

Given this, the purpose of a literature review is to:

Place each work in the context of its contribution to understanding the research problem being studied.
Describe the relationship of each work to the others under consideration.
Identify new ways to interpret prior research.
Reveal any gaps that exist in the literature.
Resolve conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies.
Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication of effort.
Point the way in fulfilling a need for additional research.
Locate your own research within the context of existing literature [very important].

Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2005; Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998; Jesson, Jill. Doing Your Literature Review: Traditional and Systematic Techniques . Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2011; Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review." PS: Political Science and Politics 39 (January 2006): 127-132; Ridley, Diana. The Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students . 2nd ed. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2012.

Types of Literature Reviews

It is important to think of knowledge in a given field as consisting of three layers. First, there are the primary studies that researchers conduct and publish. Second are the reviews of those studies that summarize and offer new interpretations built from and often extending beyond the primary studies. Third, there are the perceptions, conclusions, opinion, and interpretations that are shared informally among scholars that become part of the body of epistemological traditions within the field.

In composing a literature review, it is important to note that it is often this third layer of knowledge that is cited as "true" even though it often has only a loose relationship to the primary studies and secondary literature reviews. Given this, while literature reviews are designed to provide an overview and synthesis of pertinent sources you have explored, there are a number of approaches you could adopt depending upon the type of analysis underpinning your study.

Argumentative Review This form examines literature selectively in order to support or refute an argument, deeply embedded assumption, or philosophical problem already established in the literature. The purpose is to develop a body of literature that establishes a contrarian viewpoint. Given the value-laden nature of some social science research [e.g., educational reform; immigration control], argumentative approaches to analyzing the literature can be a legitimate and important form of discourse. However, note that they can also introduce problems of bias when they are used to make summary claims of the sort found in systematic reviews [see below].

Integrative Review Considered a form of research that reviews, critiques, and synthesizes representative literature on a topic in an integrated way such that new frameworks and perspectives on the topic are generated. The body of literature includes all studies that address related or identical hypotheses or research problems. A well-done integrative review meets the same standards as primary research in regard to clarity, rigor, and replication. This is the most common form of review in the social sciences.

Historical Review Few things rest in isolation from historical precedent. Historical literature reviews focus on examining research throughout a period of time, often starting with the first time an issue, concept, theory, phenomena emerged in the literature, then tracing its evolution within the scholarship of a discipline. The purpose is to place research in a historical context to show familiarity with state-of-the-art developments and to identify the likely directions for future research.

Methodological Review A review does not always focus on what someone said [findings], but how they came about saying what they say [method of analysis]. Reviewing methods of analysis provides a framework of understanding at different levels [i.e. those of theory, substantive fields, research approaches, and data collection and analysis techniques], how researchers draw upon a wide variety of knowledge ranging from the conceptual level to practical documents for use in fieldwork in the areas of ontological and epistemological consideration, quantitative and qualitative integration, sampling, interviewing, data collection, and data analysis. This approach helps highlight ethical issues which you should be aware of and consider as you go through your own study.

Systematic Review This form consists of an overview of existing evidence pertinent to a clearly formulated research question, which uses pre-specified and standardized methods to identify and critically appraise relevant research, and to collect, report, and analyze data from the studies that are included in the review. The goal is to deliberately document, critically evaluate, and summarize scientifically all of the research about a clearly defined research problem . Typically it focuses on a very specific empirical question, often posed in a cause-and-effect form, such as "To what extent does A contribute to B?" This type of literature review is primarily applied to examining prior research studies in clinical medicine and allied health fields, but it is increasingly being used in the social sciences.

Theoretical Review The purpose of this form is to examine the corpus of theory that has accumulated in regard to an issue, concept, theory, phenomena. The theoretical literature review helps to establish what theories already exist, the relationships between them, to what degree the existing theories have been investigated, and to develop new hypotheses to be tested. Often this form is used to help establish a lack of appropriate theories or reveal that current theories are inadequate for explaining new or emerging research problems. The unit of analysis can focus on a theoretical concept or a whole theory or framework.

NOTE : Most often the literature review will incorporate some combination of types. For example, a review that examines literature supporting or refuting an argument, assumption, or philosophical problem related to the research problem will also need to include writing supported by sources that establish the history of these arguments in the literature.

Baumeister, Roy F. and Mark R. Leary. "Writing Narrative Literature Reviews." Review of General Psychology 1 (September 1997): 311-320; Mark R. Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper . 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2005; Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998; Kennedy, Mary M. "Defining a Literature." Educational Researcher 36 (April 2007): 139-147; Petticrew, Mark and Helen Roberts. Systematic Reviews in the Social Sciences: A Practical Guide . Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 2006; Torracro, Richard. "Writing Integrative Literature Reviews: Guidelines and Examples." Human Resource Development Review 4 (September 2005): 356-367; Rocco, Tonette S. and Maria S. Plakhotnik. "Literature Reviews, Conceptual Frameworks, and Theoretical Frameworks: Terms, Functions, and Distinctions." Human Ressource Development Review 8 (March 2008): 120-130; Sutton, Anthea. Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review . Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, 2016.

Structure and Writing Style

I. Thinking About Your Literature Review

The structure of a literature review should include the following in support of understanding the research problem :

An overview of the subject, issue, or theory under consideration, along with the objectives of the literature review,
Division of works under review into themes or categories [e.g. works that support a particular position, those against, and those offering alternative approaches entirely],
An explanation of how each work is similar to and how it varies from the others,
Conclusions as to which pieces are best considered in their argument, are most convincing of their opinions, and make the greatest contribution to the understanding and development of their area of research.

The critical evaluation of each work should consider :

Provenance -- what are the author's credentials? Are the author's arguments supported by evidence [e.g. primary historical material, case studies, narratives, statistics, recent scientific findings]?
Methodology -- were the techniques used to identify, gather, and analyze the data appropriate to addressing the research problem? Was the sample size appropriate? Were the results effectively interpreted and reported?
Objectivity -- is the author's perspective even-handed or prejudicial? Is contrary data considered or is certain pertinent information ignored to prove the author's point?
Persuasiveness -- which of the author's theses are most convincing or least convincing?
Validity -- are the author's arguments and conclusions convincing? Does the work ultimately contribute in any significant way to an understanding of the subject?

II. Development of the Literature Review

Four Basic Stages of Writing 1. Problem formulation -- which topic or field is being examined and what are its component issues? 2. Literature search -- finding materials relevant to the subject being explored. 3. Data evaluation -- determining which literature makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the topic. 4. Analysis and interpretation -- discussing the findings and conclusions of pertinent literature.

Consider the following issues before writing the literature review: Clarify If your assignment is not specific about what form your literature review should take, seek clarification from your professor by asking these questions: 1. Roughly how many sources would be appropriate to include? 2. What types of sources should I review (books, journal articles, websites; scholarly versus popular sources)? 3. Should I summarize, synthesize, or critique sources by discussing a common theme or issue? 4. Should I evaluate the sources in any way beyond evaluating how they relate to understanding the research problem? 5. Should I provide subheadings and other background information, such as definitions and/or a history? Find Models Use the exercise of reviewing the literature to examine how authors in your discipline or area of interest have composed their literature review sections. Read them to get a sense of the types of themes you might want to look for in your own research or to identify ways to organize your final review. The bibliography or reference section of sources you've already read, such as required readings in the course syllabus, are also excellent entry points into your own research. Narrow the Topic The narrower your topic, the easier it will be to limit the number of sources you need to read in order to obtain a good survey of relevant resources. Your professor will probably not expect you to read everything that's available about the topic, but you'll make the act of reviewing easier if you first limit scope of the research problem. A good strategy is to begin by searching the USC Libraries Catalog for recent books about the topic and review the table of contents for chapters that focuses on specific issues. You can also review the indexes of books to find references to specific issues that can serve as the focus of your research. For example, a book surveying the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may include a chapter on the role Egypt has played in mediating the conflict, or look in the index for the pages where Egypt is mentioned in the text. Consider Whether Your Sources are Current Some disciplines require that you use information that is as current as possible. This is particularly true in disciplines in medicine and the sciences where research conducted becomes obsolete very quickly as new discoveries are made. However, when writing a review in the social sciences, a survey of the history of the literature may be required. In other words, a complete understanding the research problem requires you to deliberately examine how knowledge and perspectives have changed over time. Sort through other current bibliographies or literature reviews in the field to get a sense of what your discipline expects. You can also use this method to explore what is considered by scholars to be a "hot topic" and what is not.

III. Ways to Organize Your Literature Review

Chronology of Events If your review follows the chronological method, you could write about the materials according to when they were published. This approach should only be followed if a clear path of research building on previous research can be identified and that these trends follow a clear chronological order of development. For example, a literature review that focuses on continuing research about the emergence of German economic power after the fall of the Soviet Union. By Publication Order your sources by publication chronology, then, only if the order demonstrates a more important trend. For instance, you could order a review of literature on environmental studies of brown fields if the progression revealed, for example, a change in the soil collection practices of the researchers who wrote and/or conducted the studies. Thematic [“conceptual categories”] A thematic literature review is the most common approach to summarizing prior research in the social and behavioral sciences. Thematic reviews are organized around a topic or issue, rather than the progression of time, although the progression of time may still be incorporated into a thematic review. For example, a review of the Internet’s impact on American presidential politics could focus on the development of online political satire. While the study focuses on one topic, the Internet’s impact on American presidential politics, it would still be organized chronologically reflecting technological developments in media. The difference in this example between a "chronological" and a "thematic" approach is what is emphasized the most: themes related to the role of the Internet in presidential politics. Note that more authentic thematic reviews tend to break away from chronological order. A review organized in this manner would shift between time periods within each section according to the point being made. Methodological A methodological approach focuses on the methods utilized by the researcher. For the Internet in American presidential politics project, one methodological approach would be to look at cultural differences between the portrayal of American presidents on American, British, and French websites. Or the review might focus on the fundraising impact of the Internet on a particular political party. A methodological scope will influence either the types of documents in the review or the way in which these documents are discussed.

Other Sections of Your Literature Review Once you've decided on the organizational method for your literature review, the sections you need to include in the paper should be easy to figure out because they arise from your organizational strategy. In other words, a chronological review would have subsections for each vital time period; a thematic review would have subtopics based upon factors that relate to the theme or issue. However, sometimes you may need to add additional sections that are necessary for your study, but do not fit in the organizational strategy of the body. What other sections you include in the body is up to you. However, only include what is necessary for the reader to locate your study within the larger scholarship about the research problem.

Here are examples of other sections, usually in the form of a single paragraph, you may need to include depending on the type of review you write:

Current Situation : Information necessary to understand the current topic or focus of the literature review.
Sources Used : Describes the methods and resources [e.g., databases] you used to identify the literature you reviewed.
History : The chronological progression of the field, the research literature, or an idea that is necessary to understand the literature review, if the body of the literature review is not already a chronology.
Selection Methods : Criteria you used to select (and perhaps exclude) sources in your literature review. For instance, you might explain that your review includes only peer-reviewed [i.e., scholarly] sources.
Standards : Description of the way in which you present your information.
Questions for Further Research : What questions about the field has the review sparked? How will you further your research as a result of the review?

IV. Writing Your Literature Review

Once you've settled on how to organize your literature review, you're ready to write each section. When writing your review, keep in mind these issues.

Use Evidence A literature review section is, in this sense, just like any other academic research paper. Your interpretation of the available sources must be backed up with evidence [citations] that demonstrates that what you are saying is valid. Be Selective Select only the most important points in each source to highlight in the review. The type of information you choose to mention should relate directly to the research problem, whether it is thematic, methodological, or chronological. Related items that provide additional information, but that are not key to understanding the research problem, can be included in a list of further readings . Use Quotes Sparingly Some short quotes are appropriate if you want to emphasize a point, or if what an author stated cannot be easily paraphrased. Sometimes you may need to quote certain terminology that was coined by the author, is not common knowledge, or taken directly from the study. Do not use extensive quotes as a substitute for using your own words in reviewing the literature. Summarize and Synthesize Remember to summarize and synthesize your sources within each thematic paragraph as well as throughout the review. Recapitulate important features of a research study, but then synthesize it by rephrasing the study's significance and relating it to your own work and the work of others. Keep Your Own Voice While the literature review presents others' ideas, your voice [the writer's] should remain front and center. For example, weave references to other sources into what you are writing but maintain your own voice by starting and ending the paragraph with your own ideas and wording. Use Caution When Paraphrasing When paraphrasing a source that is not your own, be sure to represent the author's information or opinions accurately and in your own words. Even when paraphrasing an author’s work, you still must provide a citation to that work.

V. Common Mistakes to Avoid

These are the most common mistakes made in reviewing social science research literature.

Sources in your literature review do not clearly relate to the research problem;
You do not take sufficient time to define and identify the most relevant sources to use in the literature review related to the research problem;
Relies exclusively on secondary analytical sources rather than including relevant primary research studies or data;
Uncritically accepts another researcher's findings and interpretations as valid, rather than examining critically all aspects of the research design and analysis;
Does not describe the search procedures that were used in identifying the literature to review;
Reports isolated statistical results rather than synthesizing them in chi-squared or meta-analytic methods; and,
Only includes research that validates assumptions and does not consider contrary findings and alternative interpretations found in the literature.

Cook, Kathleen E. and Elise Murowchick. “Do Literature Review Skills Transfer from One Course to Another?” Psychology Learning and Teaching 13 (March 2014): 3-11; Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper . 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2005; Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998; Jesson, Jill. Doing Your Literature Review: Traditional and Systematic Techniques . London: SAGE, 2011; Literature Review Handout. Online Writing Center. Liberty University; Literature Reviews. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J. and Rebecca Frels. Seven Steps to a Comprehensive Literature Review: A Multimodal and Cultural Approach . Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2016; Ridley, Diana. The Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students . 2nd ed. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2012; Randolph, Justus J. “A Guide to Writing the Dissertation Literature Review." Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation. vol. 14, June 2009; Sutton, Anthea. Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review . Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, 2016; Taylor, Dena. The Literature Review: A Few Tips On Conducting It. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Writing a Literature Review. Academic Skills Centre. University of Canberra.

Writing Tip

Break Out of Your Disciplinary Box!

Thinking interdisciplinarily about a research problem can be a rewarding exercise in applying new ideas, theories, or concepts to an old problem. For example, what might cultural anthropologists say about the continuing conflict in the Middle East? In what ways might geographers view the need for better distribution of social service agencies in large cities than how social workers might study the issue? You don’t want to substitute a thorough review of core research literature in your discipline for studies conducted in other fields of study. However, particularly in the social sciences, thinking about research problems from multiple vectors is a key strategy for finding new solutions to a problem or gaining a new perspective. Consult with a librarian about identifying research databases in other disciplines; almost every field of study has at least one comprehensive database devoted to indexing its research literature.

Frodeman, Robert. The Oxford Handbook of Interdisciplinarity . New York: Oxford University Press, 2010.

Another Writing Tip

Don't Just Review for Content!

While conducting a review of the literature, maximize the time you devote to writing this part of your paper by thinking broadly about what you should be looking for and evaluating. Review not just what scholars are saying, but how are they saying it. Some questions to ask:

How are they organizing their ideas?
What methods have they used to study the problem?
What theories have been used to explain, predict, or understand their research problem?
What sources have they cited to support their conclusions?
How have they used non-textual elements [e.g., charts, graphs, figures, etc.] to illustrate key points?

When you begin to write your literature review section, you'll be glad you dug deeper into how the research was designed and constructed because it establishes a means for developing more substantial analysis and interpretation of the research problem.

Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1 998.

Yet Another Writing Tip

When Do I Know I Can Stop Looking and Move On?

Here are several strategies you can utilize to assess whether you've thoroughly reviewed the literature:

Look for repeating patterns in the research findings . If the same thing is being said, just by different people, then this likely demonstrates that the research problem has hit a conceptual dead end. At this point consider: Does your study extend current research? Does it forge a new path? Or, does is merely add more of the same thing being said?
Look at sources the authors cite to in their work . If you begin to see the same researchers cited again and again, then this is often an indication that no new ideas have been generated to address the research problem.
Search Google Scholar to identify who has subsequently cited leading scholars already identified in your literature review [see next sub-tab]. This is called citation tracking and there are a number of sources that can help you identify who has cited whom, particularly scholars from outside of your discipline. Here again, if the same authors are being cited again and again, this may indicate no new literature has been written on the topic.

Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J. and Rebecca Frels. Seven Steps to a Comprehensive Literature Review: A Multimodal and Cultural Approach . Los Angeles, CA: Sage, 2016; Sutton, Anthea. Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review . Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, 2016.

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Writing a Thesis

Writing thesis in literature.

“God Speed” by Edmund Leighton, 1900

Sample Titles of Recent Theses in Literature

“Bilbo comes to the Huts of the Raft-elves” by J.R.R. Tolkien, 1973

What does a thesis do for me?

Thesis writers can be assured that they have been well prepared for graduate study, and can attest to that fact in their applications and interviews. They have also gained skills that will help them in any workplace. The intensive, self-motivated focus on one topic can be (at times) frustrating, overwhelming, and deeply gratifying: the rewards are many, and most students find their love of literature strengthened through their own efforts and dedication, as well as through the opportunity to work one-on-one with faculty scholars. The time and commitment involved in the process of writing a thesis may or may not exceed the credit hours officially accorded, but the rewards are great. This is a serious undertaking and assumes that the thesis candidate is a responsible adult, able to make deadlines and keep to them without external prodding, and ready to become a literary scholar with a mind of her own.

What do I do for my thesis?

“Donna con tavolette cerate e stilo (cosiddetta “Saffo”)/Woman with wax tablets and stylus (so-called “Sappho”)” fresco ca. 50 CE

Fall Semester: Preparatory Work

If they have not done so in the the Spring of the junior year, thesis candidates should consult with faculty prior to Registration Day to determine who would be an appropriate advisor. The thesis will eventually be read and evaluated by three faculty members: the advisor my suggest second and third readers, or may leave the decision to the student. Developing an argument takes time, but candidates should begin with a clear set of interests in mind, and ideally with background reading underway. Students may choose to focus on a particular author or literary text, or to connect several authors and texts through attention to a shared thematic or formal pattern.

Regular Supervision and Deadlines

“Beloved” by Joe Morse, 2015

Spring Semester: 12-Unit Thesis

During the spring semester, the thesis candidate signs up for the 12-unit Thesis and devotes substantial energy to expanding, completing, and revising the work. The student should continue to meet on a regular basis with the advisor, and should also be sharing draft chapters with the second and third readers as soon as possible. The thesis process involves extensive revision as well as writing, and students need to anticipate that as the semester proceeds their readers will have an increasing number of competing demands on their time from other classes: chapters may not be returned with comments and recommendations for revision until some time after being submitted, and thesis writers need to plan accordingly. A complete first draft should be submitted by the end of spring break or the beginning of April, depending on the academic calendar and the advisor’s schedule. This ensures adequate time for commentary and extensive final revision before the official Institute deadline for undergraduate theses (usually at the end of the penultimate week of classes, and listed on the official Academic Calendar).

After Completion

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Mad Tea Party” by Sir John Tenniel, 1865

Research Paper Guides
Research Paper Topics

Literature Research Paper Topics: 250 Top Ideas

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Are you looking for an engaging literary research paper topic? Whether you're writing a college-level essay or a master's thesis, the right literature research paper topics can make all the difference. They range from exploring particular genres or authors to examining the use of language in literary works. By researching these topics, you will gain a greater understanding of the ideas, improve your critical thinking skills, and learn to appreciate the nuances. This article will explore such literature topics for research and open up endless possibilities for analysis and interpretation, ranging from classic to modern-day texts. Are you ready to choose a trending topic and write a paper that will win your professor’s heart?

What Are Literary Research Paper Topics?

Literary research paper topics focus on a particular literary work, such as a book, poem, novel, play, or story. They provide a great starting point for researching the specific aspect you're planning to explore for a better perception of the idea and help to eliminate any artificial facet. Literary research topics may analyze a single text, compare different writings by the same author, or contrast different authors' styles. Common literature topics for research papers comprise symbolism, characterization, themes, plot structure, historical context, point-of-view analysis, biographical contexts, and intertextual connections. These research paper topics may also focus on how an author has been interpreted or evaluated over time, analyzing the critical reception of their works and examining any changes within literary canonization. Additionally, these topics can explore how literary works intersect with other disciplines, such as philosophy, psychology, sociology, politics, or economics.

Characteristics of Good Literature Research Paper Topics

Literary research paper topics are usually considered good when they are:

Relevant They should be engaging, thought-provoking, and appropriate to the academic work.
Specific Similarly, good literature research topics must have a narrow focus and not be overly broad.
Interesting They should pique your interest and encourage you to explore and aspire to know more about the literary work.
Challenging Deep analysis, thoughtful reflection, and creative thinking are also vital.
Unique They should be memorable and offer new insights into academic work.

With these important characteristics of literary topics for research papers in mind, you're ready to start writing!

How to Choose a Literature Research Paper Topic?

Choosing a literature research paper topic can be daunting, but with careful thought and planning, you're sure to find the perfect one. In order to do this, you need to complete the following:

Brainstorm: First, start by brainstorming topics that interest you. Think about the works you've been studying, authors and genres you enjoy reading, and themes that have resonated with you.
Narrow it down: Once you've identified a few research topics that intrigue you, narrow them down to one that is most relevant and specific.
Research: Explore if it is relevant. This will guarantee that you have enough material to work with.
Refine: Once you have researched, refine your topic to ensure it is specific and engaging. Consider the most interesting aspects and how they can be explored further.
Choose: Finally, choose the title that best reflects your interests and passions for an enjoyable research experience!

With these tips, you can find the perfect literary research paper topic! Don’t have time for reading piles of books? Get professional help with research paper writing from StudyCrumb and have your study completed by a real pro.

List of Literature Research Paper Topics

A list of literature topics for research offers a wide range of literary-related issues that can be explored and studied for your project. It includes ideas that could spark your creativity and help you choose the best title. Whether you're interested in exploring the works of Shakespeare or examining modern literature, this list of literary research paper topics has something for everyone!

Use of symbolism in romantic poetry.
Importance of technology within cyberpunk genres.
Impact of fantasy on contemporary culture.
Representation of male or female authors as represented by classic literary works.
Postmodernist views of time and space in literature.
Representation of race and ethnicity within contemporary fiction.
Representation of LGBTQ characters in literary works.
The role of mythology during the era of ancient works.
Social media impact on modern texts.
Classic and contemporary literary criticism.

Interesting Literary Research Paper Topics

If you are interested in classic books or modern trends, these ideas can be a fascinating starting point for your project. They include theories, criticism, comparison, and specific authors or genres. Besides providing an analysis of the work, a literary research paper topic could also comprise examining different themes. Explore the following interesting literature topics for your project:

Literary influences of Jane Austen's works.
Symbolism as represented by gothic texts.
Relevance of classic mythology within contemporary fiction.
The role of magic or fantasy in children's literature.
The role of women in Victorian literature.
Representation of race and ethnicity in early 20th-century literature.
Themes of love and loss in romantic poetry.
The use of horror genres in contemporary fiction.
Postcolonialism's impact on literary works.
Nature in 19th-century literature .
Representation of LGBTQ characters as represented by contemporary fiction.
Technology's impact on modern literary works.
Classic and contemporary interpretations of gothic texts.
The role of magic and fantasy in modern literary works.
Representation of death and loss in 20th-century works.

Great Literature Research Paper Topics

A list of great literature research topics provides a variety of ideas related to literary works. These research topics in literature can offer an exciting starting point for your English paper:

Rebellion themes in Shakespeare's tragedies.
Class and economic status in Victorian texts.
Symbolism in romantic poetry.
Impact of British imperialism on literary fiction worldwide.
Gender and sexuality representation in early 20th-century writings.
Postcolonialism in 19th-century fiction.
The literary influence of WWII on modern writings.
Vampires' role in gothic literary texts.
Use of fantasy in childhood writings.
Technology's impact on contemporary literary works.
Race and ethnicity as represented by postmodern fiction.
Religion in romantic poetry.
Themes of love and loss in 20th-century texts.
Horror genres in literary fiction.
Postmodernism's impact on contemporary literary works.

Unique Literature Research Paper Topics

Unique literature topics for research papers can help students explore new concepts and gain a deeper understanding of their subject. Below are rare literature paper topics for you to review:

The role of jealousy in 17th-century literary works.
Gender identity as represented by reformist fiction.
Mythological figures as portrayed by Greek and Roman poetry.
The relationship between gender and power in Shakespeare's plays.
Themes of isolation in 20th-century British poetry.
Metaphors in the works of Gabriel García Márquez .
Themes of rebellion and revolution in African American literary texts.
The role of women in medieval romance literature.
Poverty representation in Victorian novels.
Themes of oppression and freedom in colonial Latin American texts.
Use of metaphor and allegory in Dante's divine comedy.
Influence of industrialization on 19th-century fiction.
Dystopian settings within modern literature.
Religion in contemporary fiction.

Spotted any ideas for your literature research paper? Now it’s time to compose your study. Leave us ‘ do my research paper ’ notice and get a professional writer to work on your project.

Controversial Literary Research Paper Topics

Controversial literary research topics can provide students with an opportunity to explore complex and sometimes contentious issues related to literary texts. Find below a controversial literary research paper topic for your dream English project!

Racial stereotypes during 19th-century English literature.
Themes of sexuality and desire in ancient Greek poetry.
The relationship between political power and language in Shakespeare's plays.
Conflict representation during 20th-century English fiction.
English role in colonial Indian literature.
Gender and racial representations within African American autobiographies.
Themes of justice and control in Victorian English novels.
Themes of oppression and resistance in feminist texts.
The role of English in modern Japanese fiction.
Themes of identity and belonging in postcolonial Indian literature.
Censorship, free speech, and social responsibility in 19th-century English novels.
Politics and power representations in Latin American poetry.
Gender, race, and class representations in English renaissance drama.
English as a tool for political ideology within the works of George Orwell.
Language used to defy authority during modern fiction writing.

Fresh Literature Research Paper Ideas

Coming up with fresh ideas for literature research topics can be daunting. Students may want to look at the works they have studied or venture outside the traditional reading list and explore different authors and genres. Some literature research paper ideas comprise studying how certain authors influenced the literary movement, analyzing how language has been used throughout history, or examining gender, race, and class representations from a literary text. Here is a perfect list of fresh ideas!

Aesthetics as presented by postmodern fiction.
The theme of loss as portrayed by African authors .
Use of language throughout history.
Identity and belonging representation in contemporary young adult fiction.
The intersection between art and literature in modern poetry.
Themes of authority, rebellion, and revolution in medieval epic poetry.
Role of fantasy in horror fiction.
Gender, race, and class representations within British romanticism.
American literary realism and naturalism.
Influence of symbolism on French modernist poetry.
Construction of memory within African American autobiographies.
Representation of narrative time in Latin American fiction.
Social injustice theme during early 20th-century American drama.
The relationship between social identity and language during postcolonial fiction.
Values and beliefs representations as presented by ancient Greek mythology.

Literature Research Paper Topics for Students

For students looking for research topics in literature for study, there is a wide variety of options available. Depending on the level and course, they might focus on analyzing particular authors, literary movements, or genres, exploring the use of language throughout history, or examining representations of gender, race, and class in books. You also need to study literary devices and their effects on readers when exploring literary topics for a research paper . Below are examples of literature topics for different students:

Literature Research Paper Topics for High School

These are literature topics to research, specifically tailored to high school students. They involve exploring the influence of literary work on culture, analyzing a single author's literary movement or genre, or investigating language use throughout history. This list of research topics in literature for high school provides an original starting point for your literary project!

Racism as presented during early 20th-century works.
Social criticism within contemporary dystopian young adult fiction.
Folklore's impact on contemporary poetry.
Representation of nature in modern literature.
Spirituality as portrayed by reformist literature.
Social class representation within postmodern novels.
The theme of environment in romantic works.
Colonialism representation during postcolonial works.
Effects of pop culture on modern fiction.
Mental illness representation during 19th-century poetry.
The role of music and art in early 20th-century literary texts.
Literature's influence on identity building in minority cultures.
Family dynamics in postmodern poetry.
Family and community representations during gothic fiction.
Literature as a tool for social change.

Literature Research Paper Topics for College Students

These titles entail more serious and in-depth scrutiny than a high school literary paper. A college-level literary research paper topic provides students with a broader range of analysis. It encompasses looking at literature as a form of political commentary to get its relationship with other art forms. Below are literature research paper topics for college students:

Identity construction during postmodern poetry.
Alienation themes within modern fiction.
Gender role representations in Shakespearean tragedies.
The relationship between narrative and memory within Holocaust literature.
Nature's role in contemporary American fiction.
Authority and subversion themes during the early 20th-century drama.
Race, class, and gender representation within African American autobiographies.
Social media influence the literary language.
The relationship between social identity and language in postcolonial fiction.
Values as presented by ancient Greek mythology .
Psychological distress during 20th-century war narratives.
Attitudes towards mental illness as portrayed by gothic texts.
The relationship between science and literary imagination.
Social hierarchy within Victorian novels.
Religion's role in southern American literature.

Literary Research Paper Topics by Categories

Research paper topics for literature by category offer an exclusive and stimulating perspective on literary analysis worldwide. They can be grouped into literary movements, authors, and genres, as well as topics related to language and history. If you are interested in European, American, and English literature topics, these ideas will help you find the perfect literary research paper topic for your project.

World Literature Research Paper Topics

Research paper topics for world literature allow students to explore literary works from any part of the world, including texts written in English, Spanish, and other languages. Below is a list that provides original world literature research topics for any project:

Impact of colonialism on native literary traditions.
Gender representation within French literature.
Religion's role within literary works from Latin America.
Symbolism in English poetry from the 19th century.
Themes of nationalism within modern Russian fiction.
Power and politics in Spanish plays.
Conflict as portrayed by African literature.
The role of folklore within Chinese fiction.
Themes of cultural identity in Japanese drama.
Family ties in Italian poetry.
Symbolism in Arabic literature.
Social class representation in Indian novels.
Impact of globalization on middle eastern fiction.
Human rights themes by contemporary Australian poets.
Western representations of other cultures in modern literature.

American Literature Research Paper Topics

In research paper topics for American literature, you examine the works of early American writers and poets, as well as those from later periods. Here is a list of American literature topics for your paper!

Attitudes towards race in early American novels.
Colonialism during 19th-century poetry.
Freedom and rebellion themes within revolutionary literature.
The emergence of gothic horror in American fiction.
Impact of transcendentalism on American writing.
Gender representation during pre-civil war literature .
Themes of morality in post-World War II American fiction.
Role of religion during 19th-century American novels.
Slavery and its abolition by American poets.
Social class representation during early American drama.
Themes of identity in postmodern American fiction.
Industrialization of 20th-century literature.
War and conflict representation by contemporary American playwrights.
Racism in 20th-century American novels.
Assimilation and immigration themes in post-World War II American literature.

British Literature Research Paper Topics

In British literature research topics, you explore works from early British writers to contemporary authors. Ideally, research topics for British literature should encompass works written by authors from all eras, including Medieval, Renaissance, and modern. Here is a list of English literature research paper topics for your perfect essay!

Gender representation during medieval English literature.
Colonialism's effects on British literary works during the 18th century.
Influence of British writers on modern literature.
The role of nature in 18th-century British novels.
Interpretations of classic British literary works.
Social class representations during 19th-century British fiction.
Themes of love and romance within Victorian literature.
Industrialization's impact on 20th-century British novels.
Patriotism and nationalism during post-World War II literary work.
Multiculturalism representations in postmodern British fiction.
Effects of censorship on British authors during the 20th century.
Mental health representation in modern British poetry.
Representation of historical events in British works throughout time.
Technological representations in 21st-century British Novels.
Intersectionality by contemporary British playwrights.

Did you know that you can generate a bunch of title ideas using our Research Paper Topic Generator ?

European Literary Research Paper Topics

European literature research paper topics offer an excellent opportunity to explore the works of European authors. They allow you to study and analyze the academic traditions and cultures of some of Europe's most influential writers. You can find such literary research paper topic ideas in the list below:

Representations of the European monarchy in classic novels.
Censorship effects on European authors during the 20th century.
Impact of World War II on European authors.
Gender representations within Victorian poetry.
Literary works from different countries and cultures in Europe.
Use of language, symbolism, and imagery to explore themes in European texts.
Themes of nature and environment within German short stories.
Technology representations in late Victorian poetry.
Popular culture's influence on European literary movements from the 20th century to modern times.
Impact of European literary works on people's perceptions of other cultures.
Use of supernatural elements within European gothic writings from the 18th to 19th centuries.
Identity representations in French social realism texts.
Technology's impact on contemporary European literary works.
Family and community representations during post-war theater.
Themes of justice and injustice within European dystopian texts.

Literature Research Paper Ideas by Periods

You may aspire to find literature topics for research papers from different historical periods. This involves studying literature from various cultures or eras, such as ancient, medieval, or modern ones. These ideas also cover the examination of themes and symbols used in writings and scrutinizing characters and their development through various works. Other topics include the exploration of texts from a political perspective in relation to their historical contexts. These ideas contain some literary research topics from various periods:

Ancient Literary Research Paper Topics

There are many exciting options to consider if you're looking for ancient literature research paper topics. They can be studied with regard to history, culture, art, and philosophy. To gain more insight, you could explore the works of Homer, Henry James, Virgil, and the Mahabharata, or old Egyptian writings, such as The Iliad and Odyssey . Below is a list of ancient literature topics for research you can choose from.

Gender representations in epic poetry.
Role of mythology and religion in ancient texts.
Influence of philosophy on ancient literature.
Power representations in Greek tragedy.
Heroism by early epic authors.
Love and marriage in ancient texts.
Ancient narratives of war and conflict.
Slavery representations in Roman poetry.
The role of music and art in classical literature.
Nature representations in ancient texts.
Politics' influence on Greek comedy.
Family and community representations in roman narratives.
Characters' representation in epic poetry.
The role of technology in early literary works.
Representations of the divine in ancient texts.

Read more: History Research Topics for Students

Medieval Literature Research Paper Topics

The medieval literary study provides a unique opportunity to explore literature research topics of the Middle Ages. From Beowulf to The Canterbury Tales , these works offer insights into this era's cultural beliefs and values. Here are such literary topics for research papers to focus on:

Representations of medieval chivalry in literary works.
Religion's influence on medieval works.
Gender representation in medieval texts.
The role of magic in medieval narratives.
The impact of feudalism on medieval texts.
Honor and loyalty representations by chivalric texts.
The role of courtly love in medieval works.
Knights and warriors' representations in literary works.
Warfare representations in medieval texts.
The role of education and learning in medieval literature.

Renaissance Literary Research Paper Topics

The Renaissance literature research paper ideas explore works of literature during the Renaissance era, which spanned from the 14th to the 17th century. They focus on the themes, authors, and literature of this period to provide a better understanding of how literary works have evolved within this timeframe and their impact on our current literature. Some of the most influential figures who contributed immensely to writings during this era were William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes. If you are interested in researching this period, you can consider a literature research paper topic from the list below:

Love and romance representations in Renaissance texts.
Science and technology in 16th-century literature.
Class and social status representations in Renaissance literary works.
Classical mythology in Renaissance poetry.
Representations of family and community in Renaissance narratives.
Effects of humanism on Renaissance literature in Europe.
Imagery role by William Shakespeare .
Representations of art, music, and theater in Renaissance texts.
Politics' role in 16th-century literary texts.
Nature representation by John Milton or Torquato Tasso.
Exploration influence on Renaissance narratives.
Influence of Renaissance literature on modern writing.
Women's representation in literary texts by Anne Bradstreet or Aphra Behn.
Magic and supernatural representations in literary works of Renaissance.
Humanism and individualism themes within Renaissance literature.

Romantic Literature Research Paper Ideas

Romantic literature emerged during the late 18th century and flourished throughout the early 19th century in Europe. It is characterized by its focus on emotion and depictions of nature. This movement had a lasting impact on literary works and has been highly influential. Research topics in literature can explore the writings of authors such as Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and William Wordsworth. Here are some ideas related to romanticism:

Nature representations in Romantic texts.
The role of emotion as depicted in 19th-century literature.
Influence of Romantic authors on modern literature and culture.
Women's representation in Romantic narratives.
Industrialization impact on 19th-century texts.
Influence of religion and superstition in early Romantic texts.
Use of technology to discuss themes in Romantic texts from the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
The role of education as portrayed by Romantic narratives.
Character analysis and plot structure in gothic fiction.
Nationalism and patriotism as represented by post-Napoleonic war poems.

Modernist Literary Research Paper Topics

Modern literature emerged during the early 20th century until the end of World War II. It is characterized by a rejection of traditional conventions and focused on experimentation with form. This movement had an unprecedented impact on literature research topics and is highly influential today. If you are looking for literary topics for research papers that focus on modernism, consider exploring the following:

Nature representations by modern texts.
Social inequality in 21st-century novels.
Modernism's influence on current literature and culture.
Climate change within contemporary fiction.
Impact of social injustice on 20th-century literary works.
Urbanization representations by modern literary texts.
Education's influence on modernist narratives.
Wealth and power in early modernist texts.
Themes of urban life by Ezra Pound or Wallace Stevens.
Modernism's impact on classical literature.
Globalization themes within postmodern poetry.
Multiculturalism themes in contemporary literary works.
Mental health representations in modern British novels.
Global conflict representation in modern fiction.
The influence of psychoanalysis on modernist literature.

Current Literature Research Paper Ideas

Current literature paper topics can look at the latest trends. They include exploring contemporary works such as Harry Potter by J.K Rowling and Stardust by Neil Gaiman. These topics may also involve analyzing social media's effects on literary writings. If you are looking for current literary topics for a research paper, consider the following:

Technological impact on literary works in the 21st century.
Art, music, and theater in modern texts.
Impact of conflict on recent literary works.
Social injustice in 21st-century narratives.
Racism, ethnicity, and slavery in contemporary texts.
Wealth and power in recent literary works.
Globalization themes in postmodern poetry.
Urbanization in modern writings.
Immigration within postmodern British novels.

In case you need more paper topics, feel free to browse our blog. We have a wide arsenal of ideas starting from philosophy research paper topics to education research paper topics .

Bottom Line on Literature Research Paper Topics

Literature topics for research can explore a wide range of themes and works. Whether you are looking for visionary ideas about poetry, fiction, or books from different eras, there is no shortage of literature paper topics to choose from. To narrow down your focus and find the best idea for your project, consider researching literary movements, reading widely, and thinking about the areas that interest you most. Literature topics for research papers should be chosen based on students' interests and areas of expertise. By conducting in-depth research, you will gain a greater appreciation for literary work and its impact on society. With this article as a guide, you can take the time to find a topic that speaks to you and create an engaging research paper.

We would like to remind you that our professional writers are available 24/7 and will be glad to help you. StudyCrumb provides the best research paper writing service quickly and efficiently. Fill out the form on our website, and don't worry about anything else.

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How To Structure Your Literature Review

3 options to help structure your chapter.

By: Amy Rommelspacher (PhD) | Reviewer: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | November 2020 (Updated May 2023)

Writing the literature review chapter can seem pretty daunting when you’re piecing together your dissertation or thesis. As we’ve discussed before , a good literature review needs to achieve a few very important objectives – it should:

Demonstrate your knowledge of the research topic
Identify the gaps in the literature and show how your research links to these
Provide the foundation for your conceptual framework (if you have one)
Inform your own methodology and research design

To achieve this, your literature review needs a well-thought-out structure . Get the structure of your literature review chapter wrong and you’ll struggle to achieve these objectives. Don’t worry though – in this post, we’ll look at how to structure your literature review for maximum impact (and marks!).

But wait – is this the right time?

Deciding on the structure of your literature review should come towards the end of the literature review process – after you have collected and digested the literature, but before you start writing the chapter.

In other words, you need to first develop a rich understanding of the literature before you even attempt to map out a structure. There’s no use trying to develop a structure before you’ve fully wrapped your head around the existing research.

Equally importantly, you need to have a structure in place before you start writing , or your literature review will most likely end up a rambling, disjointed mess.

Importantly, don’t feel that once you’ve defined a structure you can’t iterate on it. It’s perfectly natural to adjust as you engage in the writing process. As we’ve discussed before , writing is a way of developing your thinking, so it’s quite common for your thinking to change – and therefore, for your chapter structure to change – as you write.

Need a helping hand?

Like any other chapter in your thesis or dissertation, your literature review needs to have a clear, logical structure. At a minimum, it should have three essential components – an introduction , a body and a conclusion .

Let’s take a closer look at each of these.

1: The Introduction Section

Just like any good introduction, the introduction section of your literature review should introduce the purpose and layout (organisation) of the chapter. In other words, your introduction needs to give the reader a taste of what’s to come, and how you’re going to lay that out. Essentially, you should provide the reader with a high-level roadmap of your chapter to give them a taste of the journey that lies ahead.

Here’s an example of the layout visualised in a literature review introduction:

Example of literature review outline structure

Your introduction should also outline your topic (including any tricky terminology or jargon) and provide an explanation of the scope of your literature review – in other words, what you will and won’t be covering (the delimitations ). This helps ringfence your review and achieve a clear focus . The clearer and narrower your focus, the deeper you can dive into the topic (which is typically where the magic lies).

Depending on the nature of your project, you could also present your stance or point of view at this stage. In other words, after grappling with the literature you’ll have an opinion about what the trends and concerns are in the field as well as what’s lacking. The introduction section can then present these ideas so that it is clear to examiners that you’re aware of how your research connects with existing knowledge .

2: The Body Section

The body of your literature review is the centre of your work. This is where you’ll present, analyse, evaluate and synthesise the existing research. In other words, this is where you’re going to earn (or lose) the most marks. Therefore, it’s important to carefully think about how you will organise your discussion to present it in a clear way.

The body of your literature review should do just as the description of this chapter suggests. It should “review” the literature – in other words, identify, analyse, and synthesise it. So, when thinking about structuring your literature review, you need to think about which structural approach will provide the best “review” for your specific type of research and objectives (we’ll get to this shortly).

There are (broadly speaking) three options for organising your literature review.

The body section of your literature review is the where you'll present, analyse, evaluate and synthesise the existing research.

Option 1: Chronological (according to date)

Organising the literature chronologically is one of the simplest ways to structure your literature review. You start with what was published first and work your way through the literature until you reach the work published most recently. Pretty straightforward.

The benefit of this option is that it makes it easy to discuss the developments and debates in the field as they emerged over time. Organising your literature chronologically also allows you to highlight how specific articles or pieces of work might have changed the course of the field – in other words, which research has had the most impact . Therefore, this approach is very useful when your research is aimed at understanding how the topic has unfolded over time and is often used by scholars in the field of history. That said, this approach can be utilised by anyone that wants to explore change over time .

Adopting the chronological structure allows you to discuss the developments and debates in the field as they emerged over time.

For example , if a student of politics is investigating how the understanding of democracy has evolved over time, they could use the chronological approach to provide a narrative that demonstrates how this understanding has changed through the ages.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you structure your literature review chronologically.

What is the earliest literature published relating to this topic?
How has the field changed over time? Why?
What are the most recent discoveries/theories?

In some ways, chronology plays a part whichever way you decide to structure your literature review, because you will always, to a certain extent, be analysing how the literature has developed. However, with the chronological approach, the emphasis is very firmly on how the discussion has evolved over time , as opposed to how all the literature links together (which we’ll discuss next ).

Option 2: Thematic (grouped by theme)

The thematic approach to structuring a literature review means organising your literature by theme or category – for example, by independent variables (i.e. factors that have an impact on a specific outcome).

As you’ve been collecting and synthesising literature , you’ll likely have started seeing some themes or patterns emerging. You can then use these themes or patterns as a structure for your body discussion. The thematic approach is the most common approach and is useful for structuring literature reviews in most fields.

For example, if you were researching which factors contributed towards people trusting an organisation, you might find themes such as consumers’ perceptions of an organisation’s competence, benevolence and integrity. Structuring your literature review thematically would mean structuring your literature review’s body section to discuss each of these themes, one section at a time.

The thematic structure allows you to organise your literature by theme or category – e.g. by independent variables.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when structuring your literature review by themes:

Are there any patterns that have come to light in the literature?
What are the central themes and categories used by the researchers?
Do I have enough evidence of these themes?

PS – you can see an example of a thematically structured literature review in our literature review sample walkthrough video here.

Option 3: Methodological

The methodological option is a way of structuring your literature review by the research methodologies used . In other words, organising your discussion based on the angle from which each piece of research was approached – for example, qualitative , quantitative or mixed methodologies.

Structuring your literature review by methodology can be useful if you are drawing research from a variety of disciplines and are critiquing different methodologies. The point of this approach is to question how existing research has been conducted, as opposed to what the conclusions and/or findings the research were.

The methodological structure allows you to organise your chapter by the analysis method used - e.g. qual, quant or mixed.

For example, a sociologist might centre their research around critiquing specific fieldwork practices. Their literature review will then be a summary of the fieldwork methodologies used by different studies.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself when structuring your literature review according to methodology:

Which methodologies have been utilised in this field?
Which methodology is the most popular (and why)?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the various methodologies?
How can the existing methodologies inform my own methodology?

3: The Conclusion Section

Once you’ve completed the body section of your literature review using one of the structural approaches we discussed above, you’ll need to “wrap up” your literature review and pull all the pieces together to set the direction for the rest of your dissertation or thesis.

The conclusion is where you’ll present the key findings of your literature review. In this section, you should emphasise the research that is especially important to your research questions and highlight the gaps that exist in the literature. Based on this, you need to make it clear what you will add to the literature – in other words, justify your own research by showing how it will help fill one or more of the gaps you just identified.

Last but not least, if it’s your intention to develop a conceptual framework for your dissertation or thesis, the conclusion section is a good place to present this.

In the conclusion section, you’ll need to present the key findings of your literature review and highlight the gaps that exist in the literature. Based on this, you'll need to make it clear what your study will add to the literature.

Example: Thematically Structured Review

In the video below, we unpack a literature review chapter so that you can see an example of a thematically structure review in practice.

Let’s Recap

In this article, we’ve discussed how to structure your literature review for maximum impact. Here’s a quick recap of what you need to keep in mind when deciding on your literature review structure:

Just like other chapters, your literature review needs a clear introduction , body and conclusion .
The introduction section should provide an overview of what you will discuss in your literature review.
The body section of your literature review can be organised by chronology , theme or methodology . The right structural approach depends on what you’re trying to achieve with your research.
The conclusion section should draw together the key findings of your literature review and link them to your research questions.

If you’re ready to get started, be sure to download our free literature review template to fast-track your chapter outline.

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Literature Review Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

You Might Also Like:

Literature review 101 - how to find articles

27 Comments

Great work. This is exactly what I was looking for and helps a lot together with your previous post on literature review. One last thing is missing: a link to a great literature chapter of an journal article (maybe with comments of the different sections in this review chapter). Do you know any great literature review chapters?

I agree with you Marin… A great piece

I agree with Marin. This would be quite helpful if you annotate a nicely structured literature from previously published research articles.

Awesome article for my research.

I thank you immensely for this wonderful guide

It is indeed thought and supportive work for the futurist researcher and students

Very educative and good time to get guide. Thank you

Great work, very insightful. Thank you.

Thanks for this wonderful presentation. My question is that do I put all the variables into a single conceptual framework or each hypothesis will have it own conceptual framework?

Thank you very much, very helpful

This is very educative and precise . Thank you very much for dropping this kind of write up .

Pheeww, so damn helpful, thank you for this informative piece.

I’m doing a research project topic ; stool analysis for parasitic worm (enteric) worm, how do I structure it, thanks.

comprehensive explanation. Help us by pasting the URL of some good “literature review” for better understanding.

great piece. thanks for the awesome explanation. it is really worth sharing. I have a little question, if anyone can help me out, which of the options in the body of literature can be best fit if you are writing an architectural thesis that deals with design?

I am doing a research on nanofluids how can l structure it?

Beautifully clear.nThank you!

Lucid! Thankyou!

Brilliant work, well understood, many thanks

I like how this was so clear with simple language 😊😊 thank you so much 😊 for these information 😊

Insightful. I was struggling to come up with a sensible literature review but this has been really helpful. Thank you!

You have given thought-provoking information about the review of the literature.

Thank you. It has made my own research better and to impart your work to students I teach

I learnt a lot from this teaching. It’s a great piece.

I am doing research on EFL teacher motivation for his/her job. How Can I structure it? Is there any detailed template, additional to this?

You are so cool! I do not think I’ve read through something like this before. So nice to find somebody with some genuine thoughts on this issue. Seriously.. thank you for starting this up. This site is one thing that is required on the internet, someone with a little originality!

I’m asked to do conceptual, theoretical and empirical literature, and i just don’t know how to structure it

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UConn Library
Literature Review: The What, Why and How-to Guide
Introduction

Literature Review: The What, Why and How-to Guide — Introduction

Getting Started
How to Pick a Topic
Strategies to Find Sources
Evaluating Sources & Lit. Reviews
Tips for Writing Literature Reviews
Writing Literature Review: Useful Sites
Citation Resources
Other Academic Writings

What are Literature Reviews?

So, what is a literature review? "A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. In writing the literature review, your purpose is to convey to your reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. As a piece of writing, the literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g., your research objective, the problem or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of the material available, or a set of summaries." Taylor, D. The literature review: A few tips on conducting it . University of Toronto Health Sciences Writing Centre.

Goals of Literature Reviews

What are the goals of creating a Literature Review? A literature could be written to accomplish different aims:

To develop a theory or evaluate an existing theory
To summarize the historical or existing state of a research topic
Identify a problem in a field of research

Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1997). Writing narrative literature reviews . Review of General Psychology , 1 (3), 311-320.

What kinds of sources require a Literature Review?

A research paper assigned in a course
A thesis or dissertation
A grant proposal
An article intended for publication in a journal

All these instances require you to collect what has been written about your research topic so that you can demonstrate how your own research sheds new light on the topic.

Types of Literature Reviews

What kinds of literature reviews are written?

Narrative review: The purpose of this type of review is to describe the current state of the research on a specific topic/research and to offer a critical analysis of the literature reviewed. Studies are grouped by research/theoretical categories, and themes and trends, strengths and weakness, and gaps are identified. The review ends with a conclusion section which summarizes the findings regarding the state of the research of the specific study, the gaps identify and if applicable, explains how the author's research will address gaps identify in the review and expand the knowledge on the topic reviewed.

Example : Predictors and Outcomes of U.S. Quality Maternity Leave: A Review and Conceptual Framework: 10.1177/08948453211037398

Systematic review : "The authors of a systematic review use a specific procedure to search the research literature, select the studies to include in their review, and critically evaluate the studies they find." (p. 139). Nelson, L. K. (2013). Research in Communication Sciences and Disorders . Plural Publishing.

Example : The effect of leave policies on increasing fertility: a systematic review: 10.1057/s41599-022-01270-w

Meta-analysis : "Meta-analysis is a method of reviewing research findings in a quantitative fashion by transforming the data from individual studies into what is called an effect size and then pooling and analyzing this information. The basic goal in meta-analysis is to explain why different outcomes have occurred in different studies." (p. 197). Roberts, M. C., & Ilardi, S. S. (2003). Handbook of Research Methods in Clinical Psychology . Blackwell Publishing.

Example : Employment Instability and Fertility in Europe: A Meta-Analysis: 10.1215/00703370-9164737

Meta-synthesis : "Qualitative meta-synthesis is a type of qualitative study that uses as data the findings from other qualitative studies linked by the same or related topic." (p.312). Zimmer, L. (2006). Qualitative meta-synthesis: A question of dialoguing with texts . Journal of Advanced Nursing , 53 (3), 311-318.

Example : Women’s perspectives on career successes and barriers: A qualitative meta-synthesis: 10.1177/05390184221113735

Literature Reviews in the Health Sciences

UConn Health subject guide on systematic reviews Explanation of the different review types used in health sciences literature as well as tools to help you find the right review type
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Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Literature Review

Marco pautasso.

1 Centre for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology (CEFE), CNRS, Montpellier, France

2 Centre for Biodiversity Synthesis and Analysis (CESAB), FRB, Aix-en-Provence, France

Literature reviews are in great demand in most scientific fields. Their need stems from the ever-increasing output of scientific publications [1] . For example, compared to 1991, in 2008 three, eight, and forty times more papers were indexed in Web of Science on malaria, obesity, and biodiversity, respectively [2] . Given such mountains of papers, scientists cannot be expected to examine in detail every single new paper relevant to their interests [3] . Thus, it is both advantageous and necessary to rely on regular summaries of the recent literature. Although recognition for scientists mainly comes from primary research, timely literature reviews can lead to new synthetic insights and are often widely read [4] . For such summaries to be useful, however, they need to be compiled in a professional way [5] .

When starting from scratch, reviewing the literature can require a titanic amount of work. That is why researchers who have spent their career working on a certain research issue are in a perfect position to review that literature. Some graduate schools are now offering courses in reviewing the literature, given that most research students start their project by producing an overview of what has already been done on their research issue [6] . However, it is likely that most scientists have not thought in detail about how to approach and carry out a literature review.

Reviewing the literature requires the ability to juggle multiple tasks, from finding and evaluating relevant material to synthesising information from various sources, from critical thinking to paraphrasing, evaluating, and citation skills [7] . In this contribution, I share ten simple rules I learned working on about 25 literature reviews as a PhD and postdoctoral student. Ideas and insights also come from discussions with coauthors and colleagues, as well as feedback from reviewers and editors.

Rule 1: Define a Topic and Audience

How to choose which topic to review? There are so many issues in contemporary science that you could spend a lifetime of attending conferences and reading the literature just pondering what to review. On the one hand, if you take several years to choose, several other people may have had the same idea in the meantime. On the other hand, only a well-considered topic is likely to lead to a brilliant literature review [8] . The topic must at least be:

interesting to you (ideally, you should have come across a series of recent papers related to your line of work that call for a critical summary),
an important aspect of the field (so that many readers will be interested in the review and there will be enough material to write it), and
a well-defined issue (otherwise you could potentially include thousands of publications, which would make the review unhelpful).

Ideas for potential reviews may come from papers providing lists of key research questions to be answered [9] , but also from serendipitous moments during desultory reading and discussions. In addition to choosing your topic, you should also select a target audience. In many cases, the topic (e.g., web services in computational biology) will automatically define an audience (e.g., computational biologists), but that same topic may also be of interest to neighbouring fields (e.g., computer science, biology, etc.).

Rule 2: Search and Re-search the Literature

After having chosen your topic and audience, start by checking the literature and downloading relevant papers. Five pieces of advice here:

keep track of the search items you use (so that your search can be replicated [10] ),
keep a list of papers whose pdfs you cannot access immediately (so as to retrieve them later with alternative strategies),
use a paper management system (e.g., Mendeley, Papers, Qiqqa, Sente),
define early in the process some criteria for exclusion of irrelevant papers (these criteria can then be described in the review to help define its scope), and
do not just look for research papers in the area you wish to review, but also seek previous reviews.

The chances are high that someone will already have published a literature review ( Figure 1 ), if not exactly on the issue you are planning to tackle, at least on a related topic. If there are already a few or several reviews of the literature on your issue, my advice is not to give up, but to carry on with your own literature review,

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The bottom-right situation (many literature reviews but few research papers) is not just a theoretical situation; it applies, for example, to the study of the impacts of climate change on plant diseases, where there appear to be more literature reviews than research studies [33] .

discussing in your review the approaches, limitations, and conclusions of past reviews,
trying to find a new angle that has not been covered adequately in the previous reviews, and
incorporating new material that has inevitably accumulated since their appearance.

When searching the literature for pertinent papers and reviews, the usual rules apply:

be thorough,
use different keywords and database sources (e.g., DBLP, Google Scholar, ISI Proceedings, JSTOR Search, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science), and
look at who has cited past relevant papers and book chapters.

Rule 3: Take Notes While Reading

If you read the papers first, and only afterwards start writing the review, you will need a very good memory to remember who wrote what, and what your impressions and associations were while reading each single paper. My advice is, while reading, to start writing down interesting pieces of information, insights about how to organize the review, and thoughts on what to write. This way, by the time you have read the literature you selected, you will already have a rough draft of the review.

Of course, this draft will still need much rewriting, restructuring, and rethinking to obtain a text with a coherent argument [11] , but you will have avoided the danger posed by staring at a blank document. Be careful when taking notes to use quotation marks if you are provisionally copying verbatim from the literature. It is advisable then to reformulate such quotes with your own words in the final draft. It is important to be careful in noting the references already at this stage, so as to avoid misattributions. Using referencing software from the very beginning of your endeavour will save you time.

Rule 4: Choose the Type of Review You Wish to Write

After having taken notes while reading the literature, you will have a rough idea of the amount of material available for the review. This is probably a good time to decide whether to go for a mini- or a full review. Some journals are now favouring the publication of rather short reviews focusing on the last few years, with a limit on the number of words and citations. A mini-review is not necessarily a minor review: it may well attract more attention from busy readers, although it will inevitably simplify some issues and leave out some relevant material due to space limitations. A full review will have the advantage of more freedom to cover in detail the complexities of a particular scientific development, but may then be left in the pile of the very important papers “to be read” by readers with little time to spare for major monographs.

There is probably a continuum between mini- and full reviews. The same point applies to the dichotomy of descriptive vs. integrative reviews. While descriptive reviews focus on the methodology, findings, and interpretation of each reviewed study, integrative reviews attempt to find common ideas and concepts from the reviewed material [12] . A similar distinction exists between narrative and systematic reviews: while narrative reviews are qualitative, systematic reviews attempt to test a hypothesis based on the published evidence, which is gathered using a predefined protocol to reduce bias [13] , [14] . When systematic reviews analyse quantitative results in a quantitative way, they become meta-analyses. The choice between different review types will have to be made on a case-by-case basis, depending not just on the nature of the material found and the preferences of the target journal(s), but also on the time available to write the review and the number of coauthors [15] .

Rule 5: Keep the Review Focused, but Make It of Broad Interest

Whether your plan is to write a mini- or a full review, it is good advice to keep it focused 16 , 17 . Including material just for the sake of it can easily lead to reviews that are trying to do too many things at once. The need to keep a review focused can be problematic for interdisciplinary reviews, where the aim is to bridge the gap between fields [18] . If you are writing a review on, for example, how epidemiological approaches are used in modelling the spread of ideas, you may be inclined to include material from both parent fields, epidemiology and the study of cultural diffusion. This may be necessary to some extent, but in this case a focused review would only deal in detail with those studies at the interface between epidemiology and the spread of ideas.

While focus is an important feature of a successful review, this requirement has to be balanced with the need to make the review relevant to a broad audience. This square may be circled by discussing the wider implications of the reviewed topic for other disciplines.

Rule 6: Be Critical and Consistent

Reviewing the literature is not stamp collecting. A good review does not just summarize the literature, but discusses it critically, identifies methodological problems, and points out research gaps [19] . After having read a review of the literature, a reader should have a rough idea of:

the major achievements in the reviewed field,
the main areas of debate, and
the outstanding research questions.

It is challenging to achieve a successful review on all these fronts. A solution can be to involve a set of complementary coauthors: some people are excellent at mapping what has been achieved, some others are very good at identifying dark clouds on the horizon, and some have instead a knack at predicting where solutions are going to come from. If your journal club has exactly this sort of team, then you should definitely write a review of the literature! In addition to critical thinking, a literature review needs consistency, for example in the choice of passive vs. active voice and present vs. past tense.

Rule 7: Find a Logical Structure

Like a well-baked cake, a good review has a number of telling features: it is worth the reader's time, timely, systematic, well written, focused, and critical. It also needs a good structure. With reviews, the usual subdivision of research papers into introduction, methods, results, and discussion does not work or is rarely used. However, a general introduction of the context and, toward the end, a recapitulation of the main points covered and take-home messages make sense also in the case of reviews. For systematic reviews, there is a trend towards including information about how the literature was searched (database, keywords, time limits) [20] .

How can you organize the flow of the main body of the review so that the reader will be drawn into and guided through it? It is generally helpful to draw a conceptual scheme of the review, e.g., with mind-mapping techniques. Such diagrams can help recognize a logical way to order and link the various sections of a review [21] . This is the case not just at the writing stage, but also for readers if the diagram is included in the review as a figure. A careful selection of diagrams and figures relevant to the reviewed topic can be very helpful to structure the text too [22] .

Rule 8: Make Use of Feedback

Reviews of the literature are normally peer-reviewed in the same way as research papers, and rightly so [23] . As a rule, incorporating feedback from reviewers greatly helps improve a review draft. Having read the review with a fresh mind, reviewers may spot inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and ambiguities that had not been noticed by the writers due to rereading the typescript too many times. It is however advisable to reread the draft one more time before submission, as a last-minute correction of typos, leaps, and muddled sentences may enable the reviewers to focus on providing advice on the content rather than the form.

Feedback is vital to writing a good review, and should be sought from a variety of colleagues, so as to obtain a diversity of views on the draft. This may lead in some cases to conflicting views on the merits of the paper, and on how to improve it, but such a situation is better than the absence of feedback. A diversity of feedback perspectives on a literature review can help identify where the consensus view stands in the landscape of the current scientific understanding of an issue [24] .

Rule 9: Include Your Own Relevant Research, but Be Objective

In many cases, reviewers of the literature will have published studies relevant to the review they are writing. This could create a conflict of interest: how can reviewers report objectively on their own work [25] ? Some scientists may be overly enthusiastic about what they have published, and thus risk giving too much importance to their own findings in the review. However, bias could also occur in the other direction: some scientists may be unduly dismissive of their own achievements, so that they will tend to downplay their contribution (if any) to a field when reviewing it.

In general, a review of the literature should neither be a public relations brochure nor an exercise in competitive self-denial. If a reviewer is up to the job of producing a well-organized and methodical review, which flows well and provides a service to the readership, then it should be possible to be objective in reviewing one's own relevant findings. In reviews written by multiple authors, this may be achieved by assigning the review of the results of a coauthor to different coauthors.

Rule 10: Be Up-to-Date, but Do Not Forget Older Studies

Given the progressive acceleration in the publication of scientific papers, today's reviews of the literature need awareness not just of the overall direction and achievements of a field of inquiry, but also of the latest studies, so as not to become out-of-date before they have been published. Ideally, a literature review should not identify as a major research gap an issue that has just been addressed in a series of papers in press (the same applies, of course, to older, overlooked studies (“sleeping beauties” [26] )). This implies that literature reviewers would do well to keep an eye on electronic lists of papers in press, given that it can take months before these appear in scientific databases. Some reviews declare that they have scanned the literature up to a certain point in time, but given that peer review can be a rather lengthy process, a full search for newly appeared literature at the revision stage may be worthwhile. Assessing the contribution of papers that have just appeared is particularly challenging, because there is little perspective with which to gauge their significance and impact on further research and society.

Inevitably, new papers on the reviewed topic (including independently written literature reviews) will appear from all quarters after the review has been published, so that there may soon be the need for an updated review. But this is the nature of science [27] – [32] . I wish everybody good luck with writing a review of the literature.

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to M. Barbosa, K. Dehnen-Schmutz, T. Döring, D. Fontaneto, M. Garbelotto, O. Holdenrieder, M. Jeger, D. Lonsdale, A. MacLeod, P. Mills, M. Moslonka-Lefebvre, G. Stancanelli, P. Weisberg, and X. Xu for insights and discussions, and to P. Bourne, T. Matoni, and D. Smith for helpful comments on a previous draft.

Funding Statement

This work was funded by the French Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (FRB) through its Centre for Synthesis and Analysis of Biodiversity data (CESAB), as part of the NETSEED research project. The funders had no role in the preparation of the manuscript.

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What is a Literature Review? How to Write It (with Examples)

A literature review is a critical analysis and synthesis of existing research on a particular topic. It provides an overview of the current state of knowledge, identifies gaps, and highlights key findings in the literature. 1 The purpose of a literature review is to situate your own research within the context of existing scholarship, demonstrating your understanding of the topic and showing how your work contributes to the ongoing conversation in the field. Learning how to write a literature review is a critical tool for successful research. Your ability to summarize and synthesize prior research pertaining to a certain topic demonstrates your grasp on the topic of study, and assists in the learning process.

What is the purpose of literature review?
a. Habitat Loss and Species Extinction:
b. Range Shifts and Phenological Changes:
c. Ocean Acidification and Coral Reefs:
d. Adaptive Strategies and Conservation Efforts:
How to write a good literature review
Choose a Topic and Define the Research Question:
Decide on the Scope of Your Review:
Select Databases for Searches:
Conduct Searches and Keep Track:
Review the Literature:
Organize and Write Your Literature Review:
Frequently asked questions

What is a literature review?

A well-conducted literature review demonstrates the researcher’s familiarity with the existing literature, establishes the context for their own research, and contributes to scholarly conversations on the topic. One of the purposes of a literature review is also to help researchers avoid duplicating previous work and ensure that their research is informed by and builds upon the existing body of knowledge.

What is the purpose of literature review?

A literature review serves several important purposes within academic and research contexts. Here are some key objectives and functions of a literature review: 2

Contextualizing the Research Problem: The literature review provides a background and context for the research problem under investigation. It helps to situate the study within the existing body of knowledge.
Identifying Gaps in Knowledge: By identifying gaps, contradictions, or areas requiring further research, the researcher can shape the research question and justify the significance of the study. This is crucial for ensuring that the new research contributes something novel to the field.
Understanding Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks: Literature reviews help researchers gain an understanding of the theoretical and conceptual frameworks used in previous studies. This aids in the development of a theoretical framework for the current research.
Providing Methodological Insights: Another purpose of literature reviews is that it allows researchers to learn about the methodologies employed in previous studies. This can help in choosing appropriate research methods for the current study and avoiding pitfalls that others may have encountered.
Establishing Credibility: A well-conducted literature review demonstrates the researcher’s familiarity with existing scholarship, establishing their credibility and expertise in the field. It also helps in building a solid foundation for the new research.
Informing Hypotheses or Research Questions: The literature review guides the formulation of hypotheses or research questions by highlighting relevant findings and areas of uncertainty in existing literature.

Literature review example

Let’s delve deeper with a literature review example: Let’s say your literature review is about the impact of climate change on biodiversity. You might format your literature review into sections such as the effects of climate change on habitat loss and species extinction, phenological changes, and marine biodiversity. Each section would then summarize and analyze relevant studies in those areas, highlighting key findings and identifying gaps in the research. The review would conclude by emphasizing the need for further research on specific aspects of the relationship between climate change and biodiversity. The following literature review template provides a glimpse into the recommended literature review structure and content, demonstrating how research findings are organized around specific themes within a broader topic.

Literature Review on Climate Change Impacts on Biodiversity:

Climate change is a global phenomenon with far-reaching consequences, including significant impacts on biodiversity. This literature review synthesizes key findings from various studies:

a. Habitat Loss and Species Extinction:

Climate change-induced alterations in temperature and precipitation patterns contribute to habitat loss, affecting numerous species (Thomas et al., 2004). The review discusses how these changes increase the risk of extinction, particularly for species with specific habitat requirements.

b. Range Shifts and Phenological Changes:

Observations of range shifts and changes in the timing of biological events (phenology) are documented in response to changing climatic conditions (Parmesan & Yohe, 2003). These shifts affect ecosystems and may lead to mismatches between species and their resources.

c. Ocean Acidification and Coral Reefs:

The review explores the impact of climate change on marine biodiversity, emphasizing ocean acidification’s threat to coral reefs (Hoegh-Guldberg et al., 2007). Changes in pH levels negatively affect coral calcification, disrupting the delicate balance of marine ecosystems.

d. Adaptive Strategies and Conservation Efforts:

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the literature review discusses various adaptive strategies adopted by species and conservation efforts aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change on biodiversity (Hannah et al., 2007). It emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches for effective conservation planning.

How to write a good literature review

Writing a literature review involves summarizing and synthesizing existing research on a particular topic. A good literature review format should include the following elements.

Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for your literature review, providing context and introducing the main focus of your review.

Opening Statement: Begin with a general statement about the broader topic and its significance in the field.
Scope and Purpose: Clearly define the scope of your literature review. Explain the specific research question or objective you aim to address.
Organizational Framework: Briefly outline the structure of your literature review, indicating how you will categorize and discuss the existing research.
Significance of the Study: Highlight why your literature review is important and how it contributes to the understanding of the chosen topic.
Thesis Statement: Conclude the introduction with a concise thesis statement that outlines the main argument or perspective you will develop in the body of the literature review.

Body: The body of the literature review is where you provide a comprehensive analysis of existing literature, grouping studies based on themes, methodologies, or other relevant criteria.

Organize by Theme or Concept: Group studies that share common themes, concepts, or methodologies. Discuss each theme or concept in detail, summarizing key findings and identifying gaps or areas of disagreement.
Critical Analysis: Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each study. Discuss the methodologies used, the quality of evidence, and the overall contribution of each work to the understanding of the topic.
Synthesis of Findings: Synthesize the information from different studies to highlight trends, patterns, or areas of consensus in the literature.
Identification of Gaps: Discuss any gaps or limitations in the existing research and explain how your review contributes to filling these gaps.
Transition between Sections: Provide smooth transitions between different themes or concepts to maintain the flow of your literature review.

Conclusion: The conclusion of your literature review should summarize the main findings, highlight the contributions of the review, and suggest avenues for future research.

Summary of Key Findings: Recap the main findings from the literature and restate how they contribute to your research question or objective.
Contributions to the Field: Discuss the overall contribution of your literature review to the existing knowledge in the field.
Implications and Applications: Explore the practical implications of the findings and suggest how they might impact future research or practice.
Recommendations for Future Research: Identify areas that require further investigation and propose potential directions for future research in the field.
Final Thoughts: Conclude with a final reflection on the importance of your literature review and its relevance to the broader academic community.

Conducting a literature review

Conducting a literature review is an essential step in research that involves reviewing and analyzing existing literature on a specific topic. It’s important to know how to do a literature review effectively, so here are the steps to follow: 1

Choose a Topic and Define the Research Question:

Select a topic that is relevant to your field of study.
Clearly define your research question or objective. Determine what specific aspect of the topic do you want to explore?

Decide on the Scope of Your Review:

Determine the timeframe for your literature review. Are you focusing on recent developments, or do you want a historical overview?
Consider the geographical scope. Is your review global, or are you focusing on a specific region?
Define the inclusion and exclusion criteria. What types of sources will you include? Are there specific types of studies or publications you will exclude?

Select Databases for Searches:

Identify relevant databases for your field. Examples include PubMed, IEEE Xplore, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.
Consider searching in library catalogs, institutional repositories, and specialized databases related to your topic.

Conduct Searches and Keep Track:

Develop a systematic search strategy using keywords, Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), and other search techniques.
Record and document your search strategy for transparency and replicability.
Keep track of the articles, including publication details, abstracts, and links. Use citation management tools like EndNote, Zotero, or Mendeley to organize your references.

Review the Literature:

Evaluate the relevance and quality of each source. Consider the methodology, sample size, and results of studies.
Organize the literature by themes or key concepts. Identify patterns, trends, and gaps in the existing research.
Summarize key findings and arguments from each source. Compare and contrast different perspectives.
Identify areas where there is a consensus in the literature and where there are conflicting opinions.
Provide critical analysis and synthesis of the literature. What are the strengths and weaknesses of existing research?

Organize and Write Your Literature Review:

Literature review outline should be based on themes, chronological order, or methodological approaches.
Write a clear and coherent narrative that synthesizes the information gathered.
Use proper citations for each source and ensure consistency in your citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).
Conclude your literature review by summarizing key findings, identifying gaps, and suggesting areas for future research.

The literature review sample and detailed advice on writing and conducting a review will help you produce a well-structured report. But remember that a literature review is an ongoing process, and it may be necessary to revisit and update it as your research progresses.

Frequently asked questions

A literature review is a critical and comprehensive analysis of existing literature (published and unpublished works) on a specific topic or research question and provides a synthesis of the current state of knowledge in a particular field. A well-conducted literature review is crucial for researchers to build upon existing knowledge, avoid duplication of efforts, and contribute to the advancement of their field. It also helps researchers situate their work within a broader context and facilitates the development of a sound theoretical and conceptual framework for their studies.

Literature review is a crucial component of research writing, providing a solid background for a research paper’s investigation. The aim is to keep professionals up to date by providing an understanding of ongoing developments within a specific field, including research methods, and experimental techniques used in that field, and present that knowledge in the form of a written report. Also, the depth and breadth of the literature review emphasizes the credibility of the scholar in his or her field.

Before writing a literature review, it’s essential to undertake several preparatory steps to ensure that your review is well-researched, organized, and focused. This includes choosing a topic of general interest to you and doing exploratory research on that topic, writing an annotated bibliography, and noting major points, especially those that relate to the position you have taken on the topic.

Literature reviews and academic research papers are essential components of scholarly work but serve different purposes within the academic realm. 3 A literature review aims to provide a foundation for understanding the current state of research on a particular topic, identify gaps or controversies, and lay the groundwork for future research. Therefore, it draws heavily from existing academic sources, including books, journal articles, and other scholarly publications. In contrast, an academic research paper aims to present new knowledge, contribute to the academic discourse, and advance the understanding of a specific research question. Therefore, it involves a mix of existing literature (in the introduction and literature review sections) and original data or findings obtained through research methods.

Literature reviews are essential components of academic and research papers, and various strategies can be employed to conduct them effectively. If you want to know how to write a literature review for a research paper, here are four common approaches that are often used by researchers. Chronological Review: This strategy involves organizing the literature based on the chronological order of publication. It helps to trace the development of a topic over time, showing how ideas, theories, and research have evolved. Thematic Review: Thematic reviews focus on identifying and analyzing themes or topics that cut across different studies. Instead of organizing the literature chronologically, it is grouped by key themes or concepts, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of various aspects of the topic. Methodological Review: This strategy involves organizing the literature based on the research methods employed in different studies. It helps to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of various methodologies and allows the reader to evaluate the reliability and validity of the research findings. Theoretical Review: A theoretical review examines the literature based on the theoretical frameworks used in different studies. This approach helps to identify the key theories that have been applied to the topic and assess their contributions to the understanding of the subject. It’s important to note that these strategies are not mutually exclusive, and a literature review may combine elements of more than one approach. The choice of strategy depends on the research question, the nature of the literature available, and the goals of the review. Additionally, other strategies, such as integrative reviews or systematic reviews, may be employed depending on the specific requirements of the research.

The literature review format can vary depending on the specific publication guidelines. However, there are some common elements and structures that are often followed. Here is a general guideline for the format of a literature review: Introduction: Provide an overview of the topic. Define the scope and purpose of the literature review. State the research question or objective. Body: Organize the literature by themes, concepts, or chronology. Critically analyze and evaluate each source. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the studies. Highlight any methodological limitations or biases. Identify patterns, connections, or contradictions in the existing research. Conclusion: Summarize the key points discussed in the literature review. Highlight the research gap. Address the research question or objective stated in the introduction. Highlight the contributions of the review and suggest directions for future research.

Both annotated bibliographies and literature reviews involve the examination of scholarly sources. While annotated bibliographies focus on individual sources with brief annotations, literature reviews provide a more in-depth, integrated, and comprehensive analysis of existing literature on a specific topic. The key differences are as follows:

References

Denney, A. S., & Tewksbury, R. (2013). How to write a literature review.  Journal of criminal justice education ,  24 (2), 218-234.
Pan, M. L. (2016).  Preparing literature reviews: Qualitative and quantitative approaches . Taylor & Francis.
Cantero, C. (2019). How to write a literature review.  San José State University Writing Center .

Paperpal is an AI writing assistant that help academics write better, faster with real-time suggestions for in-depth language and grammar correction. Trained on millions of research manuscripts enhanced by professional academic editors, Paperpal delivers human precision at machine speed.

Try it for free or upgrade to  Paperpal Prime , which unlocks unlimited access to premium features like academic translation, paraphrasing, contextual synonyms, consistency checks and more. It’s like always having a professional academic editor by your side! Go beyond limitations and experience the future of academic writing.  Get Paperpal Prime now at just US$19 a month!

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Review of Related Literature: Format, Example, & How to Make RRL

A review of related literature is a separate paper or a part of an article that collects and synthesizes discussion on a topic. Its purpose is to show the current state of research on the issue and highlight gaps in existing knowledge. A literature review can be included in a research paper or scholarly article, typically following the introduction and before the research methods section.

The picture provides introductory definition of a review of related literature.

This article will clarify the definition, significance, and structure of a review of related literature. You’ll also learn how to organize your literature review and discover ideas for an RRL in different subjects.

🔤 What Is RRL?

❗ Significance of Literature Review
🔎 How to Search for Literature
🧩 Literature Review Structure
📋 Format of RRL — APA, MLA, & Others
✍️ How to Write an RRL
📚 Examples of RRL

🔗 References

A review of related literature (RRL) is a part of the research report that examines significant studies, theories, and concepts published in scholarly sources on a particular topic. An RRL includes 3 main components:

A short overview and critique of the previous research.
Similarities and differences between past studies and the current one.
An explanation of the theoretical frameworks underpinning the research.

❗ Significance of Review of Related Literature

Although the goal of a review of related literature differs depending on the discipline and its intended use, its significance cannot be overstated. Here are some examples of how a review might be beneficial:

It helps determine knowledge gaps .
It saves from duplicating research that has already been conducted.
It provides an overview of various research areas within the discipline.
It demonstrates the researcher’s familiarity with the topic.

🔎 How to Perform a Literature Search

Including a description of your search strategy in the literature review section can significantly increase your grade. You can search sources with the following steps:

🧩 Literature Review Structure Example

The majority of literature reviews follow a standard introduction-body-conclusion structure. Let’s look at the RRL structure in detail.

This image shows the literature review structure.

Introduction of Review of Related Literature: Sample

An introduction should clarify the study topic and the depth of the information to be delivered. It should also explain the types of sources used. If your lit. review is part of a larger research proposal or project, you can combine its introductory paragraph with the introduction of your paper.

Here is a sample introduction to an RRL about cyberbullying:

Bullying has troubled people since the beginning of time. However, with modern technological advancements, especially social media, bullying has evolved into cyberbullying. As a result, nowadays, teenagers and adults cannot flee their bullies, which makes them feel lonely and helpless. This literature review will examine recent studies on cyberbullying.

Sample Review of Related Literature Thesis

A thesis statement should include the central idea of your literature review and the primary supporting elements you discovered in the literature. Thesis statements are typically put at the end of the introductory paragraph.

Look at a sample thesis of a review of related literature:

This literature review shows that scholars have recently covered the issues of bullies’ motivation, the impact of bullying on victims and aggressors, common cyberbullying techniques, and victims’ coping strategies. However, there is still no agreement on the best practices to address cyberbullying.

Literature Review Body Paragraph Example

The main body of a literature review should provide an overview of the existing research on the issue. Body paragraphs should not just summarize each source but analyze them. You can organize your paragraphs with these 3 elements:

Claim . Start with a topic sentence linked to your literature review purpose.
Evidence . Cite relevant information from your chosen sources.
Discussion . Explain how the cited data supports your claim.

Here’s a literature review body paragraph example:

Scholars have examined the link between the aggressor and the victim. Beran et al. (2007) state that students bullied online often become cyberbullies themselves. Faucher et al. (2014) confirm this with their findings: they discovered that male and female students began engaging in cyberbullying after being subject to bullying. Hence, one can conclude that being a victim of bullying increases one’s likelihood of becoming a cyberbully.

Review of Related Literature: Conclusion

A conclusion presents a general consensus on the topic. Depending on your literature review purpose, it might include the following:

Introduction to further research . If you write a literature review as part of a larger research project, you can present your research question in your conclusion .
Overview of theories . You can summarize critical theories and concepts to help your reader understand the topic better.
Discussion of the gap . If you identified a research gap in the reviewed literature, your conclusion could explain why that gap is significant.

Check out a conclusion example that discusses a research gap:

There is extensive research into bullies’ motivation, the consequences of bullying for victims and aggressors, strategies for bullying, and coping with it. Yet, scholars still have not reached a consensus on what to consider the best practices to combat cyberbullying. This question is of great importance because of the significant adverse effects of cyberbullying on victims and bullies.

📋 Format of RRL — APA, MLA, & Others

In this section, we will discuss how to format an RRL according to the most common citation styles: APA, Chicago, MLA, and Harvard.

Writing a literature review using the APA7 style requires the following text formatting:

When using APA in-text citations , include the author’s last name and the year of publication in parentheses.
For direct quotations , you must also add the page number. If you use sources without page numbers, such as websites or e-books, include a paragraph number instead.
When referring to the author’s name in a sentence , you do not need to repeat it at the end of the sentence. Instead, include the year of publication inside the parentheses after their name.
The reference list should be included at the end of your literature review. It is always alphabetized by the last name of the author (from A to Z), and the lines are indented one-half inch from the left margin of your paper. Do not forget to invert authors’ names (the last name should come first) and include the full titles of journals instead of their abbreviations. If you use an online source, add its URL.

The RRL format in the Chicago style is as follows:

Author-date . You place your citations in brackets within the text, indicating the name of the author and the year of publication.
Notes and bibliography . You place your citations in numbered footnotes or endnotes to connect the citation back to the source in the bibliography.
The reference list, or bibliography , in Chicago style, is at the end of a literature review. The sources are arranged alphabetically and single-spaced. Each bibliography entry begins with the author’s name and the source’s title, followed by publication information, such as the city of publication, the publisher, and the year of publication.

Writing a literature review using the MLA style requires the following text formatting:

In the MLA format, you can cite a source in the text by indicating the author’s last name and the page number in parentheses at the end of the citation. If the cited information takes several pages, you need to include all the page numbers.
The reference list in MLA style is titled “ Works Cited .” In this section, all sources used in the paper should be listed in alphabetical order. Each entry should contain the author, title of the source, title of the journal or a larger volume, other contributors, version, number, publisher, and publication date.

The Harvard style requires you to use the following text formatting for your RRL:

In-text citations in the Harvard style include the author’s last name and the year of publication. If you are using a direct quote in your literature review, you need to add the page number as well.
Arrange your list of references alphabetically. Each entry should contain the author’s last name, their initials, the year of publication, the title of the source, and other publication information, like the journal title and issue number or the publisher.

✍️ How to Write Review of Related Literature – Sample

Literature reviews can be organized in many ways depending on what you want to achieve with them. In this section, we will look at 3 examples of how you can write your RRL.

This image shows the organizational patterns of a literature review.

Thematic Literature Review

A thematic literature review is arranged around central themes or issues discussed in the sources. If you have identified some recurring themes in the literature, you can divide your RRL into sections that address various aspects of the topic. For example, if you examine studies on e-learning, you can distinguish such themes as the cost-effectiveness of online learning, the technologies used, and its effectiveness compared to traditional education.

Chronological Literature Review

A chronological literature review is a way to track the development of the topic over time. If you use this method, avoid merely listing and summarizing sources in chronological order. Instead, try to analyze the trends, turning moments, and critical debates that have shaped the field’s path. Also, you can give your interpretation of how and why specific advances occurred.

Methodological Literature Review

A methodological literature review differs from the preceding ones in that it usually doesn’t focus on the sources’ content. Instead, it is concerned with the research methods . So, if your references come from several disciplines or fields employing various research techniques, you can compare the findings and conclusions of different methodologies, for instance:

empirical vs. theoretical studies;
qualitative vs. quantitative research.

📚 Examples of Review of Related Literature and Studies

We have prepared a short example of RRL on climate change for you to see how everything works in practice!

Climate change is one of the most important issues nowadays. Based on a variety of facts, it is now clearer than ever that humans are altering the Earth's climate. The atmosphere and oceans have warmed, causing sea level rise, a significant loss of Arctic ice, and other climate-related changes. This literature review provides a thorough summary of research on climate change, focusing on climate change fingerprints and evidence of human influence on the Earth's climate system.

Physical Mechanisms and Evidence of Human Influence

Scientists are convinced that climate change is directly influenced by the emission of greenhouse gases. They have carefully analyzed various climate data and evidence, concluding that the majority of the observed global warming over the past 50 years cannot be explained by natural factors alone. Instead, there is compelling evidence pointing to a significant contribution of human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases (Walker, 2014). For example, based on simple physics calculations, doubled carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere can lead to a global temperature increase of approximately 1 degree Celsius. (Elderfield, 2022). In order to determine the human influence on climate, scientists still have to analyze a lot of natural changes that affect temperature, precipitation, and other components of climate on timeframes ranging from days to decades and beyond.

Fingerprinting Climate Change

Fingerprinting climate change is a useful tool to identify the causes of global warming because different factors leave unique marks on climate records. This is evident when scientists look beyond overall temperature changes and examine how warming is distributed geographically and over time (Watson, 2022). By investigating these climate patterns, scientists can obtain a more complex understanding of the connections between natural climate variability and climate variability caused by human activity.

Modeling Climate Change and Feedback

To accurately predict the consequences of feedback mechanisms, the rate of warming, and regional climate change, scientists can employ sophisticated mathematical models of the atmosphere, ocean, land, and ice (the cryosphere). These models are grounded in well-established physical laws and incorporate the latest scientific understanding of climate-related processes (Shuckburgh, 2013). Although different climate models produce slightly varying projections for future warming, they all will agree that feedback mechanisms play a significant role in amplifying the initial warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions. (Meehl, 2019).

In conclusion, the literature on global warming indicates that there are well-understood physical processes that link variations in greenhouse gas concentrations to climate change. In addition, it covers the scientific proof that the rates of these gases in the atmosphere have increased and continue to rise fast. According to the sources, the majority of this recent change is almost definitely caused by greenhouse gas emissions produced by human activities. Citizens and governments can alter their energy production methods and consumption patterns to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, thus, the magnitude of climate change. By acting now, society can prevent the worst consequences of climate change and build a more resilient and sustainable future for generations to come.

Have you ever struggled with finding the topic for an RRL in different subjects? Read the following paragraphs to get some ideas!

Nursing Literature Review Example

Many topics in the nursing field require research. For example, you can write a review of literature related to dengue fever . Give a general overview of dengue virus infections, including its clinical symptoms, diagnosis, prevention, and therapy.

Another good idea is to review related literature and studies about teenage pregnancy . This review can describe the effectiveness of specific programs for adolescent mothers and their children and summarize recommendations for preventing early pregnancy.

📝 Check out some more valuable examples below:

Hospital Readmissions: Literature Review .
Literature Review: Lower Sepsis Mortality Rates .
Breast Cancer: Literature Review .
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Literature Review .
PICO for Pressure Ulcers: Literature Review .
COVID-19 Spread Prevention: Literature Review .
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Literature Review .
Hypertension Treatment Adherence: Literature Review .
Neonatal Sepsis Prevention: Literature Review .
Healthcare-Associated Infections: Literature Review .
Understaffing in Nursing: Literature Review .

Psychology Literature Review Example

If you look for an RRL topic in psychology , you can write a review of related literature about stress . Summarize scientific evidence about stress stages, side effects, types, or reduction strategies. Or you can write a review of related literature about computer game addiction . In this case, you may concentrate on the neural mechanisms underlying the internet gaming disorder, compare it to other addictions, or evaluate treatment strategies.

A review of related literature about cyberbullying is another interesting option. You can highlight the impact of cyberbullying on undergraduate students’ academic, social, and emotional development.

📝 Look at the examples that we have prepared for you to come up with some more ideas:

Mindfulness in Counseling: A Literature Review .
Team-Building Across Cultures: Literature Review .
Anxiety and Decision Making: Literature Review .
Literature Review on Depression .
Literature Review on Narcissism .
Effects of Depression Among Adolescents .
Causes and Effects of Anxiety in Children .

Literature Review — Sociology Example

Sociological research poses critical questions about social structures and phenomena. For example, you can write a review of related literature about child labor , exploring cultural beliefs and social norms that normalize the exploitation of children. Or you can create a review of related literature about social media . It can investigate the impact of social media on relationships between adolescents or the role of social networks on immigrants’ acculturation .

📝 You can find some more ideas below!

Single Mothers’ Experiences of Relationships with Their Adolescent Sons .
Teachers and Students’ Gender-Based Interactions .
Gender Identity: Biological Perspective and Social Cognitive Theory .
Gender: Culturally-Prescribed Role or Biological Sex .
The Influence of Opioid Misuse on Academic Achievement of Veteran Students .
The Importance of Ethics in Research .
The Role of Family and Social Network Support in Mental Health .

Education Literature Review Example

For your education studies , you can write a review of related literature about academic performance to determine factors that affect student achievement and highlight research gaps. One more idea is to create a review of related literature on study habits , considering their role in the student’s life and academic outcomes.

You can also evaluate a computerized grading system in a review of related literature to single out its advantages and barriers to implementation. Or you can complete a review of related literature on instructional materials to identify their most common types and effects on student achievement.

📝 Find some inspiration in the examples below:

Literature Review on Online Learning Challenges From COVID-19 .
Education, Leadership, and Management: Literature Review .
Literature Review: Standardized Testing Bias .
Bullying of Disabled Children in School .
Interventions and Letter & Sound Recognition: A Literature Review .
Social-Emotional Skills Program for Preschoolers .
Effectiveness of Educational Leadership Management Skills .

Business Research Literature Review

If you’re a business student, you can focus on customer satisfaction in your review of related literature. Discuss specific customer satisfaction features and how it is affected by service quality and prices. You can also create a theoretical literature review about consumer buying behavior to evaluate theories that have significantly contributed to understanding how consumers make purchasing decisions.

📝 Look at the examples to get more exciting ideas:

Leadership and Communication: Literature Review .
Human Resource Development: Literature Review .
Project Management. Literature Review .
Strategic HRM: A Literature Review .
Customer Relationship Management: Literature Review .
Literature Review on International Financial Reporting Standards .
Cultures of Management: Literature Review .

To conclude, a review of related literature is a significant genre of scholarly works that can be applied in various disciplines and for multiple goals. The sources examined in an RRL provide theoretical frameworks for future studies and help create original research questions and hypotheses.

When you finish your outstanding literature review, don’t forget to check whether it sounds logical and coherent. Our text-to-speech tool can help you with that!

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Steps in Conducting a Literature Review

What is a literature review?

A literature review is an integrated analysis -- not just a summary-- of scholarly writings and other relevant evidence related directly to your research question. That is, it represents a synthesis of the evidence that provides background information on your topic and shows a association between the evidence and your research question.

A literature review may be a stand alone work or the introduction to a larger research paper, depending on the assignment. Rely heavily on the guidelines your instructor has given you.

Why is it important?

A literature review is important because it:

Explains the background of research on a topic.
Demonstrates why a topic is significant to a subject area.
Discovers relationships between research studies/ideas.
Identifies major themes, concepts, and researchers on a topic.
Identifies critical gaps and points of disagreement.
Discusses further research questions that logically come out of the previous studies.

APA7 Style resources

APA Style Blog - for those harder to find answers

1. Choose a topic. Define your research question.

Your literature review should be guided by your central research question. The literature represents background and research developments related to a specific research question, interpreted and analyzed by you in a synthesized way.

Make sure your research question is not too broad or too narrow. Is it manageable?
Begin writing down terms that are related to your question. These will be useful for searches later.
If you have the opportunity, discuss your topic with your professor and your class mates.

2. Decide on the scope of your review

How many studies do you need to look at? How comprehensive should it be? How many years should it cover?

This may depend on your assignment. How many sources does the assignment require?

3. Select the databases you will use to conduct your searches.

Make a list of the databases you will search.

Where to find databases:

use the tabs on this guide
Find other databases in the Nursing Information Resources web page
More on the Medical Library web page
... and more on the Yale University Library web page

4. Conduct your searches to find the evidence. Keep track of your searches.

Use the key words in your question, as well as synonyms for those words, as terms in your search. Use the database tutorials for help.
Save the searches in the databases. This saves time when you want to redo, or modify, the searches. It is also helpful to use as a guide is the searches are not finding any useful results.
Review the abstracts of research studies carefully. This will save you time.
Use the bibliographies and references of research studies you find to locate others.
Check with your professor, or a subject expert in the field, if you are missing any key works in the field.
Ask your librarian for help at any time.
Use a citation manager, such as EndNote as the repository for your citations. See the EndNote tutorials for help.

Review the literature

Some questions to help you analyze the research:

What was the research question of the study you are reviewing? What were the authors trying to discover?
Was the research funded by a source that could influence the findings?
What were the research methodologies? Analyze its literature review, the samples and variables used, the results, and the conclusions.
Does the research seem to be complete? Could it have been conducted more soundly? What further questions does it raise?
If there are conflicting studies, why do you think that is?
How are the authors viewed in the field? Has this study been cited? If so, how has it been analyzed?

Tips:

Review the abstracts carefully.
Keep careful notes so that you may track your thought processes during the research process.
Create a matrix of the studies for easy analysis, and synthesis, across all of the studies.
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How to Make a Literature Review in Research (RRL Example)

What is an RRL in a research paper?

A relevant review of the literature (RRL) is an objective, concise, critical summary of published research literature relevant to a topic being researched in an article. In an RRL, you discuss knowledge and findings from existing literature relevant to your study topic. If there are conflicts or gaps in existing literature, you can also discuss these in your review, as well as how you will confront these missing elements or resolve these issues in your study.

To complete an RRL, you first need to collect relevant literature; this can include online and offline sources. Save all of your applicable resources as you will need to include them in your paper. When looking through these sources, take notes and identify concepts of each source to describe in the review of the literature.

A good RRL does NOT:

A literature review does not simply reference and list all of the material you have cited in your paper.

Presenting material that is not directly relevant to your study will distract and frustrate the reader and make them lose sight of the purpose of your study.
Starting a literature review with “A number of scholars have studied the relationship between X and Y” and simply listing who has studied the topic and what each scholar concluded is not going to strengthen your paper.

A good RRL DOES:

Present a brief typology that orders articles and books into groups to help readers focus on unresolved debates, inconsistencies, tensions, and new questions about a research topic.
Summarize the most relevant and important aspects of the scientific literature related to your area of research
Synthesize what has been done in this area of research and by whom, highlight what previous research indicates about a topic, and identify potential gaps and areas of disagreement in the field
Give the reader an understanding of the background of the field and show which studies are important—and highlight errors in previous studies

How long is a review of the literature for a research paper?

The length of a review of the literature depends on its purpose and target readership and can vary significantly in scope and depth. In a dissertation, thesis, or standalone review of literature, it is usually a full chapter of the text (at least 20 pages). Whereas, a standard research article or school assignment literature review section could only be a few paragraphs in the Introduction section .

Building Your Literature Review Bookshelf

One way to conceive of a literature review is to think about writing it as you would build a bookshelf. You don’t need to cut each piece by yourself from scratch. Rather, you can take the pieces that other researchers have cut out and put them together to build a framework on which to hang your own “books”—that is, your own study methods, results, and conclusions.

What Makes a Good Literature Review?

The contents of a literature review (RRL) are determined by many factors, including its precise purpose in the article, the degree of consensus with a given theory or tension between competing theories, the length of the article, the number of previous studies existing in the given field, etc. The following are some of the most important elements that a literature review provides.

Historical background for your research

Analyze what has been written about your field of research to highlight what is new and significant in your study—or how the analysis itself contributes to the understanding of this field, even in a small way. Providing a historical background also demonstrates to other researchers and journal editors your competency in discussing theoretical concepts. You should also make sure to understand how to paraphrase scientific literature to avoid plagiarism in your work.

The current context of your research

Discuss central (or peripheral) questions, issues, and debates in the field. Because a field is constantly being updated by new work, you can show where your research fits into this context and explain developments and trends in research.

A discussion of relevant theories and concepts

Theories and concepts should provide the foundation for your research. For example, if you are researching the relationship between ecological environments and human populations, provide models and theories that focus on specific aspects of this connection to contextualize your study. If your study asks a question concerning sustainability, mention a theory or model that underpins this concept. If it concerns invasive species, choose material that is focused in this direction.

Definitions of relevant terminology

In the natural sciences, the meaning of terms is relatively straightforward and consistent. But if you present a term that is obscure or context-specific, you should define the meaning of the term in the Introduction section (if you are introducing a study) or in the summary of the literature being reviewed.

Description of related relevant research

Include a description of related research that shows how your work expands or challenges earlier studies or fills in gaps in previous work. You can use your literature review as evidence of what works, what doesn’t, and what is missing in the field.

Supporting evidence for a practical problem or issue your research is addressing that demonstrates its importance: Referencing related research establishes your area of research as reputable and shows you are building upon previous work that other researchers have deemed significant.

Types of Literature Reviews

Literature reviews can differ in structure, length, amount, and breadth of content included. They can range from selective (a very narrow area of research or only a single work) to comprehensive (a larger amount or range of works). They can also be part of a larger work or stand on their own.

A course assignment is an example of a selective, stand-alone work. It focuses on a small segment of the literature on a topic and makes up an entire work on its own.
The literature review in a dissertation or thesis is both comprehensive and helps make up a larger work.
A majority of journal articles start with a selective literature review to provide context for the research reported in the study; such a literature review is usually included in the Introduction section (but it can also follow the presentation of the results in the Discussion section ).
Some literature reviews are both comprehensive and stand as a separate work—in this case, the entire article analyzes the literature on a given topic.

Literature Reviews Found in Academic Journals

The two types of literature reviews commonly found in journals are those introducing research articles (studies and surveys) and stand-alone literature analyses. They can differ in their scope, length, and specific purpose.

Literature reviews introducing research articles

The literature review found at the beginning of a journal article is used to introduce research related to the specific study and is found in the Introduction section, usually near the end. It is shorter than a stand-alone review because it must be limited to very specific studies and theories that are directly relevant to the current study. Its purpose is to set research precedence and provide support for the study’s theory, methods, results, and/or conclusions. Not all research articles contain an explicit review of the literature, but most do, whether it is a discrete section or indistinguishable from the rest of the Introduction.

How to structure a literature review for an article

When writing a literature review as part of an introduction to a study, simply follow the structure of the Introduction and move from the general to the specific—presenting the broadest background information about a topic first and then moving to specific studies that support your rationale , finally leading to your hypothesis statement. Such a literature review is often indistinguishable from the Introduction itself—the literature is INTRODUCING the background and defining the gaps your study aims to fill.

The stand-alone literature review

The literature review published as a stand-alone article presents and analyzes as many of the important publications in an area of study as possible to provide background information and context for a current area of research or a study. Stand-alone reviews are an excellent resource for researchers when they are first searching for the most relevant information on an area of study.

Such literature reviews are generally a bit broader in scope and can extend further back in time. This means that sometimes a scientific literature review can be highly theoretical, in addition to focusing on specific methods and outcomes of previous studies. In addition, all sections of such a “review article” refer to existing literature rather than describing the results of the authors’ own study.

In addition, this type of literature review is usually much longer than the literature review introducing a study. At the end of the review follows a conclusion that once again explicitly ties all of the cited works together to show how this analysis is itself a contribution to the literature. While not absolutely necessary, such articles often include the terms “Literature Review” or “Review of the Literature” in the title. Whether or not that is necessary or appropriate can also depend on the specific author instructions of the target journal. Have a look at this article for more input on how to compile a stand-alone review article that is insightful and helpful for other researchers in your field.

How to Write a Literature Review in 6 Steps

So how do authors turn a network of articles into a coherent review of relevant literature?

Writing a literature review is not usually a linear process—authors often go back and check the literature while reformulating their ideas or making adjustments to their study. Sometimes new findings are published before a study is completed and need to be incorporated into the current work. This also means you will not be writing the literature review at any one time, but constantly working on it before, during, and after your study is complete.

Here are some steps that will help you begin and follow through on your literature review.

Step 1: Choose a topic to write about—focus on and explore this topic.

Choose a topic that you are familiar with and highly interested in analyzing; a topic your intended readers and researchers will find interesting and useful; and a topic that is current, well-established in the field, and about which there has been sufficient research conducted for a review. This will help you find the “sweet spot” for what to focus on.

Step 2: Research and collect all the scholarly information on the topic that might be pertinent to your study.

This includes scholarly articles, books, conventions, conferences, dissertations, and theses—these and any other academic work related to your area of study is called “the literature.”

Step 3: Analyze the network of information that extends or responds to the major works in your area; select the material that is most useful.

Use thought maps and charts to identify intersections in the research and to outline important categories; select the material that will be most useful to your review.

Step 4: Describe and summarize each article—provide the essential information of the article that pertains to your study.

Determine 2-3 important concepts (depending on the length of your article) that are discussed in the literature; take notes about all of the important aspects of this study relevant to the topic being reviewed.

For example, in a given study, perhaps some of the main concepts are X, Y, and Z. Note these concepts and then write a brief summary about how the article incorporates them. In reviews that introduce a study, these can be relatively short. In stand-alone reviews, there may be significantly more texts and more concepts.

Step 5: Demonstrate how these concepts in the literature relate to what you discovered in your study or how the literature connects the concepts or topics being discussed.

In a literature review intro for an article, this information might include a summary of the results or methods of previous studies that correspond to and/or confirm those sections in your own study. For a stand-alone literature review, this may mean highlighting the concepts in each article and showing how they strengthen a hypothesis or show a pattern.

Discuss unaddressed issues in previous studies. These studies that are missing something you address are important to include in your literature review. In addition, those works whose theories and conclusions directly support your findings will be valuable to review here.

Step 6: Identify relationships in the literature and develop and connect your own ideas to them.

This is essentially the same as step 5 but focused on the connections between the literature and the current study or guiding concepts or arguments of the paper, not only on the connections between the works themselves.

Your hypothesis, argument, or guiding concept is the “golden thread” that will ultimately tie the works together and provide readers with specific insights they didn’t have before reading your literature review. Make sure you know where to put the research question , hypothesis, or statement of the problem in your research paper so that you guide your readers logically and naturally from your introduction of earlier work and evidence to the conclusions you want them to draw from the bigger picture.

Your literature review will not only cover publications on your topics but will include your own ideas and contributions. By following these steps you will be telling the specific story that sets the background and shows the significance of your research and you can turn a network of related works into a focused review of the literature.

Literature Review (RRL) Examples

Because creating sample literature reviews would take too long and not properly capture the nuances and detailed information needed for a good review, we have included some links to different types of literature reviews below. You can find links to more literature reviews in these categories by visiting the TUS Library’s website . Sample literature reviews as part of an article, dissertation, or thesis:

Critical Thinking and Transferability: A Review of the Literature (Gwendolyn Reece)
Building Customer Loyalty: A Customer Experience Based Approach in a Tourism Context (Martina Donnelly)

Sample stand-alone literature reviews

Literature Review on Attitudes towards Disability (National Disability Authority)
The Effects of Communication Styles on Marital Satisfaction (Hannah Yager)

Additional Literature Review Format Guidelines

In addition to the content guidelines above, authors also need to check which style guidelines to use ( APA , Chicago, MLA, etc.) and what specific rules the target journal might have for how to structure such articles or how many studies to include—such information can usually be found on the journals’ “Guide for Authors” pages. Additionally, use one of the four Wordvice citation generators below, choosing the citation style needed for your paper:

Wordvice Writing and Academic Editing Resources

Finally, after you have finished drafting your literature review, be sure to receive professional proofreading services , including paper editing for your academic work. A competent proofreader who understands academic writing conventions and the specific style guides used by academic journals will ensure that your paper is ready for publication in your target journal.

See our academic resources for further advice on references in your paper , how to write an abstract , how to write a research paper title, how to impress the editor of your target journal with a perfect cover letter , and dozens of other research writing and publication topics.

How to write a literature review introduction (+ examples)

The introduction to a literature review serves as your reader’s guide through your academic work and thought process. Explore the significance of literature review introductions in review papers, academic papers, essays, theses, and dissertations. We delve into the purpose and necessity of these introductions, explore the essential components of literature review introductions, and provide step-by-step guidance on how to craft your own, along with examples.

Why you need an introduction for a literature review

When you need an introduction for a literature review, what to include in a literature review introduction, examples of literature review introductions, steps to write your own literature review introduction.

A literature review is a comprehensive examination of the international academic literature concerning a particular topic. It involves summarizing published works, theories, and concepts while also highlighting gaps and offering critical reflections.

In academic writing , the introduction for a literature review is an indispensable component. Effective academic writing requires proper paragraph structuring to guide your reader through your argumentation. This includes providing an introduction to your literature review.

It is imperative to remember that you should never start sharing your findings abruptly. Even if there isn’t a dedicated introduction section .

Instead, you should always offer some form of introduction to orient the reader and clarify what they can expect.

There are three main scenarios in which you need an introduction for a literature review:

Academic literature review papers: When your literature review constitutes the entirety of an academic review paper, a more substantial introduction is necessary. This introduction should resemble the standard introduction found in regular academic papers.
Literature review section in an academic paper or essay: While this section tends to be brief, it’s important to precede the detailed literature review with a few introductory sentences. This helps orient the reader before delving into the literature itself.
Literature review chapter or section in your thesis/dissertation: Every thesis and dissertation includes a literature review component, which also requires a concise introduction to set the stage for the subsequent review.

You may also like: How to write a fantastic thesis introduction (+15 examples)

It is crucial to customize the content and depth of your literature review introduction according to the specific format of your academic work.

In practical terms, this implies, for instance, that the introduction in an academic literature review paper, especially one derived from a systematic literature review , is quite comprehensive. Particularly compared to the rather brief one or two introductory sentences that are often found at the beginning of a literature review section in a standard academic paper. The introduction to the literature review chapter in a thesis or dissertation again adheres to different standards.

Here’s a structured breakdown based on length and the necessary information:

Academic literature review paper

The introduction of an academic literature review paper, which does not rely on empirical data, often necessitates a more extensive introduction than the brief literature review introductions typically found in empirical papers. It should encompass:

The research problem: Clearly articulate the problem or question that your literature review aims to address.
The research gap: Highlight the existing gaps, limitations, or unresolved aspects within the current body of literature related to the research problem.
The research relevance: Explain why the chosen research problem and its subsequent investigation through a literature review are significant and relevant in your academic field.
The literature review method: If applicable, describe the methodology employed in your literature review, especially if it is a systematic review or follows a specific research framework.
The main findings or insights of the literature review: Summarize the key discoveries, insights, or trends that have emerged from your comprehensive review of the literature.
The main argument of the literature review: Conclude the introduction by outlining the primary argument or statement that your literature review will substantiate, linking it to the research problem and relevance you’ve established.
Preview of the literature review’s structure: Offer a glimpse into the organization of the literature review paper, acting as a guide for the reader. This overview outlines the subsequent sections of the paper and provides an understanding of what to anticipate.

By addressing these elements, your introduction will provide a clear and structured overview of what readers can expect in your literature review paper.

Regular literature review section in an academic article or essay

Most academic articles or essays incorporate regular literature review sections, often placed after the introduction. These sections serve to establish a scholarly basis for the research or discussion within the paper.

In a standard 8000-word journal article, the literature review section typically spans between 750 and 1250 words. The first few sentences or the first paragraph within this section often serve as an introduction. It should encompass:

An introduction to the topic: When delving into the academic literature on a specific topic, it’s important to provide a smooth transition that aids the reader in comprehending why certain aspects will be discussed within your literature review.
The core argument: While literature review sections primarily synthesize the work of other scholars, they should consistently connect to your central argument. This central argument serves as the crux of your message or the key takeaway you want your readers to retain. By positioning it at the outset of the literature review section and systematically substantiating it with evidence, you not only enhance reader comprehension but also elevate overall readability. This primary argument can typically be distilled into 1-2 succinct sentences.

In some cases, you might include:

Methodology: Details about the methodology used, but only if your literature review employed a specialized method. If your approach involved a broader overview without a systematic methodology, you can omit this section, thereby conserving word count.

By addressing these elements, your introduction will effectively integrate your literature review into the broader context of your academic paper or essay. This will, in turn, assist your reader in seamlessly following your overarching line of argumentation.

Introduction to a literature review chapter in thesis or dissertation

The literature review typically constitutes a distinct chapter within a thesis or dissertation. Often, it is Chapter 2 of a thesis or dissertation.

Some students choose to incorporate a brief introductory section at the beginning of each chapter, including the literature review chapter. Alternatively, others opt to seamlessly integrate the introduction into the initial sentences of the literature review itself. Both approaches are acceptable, provided that you incorporate the following elements:

Purpose of the literature review and its relevance to the thesis/dissertation research: Explain the broader objectives of the literature review within the context of your research and how it contributes to your thesis or dissertation. Essentially, you’re telling the reader why this literature review is important and how it fits into the larger scope of your academic work.
Primary argument: Succinctly communicate what you aim to prove, explain, or explore through the review of existing literature. This statement helps guide the reader’s understanding of the review’s purpose and what to expect from it.
Preview of the literature review’s content: Provide a brief overview of the topics or themes that your literature review will cover. It’s like a roadmap for the reader, outlining the main areas of focus within the review. This preview can help the reader anticipate the structure and organization of your literature review.
Methodology: If your literature review involved a specific research method, such as a systematic review or meta-analysis, you should briefly describe that methodology. However, this is not always necessary, especially if your literature review is more of a narrative synthesis without a distinct research method.

By addressing these elements, your introduction will empower your literature review to play a pivotal role in your thesis or dissertation research. It will accomplish this by integrating your research into the broader academic literature and providing a solid theoretical foundation for your work.

Comprehending the art of crafting your own literature review introduction becomes significantly more accessible when you have concrete examples to examine. Here, you will find several examples that meet, or in most cases, adhere to the criteria described earlier.

Example 1: An effective introduction for an academic literature review paper

To begin, let’s delve into the introduction of an academic literature review paper. We will examine the paper “How does culture influence innovation? A systematic literature review”, which was published in 2018 in the journal Management Decision.

The entire introduction spans 611 words and is divided into five paragraphs. In this introduction, the authors accomplish the following:

In the first paragraph, the authors introduce the broader topic of the literature review, which focuses on innovation and its significance in the context of economic competition. They underscore the importance of this topic, highlighting its relevance for both researchers and policymakers.
In the second paragraph, the authors narrow down their focus to emphasize the specific role of culture in relation to innovation.
In the third paragraph, the authors identify research gaps, noting that existing studies are often fragmented and disconnected. They then emphasize the value of conducting a systematic literature review to enhance our understanding of the topic.
In the fourth paragraph, the authors introduce their specific objectives and explain how their insights can benefit other researchers and business practitioners.
In the fifth and final paragraph, the authors provide an overview of the paper’s organization and structure.

In summary, this introduction stands as a solid example. While the authors deviate from previewing their key findings (which is a common practice at least in the social sciences), they do effectively cover all the other previously mentioned points.

Example 2: An effective introduction to a literature review section in an academic paper

The second example represents a typical academic paper, encompassing not only a literature review section but also empirical data, a case study, and other elements. We will closely examine the introduction to the literature review section in the paper “The environmentalism of the subalterns: a case study of environmental activism in Eastern Kurdistan/Rojhelat”, which was published in 2021 in the journal Local Environment.

The paper begins with a general introduction and then proceeds to the literature review, designated by the authors as their conceptual framework. Of particular interest is the first paragraph of this conceptual framework, comprising 142 words across five sentences:

“ A peripheral and marginalised nationality within a multinational though-Persian dominated Iranian society, the Kurdish people of Iranian Kurdistan (a region referred by the Kurds as Rojhelat/Eastern Kurdi-stan) have since the early twentieth century been subject to multifaceted and systematic discriminatory and exclusionary state policy in Iran. This condition has left a population of 12–15 million Kurds in Iran suffering from structural inequalities, disenfranchisement and deprivation. Mismanagement of Kurdistan’s natural resources and the degradation of its natural environmental are among examples of this disenfranchisement. As asserted by Julian Agyeman (2005), structural inequalities that sustain the domination of political and economic elites often simultaneously result in environmental degradation, injustice and discrimination against subaltern communities. This study argues that the environmental struggle in Eastern Kurdistan can be asserted as a (sub)element of the Kurdish liberation movement in Iran. Conceptually this research is inspired by and has been conducted through the lens of ‘subalternity’ ” ( Hassaniyan, 2021, p. 931 ).

In this first paragraph, the author is doing the following:

The author contextualises the research
The author links the research focus to the international literature on structural inequalities
The author clearly presents the argument of the research
The author clarifies how the research is inspired by and uses the concept of ‘subalternity’.

Thus, the author successfully introduces the literature review, from which point onward it dives into the main concept (‘subalternity’) of the research, and reviews the literature on socio-economic justice and environmental degradation.

While introductions to a literature review section aren’t always required to offer the same level of study context detail as demonstrated here, this introduction serves as a commendable model for orienting the reader within the literature review. It effectively underscores the literature review’s significance within the context of the study being conducted.

Examples 3-5: Effective introductions to literature review chapters

The introduction to a literature review chapter can vary in length, depending largely on the overall length of the literature review chapter itself. For example, a master’s thesis typically features a more concise literature review, thus necessitating a shorter introduction. In contrast, a Ph.D. thesis, with its more extensive literature review, often includes a more detailed introduction.

Numerous universities offer online repositories where you can access theses and dissertations from previous years, serving as valuable sources of reference. Many of these repositories, however, may require you to log in through your university account. Nevertheless, a few open-access repositories are accessible to anyone, such as the one by the University of Manchester . It’s important to note though that copyright restrictions apply to these resources, just as they would with published papers.

Master’s thesis literature review introduction

The first example is “Benchmarking Asymmetrical Heating Models of Spider Pulsar Companions” by P. Sun, a master’s thesis completed at the University of Manchester on January 9, 2024. The author, P. Sun, introduces the literature review chapter very briefly but effectively:

PhD thesis literature review chapter introduction

The second example is Deep Learning on Semi-Structured Data and its Applications to Video-Game AI, Woof, W. (Author). 31 Dec 2020, a PhD thesis completed at the University of Manchester . In Chapter 2, the author offers a comprehensive introduction to the topic in four paragraphs, with the final paragraph serving as an overview of the chapter’s structure:

PhD thesis literature review introduction

The last example is the doctoral thesis Metacognitive strategies and beliefs: Child correlates and early experiences Chan, K. Y. M. (Author). 31 Dec 2020 . The author clearly conducted a systematic literature review, commencing the review section with a discussion of the methodology and approach employed in locating and analyzing the selected records.

Having absorbed all of this information, let’s recap the essential steps and offer a succinct guide on how to proceed with creating your literature review introduction:

Contextualize your review : Begin by clearly identifying the academic context in which your literature review resides and determining the necessary information to include.
Outline your structure : Develop a structured outline for your literature review, highlighting the essential information you plan to incorporate in your introduction.
Literature review process : Conduct a rigorous literature review, reviewing and analyzing relevant sources.
Summarize and abstract : After completing the review, synthesize the findings and abstract key insights, trends, and knowledge gaps from the literature.
Craft the introduction : Write your literature review introduction with meticulous attention to the seamless integration of your review into the larger context of your work. Ensure that your introduction effectively elucidates your rationale for the chosen review topics and the underlying reasons guiding your selection.

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