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How Long Should a Literature Review Be?

How Long Should a Literature Review Be?

4-minute read

  • 7th October 2023

If you’re writing a research paper or dissertation , then you know how important it is to include a thorough, comprehensive literature review. But exactly how long should your literature review be in relation to the rest of your work? While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to that question, there are some factors that will help determine the length of your review. In this post, we’ll discuss what information to include in your literature review and how long it should be.

Keep reading to learn more.

What Is a Literature Review?

A literature review is a critical summary and evaluation of the current resources (e.g., books and journal articles) on a specific topic or research question. It is a crucial part of academic writing, such as dissertations, in all categories and fields. Essentially, literature reviews help contextualize your investigations and show how your work is building on existing research.

No matter how long your literature review is, it should generally:

●  Establish context for your research (i.e., provide relevant background information so your reader understands the historical significance of your study ).

●  Identify gaps in the existing literature (such as unaddressed questions or aspects of your topic).

●  Highlight significant concepts related to your topic.

●  Cite relevant studies.

●  Support your argument.

It’s also essential that a literature review critically analyze the sources cited in your study, considering factors such as sample size, research design, and potential biases. Be sure to structure your literature review using the same referencing style as the rest of your research paper (e.g., APA , Chicago , MLA ).

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The length of your literature review depends on several factors, including the scope and purpose of your research. In general, the length of the review should be proportionate to your overall paper. For example, if you’re writing a fifty-thousand-word dissertation, then your literature review will likely be an entire chapter comprising about 20 pages. If it’s for a 15-page research paper, your literature review may only be a few pages.

Here are several factors that could affect the length of your literature review:

●  Institutional guidelines : Always check the guidelines provided by your institution or journal (such as an APA journal ). There may be a specific length or word count required for publication.

●  Scope : If your research topic is narrow and focused, your literature review may be shorter. Conversely, if your topic is broad and encompasses a large body of literature, your review may need to be longer.

●  Field of study : Different academic fields may have different expectations regarding the length of literature reviews. For example, literature reviews in the humanities might be longer than those in the natural sciences.

Also, consider your audience. If your literature review is for a general audience or a class assignment, it can probably be shorter and less specialized. However, if it’s for an academic audience in your field of study, you may need to be more thorough and provide an extensive review of the existing literature.

Most literature reviews follow the same basic structure of an introduction, body, and conclusion. Most of the time, they are part of a larger work, so the introduction and conclusion paragraphs will be relatively brief.

However, if the review is a standalone piece, then your introduction and conclusion will be longer since you will need to discuss your research objectives, methods, and findings as well as analyze the literature used in your study.

To ensure your literature review makes an impression, have it professionally proofread by our expert literature review editing services . Submit your free sample of 500 words or less to get started today!

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How To Write A Literature Review - A Complete Guide

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Table of Contents

A literature review is much more than just another section in your research paper. It forms the very foundation of your research. It is a formal piece of writing where you analyze the existing theoretical framework, principles, and assumptions and use that as a base to shape your approach to the research question.

Curating and drafting a solid literature review section not only lends more credibility to your research paper but also makes your research tighter and better focused. But, writing literature reviews is a difficult task. It requires extensive reading, plus you have to consider market trends and technological and political changes, which tend to change in the blink of an eye.

Now streamline your literature review process with the help of SciSpace Copilot. With this AI research assistant, you can efficiently synthesize and analyze a vast amount of information, identify key themes and trends, and uncover gaps in the existing research. Get real-time explanations, summaries, and answers to your questions for the paper you're reviewing, making navigating and understanding the complex literature landscape easier.

Perform Literature reviews using SciSpace Copilot

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore everything from the definition of a literature review, its appropriate length, various types of literature reviews, and how to write one.

What is a literature review?

A literature review is a collation of survey, research, critical evaluation, and assessment of the existing literature in a preferred domain.

Eminent researcher and academic Arlene Fink, in her book Conducting Research Literature Reviews , defines it as the following:

“A literature review surveys 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 explored while researching a particular topic, and to demonstrate to your readers how your research fits within a larger field of study.”

Simply put, a literature review can be defined as a critical discussion of relevant pre-existing research around your research question and carving out a definitive place for your study in the existing body of knowledge. Literature reviews can be presented in multiple ways: a section of an article, the whole research paper itself, or a chapter of your thesis.

A literature review paper

A literature review does function as a summary of sources, but it also allows you to analyze further, interpret, and examine the stated theories, methods, viewpoints, and, of course, the gaps in the existing content.

As an author, you can discuss and interpret the research question and its various aspects and debate your adopted methods to support the claim.

What is the purpose of a literature review?

A literature review is meant to help your readers understand the relevance of your research question and where it fits within the existing body of knowledge. As a researcher, you should use it to set the context, build your argument, and establish the need for your study.

What is the importance of a literature review?

The literature review is a critical part of research papers because it helps you:

  • Gain an in-depth understanding of your research question and the surrounding area
  • Convey that you have a thorough understanding of your research area and are up-to-date with the latest changes and advancements
  • Establish how your research is connected or builds on the existing body of knowledge and how it could contribute to further research
  • Elaborate on the validity and suitability of your theoretical framework and research methodology
  • Identify and highlight gaps and shortcomings in the existing body of knowledge and how things need to change
  • Convey to readers how your study is different or how it contributes to the research area

How long should a literature review be?

Ideally, the literature review should take up 15%-40% of the total length of your manuscript. So, if you have a 10,000-word research paper, the minimum word count could be 1500.

Your literature review format depends heavily on the kind of manuscript you are writing — an entire chapter in case of doctoral theses, a part of the introductory section in a research article, to a full-fledged review article that examines the previously published research on a topic.

Another determining factor is the type of research you are doing. The literature review section tends to be longer for secondary research projects than primary research projects.

What are the different types of literature reviews?

All literature reviews are not the same. There are a variety of possible approaches that you can take. It all depends on the type of research you are pursuing.

Here are the different types of literature reviews:

Argumentative review

It is called an argumentative review when you carefully present literature that only supports or counters a specific argument or premise to establish a viewpoint.

Integrative review

It is a type of literature review focused on building a comprehensive understanding of a topic by combining available theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence.

Methodological review

This approach delves into the ''how'' and the ''what" of the research question —  you cannot look at the outcome in isolation; you should also review the methodology used.

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 collect, report, and analyze data from the studies included in the review.

Meta-analysis review

Meta-analysis uses statistical methods to summarize the results of independent studies. By combining information from all relevant studies, meta-analysis can provide more precise estimates of the effects than those derived from the individual studies included within a review.

Historical review

Historical literature reviews focus on examining research throughout a period, often starting with the first time an issue, concept, theory, or phenomenon 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 identify future research's likely directions.

Theoretical Review

This form aims to examine the corpus of theory accumulated regarding an issue, concept, theory, and phenomenon. The theoretical literature review helps to establish what theories exist, the relationships between them, the degree the existing approaches have been investigated, and to develop new hypotheses to be tested.

Scoping Review

The Scoping Review is often used at the beginning of an article, dissertation, or research proposal. It is conducted before the research to highlight gaps in the existing body of knowledge and explains why the project should be greenlit.

State-of-the-Art Review

The State-of-the-Art review is conducted periodically, focusing on the most recent research. It describes what is currently known, understood, or agreed upon regarding the research topic and highlights where there are still disagreements.

Can you use the first person in a literature review?

When writing literature reviews, you should avoid the usage of first-person pronouns. It means that instead of "I argue that" or "we argue that," the appropriate expression would be "this research paper argues that."

Do you need an abstract for a literature review?

Ideally, yes. It is always good to have a condensed summary that is self-contained and independent of the rest of your review. As for how to draft one, you can follow the same fundamental idea when preparing an abstract for a literature review. It should also include:

  • The research topic and your motivation behind selecting it
  • A one-sentence thesis statement
  • An explanation of the kinds of literature featured in the review
  • Summary of what you've learned
  • Conclusions you drew from the literature you reviewed
  • Potential implications and future scope for research

Here's an example of the abstract of a literature review

Abstract-of-a-literature-review

Is a literature review written in the past tense?

Yes, the literature review should ideally be written in the past tense. You should not use the present or future tense when writing one. The exceptions are when you have statements describing events that happened earlier than the literature you are reviewing or events that are currently occurring; then, you can use the past perfect or present perfect tenses.

How many sources for a literature review?

There are multiple approaches to deciding how many sources to include in a literature review section. The first approach would be to look level you are at as a researcher. For instance, a doctoral thesis might need 60+ sources. In contrast, you might only need to refer to 5-15 sources at the undergraduate level.

The second approach is based on the kind of literature review you are doing — whether it is merely a chapter of your paper or if it is a self-contained paper in itself. When it is just a chapter, sources should equal the total number of pages in your article's body. In the second scenario, you need at least three times as many sources as there are pages in your work.

Quick tips on how to write a literature review

To know how to write a literature review, you must clearly understand its impact and role in establishing your work as substantive research material.

You need to follow the below-mentioned steps, to write a literature review:

  • Outline the purpose behind the literature review
  • Search relevant literature
  • Examine and assess the relevant resources
  • Discover connections by drawing deep insights from the resources
  • Structure planning to write a good literature review

1. Outline and identify the purpose of  a literature review

As a first step on how to write a literature review, you must know what the research question or topic is and what shape you want your literature review to take. Ensure you understand the research topic inside out, or else seek clarifications. You must be able to the answer below questions before you start:

  • How many sources do I need to include?
  • What kind of sources should I analyze?
  • How much should I critically evaluate each source?
  • Should I summarize, synthesize or offer a critique of the sources?
  • Do I need to include any background information or definitions?

Additionally, you should know that the narrower your research topic is, the swifter it will be for you to restrict the number of sources to be analyzed.

2. Search relevant literature

Dig deeper into search engines to discover what has already been published around your chosen topic. Make sure you thoroughly go through appropriate reference sources like books, reports, journal articles, government docs, and web-based resources.

You must prepare a list of keywords and their different variations. You can start your search from any library’s catalog, provided you are an active member of that institution. The exact keywords can be extended to widen your research over other databases and academic search engines like:

  • Google Scholar
  • Microsoft Academic
  • Science.gov

Besides, it is not advisable to go through every resource word by word. Alternatively, what you can do is you can start by reading the abstract and then decide whether that source is relevant to your research or not.

Additionally, you must spend surplus time assessing the quality and relevance of resources. It would help if you tried preparing a list of citations to ensure that there lies no repetition of authors, publications, or articles in the literature review.

3. Examine and assess the sources

It is nearly impossible for you to go through every detail in the research article. So rather than trying to fetch every detail, you have to analyze and decide which research sources resemble closest and appear relevant to your chosen domain.

While analyzing the sources, you should look to find out answers to questions like:

  • What question or problem has the author been describing and debating?
  • What is the definition of critical aspects?
  • How well the theories, approach, and methodology have been explained?
  • Whether the research theory used some conventional or new innovative approach?
  • How relevant are the key findings of the work?
  • In what ways does it relate to other sources on the same topic?
  • What challenges does this research paper pose to the existing theory
  • What are the possible contributions or benefits it adds to the subject domain?

Be always mindful that you refer only to credible and authentic resources. It would be best if you always take references from different publications to validate your theory.

Always keep track of important information or data you can present in your literature review right from the beginning. It will help steer your path from any threats of plagiarism and also make it easier to curate an annotated bibliography or reference section.

4. Discover connections

At this stage, you must start deciding on the argument and structure of your literature review. To accomplish this, you must discover and identify the relations and connections between various resources while drafting your abstract.

A few aspects that you should be aware of while writing a literature review include:

  • Rise to prominence: Theories and methods that have gained reputation and supporters over time.
  • Constant scrutiny: Concepts or theories that repeatedly went under examination.
  • Contradictions and conflicts: Theories, both the supporting and the contradictory ones, for the research topic.
  • Knowledge gaps: What exactly does it fail to address, and how to bridge them with further research?
  • Influential resources: Significant research projects available that have been upheld as milestones or perhaps, something that can modify the current trends

Once you join the dots between various past research works, it will be easier for you to draw a conclusion and identify your contribution to the existing knowledge base.

5. Structure planning to write a good literature review

There exist different ways towards planning and executing the structure of a literature review. The format of a literature review varies and depends upon the length of the research.

Like any other research paper, the literature review format must contain three sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. The goals and objectives of the research question determine what goes inside these three sections.

Nevertheless, a good literature review can be structured according to the chronological, thematic, methodological, or theoretical framework approach.

Literature review samples

1. Standalone

Standalone-Literature-Review

2. As a section of a research paper

Literature-review-as-a-section-of-a-research-paper

How SciSpace Discover makes literature review a breeze?

SciSpace Discover is a one-stop solution to do an effective literature search and get barrier-free access to scientific knowledge. It is an excellent repository where you can find millions of only peer-reviewed articles and full-text PDF files. Here’s more on how you can use it:

Find the right information

Find-the-right-information-using-SciSpace

Find what you want quickly and easily with comprehensive search filters that let you narrow down papers according to PDF availability, year of publishing, document type, and affiliated institution. Moreover, you can sort the results based on the publishing date, citation count, and relevance.

Assess credibility of papers quickly

Assess-credibility-of-papers-quickly-using-SciSpace

When doing the literature review, it is critical to establish the quality of your sources. They form the foundation of your research. SciSpace Discover helps you assess the quality of a source by providing an overview of its references, citations, and performance metrics.

Get the complete picture in no time

SciSpace's-personalized-informtion-engine

SciSpace Discover’s personalized suggestion engine helps you stay on course and get the complete picture of the topic from one place. Every time you visit an article page, it provides you links to related papers. Besides that, it helps you understand what’s trending, who are the top authors, and who are the leading publishers on a topic.

Make referring sources super easy

Make-referring-pages-super-easy-with-SciSpace

To ensure you don't lose track of your sources, you must start noting down your references when doing the literature review. SciSpace Discover makes this step effortless. Click the 'cite' button on an article page, and you will receive preloaded citation text in multiple styles — all you've to do is copy-paste it into your manuscript.

Final tips on how to write a literature review

A massive chunk of time and effort is required to write a good literature review. But, if you go about it systematically, you'll be able to save a ton of time and build a solid foundation for your research.

We hope this guide has helped you answer several key questions you have about writing literature reviews.

Would you like to explore SciSpace Discover and kick off your literature search right away? You can get started here .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. how to start a literature review.

• What questions do you want to answer?

• What sources do you need to answer these questions?

• What information do these sources contain?

• How can you use this information to answer your questions?

2. What to include in a literature review?

• A brief background of the problem or issue

• What has previously been done to address the problem or issue

• A description of what you will do in your project

• How this study will contribute to research on the subject

3. Why literature review is important?

The literature review is an important part of any research project because it allows the writer to look at previous studies on a topic and determine existing gaps in the literature, as well as what has already been done. It will also help them to choose the most appropriate method for their own study.

4. How to cite a literature review in APA format?

To cite a literature review in APA style, you need to provide the author's name, the title of the article, and the year of publication. For example: Patel, A. B., & Stokes, G. S. (2012). The relationship between personality and intelligence: A meta-analysis of longitudinal research. Personality and Individual Differences, 53(1), 16-21

5. What are the components of a literature review?

• A brief introduction to the topic, including its background and context. The introduction should also include a rationale for why the study is being conducted and what it will accomplish.

• A description of the methodologies used in the study. This can include information about data collection methods, sample size, and statistical analyses.

• A presentation of the findings in an organized format that helps readers follow along with the author's conclusions.

6. What are common errors in writing literature review?

• Not spending enough time to critically evaluate the relevance of resources, observations and conclusions.

• Totally relying on secondary data while ignoring primary data.

• Letting your personal bias seep into your interpretation of existing literature.

• No detailed explanation of the procedure to discover and identify an appropriate literature review.

7. What are the 5 C's of writing literature review?

• Cite - the sources you utilized and referenced in your research.

• Compare - existing arguments, hypotheses, methodologies, and conclusions found in the knowledge base.

• Contrast - the arguments, topics, methodologies, approaches, and disputes that may be found in the literature.

• Critique - the literature and describe the ideas and opinions you find more convincing and why.

• Connect - the various studies you reviewed in your research.

8. How many sources should a literature review have?

When it is just a chapter, sources should equal the total number of pages in your article's body. if it is a self-contained paper in itself, you need at least three times as many sources as there are pages in your work.

9. Can literature review have diagrams?

• To represent an abstract idea or concept

• To explain the steps of a process or procedure

• To help readers understand the relationships between different concepts

10. How old should sources be in a literature review?

Sources for a literature review should be as current as possible or not older than ten years. The only exception to this rule is if you are reviewing a historical topic and need to use older sources.

11. What are the types of literature review?

• Argumentative review

• Integrative review

• Methodological review

• Systematic review

• Meta-analysis review

• Historical review

• Theoretical review

• Scoping review

• State-of-the-Art review

12. Is a literature review mandatory?

Yes. Literature review is a mandatory part of any research project. It is a critical step in the process that allows you to establish the scope of your research, and provide a background for the rest of your work.

But before you go,

  • Six Online Tools for Easy Literature Review
  • Evaluating literature review: systematic vs. scoping reviews
  • Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review
  • Writing Integrative Literature Reviews: Guidelines and Examples

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A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis ). The lit review is an important genre in many disciplines, not just literature (i.e., the study of works of literature such as novels and plays). When we say “literature review” or refer to “the literature,” we are talking about the research ( scholarship ) in a given field. You will often see the terms “the research,” “the scholarship,” and “the literature” used mostly interchangeably.

Where, when, and why would I write a lit review?

There are a number of different situations where you might write a literature review, each with slightly different expectations; different disciplines, too, have field-specific expectations for what a literature review is and does. For instance, in the humanities, authors might include more overt argumentation and interpretation of source material in their literature reviews, whereas in the sciences, authors are more likely to report study designs and results in their literature reviews; these differences reflect these disciplines’ purposes and conventions in scholarship. You should always look at examples from your own discipline and talk to professors or mentors in your field to be sure you understand your discipline’s conventions, for literature reviews as well as for any other genre.

A literature review can be a part of a research paper or scholarly article, usually falling after the introduction and before the research methods sections. In these cases, the lit review just needs to cover scholarship that is important to the issue you are writing about; sometimes it will also cover key sources that informed your research methodology.

Lit reviews can also be standalone pieces, either as assignments in a class or as publications. In a class, a lit review may be assigned to help students familiarize themselves with a topic and with scholarship in their field, get an idea of the other researchers working on the topic they’re interested in, find gaps in existing research in order to propose new projects, and/or develop a theoretical framework and methodology for later research. As a publication, a lit review usually is meant to help make other scholars’ lives easier by collecting and summarizing, synthesizing, and analyzing existing research on a topic. This can be especially helpful for students or scholars getting into a new research area, or for directing an entire community of scholars toward questions that have not yet been answered.

What are the parts of a lit review?

Most lit reviews use a basic introduction-body-conclusion structure; if your lit review is part of a larger paper, the introduction and conclusion pieces may be just a few sentences while you focus most of your attention on the body. If your lit review is a standalone piece, the introduction and conclusion take up more space and give you a place to discuss your goals, research methods, and conclusions separately from where you discuss the literature itself.

Introduction:

  • An introductory paragraph that explains what your working topic and thesis is
  • A forecast of key topics or texts that will appear in the review
  • Potentially, a description of how you found sources and how you analyzed them for inclusion and discussion in the review (more often found in published, standalone literature reviews than in lit review sections in an article or research paper)
  • Summarize and synthesize: Give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
  • Analyze and interpret: Don’t just paraphrase other researchers – add your own interpretations where possible, 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 transition words and topic sentence to draw connections, comparisons, and contrasts.

Conclusion:

  • Summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance
  • Connect it back to your primary research question

How should I organize my lit review?

Lit reviews can take many different organizational patterns depending on what you are trying to accomplish with the review. Here are some examples:

  • Chronological : The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time, which helps familiarize the audience with the topic (for instance if you are introducing something that is not commonly known in your field). If you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order. Try to analyze the patterns, turning points, and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred (as mentioned previously, this may not be appropriate in your discipline — check with a teacher or mentor if you’re unsure).
  • Thematic : If you have found some recurring central themes that you will continue working with throughout your piece, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic. For example, if you are reviewing literature about women and religion, key themes can include the role of women in churches and the religious attitude towards women.
  • Qualitative versus quantitative research
  • Empirical versus theoretical scholarship
  • Divide the research by sociological, historical, or cultural sources
  • Theoretical : In many humanities articles, the literature review is the foundation for the theoretical framework. You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts. You can argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach or combine various theorical concepts to create a framework for your research.

What are some strategies or tips I can use while writing my lit review?

Any lit review is only as good as the research it discusses; make sure your sources are well-chosen and your research is thorough. Don’t be afraid to do more research if you discover a new thread as you’re writing. More info on the research process is available in our "Conducting Research" resources .

As you’re doing your research, create an annotated bibliography ( see our page on the this type of document ). Much of the information used in an annotated bibliography can be used also in a literature review, so you’ll be not only partially drafting your lit review as you research, but also developing your sense of the larger conversation going on among scholars, professionals, and any other stakeholders in your topic.

Usually you will need to synthesize research rather than just summarizing it. This means drawing connections between sources to create a picture of the scholarly conversation on a topic over time. Many student writers struggle to synthesize because they feel they don’t have anything to add to the scholars they are citing; here are some strategies to help you:

  • It often helps to remember that the point of these kinds of syntheses is to show your readers how you understand your research, to help them read the rest of your paper.
  • Writing teachers often say synthesis is like hosting a dinner party: imagine all your sources are together in a room, discussing your topic. What are they saying to each other?
  • Look at the in-text citations in each paragraph. Are you citing just one source for each paragraph? This usually indicates summary only. When you have multiple sources cited in a paragraph, you are more likely to be synthesizing them (not always, but often
  • Read more about synthesis here.

The most interesting literature reviews are often written as arguments (again, as mentioned at the beginning of the page, this is discipline-specific and doesn’t work for all situations). Often, the literature review is where you can establish your research as filling a particular gap or as relevant in a particular way. You have some chance to do this in your introduction in an article, but the literature review section gives a more extended opportunity to establish the conversation in the way you would like your readers to see it. You can choose the intellectual lineage you would like to be part of and whose definitions matter most to your thinking (mostly humanities-specific, but this goes for sciences as well). In addressing these points, you argue for your place in the conversation, which tends to make the lit review more compelling than a simple reporting of other sources.

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  • 04 December 2020
  • Correction 09 December 2020

How to write a superb literature review

Andy Tay is a freelance writer based in Singapore.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Literature reviews are important resources for scientists. They provide historical context for a field while offering opinions on its future trajectory. Creating them can provide inspiration for one’s own research, as well as some practice in writing. But few scientists are trained in how to write a review — or in what constitutes an excellent one. Even picking the appropriate software to use can be an involved decision (see ‘Tools and techniques’). So Nature asked editors and working scientists with well-cited reviews for their tips.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-03422-x

Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

Updates & Corrections

Correction 09 December 2020 : An earlier version of the tables in this article included some incorrect details about the programs Zotero, Endnote and Manubot. These have now been corrected.

Hsing, I.-M., Xu, Y. & Zhao, W. Electroanalysis 19 , 755–768 (2007).

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Ledesma, H. A. et al. Nature Nanotechnol. 14 , 645–657 (2019).

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Brahlek, M., Koirala, N., Bansal, N. & Oh, S. Solid State Commun. 215–216 , 54–62 (2015).

Choi, Y. & Lee, S. Y. Nature Rev. Chem . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-020-00221-w (2020).

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How do you write a good literature review? This step-by-step guide on how to write an excellent literature review covers all aspects of planning and writing literature reviews for academic papers and theses.

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Not sure what a literature review is? This guide covers the definition, purpose, and format of a literature review.

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How to Write a Literature Review

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  • 4. Manage Your References
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If you would like more pointers about how to approach your literature review, this this handout from The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill  suggests several effective strategies.

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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!).

The function of the lit review

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?

how long to write a 5000 word literature review

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 .

Free Webinar: Literature Review 101

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.

Literature Review Course

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 .

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Literature review 101 - how to find articles

27 Comments

Marin

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?

ISHAYA JEREMIAH AYOCK

I agree with you Marin… A great piece

Qaiser

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

Maurice Kagwi

Awesome article for my research.

Ache Roland Ndifor

I thank you immensely for this wonderful guide

Malik Imtiaz Ahmad

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

Franklin Zon

Very educative and good time to get guide. Thank you

Dozie

Great work, very insightful. Thank you.

KAWU ALHASSAN

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?

CYRUS ODUAH

Thank you very much, very helpful

Michael Sanya Oluyede

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

Karla Buchanan

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

Enang Lazarus

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

Biswadeb Dasgupta

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

Vik

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?

S Dlamini

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

PATRICK MACKARNESS

Beautifully clear.nThank you!

Lucid! Thankyou!

Abraham

Brilliant work, well understood, many thanks

Nour

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

Lindiey

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

NAGARAJU K

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

Vakaloloma

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

Alphonse NSHIMIYIMANA

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

Resa

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?

Gerald Gormanous

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!

kan

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

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Literature reviews

  • Starting your literature review
  • Introduction

Structuring your reading

When to stop reading, how to organise a literature review, writing your literature review.

  • Developing your literature review
  • Writing systematic reviews

Useful links for literature reviews

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how long to write a 5000 word literature review

  • Doing your literature review (video) Watch this brief video tutorial for more on the topic.
  • Doing your literature review (transcript) Read along while watching the video tutorial.
  • Literature searching guide A guide to finding articles, books and other materials on your subject
  • Doing your literature search video - University of Reading Brief video on literature searching from our Academic Liaison Librarians.
  • Royal Literary Fund: Writing a Literature Review A guide to writing literature reviews from the Royal Literary Fund
  • What it means to be a critical student A brief and very useful video tutorial from the University of Leicester.
  • Reading and notemaking LibGuide Expert guidance on managing your reading and making effective notes.
  • Dissertations and major projects LibGuide Expert guidance on planning, researching and writing dissertations and major projects.

how long to write a 5000 word literature review

If you have thought about the areas you need to research and have conducted some searches for literature, you should be ready to set down some draft topic headings to structure your literature review.

Select one of your headings and choose a few key texts to read first - three is ideal to start with. Remember that you may eventually be writing about the same text under different headings, so bear that in mind when you are reading and making notes.

When you have finished reading your chosen texts, write a draft section summarising and commenting on what you have read, taking special care to show how it is relevant to your research. Then look to see what you need to discuss further, and do more reading to enable you to plug the gaps.

how long to write a 5000 word literature review

Try to set limits on how long you will spend reading. Then plan backwards from your deadline and decide when you need to move on to other parts of your investigation e.g. gathering the data.

You need to show you have read the major and important texts in your topic, and that you have also explored the most up-to-date research. If you have demonstrated both of these, you are on the right lines.

If you keep coming across very similar viewpoints and your reading is no longer providing new information, this is a sign you have reached saturation point and should probably stop.

Be guided by your research questions. When reading, ask yourself, "How does this relate to my investigation?" If you are going off into unrelated areas, stop reading and refocus on your topic.

how long to write a 5000 word literature review

Another thing you can do is to group what you have read into different topics or themes . These can provide useful headings when you come to write up your literature review. Use different coloured highlighters to identify which topic or heading each article fits into.

Be selective - you don't have to include everything you have read in your literature review. Only include research which is relevant and which helps you understand more about your own investigation. What you leave out won't be wasted as it helped you refine your understanding of the wider issues and identify what was relevant to your own investigation.

You don't have to refer to everything in the same depth in your literature review. You are usually expected to prioritise recent research. Some scientific research that was crucial in the past is now out of date. For instance, there may be a few older studies that were important in starting research in the field, but their methods have been surpassed by more accurate methods. You only need to demonstrate your awareness of these older, dated studies in a few sentences, then move on to discussing in greater depth the up-to-date methods and why they are more accurate.

Like an essay, a literature review has an introduction, main body, and conclusion.

Introduction : This explains the broad context of your research area and the main topics you are investigating. It briefly highlights the relevant issues or debates that have characterised your field of research.

It should also include some signposting for the reader, explaining the organisation / sequence of topics covered, and the scope of your survey.

Main body : An analysis of the literature according to a number of themes or topics that overlap with your research. It may have headings.

You can write your literature review one section at a time, but make sure you read through them all to check they link together and tell a coherent "story".

This should show how your research builds on what has been done before. Based on previous research, you provide justifications for what you are doing, why you are doing it, and how you are going to do it.

Conclusion : This should summarise the current state of the research in your field as analysed in the main body. It should identify any gaps or problems with the existing research, and explain how your investigation is going to address these gaps or build on the existing research.

  • The structure of a literature review (Royal Literary Fund) Guidance on structuring a literature review.
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Literature reviews

Writing a literature review.

The following guide has been created for you by the  Student Learning Advisory Service . For more detailed guidance and to speak to one of our advisers, please book an  appointment  or join one of our  workshops . Alternatively, have a look at our  SkillBuilder  skills videos.   

Preparing a literature review involves:

  • Searching for reliable, accurate and up-to-date material on a topic or subject
  • Reading and summarising the key points from this literature
  • Synthesising these key ideas, theories and concepts into a summary of what is known
  • Discussing and evaluating these ideas, theories and concepts
  • Identifying particular areas of debate or controversy
  • Preparing the ground for the application of these ideas to new research

Finding and choosing material

Ensure you are clear on what you are looking for. ask yourself:.

  • What is the specific question, topic or focus of my assignment?
  • What kind of material do I need (e.g. theory, policy, empirical data)?
  • What type of literature is available (e.g. journals, books, government documents)?

What kind of literature is particularly authoritative in this academic discipline (e.g. psychology, sociology, pharmacy)?

How much do you need?

This will depend on the length of the dissertation, the nature of the subject, and the level of study (undergraduate, Masters, PhD). As a very rough rule of thumb – you may choose 8-10 significant pieces (books and/or articles) for an 8,000 word dissertation, up to 20 major pieces of work for 12-15,000 words, and so on. Bear in mind that if your dissertation is based mainly around an interaction with existing scholarship you will need a longer literature review than if it is there as a prelude to new empirical research. Use your judgement or ask your supervisor for guidance.

Where to find suitable material

Your literature review should include a balance between substantial academic books, journal articles and other scholarly publications. All these sources should be as up-to-date as possible, with the exception of ‘classic texts’ such as major works written by leading scholars setting out formative ideas and theories central to your subject. There are several ways to locate suitable material:

Module bibliography: for undergraduate dissertations, look first at the bibliography provided with the module documentation. Choose one or two likely looking books or articles and then scan through the bibliographies provided by these authors. Skim read some of this material looking for clues: can you use these leads to identify key theories and authors or track down other appropriate material?

Library catalogue search engine: enter a few key words to capture a range of items, but avoid over-generalisations; if you type in something as broad as ‘social theory’ you are likely to get several thousand results. Be more specific: for example, ‘Heidegger, existentialism’. Ideally, you should narrow the field to obtain just a few dozen results. Skim through these quickly to identity texts which are most likely to contribute to your study.

Library bookshelves: browse the library shelves in the relevant subject area and examine the books that catch your eye. Check the contents and index pages, or skim through the introductions (or abstracts, in the case of journal articles) to see if they contain relevant material, and replace them if not. Don’t be afraid to ask one of the subject librarians for further help. Your supervisor may also be able to point you in the direction of some of the important literature , but remember this is your literature search, not theirs.

Online: for recent journal articles you will almost certainly need to use one of the online search engines. These can be found on the ‘Indexing Services’ button on the Templeman Library website. Kent students based at Medway still need to use the Templeman pages to access online journals, although you can get to these pages through the Drill Hall Library catalogue. Take a look as well at the Subject Guides on both the Templeman and DHL websites.

Check that you have made the right selection by asking:

  • Has my search been wide enough to ensure that I have identified all the relevant material, but narrow enough to exclude irrelevant material?
  • Is there a good enough sample of literature for the level (PhD, Masters, undergraduate) of my dissertation or thesis?
  • Have I considered as many alternative points of view as possible?
  • Will the reader find my literature review relevant and useful?

Assessing the literature

Read the material you have chosen carefully, considering the following:

  • The key point discussed by the author: is this clearly defined
  • What evidence has the author produced to support this central idea?
  • How convincing are the reasons given for the author’s point of view?
  • Could the evidence be interpreted in other ways?
  • What is the author's research method (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, experimental, etc.)?
  • What is the author's theoretical framework (e.g. psychological, developmental, feminist)?
  • What is the relationship assumed by the author between theory and practice?
  • Has the author critically evaluated the other literature in the field?
  • Does the author include literature opposing their point of view?
  • Is the research data based on a reliable method and accurate information?
  • Can you ‘deconstruct’ the argument – identify the gaps or jumps in the logic?
  • What are the strengths and limitations of this study?
  • What does this book or article contribute to the field or topic?
  • What does this book or article contribute to my own topic or thesis?

As you note down the key content of each book or journal article (together with the reference details of each source) record your responses to these questions. You will then be able to summarise each piece of material from two perspectives:     

Content: a brief description of the content of the book or article. Remember, an author will often make just one key point; so, what is the point they are making, and how does it relate to your own research project or assignment?

Critical analysis: an assessment of the relative strengths and weaknesses of the evidence used, and the arguments presented. Has anything conveniently been left out or skated over? Is there a counter-argument, and has the author dealt with this adequately? Can the evidence presented be interpreted another way? Does the author demonstrate any obvious bias which could affect their reliability? Overall, based on the above analysis of the author’s work, how do you evaluate its contribution to the scholarly understanding and knowledge surrounding the topic?    

Structuring the literature review

In a PhD thesis, the literature review typically comprises one chapter (perhaps 8-10,000 words), for a Masters dissertation it may be around 2-3,000 words, and for an undergraduate dissertation it may be no more than 2,000 words. In each case the word count can vary depending on a range of factors and it is always best, if in doubt, to ask your supervisor.

The overall structure of the section or chapter should be like any other: it should have a beginning, middle and end. You will need to guide the reader through the literature review, outlining the strategy you have adopted for selecting the books or articles, presenting the topic theme for the review, then using most of the word limit to analyse the chosen books or articles thoroughly before pulling everything together briefly in the conclusion.

Some people prefer a less linear approach. Instead of simply working through a list of 8-20 items on your book review list, you might want to try a thematic approach, grouping key ideas, facts, concepts or approaches together and then bouncing the ideas off each other. This is a slightly more creative (and interesting) way of producing the review, but a little more risky as it is harder to establish coherence and logical sequencing.

Whichever approach you adopt, make sure everything flows smoothly – that one idea or book leads neatly to the next. Take your reader effortlessly through a sequence of thought that is clear, accurate, precise and interesting. 

Writing up your literature review

As with essays generally, only attempt to write up the literature review when you have completed all the reading and note-taking, and carefully planned its content and structure. Find an appropriate way of introducing the review, then guide the reader through the material clearly and directly, bearing in mind the following:

  • Be selective in the number of points you draw out from each piece of literature; remember that one of your objectives is to demonstrate that you can use your judgement to identify what is central and what is secondary.
  • Summarise and synthesise – use your own words to sum up what you think is important or controversial about the book or article.
  • Never claim more than the evidence will support. Too many dissertations and theses are let down by sweeping generalisations. Be tentative and careful in the way you interpret the evidence.
  • Keep your own voice – you are entitled to your own point of view provided it is based on evidence and clear argument.
  • At the same time, aim to project an objective and tentative tone by using the 3rd person, (for example, ‘this tends to suggest’, ‘it could be argued’ and so on).
  • Even with a literature review you should avoid using too many, or overlong, quotes. Summarise material in your own words as much as possible. Save the quotes for ‘punch-lines’ to drive a particular point home.
  • Revise, revise, revise: refine and edit the draft as much as you can. Check for fluency, structure, evidence, criticality and referencing, and don’t forget the basics of good grammar, punctuation and spelling.

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

literature review

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. 

Table of Contents

  • 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.

how long to write a 5000 word literature review

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 long to write a 5000 word literature review

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. 

what is a literature review

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 . 

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Society of Breast Imaging

Article Contents

  • Introduction
  • Selection of a Topic
  • Scientific Literature Search and Analysis
  • Structure of a Scientific Review Article
  • Tips for Success
  • Acknowledgments
  • Conflict of Interest Statement
  • < Previous

A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Scientific Review Article

  • Article contents
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  • Supplementary Data

Manisha Bahl, A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Scientific Review Article, Journal of Breast Imaging , Volume 5, Issue 4, July/August 2023, Pages 480–485, https://doi.org/10.1093/jbi/wbad028

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Scientific review articles are comprehensive, focused reviews of the scientific literature written by subject matter experts. The task of writing a scientific review article can seem overwhelming; however, it can be managed by using an organized approach and devoting sufficient time to the process. The process involves selecting a topic about which the authors are knowledgeable and enthusiastic, conducting a literature search and critical analysis of the literature, and writing the article, which is composed of an abstract, introduction, body, and conclusion, with accompanying tables and figures. This article, which focuses on the narrative or traditional literature review, is intended to serve as a guide with practical steps for new writers. Tips for success are also discussed, including selecting a focused topic, maintaining objectivity and balance while writing, avoiding tedious data presentation in a laundry list format, moving from descriptions of the literature to critical analysis, avoiding simplistic conclusions, and budgeting time for the overall process.

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How Long Does It Take to Write a Literature Review

Table of contents.

The question “how long does it take to write a literature review?” is one that many students and researchers often ask, and for good reason. A literature review is a crucial part of any research project, academic paper, or doctoral research proposal. Understanding its length and complexity can help in planning and executing the writing process efficiently.

What is a Literature Review?

A literature review is a type of academic writing that provides an overview of existing research on a particular topic. It identifies, assesses, and synthesizes scholarly articles, research papers, and other relevant literature to inform the reader about the current state of research on a specific area of study.

What’s the Purpose of a Literature Review?

The purpose of a literature review is multifaceted. It aims to identify gaps in existing research, provide background information on a research topic, validate the research question, and set the stage for your own research project. It enables researchers to understand the existing landscape of their field of study, thereby guiding their own research methodologies and questions.

What is the Importance of a Literature Review?

The importance of a literature review is paramount in establishing the validity of your research paper or proposal. It helps in framing your research question and showcasing that your study is not a mere repetition, but rather an addition to existing knowledge. By summarizing previous research, it offers a point of view and creates a foundation for new research.

How Long Should a Literature Review Be?

The length of a literature review can vary depending on the depth of the research topic and the guidelines set by a particular institution or journal. In most cases, literature reviews range from 2000 to 5000 words. However, for doctoral dissertations, it can be much more extensive.

What Are the Different Types of Literature Reviews?

1. Narrative Review

2. Systematic Review

3. Meta-analysis

4. Scoping Review

5. State-of-the-Art Review

How Long Does it Take to Write a Literature Review Paper?

Writing a literature review can take anywhere from several days to several weeks, depending on the breadth and depth of the subject matter. Researchers need to gather relevant literature, read through them, synthesize key findings, and finally, write the review article while following the appropriate research methodology and citations styles like APA.

How Long Does it Take to Write a 1000 Word Literature Review?

A 1000-word literature review can generally be completed within a day or two, assuming that you have already completed the required reading and have a plan for your review. However, this duration can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the need for extensive research.

How Does a Literature Review Differ From a Research Paper?

While both are academic papers, a literature review summarizes and synthesizes existing research, whereas a research paper presents new research findings. A literature review can be a stand-alone paper or a review section within a larger research paper.

How to Write a Literature Review in 30 Minutes or Less

Writing a literature review in 30 minutes or less is unrealistic for most comprehensive reviews. However, you could potentially draft a very rough outline or jot down key points, citations, and topic sentences to be expanded upon later.

What Steps Should Follow to Write an Effective Literature Review?

1. Identify a Research Topic

2. Conduct a Literature Search

3. Read and Annotate

4. Organize and Outline

5. Write and Revise

9 Essential Tools to Help Write a Literature Review

Cost: Starts at $249.95 for a one-time purchase

EndNote is a reference management software widely used by researchers and graduate students alike. The tool allows users to store and organize citations for journal articles, books, and research papers, making it easier to cite these sources while writing the literature review. The automation feature is a massive time-saver, especially when handling complex citation styles like APA or MLA. With EndNote, users can search for additional journal articles and relevant literature directly within the platform, streamlining the process of gathering and managing resources for a review.

Top 5 Features:

– Reference management

– Citation automation

– Bibliography maker

– Search capabilities for journal articles

– Sync across multiple devices

2. Mendeley

Cost: Free basic plan

Mendeley is another robust tool for managing research papers and citations. The platform provides a PDF reader , allowing for easy annotations and highlighting directly within the software. The citation generator is another essential feature that simplifies the writing process, particularly when adhering to a particular citation style. Mendeley also offers collaboration features, enabling researchers to share references, notes, and even co-write documents, making it an excellent tool for group projects or multi-author literature reviews.

– PDF reader

– Collaboration with other researchers

– Citation generator

– Social networking for scientists

Zotero is a free, open-source tool that provides similar functionality to paid options like EndNote and Mendeley. One of its standout features is browser integration, allowing users to easily add citations and full-text articles directly from the web browser. The citation generator function supports multiple citation styles, including APA, MLA, and Chicago. Additionally, Zotero offers robust library organization features, making it easier to sort and access research materials for a literature review.

– Free and open-source

– Browser integration

– Library organization

– Annotation and note-taking

4. Grammarly

Cost: Free basic plan; Premium starts at $11.66/month

Grammarly is primarily known for its superior grammar-checking capabilities, but it offers much more. The tool’s plagiarism checker is invaluable when writing literature reviews, as it ensures that your work is original and not unintentionally copied from other sources. The software also offers suggestions for improving writing style and word choice, making it easier to write a concise, coherent, and error-free literature review.

– Grammar checking

– Plagiarism detection

– Tone adjustment

– Style suggestions

– Word choice

5. Speechify TTS

Cost: Free basic plan; Premium starts at $6.99/month

Speechify TTS (Text-to-Speech) offers a different, auditory approach to reviewing written content. Graduate students and researchers often have to sift through vast amounts of text when crafting a literature review, and Speechify provides an alternative to reading, helping to improve comprehension and retention. The tool can read aloud existing literature or even your draft, enabling you to better understand the flow and transitions of your writing. It can also help you catch errors or awkward phrasing that may not be evident when reading. Text-to-speech technology has shown to be extremely helpful in writing a literature review.

– Text-to-Speech

– Speed adjustment

– Multiple languages

– Voice selection

– Offline listening

6. Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a free search engine specifically for scholarly articles, theses, books, and conference papers. While it doesn’t have the reference management features of EndNote or Mendeley, it is a goldmine of peer-reviewed papers and articles that can serve as primary material for your literature review. The “Cited by” feature also lets you see how many other papers have cited a particular piece of research, providing a measure of its influence or impact in the field.

– Free access to scholarly articles

– Citation export

– Case law search

– Patent search

– “Cited by” feature

7. Microsoft Word

Cost: Part of Microsoft 365, starting at $69.99/year

Microsoft Word might seem basic compared to specialized software, but it remains a vital tool for writing. The software offers numerous formatting options that align with various citation styles. The spellcheck and grammar features, although not as robust as Grammarly, provide a decent first pass at editing. Word also offers an outline view, ideal for structuring complex literature reviews before you dive into detailed writing.

– Spelling and grammar checker

– Extensive formatting options

– Outline view for structuring

– Collaboration features

– Templates

8. Evernote

Cost: Free basic plan; Premium starts at $7.99/month

Evernote is an excellent tool for gathering and organizing your thoughts and resources before and during the writing process. The software lets you clip web pages and PDFs, annotate them, and organize them into notebooks. Evernote’s powerful search feature makes retrieving these notes easy, making the writing process more streamlined and organized.

– Note-taking

– Web clipper

– Task management

– Annotation

9. Turnitin

Cost: Pricing varies; usually comes with institutional subscription

Turnitin is renowned for its plagiarism checking capabilities, making it indispensable when writing a literature review. The tool provides originality reports that highlight plagiarized content, thus helping writers make necessary revisions. Turnitin also features grading tools and feedback options, though these are generally more useful for educators than for students or researchers.

These tools can serve as your arsenal in conducting a high-quality literature review, whether you’re a master’s student, a doctoral researcher, or a seasoned academic.

– Plagiarism checking

– Peer review

– Grading tools

– Feedback studio

– Originality reports

Why TTS is Helpful in Writing a Literature Review

Speechify TTS (Text-to-Speech) is particularly useful for graduate students and researchers who have to sift through voluminous amounts of text. Listening to the text can help you better understand the flow and transitions of your writing. It can also assist in catching errors or awkward phrasing that may not be evident while reading.

Can I Write a Literature Review in One Day?

Writing a comprehensive literature review in one day is generally not advisable. While a shorter review could potentially be written within 24 hours, the quality may be compromised.

Can I Write a Literature Review in One Week?

Yes, a one-week timeframe is more realistic for writing a smaller literature review, especially if you have already gathered your sources and have a clear focus.

Is Writing a Literature Review Difficult?

The difficulty in writing a literature review lies in the need to read, understand, and synthesize existing research while avoiding plagiarism.

How Long Does it Take to Write a Literature Review for Masters?

For Master’s students, writing a literature review can take anywhere from two weeks to a month, given the smaller scope compared to a doctoral dissertation.

Does it Take a Lot of Time to Write a Literature Review?

The time required to write a literature review can vary widely depending on factors such as the depth of the research topic, the number of sources, and the writer’s familiarity with the subject.

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Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.

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5000 Word Dissertation Structure – Full Guide

Dec 3, 2022 | 0 comments

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Dec 3, 2022 | Blog | 0 comments

So you’ve been assigned a 5,000-word dissertation. Now what? This can seem daunting, but don’t worry. We’re here to help. In this blog post, we’re going to give you a step-by-step guide to writing a 5,000-word dissertation structure. We’ll start with the basics, like the introduction and literature review, and then move on to the more difficult sections, like data collection and research methodology. We’ll also discuss the results and analysis, discussion and conclusion, and future work sections. By the end of this post, you should have a good understanding of how to structure a 5,000-word dissertation.

Writing Process of the 5000 word Dissertation Structure

There are a few steps that go into writing a dissertation. You can break down the academic process of writing a dissertation into five stages: creativity, research, writing, revision, and submission. In this section, we will discuss each stage in more detail.

The first stage is Ideation. This phase involves developing an idea for the dissertation and developing it into a full proposal. During this stage, you should also decide which study area you would like to focus on. After you have developed your proposal, you move onto the Research Stage. Here, you gather the necessary information to support your thesis statement . You should also consult with other scholars to get feedback on your proposal and ideas for the dissertation.

The next stage is Writing. This is where you write the dissertation text itself. It would be best if you took care to structure your work so that it makes sense and is easy to read. Remember, no one else will be reading your work except for possibly someone who has approved it! Once you have finished writing, you move on to the Revision and Submission stages, where you make any final changes before submitting it to your supervisor or institution for review.

Introduction

When writing a 5000-word dissertation, it is important to keep in mind the following guidelines: an introduction should be no more than 1500 words, the body of the dissertation should be between 3000 and 35000 words, and there should be at least one literature review and one data collection section.

To structure a 5000 word dissertation properly, it is necessary first to identify the purpose of your research project. After that, you must outline your argumentative strategy and develop your thesis statement. Next comes the research section, which should include both primary and secondary sources. The dissertation conclusion paragraph is also key; make sure to provide a summary of your findings as well as any recommendations you have for future research projects.

Literature Review

A literature review is a type of essay that provides an overview of significant literature on a particular topic. This can be useful for the reader, as it allows them to understand the findings of others. By discussing the findings of various sources, a literature review helps to create an understanding of the topic.

To write a good literature review for a 5000 word dissertation, start by reading relevant articles and then organizing them according to specific criteria (e.g., methodological approaches, theoretical concepts). Finally, synthesize these findings into an essay-style article that expands on key points made in the source material.

A literature review should have an introduction, body, and conclusion like any other essay. The introduction will introduce the topic and discuss why it is important. The body will thoroughly examine each source discussed in the review. The conclusion will summarize what has been learned and offer advice or suggestions for further reading on the topic.

A well-organized literature review should provide a clear overview of the sources discussed. Sources should be cited accurately, as this will help to support the argument made in the review. Additionally, a literature review should be coherent and make sense on its own. Ultimately, a literature review effectively provides readers with an understanding of significant literature on a particular topic.

Research Methodology

When writing a dissertation, it is important to follow a specific research methodology to ensure accuracy and thoroughness. This methodology should be designed in consultation with your professors and advisors and should reflect the content of your thesis. Additionally, it is important to collect data rigorously and accurately to support your arguments. Here are some tips on how to structure a research methodology for a 5,000 word dissertation:

– Begin by outlining the main points you want to make in your paper.

– Then, develop these points by referencing relevant literature reviews and studies.

– Next, flesh out these ideas by writing analytical essays that explore the implications of this research on specific topics or issues.

– Finally, use this information as evidence to support your arguments throughout the paper. Following this step-by-step process will ensure that your dissertation is well organized and rigorous – perfect for earning a prestigious academic degree!

Data Collection

you can collect a variety of different types of data for a dissertation. This includes data from literature reviews, surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Selecting the right data type is important to achieve the most accurate results. Additionally, it is important to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of data before selecting which methodologies to use.

Once you have selected the appropriate methodology, it is important to ensure that the data collection process is as easy as possible for your participants. This may involve setting up schedules and conducting research sessions in a convenient location. Finally, it is always helpful to have tips on utilizing your data once it has been collected!

Data collection can be time-consuming but essential for any research project. To ensure accuracy and completeness in your data analysis, plan by gathering information from different perspectives (e.g., interviews vs. surveys), tracking changes over time and using qualitative methods when appropriate. Once all of your data has been collected, it is important to analyze it systematically using appropriate tools (e.g., statistical models or Grammatical Analysis Software).

There are a variety of different ways to collect data for a dissertation. One popular method surveys. Surveys allow you to gather input from many respondents, which can provide valuable information about your target audience’s opinions and attitudes. Additionally, you can use surveys to examine how people think about certain issues or problems.

Another common type of data collection is interviews. Interviews allow you to get personal insights from your participants about their experiences and thoughts on specific topics. This information can help you better understand the motivations behind people’s actions or beliefs. Finally, interviews can also help develop theories or hypotheses about complex phenomena.

Focus groups also offer many benefits over traditional survey methods. Focus groups are typically more informal than surveys and can provide more detailed feedback than interviews. Additionally, focus group discussions often generate new ideas you would not have considered if you monitored only individual responses.

Results And Analysis

The Results and Analysis chapter will present the data you collected during your research. This data can be presented in various ways, such as tables, graphs, or maps. Your interpretation of this data will make up the rest of this chapter. Be sure to discuss any patterns or trends you see in the data.

Your data analysis will help you develop conclusions about your topic. You may find that certain patterns are more evident than others. For example, you might discover a correlation between two variables. In this case, you would likely want to explore why this correlation exists and what it means for your research.

You also may be able to draw some general conclusions about your topic from the data. This could include statements such as “The majority of people in this dataset identify as either heterosexual or homosexual” or “People living in urban areas tend to have higher incomes than those who live in rural areas.” However, these general conclusions should not be taken as gospel; rather, they should be considered suggestions based on your collected data.

Conclusion and Future Work

As students continue to explore the potential of their research, they must discuss the conclusion and implications of their findings in light of what was already known about the research problem. Additionally, they should highlight how their study has advanced scientific knowledge. Students should suggest areas for future research.

Isabella Robertson

I am dedicated to creating engaging blog posts that provide valuable insights and advice to help students excel in their studies. From study tips to time management strategies, my goal is to empower students to reach their full potential.

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5000 Word Dissertation – A Complete Guide on Word Count Breakdown, Structure And Format

5000 Word Dissertation – A Complete Guide on Word Count Breakdown, Structure And Format

  • Posted On: March 26, 2023
  • Posted By: admin
  • Comments: 0

Dissertation writing is not an easy task. You will face several complexities during the research and dissertation writing process. You must have complete knowledge and a good grip on how to write a 5000 word dissertation before starting the writing process. If you learn and understand the complete process of dissertation writing and comprehend the structure and requirement of the word count, it will become easier for you. We will discuss the main points you must consider while writing a 5000 words dissertation.

How To Structure A 5000 word Dissertation?

Understanding a dissertation structure can solve several problems you might face otherwise. Once you comprehend every dissertation requirement, the dissertation writing process will become incredibly easier. Each dissertation component is particularly targeted for a specific research objective. While you are working on organising your dissertation structure, make sure that:

  • You focus on the individual requirements of each dissertation chapter
  • You know about the components to be included in each section of the dissertation
  • You write the dissertation chapters in a way which makes the entire work achieve its objectives and goals

You will need to know the total number of chapters in the dissertation you will write. All of these chapters have further relevant components that are mandatory for completing the requirements of a dissertation. Let us discuss the format of a 5000 words dissertation now.

How Long Does It Take To Write A 5000 Word Dissertation?

It’s not difficult to complete a dissertation of 5000 words in one week. The time to finish a 5000 words dissertation depends on several parameters. Some of those parameters include the following:

  • The complexity of the dissertation topic
  • The mental state of the writer
  • The experience of the writer
  • Availability of relevant sources
  • Access to necessary academic materials etc.

Normally, a comparatively inexperienced person will take 3-5 days to write a 5000 word dissertation. An experienced writer can easily write it in 1-3 days. The bottom line is that you can write a 5000 word dissertation in a week if you keep working on it consistently.

Can a Dissertation be 5000 Words?

Yes, a dissertation can be 5000 words. Generally, you must submit a dissertation or research project at the end of your final year of post-graduate degrees. Such a piece of work has major significance in deciding your academic grades and typically ranges between 5000-12,000 words per project.

Dissertation Breakdown, Simple And Easy To Understand

The format of a 5000 word dissertation is simple and easy to follow compared to the dissertations with greater word counts . Here is a simple breakdown of such a dissertation:

  • Introduction
  • Literature Review
  • Methodology
  • Data Collection + Analysis
  • Conclusions and Recommendations

Each dissertation, no matter the word count, has a proposed structure which must be followed to ensure the objectivity of the research work or the dissertation. Each chapter of your work has significant and different weightage in your dissertation; you will need to stay careful with each section and chapter.

How to Write a Dissertation Introduction? Find Out Here:

The best introduction of a dissertation is the key to capturing the attention of your targeted readers and keeping them hooked till the end. That is why it is necessary to craft an impressive introduction to engage your reader till the end.

The perfect introduction section of a dissertation includes the following parts:

  • A definition of your argument
  • The background of research
  • The scope of the work you perform
  • Research aim and objectives
  • Research questions
  • Assumptions about the possible results

Be careful not to include lengthy details of the next dissertation chapters in the introduction section. It ruins the impression of an otherwise good introduction section.

What should be the Dissertation Introduction Word Count to Capture the Reader’s Attention?

As a general rule, 1/10 th of the word count of the complete dissertation will be enough for the introduction chapter of your dissertation. For a dissertation with 5000 words, it will be best to write an introduction section with no more than 500 words. These 500 words will be your only way to capture your reader’s attention and make them read your entire dissertation. To effectively engage your reader, it is necessary:

  • To know what to add
  • and how much to include

in the introduction section of your dissertation.

How Many Words Is A Dissertation Literature Review Considered Ideal?

The literature review chapter of your dissertation will include a critical and concise summary of all the existing literature you have consulted and used in your research work and dissertation. It can be rightly called the heart of your dissertation. The main objective of the literature review section is to provide the reader with complete details on the selected topic so that he can understand your claims and arguments through the writing.

As a general rule, 1/3 rd of the complete word count of the dissertation should constitute the literature review section. For a 5000 word dissertation, it will be enough to dedicate 1600 words to the literature review chapter of your dissertation. You must ensure the balance; otherwise, the reader may get bored while reading and move to the next chapters. It will have a negative impact on your grades.

What Is The Ideal Length Of the Methodology Chapter?

In the methodology chapter of your dissertation, you will have to mention the details of methods employed for research and writing the dissertation. It is necessary to save readers from getting distracted and confused while reading your dissertation. Writing this section might be difficult as most students struggle to implement the research methodologies. A possible solution to this issue is getting professional help from academic specialist writers online.

Generally, the ideal length of a methodology chapter of 5000 word dissertation is 750-800 words. It would be best to encapsulate the entire methodology section in these dedicated words. If you do so, your structuring will be perfectly balanced. Try managing this section in approx. 800 words, and rest assured your professor will be pleased with the impeccable structure of your dissertation.

How To Perfectly Balance The Data Collection + Analysis

In this dissertation chapter, you must state the data you collected after the research and detailed and extensive analysis.

In a dissertation having a word count of 5000 words, this chapter should ideally take up to 1000 words. It must provide the reader with a detailed analysis of your findings. It should also show their relevance to the scope of your research. It would help if you learned to make it precise as your reader might lose interest while reading the complicated ways of data collection and analysis techniques. Remember that the key to writing a balanced dissertation is maintaining a perfect balance in individual chapters.

How Long Should A Dissertation Conclusion Be? Let’s Find Out!

It will be the final chapter of your dissertation and the most important one too. It describes the outcome and final result of your research work. Always ensure that you provide the mandatory details and the findings in this section of your dissertation.

Talking about how long a 5000 word dissertation conclusion should be, we believe the ideal length of the conclusion and recommendation chapter will be 1000 words. In these 1000 words, you will have to thoroughly explain the outcomes of your research work. In this chapter, you must also add your opinions and recommendations for further research.

Can You Write a 5000 Word Dissertation In A Week?

Now that we are clear on how to write a 5000 word dissertation let us discuss the time it would take to write a dissertation of such length. If you are a student who starts working only when the deadline approaches near, it can be challenging to finish all the research and writing processes in a week. However, if you have already performed some preliminary processes, finishing the dissertation in a week will not be difficult. For an experienced writer, it will generally take 1-3 days to finish a 5000 words dissertation.

How Many Sources for a 5000 Word Dissertation?

Generally, there should be around 8-10 references for every 1000 words for a 5000 words dissertation. The longer the dissertation, the greater number of references will be required. It also depends on the type of dissertation you are writing.

  • In the literature review section of a dissertation, you will need to cite the most references along with the subsequent extensions or contradictions and conflicts with the existing theories.
  • You may also follow the advised number of sources specified by your institute or advisor. If any such number is specified, strictly following such instructions will be best.

If the nature of the dissertation requires you to add multiple numbers of sources consulted and references included, then you should meet the requirements of your dissertation.

Conclusion:

The key to writing a flawless 5000 words dissertation with a definite structure lies in maintaining the balance among all sections. Once you master maintaining this balance, you will not need to worry about anything other than missing your deadline. The general rule to finish a dissertation of 5000 words in 3 days is to start early and write consistently. The word count breakdown we have provided in this article will help you structure and organise your dissertation in the best manner. If you are in trouble, you can ask for online assistance from dissertation writing services in the UK .

How Long Does It Take To Write A 5000 Word Literature Review?

Writing a 5000 words literature review can take anywhere between 24 to 48 hours. It depends on the complexity of the literature review section of your dissertation. Following the instructions specified in our article, you can easily organise and finish your literature review in a day.

How Long To Write a 5000 Word Dissertation?

You can easily write a 5000 word dissertation in a week, provided you have already completed some basic research work earlier. Finishing a 5000 dissertation in a single day can be challenging, but it is not impossible either. You will have to spend hours intensively writing to finish such a dissertation in 24 hours. An easy way to tackle this problem is to hire a dissertation writing service online to craft an impeccable dissertation in a day. You will save yourself from severe academic stress this way.

How to Write a 5000 Word Dissertation In One Night?

Writing such an dissertation in a few hours may be tough but not impossible. To write a 5000 word dissertation in one night, you will need to follow the following points:

  • Make all the accessories available and prepare yourself for a night of intensive writing
  • Make an outline and a dissertation plan
  • Decide what to write and how much to write in your dissertation
  • Stock up on snacks for studying all night
  • Keep taking short breaks during the writing process
  • Keep yourself hydrated. Caffeinated drinks can help too
  • Ensure that you do not get distracted while working on your dissertation

These tips will help you finish your 5000 word dissertation in one night.

What Is The Best Dissertation Writing Service In The UK To Write A 5000 Words Dissertation?

The top three academic writing agencies which can write the best 5000 word dissertation in one day are the following:

  • The Academic Papers UK
  • Affordable Dissertation UK
  • Dissertation Writers UK

You can contact these service providers at any time of the day or night. Once the order gets confirmed, rest assured that you will receive your finished papers 24 hours before the deadline.

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5000 Word Essay Examples & Topic Ideas

Writing a 5000-word essay may seem overwhelming at first, as this word count presupposes composing a paper at least 17-18 pages long. That’s pretty much for a beginner.

With proper planning and thorough research, such an assignment is still manageable. You may need to write a paper of this length if you’re assigned to:

  • A research paper (1,500+ words)
  • A lengthy report (2,000+ words)
  • A term paper (2,500+ words)
  • A thesis (5,000+ words)

As you can see, essays of this word count are pretty rare, though still possible. On this page, we’ve collected the top 5000-word paper examples and topics. If you’re looking for more samples, check the IvyPanda free essays page!

  • 🔥 Hot Topics for 2024
  • 👔 Business Essay Examples
  • ✏️ How to Write a 5000 Words Paper
  • 🎓️ Paper Examples on Education

💭 5000 Word Paper Prompts

  • 📘 Research Paper Examples
  • 🌍 International Affairs Paper Topics
  • 🏺 History Paper Examples
  • 👨‍🏫 Thesis Topic Ideas

🔥 Hot 5000-word Paper Topics for 2024

  • Employee data security in the era of cybercrime.
  • Approaches to increasing the social responsibility of mass media influencers.
  • Methods for overcoming stigma around HIV.
  • Role of advertising in the formation of consumerist cultures.
  • Tech advancements for early forest fire detection.
  • Scale and magnitude of industrial pollution in India.
  • The effect of pesticides on consumer health.
  • Modern art promotion strategies.
  • EU security threats resulting from the conflict in Ukraine.
  • Internet advancements as a tool for fairer electoral procedures.
  • Child labor prevention policies in Asia.
  • Climate change’s impacts on the residents of Bangladesh.
  • The destiny of traditional cultural practices in the 21st century.
  • Molecular science advancements and cancer treatment.
  • The far-reaching implications of modern genome research.

👔 5000 Word Research Papers on Business & Management

  • Nelson Mandela Leadership Style Mandela’s fight for democracy and fulfilment of the majority will was also seen in his efforts to reconcile Libya with the rest of the world.
  • IKEA Company Analysis It is one of the major retailers of furniture and house wares in the world. The company blends the four components of the marketing mix in order to identify the target market to penetrate.
  • New Energy Drink Marketing Strategy The Mission of the company is to be a leader in the manufacturing and marketing of healthy, nutritious beverages in the USA and to satisfy consumers’ needs while at the same time enhancing the individual […]
  • Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategies Therefore the success of firm in this industry will depend on the intensity of market research conducted so as to identify the most appropriate product to supply in the market.
  • International Market Entry Strategies Besides, the international market can also attract consumers from the adjacent countries, thereby widening the marketing portfolio further Nonetheless, this form of direct investment is underpinned by one main challenge in the sense that the […]
  • Factors Affecting the Consumption of Men’s Cosmetic Products The main aim of this study was to determine the factors that affect the consumption of cosmetic products in the male population.
  • Global Business Cultural Analysis: Japan The ability to address changes lies on business members’ wish to embrace the goals of the business and the level of the sense of togetherness.
  • Management Skills in the 21st Century The report also delves in discussing the fundamental skills that the managers and executives of the 21st century need to be equipped with so that they are able to position their organizations at a competitive […]
  • E-Marketing For Small Businesses The urban centers are also attractive to both the small-scale and large firms because of the purchasing power in the towns. This affects the ability of the small-scale firms to adopt e-commerce at a speed […]
  • Hospitality Strategic Management and Marketing The school puts an underscore on the importance of an entity with regard to the context in which the entity operates.asserts that the environment is essential as it is referred to while testing the viability […]
  • Achieving Competitive Advantage Through Talent Management in Etisalat It is the assumption of this study that talent management and retaining employees are inherently connected to job satisfaction, as well as the degree development and the number of new tasks associated with a job […]
  • Mitigation of Delayed Projects in the UAE Some of the causes of delays in the construction industry and especially in the UAE include delay in the approval of drawings, inadequate and late planning, and slow decision-making for the part of the owners. […]
  • Fair Trade as an Alternative to Free Trade The failure of the conventional trade system has forced people to reconsider the assumption that free trade is the best way to create wealth and benefit all of humanity.
  • Total Quality Management: A Path to Sustainable Growth and Improvement The considerations include but are not limited to: the identification of the business opportunity, development of the product or service, evaluations of the suppliers, clients and business environment and market analysis among others.
  • Marketing in Various Areas The Next Generation Management gives the learner the opportunity to expand their mindset to look at the business and economy as part of the globe and the entire global society and therefore initiate solutions that […]

✏️ How to Write a 5000 Word Paper

As you may see from the large word count of a 5000-word assignment, it should be well-structured and organized to maintain readability and coherence. Here are some vital tips for organizing an essay or research paper of this length.

The picture describes a 5000-word paper structure.

5000-Word Essay Structure

Given the length of this essay assignment, you will need to divide the paper into sections to allow readers to navigate through the content and find appropriate sections with ease.

As a rule, such papers include:

  • An introduction
  • A literature review that shapes the theoretical basis for further analysis
  • An actual analysis
  • A conclusion

You may also have a separate methodology section if you’ve applied some systematic approach to data selection or analysis, but it’s a rare occurrence in essays.

As for paragraphs, your 5000-word essay may have from 25 to 50+ paragraphs (if we count the number of paragraphs by a standard word count from 75 to 200 words each).

If this looks too challenging, you might want to use the free outline generator we’ve developed.

5000-Word Essay Introduction

The standard approach to introduction writing is to allocate 10% for papers of 1,500+ words in length and 10-20% for smaller papers. Since we have a 5,000-word assignment, 10% will be enough. This means that you will need to dedicate 1.5-2 pages to your introductory section – around 500 words long. Here, you should introduce your subject, specify the problem you’re going to discuss further, and formulate a thesis statement for 1-2 sentences with your main argument and points on the chosen subject.

Try using the research introduction maker to get a sample introduction for a paper on your topic. Two more instruments that you’ll probably find helpful are a hook sentence generator and a thesis statement tool .

5000-Word Essay Conclusion

Similar to the introductory section, your conclusion should be 10% of the word count – roughly 500 words in this case. It will recap the essay’s main points and arguments you’ve discussed in the body of your paper, focusing on your progress throughout the research and your key insights derived from it. Don’t forget to reformulate the thesis statement, voice a call to action, and make broader conclusions about the significance of your study.

Consider using a closing sentence generator to quickly wrap up the content of your paper.

How Many References Should I Use in a 5000 Word Paper?

It’s hard to estimate the right number of references for this project, as the standard for essay papers is 8-12 references for every 1,000 words. Thus, following this rule, you might need anywhere from 40 to 60 sources for this assignment if the professor doesn’t indicate otherwise.

If you want to quickly generate a reference list for your essay of 5000 words, try the works cited generator we’ve developed.

🎓️ 5000 Word Paper Examples on Education

  • Forming Partnerships in Education Therefore, it is the responsibility of individuals, organisations and governments to ensure that learning processes in schools and colleges are effective.
  • Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children The paper will look at the applicability of the instrument for assessing the cognitive abilities of children giving special attention to how the freedom for distractibility index is applied.
  • Social Science and Elementary Teaching Methods Holmes and Holmes postulate that teachers, “face the responsibilities and pressures of the accountability movement where the lessons they plan must continue the momentum of the curriculum required by the state, district, school and classroom […]
  • Education System In Saudi Arabia To ensure the smooth running of education in the country the government formed the General Directorate of Education. The government recognizes the importance of technical education to improve the skills of the labor force hence […]
  • Emergency Nursing Disaster Preparedness: Teaching Plan The topic that will be covered in the teaching session is “Emergency Nursing Disaster Preparedness”, and the time allocated to cover the topic is 30 minutes.
  • The Effects of Self-Directed Learning The featured research questions revolves around the impacts that online learning practices would tend to have on self directed learning; the types of learning skills which students are likely to achieve through online learning practices; […]
  • First-Year Students and Issues to Cope with Procrastination in the studying process is not the choice; it is no longer the norm to do the task in the last minute such as the night before it is due.
  • Teaching: Stressful Activity and Its Implications In other words, it is proposed that a teacher gains the skill of coping with different stress situations in the course of the program.
  • Innovation Development in Dubai Schools The following are the research objectives for this study: To explore different factors of innovation development in Dubai schools and how effective they are;
  • Peer Assessment as a Teacher’s Motivating Strategy According to Wadesango & Bayaga, the fact that motivation can drop among high ability students in the process of the intervention points at the necessity to introduce the set of activities that would keep the […]
  • Identification and Provision for Mathematically Gifted Students Secondary research is preferred over primary research methods since the core of the study is to appraise already available literature and existing theories on the topic to determine their reliability to the area of study.

Importance of Keeping Appointments 5000 Words

Discuss the importance of being punctual and respectful at all appointments people make in their personal and professional lives. Talk about the consequences of being chronically late and the impact of such conduct on personal and business relationships. Propose actionable strategies to help people improve time management skills and become more punctual.

5000 Word Dissertation Proposal

Five thousand words is the optimal size for a dissertation proposal on any topic. Make sure to cover all essential aspects of your dissertation research in this paper, starting from the introduction of the problem, the research scope, the methodology you’re planning to use, expected outcomes, and the theoretical and practical value of your study for your academic area.

5000 Word Essay on Respect

Respect is a broad, abstract concept that can be researched in depth in a 5,000-word assignment. You can consider respect from the differing perspectives of various cultures and examine its expression in various life domains (family, friendship, relationship, or workplace).

Personal Statement 5000 Words

This word count is pretty much for a personal statement, and it’s not typical to receive such an assignment from an employer or academic institution. However, if you have been assigned to this project, make sure to make it structured, attention-grabbing, and informative. Discuss your educational or professional pathway and mention your key relevant achievements, skills, and future plans.

📘 5000 Word Research Paper Examples

  • The Relationship between Stress Management and Criminal Recidivism Employment tends to increase the social capital of individuals, what is usually referred to as the networks of shared norms and values, which augments the access to the much-needed necessities.
  • Conflict Resolution Within an Organization There has been renewed interest on conflict in the organization context in the past decade which can be evidenced by establishment of the International Association for Conflict Management which facilitates in the research and development, […]
  • How Public Participation Is Affecting Service Delivery In the UK, the notion of public participation has gained favour, owing to its ability to affect democracy and flexibility in the delivery of public services.
  • Cyber Security Technologies The technology is regularly designed to alter the attack surface of a network, making it hard for attackers to access a system and reducing the susceptibilities and predictabilities available at any time.
  • Key Highlights of the Human Career Discovered in the region of Hoxne, the tools that the scientists found and considered the evidence of the people development in the Stone Age, these instruments signify the ancient people moving to Europe from the […]
  • Torture as a Counter-Terrorism Tool in 21st Century For a long time, it was a consensus that in the quest to safeguard the rights of its humans, the actions of governments, and in this case the security apparatus, must not violate the same […]
  • Human Trafficking between Africa and Europe: Security Issues This situation is usually made possible by the fact that the traffickers are usually criminal groups that have a potential to do harm to the victims and to the family of the victims.
  • Pentagon 9/11, Actions and Durations The following are the objectives of my study: To find out the major loopholes that was exploited by the terrorists in the attack To find out the measures that can be put in place to […]
  • How Infographics Make it Easier to Receive Information Some of the limitations to the use of images in infographics include the visual impairment of the intended subjects, lack of clarity in the presentation of the message, and existing personal viewing preferences such as […]
  • The Benefits of Being Bilingual in a Global Society And, it represents the matter of crucial importance for educators to be able to adopt a proper perspective onto the very essence of bilingualism/multilingualism, as it will increase their ability to design teaching strategies in […]

🌍 5000 Word International Affairs Paper Topics

  • Consequences of rising China for the USA.
  • Origins and political motivations of Al Qaeda.
  • Evolution of the US foreign policy in the past 30 years.
  • The world’s path to multi-polar politics.
  • The role of anti-dumping laws in international trade.
  • Can soft power still help in 21st-century regional conflict resolutions?
  • The evolution of the global security concept since the 2010s.
  • The impact of war in Ukraine on international politics.
  • Dynamics of international politics during globalization.
  • The American trace in South Sudan civil war.
  • The UN as a global governance body – analysis of efficiency.
  • Are humanitarian interventions always justified from the viewpoint of international politics?
  • The US engagement with Middle East politics – the oil question.
  • The Turkey-Afghanistan political tension.
  • International affairs from constructivist vs. realist perspectives.

🏺 5000 Word History Paper Examples

  • The History of Rice in Japan Towards the end of the 1930s, the government took control of the rice markets and licensed all the brokers as well as rice dealers.
  • Women’s Status in the Workforce and Its Evolution However, I was interested in taking a historical excursion into the evolution of the position of women in the labor market and understanding how women of the last century felt in the labor market and […]
  • Ronald Reagan as a President and a Person He was against the ideas of communism, and he thus worked hard to ensure that communism did not find a place in Hollywood.
  • Republican Presidents Grant, Hayes & Garfield In April 1862 Ulysses Grant was engaged in what was considered to be one of the bloodiest warfare in the history of the United States of America.
  • Germany and Poland Passages to Democracy Comparison The effects of the strong political agenda of Germany and its effects in Europe and the world was one of the major issues of the 1990s.
  • The US Military Experience in Films He dips a cloth in the water at the bottom of the shell hole and touches it to the wounded Frenchman’s mouth.
  • United States-Iran Relations, 1930-1945 The American’s mission was to refurbish Iranian army, to reorganize gendarmerie in Iran; they also had financial mission and smaller missions to the police department and Ministry of Food and Supply in Iran.
  • Poverty and Inequality in Jacksonian America One of the reactions of the leaders and most especially the presidents under this period was to impose a policy of non-intervention by the federal government.

👨‍🏫 5000 Word Thesis Topic Ideas

  • The impact of global warming and climate change on the Dead Sea ecosystem.
  • Homeschooling vs. public education: a longitudinal study of schoolers’ career prospects.
  • Long-term impact of Tourette’s syndrome on the person’s life.
  • Market analysis adjustments for digital businesses.
  • Career prospects of over-qualified staff in business administration.
  • Perceived impact of socio-economic status on happiness.
  • AI use in healthcare diagnostics: a step forward?
  • Biodiversity conservation challenges in East India.
  • VR tools for student assessment.
  • Pedagogical work with youth subcultures.
  • Business development in compliance with ESG principles: a modern business challenge.
  • Predictive modeling of financial crises.
  • Marketing strategies for small businesses in the post-COVID era.
  • The principles of reflex branding.
  • Impact of feedback on employee performance and self-esteem in the nursing workplace.

📌 5000 Word Essay: Answers to the Most Pressing Questions

📌 5000 word essay is how many pages.

How many pages is a 5000-word essay? It depends on the line spacing. A paper of this length will take 10 pages (single-spaced) or 20 pages (double-spaced). The exact length of your 5000 words will depend on the citation style used, the footnotes, and the bibliography.

📌 How Many Paragraphs Is 5000 Words?

How much is 5000 words in paragraphs? A typical academic paragraph contains 100 to 150 words. So, a 5000-word essay will consist of 34-37 paragraphs.

📌 How Many Sentences Is 5000 Words?

How many sentences is a 5000-word essay? A typical sentence in academic writing consists of 15-20 words. So, 5000 words are not less than 250-253 sentences.

📌 How to Outline a 5000-Word Essay?

A 5000-word paper requires a very thorough approach to researching, outlining, and writing. You’ll rarely need to write an essay of such a length. 5000-word volume is more suitable for a term paper, research paper, or scholarly article. Apart from the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion, you can be required to include other parts like an abstract, literature review, methodology, results, and discussion. The details will depend on the exact requirements.

📌 How Long Does It Take to Write 5000 Words?

How long does it take to write a 5000-word essay? It will take you 2-3 hours to type 5000 words on your keyboard (the total time will depend on your typing speed). Writing an academic paper will take more time because you’ll have to research, make an outline, write, format, and edit your text. It would be best if you planned to spend a little over 16 and a half hours for a 5000-word paper.

📌 How to Reduce Word Count in a 5000-Word Essay?

The easiest way to do that is to get rid of the less important arguments you consider in your 5000-word essay. Rank your arguments and eliminate those weaker. Another idea is to edit your paper in order to make sentences shorter. For instance, you can remove some of the adverbs.

  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, November 19). 5000 Word Essay Examples & Topic Ideas. https://ivypanda.com/essays/words/5000-words-essay-examples/

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Bibliography

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IMAGES

  1. How to Write a 5000 Word Essay and How Many Pages Is It? [Tips

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  2. How to Write a Literature Review: 3 Minute Step-by-step Guide

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  6. How to Write a 5000 Word Essay and How Many Pages Is It? [Tips

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COMMENTS

  1. How to 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.

  2. PDF Writing an Effective Literature Review

    Make sure you develop a good system that works for you and use it. 3. Don't write a laundry list of papers A literature review should be a synthesis of the papers you have read to tell a meaningful story about the literature, not a simple list of paraphrases of what each paper said. 4.

  3. How To Write A Literature Review (+ Free Template)

    Okay - with the why out the way, let's move on to the how. As mentioned above, writing your literature review is a process, which I'll break down into three steps: Finding the most suitable literature. Understanding, distilling and organising the literature. Planning and writing up your literature review chapter.

  4. How Long Should a Literature Review Be?

    In general, the length of the review should be proportionate to your overall paper. For example, if you're writing a fifty-thousand-word dissertation, then your literature review will likely be an entire chapter comprising about 20 pages. If it's for a 15-page research paper, your literature review may only be a few pages.

  5. How to write a literature review

    2. Decide the scope of your review: This depends on the nature of your study. Decide on the number of articles you want to read, the recentness of these articles, and how comprehensive these are. 3. Go for reliable data sources: An important step in writing a good literature review is collecting data.

  6. How To Write A Literature Review

    1. Outline and identify the purpose of a literature review. As a first step on how to write a literature review, you must know what the research question or topic is and what shape you want your literature review to take. Ensure you understand the research topic inside out, or else seek clarifications.

  7. How to write a literature review in 6 steps

    3. Evaluate and select literature. 4. Analyze the literature. 5. Plan the structure of your literature review. 6. Write your literature review. Other resources to help you write a successful literature review.

  8. Writing a Literature Review

    Writing a Literature Review. A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis ). The lit review is an important genre in many disciplines, not just literature (i.e., the study of works of literature such as novels ...

  9. How to write a superb literature review

    The best proposals are timely and clearly explain why readers should pay attention to the proposed topic. It is not enough for a review to be a summary of the latest growth in the literature: the ...

  10. Writing a literature review

    How to write a literature review in 6 steps. How do you write a good literature review? This step-by-step guide on how to write an excellent literature review covers all aspects of planning and writing literature reviews for academic papers and theses.

  11. How to Write a Literature Review

    Avoid plagiarism in your lit review. Consult this UO Libraries tutorial on Academic Integrity if you need some guidance. If you would like more pointers about how to approach your literature review, this this handout from The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill suggests several effective strategies. From UNC-Chapel Hill and University of Toronto

  12. Literature Review

    This guide offers information on writing resources, citation style guides, and academic writing expectations and best practices, as well as information on resources related to copyright, fair use, permissions, and open access.

  13. How To Structure A Literature Review (Free Template)

    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.

  14. Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Literature Review

    Literature reviews are in great demand in most scientific fields. Their need stems from the ever-increasing output of scientific publications .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 .Given such mountains of papers, scientists cannot be expected to examine in detail every ...

  15. Undertaking your literature review

    You should be guided by how long your literature review needs to be - it is no good reading hundreds of texts if you only have 1,000 words to fill. Tip: Work out what your target word count will be for each section and aim to write to it. This will help you to avoid over-reading or writing on any one topic.

  16. Writing a Literature Review

    Even with a literature review you should avoid using too many, or overlong, quotes. Summarise material in your own words as much as possible. Save the quotes for 'punch-lines' to drive a particular point home. Revise, revise, revise: refine and edit the draft as much as you can. Check for fluency, structure, evidence, criticality and ...

  17. 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 ...

  18. A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Scientific Review Article

    Scientific review articles are comprehensive, focused reviews of the scientific literature written by subject matter experts. The task of writing. ... Review articles tend to be 4000 to 5000 words in length, with 80% to 90% devoted to the body. ... Ten simple rules for writing a literature review. PLoS Comput Biol. 2013; 9 (7): e1003149

  19. How Long Does It Take to Write a Literature Review

    The length of a literature review can vary depending on the depth of the research topic and the guidelines set by a particular institution or journal. In most cases, literature reviews range from 2000 to 5000 words. However, for doctoral dissertations, it can be much more extensive.

  20. 5000 Word Dissertation Structure

    Here are some tips on how to structure a research methodology for a 5,000 word dissertation: - Begin by outlining the main points you want to make in your paper. - Then, develop these points by referencing relevant literature reviews and studies. - Next, flesh out these ideas by writing analytical essays that explore the implications of ...

  21. How to Write a Literature Review in 6 Steps

    Literature review as part of a longer paper: Seagrass Mapping and Monitoring Along the Coasts of Crete, Greece. Steps to Write a Literature Review. Starting is always the hardest part, so let's dive right in. While every writer's process may differ, these are six basic steps that writers will find helpful when trying to draft literature ...

  22. 5000 Word Dissertation

    How Long Does It Take To Write A 5000 Word Literature Review? Writing a 5000 words literature review can take anywhere between 24 to 48 hours. It depends on the complexity of the literature review section of your dissertation. Following the instructions specified in our article, you can easily organise and finish your literature review in a day.

  23. 5000 Word Essay Examples + Topiсs for 5000 Words Papers

    The standard approach to introduction writing is to allocate 10% for papers of 1,500+ words in length and 10-20% for smaller papers. Since we have a 5,000-word assignment, 10% will be enough. This means that you will need to dedicate 1.5-2 pages to your introductory section - around 500 words long.