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Introduction

Literature reviews take time. here is some general information to know before you start.  .

•  VIDEO -- This video is a great overview of the entire process.  (2020; North Carolina State University Libraries) --The transcript is included --This is for everyone; ignore the mention of "graduate students" --9.5 minutes, and every second is important  
• OVERVIEW -- Read this page from Purdue's OWL. It's not long, and gives some tips to fill in what you just learned from the video.  
• NOT A RESEARCH ARTICLE -- A literature review follows a different style, format, and structure from a research article.  

Steps to Completing a Literature Review

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Literature Review

Tools for Academic Writing: Literature Review

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What is a literature review?

A literature review is a discussion of previously published information on a particular topic, providing summary and connections to help readers understand the research that has been completed on a subject and why it is important. Unlike a research paper, a literature review does not develop a new argument, instead focusing on what has been argued or proven in past papers. However, a literature review should not just be an annotated bibliography that lists the sources found; the literature review should be organized thematically as a cohesive paper.

Why write a literature review?

Literature reviews provide you with a handy guide to a particular topic. If you have limited time to conduct research, literature reviews can give you an overview or act as a stepping stone. For professionals, they are useful reports that keep them up to date with what is current in the field. For scholars, the depth and breadth of the literature review emphasizes the credibility of the writer in his or her field. Literature reviews also provide a solid background for a research paper’s investigation. Comprehensive knowledge of the literature of the field is essential to most research papers.

Who writes literature reviews?

Literature reviews are sometimes written in the humanities, but more often in the sciences and social sciences. In scientific reports and longer papers, they constitute one section of the work. Literature reviews can also be written as stand-alone papers.

How Should I Organize My Literature Review?

Here are some ways to organize a literature review from Purdue OWL: 

• 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. 
• 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.
• Methodological:  If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods, you can compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example: 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 theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Outline Your Literature Review's Structure

How to Write a Literature Review

Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students

Writing the Literature Review

Find a focus Just like a term paper, a literature review is organized around ideas, not just sources. Use the research question you developed in planning your review and the issues or themes that connect your sources together to create a thesis statement. Yes, literature reviews have thesis statements! But your literature review thesis statement will be presenting a perspective on the material, rather than arguing for a position or opinion. For example:

The current trend in treatment for congestive heart failure combines surgery and medicine.

More and more cultural studies scholars are accepting popular media as a subject worthy of academic consideration.

Consider organization Once you have your thesis statement, you will need to think about the best way to effectively organize the information you have in your review. Like most academic papers, literature reviews should have an introduction, body, and conclusion. 

Use evidence and be selective When making your points in your literature review, you should refer to several sources as evidence, just like in any academic paper. Your interpretation of the available information must be backed up with evidence to show that your ideas are valid. You also need to be selective about the information you choose to include in your review. Select only the most important points in each source, making sure everything you mention relates to the review's focus.

Summarize and synthesize Remember to summarize and synthesize your sources in each paragraph as well as throughout the review. You should not be doing in-depth analysis in your review, so keep your use of quotes to a minimum. A literature review is not just a summary of current sources; you should be keeping your own voice and saying something new about the collection of sources you have put together.

Revise, revise, revise When you have finished writing the literature review, you still have one final step! Spending a lot of time revising is important to make sure you have presented your information in the best way possible. Check your review to see if it follows the assignment instructions and/or your outline. Rewrite or rework your language to be more concise and double check that you have documented your sources and formatted your review appropriately.

The Literature Review Model

Machi, Lawrence A, and Brenda T McEvoy. The Literature Review: Six Steps to Success. 2Nd ed. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press, 2012.

What the Literature Review IS and ISN'T:

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Literature Review Sample Paper

• Literature Review Sample 1
• Literature Review Sample 2
• Literature Review Sample 3

Literature Review Tips

• Taking Notes For The Literature Review
• The Art of Scan Reading
• UNC-Chapel Hill Writing Guide for Literature Reviews
• Literature Review Guidelines from Purdue OWL

Organizing Your Review

As you read and evaluate your literature there are several different ways to organize your research . Courtesy of Dr. Gary Burkholder in the School of Psychology, these sample matrices are one option to help organize your articles. These documents allow you to compile details about your sources, such as the foundational theories, methodologies, and conclusions; begin to note similarities among the authors; and retrieve citation information for easy insertion within a document.

• Literature Review Matrix 1
• Literature Review Matrix 2
• Spreadsheet Style

How to Create a Literature Matrix using Excel

Synthesis for Literature Reviews

Developing a Research Question 

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Literature Reviews: Write Your Review

Critical analysis.

A critical analysis of your sources is key to creating a quality literature review, and keeping your research question in mind as you read the literature will ensure that you are on track.

• As you read, ask yourself "Why is my topic important?" You must evaluate and interpret the information to discover your own point of view.

Reading and Evaluating Scholarly Literature (Oregon State University)

Evaluating Resources (University of Southern California)

Critically Analyzing Information Sources (Cornell University Library)

Literature Review Model

• What Constitutes a Good Literature Review and Why Does its Quality Matter? A discussion of the state of literature reviews found in scholarly journals. The author discusses the need for clear identification of the "problem domain" or scope of a topic, and the critical need for "identifying and articulating knowledge gaps" in literature reviews. more... less... Maier, H. R. (May 01, 2013). What constitutes a good literature review and why does its quality matter?. Environmental Modelling & Software, 43, 3-4.

Once you identify your topic, check for existing literature reviews in your area of interest that can be used as models.

• Search UW Libraries Catalog using your search terms in conjunction with "literature review" or "methods" or "research" or "bibliography".

What Does a Literature Review Look Like?

This sample literature review from the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL), provides an example in the field of psychology.

Structure of a Literature Review

A literature review has a format similar to other scholarly papers. It contains an introduction, body and conclusion, but is focused exclusively on the research of others.

The Basics of a Literature Review. (2014). Teaching and Learning Center University of Washington Tacoma. Retrieved from  https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/sites/default/files/2021-05/basics-of-lit-review1.pdf 

Guidelines for Writing Your Literature Review

The creation of a literature review involves reading articles , processing the information from the articles, and integrating that information in the larger context of the review

The Basics of a Literature Review. (2014). Teaching and Learning Center University of Washington Tacoma. Retrieved from  https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/sites/default/files/2021-05/basics-of-lit-review1.pdf

Types of Source Materials

Primary Resources - These resources are the basic building blocks for the other types of resources. They include empirical research , firsthand accounts of events and other original materials .

Secondary Resources - These are resources that analyze or interpret primary and other secondary resources .

Tertiary Resources - These include encyclopedias, textbooks, dictionaries, handbooks, and indexes. They provide a summary and definitions of topics and are an effective and efficient way to begin to build your project.

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Introduction to Scholarly Communication

• Citation Management
• Name Authority
• Scholarly Communication Cycle
• Staying Current
• Literature Review
• Open Access
• Data Management
• Citation Impact
• Identifying Grants
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Subject Guide

Action Items

Download citations to citation management software. 

Literature Review Help Sites

• University of California, Santa Cruz
• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• University of Toronto

Literature Reviews

A good literature review finds relevant academic literature and places it in a context that supports future research.  In other words, what background does the audience need to know in order to understand the innovation that you are presenting in your thesis or article?

Reed, L. (1998). Performing a Literature Review. 1 998 Frontiers in Engineering Conference . IEEE: Tempe, AZ.  Available online .

Tips for a Successful Literature Review

• Historical articles sometimes needed
• Use EI Engineering Village or other abstract database for historical literature
• Keywords - use to focus search on your topic
• Subject Descriptors - match your keywords to these to maximize efficient searching
• Download citations to citation management software to track where you have been

Purdue AllSearch

Start at http://www.lib.purdue.edu . Click Search All.  (Link opens a new window.)

• Google type search interface with facets to narrow search. 
• Provides extensive, broad searching across disciplines.
• Includes everything owned by Purdue plus many things we do not.
• Serendipitous searching.
• A good first place to start.
• The place to find  books.
• The place to find  print editions of magazine  articles. 

How to Use Databases

• Provides in-depth, efficient , subject specific searching.
• Includes academic, scholarly journals , some of which Purdue does not subscribe to.
• Results are highly targeted to discipline.
• A good place to continue a search after you have figured out useful keywords.
• A good place to go when you want a quick , accurate search.
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• Last Updated: Oct 23, 2023 1:33 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.purdue.edu/scholcom

Writing a Literature Review

Literature reviews vs. annotated bibliographies, what is a literature review, literature review overviews and examples.

• Citing sources and managing citations

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Literature reviews typically include the following elements:

• Citations for the referenced materials
• A discussion of the materials' research purpose, methods, and findings
• A discussion of how those findings relate to your research
• A discussion of the differences between cited materials 
• A discussion of the gaps created by the material referenced and how your research can close those gaps

Literature Reviews synthesize information available on a topic.

Annotated bibliography components:

• A citation for the information source
• A summary of the source
• A reflection on how you think you will use the source in your project

Annotated bibliographies look at individual sources.

Be sure to review your assignment prompt and/or speak to your professor.

• Annotated Bibliography and Literature Reviews (Stetson Writing Center) This Writing Center handout describes annotated bibliographies and literature reviews and how to write them.

17 - what is a literature review from Joshua Vossler on Vimeo .

What is a Literature Review? , Joshua Vossler:  https://vimeo.com/90324266

This video provides a definition and comprehensive overview of the literature review. Also explains how a literature review differs from an annotated bibliography, in that an annotated bibliography lists and evaluates sources individually, whereas a literature review is a synthesized analysis of sources.

• Literature Reviews (Writing Center, UNC Chapel Hill) Overview of lit reviews and tips on writing one.
• Writing a Literature Review (Dartmouth University Library) Overview of writing a literature review.
• Writing a Literature Review (Purdue OWL) Describes when and how to write a Lit Review along with ways to organize one.
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• Last Updated: Jul 20, 2023 3:05 PM
• URL: https://guides.stetson.edu/litreview

Have a question? Ask a librarian! Email [email protected]. Call or text 386-747-9028.

Literature Reviews

• Defining Literature Reviews
• Choosing a Topic
• Developing Search Strategies
• Finding Sources
• Evaluating Sources
• Staying Organized
• Tracking Citations
• Writing the Literature Review

Writing Support

While you can get help with your research at LSU Libraries, we do not provide writing support. That's where CxC comes in!

LSU's CxC (Communication Across the Curriculum) office provides writing and communication support to the LSU community.

• CXC Writing Support Are you looking for help with your writing? You can stop into a CxC Studio (Coates Hall 151 or Design 215) to connect with a Writing Mentor, or book an appointment online at cxc.lsu.edu/appointment (or by clicking the link above).

Organizing Structure

Once you've found your sources and taken notes, it's time to start writing!

Literature reviews can be structured in many different ways - they could be organized by method, chronology, trend, etc. The important thing is to highlight how these individual pieces of scholarship stand out and how they interconnect in the scholarly conversation on the topic.

Here's a basic checklist for the writing process:

• Review your notes
• Create an outline
• Write your first draft, being mindful of plagiarism by accurately citing your sources
• Compare your draft with your outline - does it match what you planned? Did you include everything you needed to include?
• Have someone review your work and share feedback
• Revise until done

For more suggestions on how to write a literature review, visit the Purdue OWL Literature Reviews page.

Meeting Your Writing Goals

Set writing goals to keep you on track. Small, specific, and frequent goals are often the most realistic and encourage continued progress. Some examples of goals include:

• Writing at least 100 words
• Reading over what you've written so far and adding comments to change for later
• Completing a particular section of the review
• Perfecting citations to your notes

Example Literature Reviews

• Sample 1: Business Sharing economy: A comprehensive literature review
• Sample 2: Social Work Employment Among Current and Former Welfare Recipients: A Literature Review.
• Sample 3: Agriculture Forest pests and wood pellets: A literature review of the opportunities and risks in the United States' northeastern forests.
• Sample 4: Music Education Literature Review of Social Justice in Music Education: Acknowledging Oppression and Privilege

Books on Writing

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Literature Review: Organizing/Writing

• Getting Started
• What is a Literature Review?
• Starting Your Research
• Finding "The Literature"
• Organizing/Writing

Purdue OWL Literature Review

The Purdue OWL offers  writing support for literature reviews . 

Synthesis Matrix

Another helpful idea to manage the process of reviewing the literature is a Synthesis Matrix. Virginia Commonwealth Univeristy explains that a Synthesis Matrix can help in the organization and relatability of each source.

Ways to Organize Your Literature Review

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

(adapted from  "The Literature Review"  from Organizing Your Social Research Paper, University of Southern California )

Tips for Writing Your Literature Review

If your assignment is not very specific about what form your literature review should take, seek clarification from your professor by asking these questions: 1.  Roughly how many sources should I include? 2.  What types of sources should I review (books, journal articles, websites)? 3.  Should I summarize, synthesize, or critique your sources by discussing a common theme or issue? 4.  Should I evaluate the sources? 5.  Should I provide subheadings and other background information, such as definitions and/or a history? Find Models Use the exercise of reviewing the literature to examine how authors in your discipline or area of interest have composed their literature reviews. Read them to get a sense of the types of themes you might want to look for in your own research or ways to organize your final review. The bibliography or reference section of sources you've already read are also excellent entry points into your own research.

Here are a few sample literature reviews from articles, including highlighting and notes on the literature reviews.  

• Barrett, C., Cannon, B., & O'Hare, L. (2007). "The Application of Library Outreach Strategies in Archival Settings." 
• APA Style Sample Literature Review
• What the research reveals about graduate student's writing skills: A literature review
• Blended learning in teacher education programs: A literature review

(adapted from "The Literature Review"  from Organizing Your Social Research Paper, University of Southern California )

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• Last Updated: Feb 7, 2024 3:27 PM
• URL: https://libguides.limestone.edu/LitReview

• Research Guides

Writing Literature Reviews

• Literature Review Overview
• Organizing Your Lit Review
• Tips for Writing Your Lit Review

Need Assistance?

Find your librarian, schedule a research appointment, today's hours : , what is a literature review.

A literature review ought to be a clear, concise synthesis of relevant information. A literature review should introduce the study it precedes and show how that study fits into topically related studies that already exist. Structurally, a literature review ought to be something like a funnel: start by addressing the topic broadly and gradually narrow as the review progresses.

from Literature Reviews by CU Writing Center

Why review the literature?

Reference to prior literature is a defining feature of academic and research writing. Why review the literature?

• To help you understand a research topic
• To establish the importance of a topic
• To help develop your own ideas
• To make sure you are not simply replicating research that others have already successfully completed
• To demonstrate knowledge and show how your current work is situated within, builds on, or departs from earlier publications

from Literature Review Basics from University of La Verne

Tips & Tricks

Before writing your own literature review, take a look at these resources which share helpful tips and tricks:

Lectures & Slides

• Literature Reviews | CU Writing Center
• Writing a Literature Review | CU Writing Center
• Revising a Literature Review | CU Writing Center
• Literature Reviews: How to Find and Do Them
• Literature Reviews: An Overview

How-To Guides

• Literature Reviews | Purdue OWL
• Literature Reviews | University of North Carolina
• Learn How to Write a Review of Literature | University of Wisconsin
• Literature Review: The What, Why and How-to Guide | University of Connecticut
• Literature Reviews | Florida A & M
• Conduct a Literature Review | SUNY
• Literature Review Basics | University of LaVerne

Sample Literature Reviews

• Sample Literature Reviews | University of West Florida
• Sample APA Papers: Literature Review | Purdue OWL
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“There is a lot of hard work… that remains to be done in insulating our society, particularly the most vulnerable aspects of society, against the warming and [its] consequence that are inevitable over the next several decades,” said #PennSP2 Assistant Professor Dr. R. Jisung Park at an SP2 event last week spotlighting his new book “Slow Burn: The Hidden Costs of a Warming World.” He described climate change as “a challenge that a place like SP2 is well-positioned to think about because a lot of these adaptations [are] much more about local institutions, local policies, the policy infrastructure and insurance mechanisms in place." In conversation with @BenJealous, Professor of Practice at SP2 and @AnnenbergPenn and Executive Director of the @SierraClub, Park discussed his research and his book’s exploration of the everyday implications of climate change, including negative effects on education, health, and workplace safety. His interdisciplinary research "suggests that climate change is not just an environmental problem, but it`s also a health systems problem, a labor force problem, an educational system problem,” Park said. Park, an environmental and labor economist, described himself as a “measured optimist” when it comes to climate change - pointing to both the significant consequences of climate change that have already begun, as well as the measurable progress already made in terms of mitigation and adaptation. @PrincetonUPress ...

In April, the second annual Art @ SP2 exhibit brought celebrated social justice photographer and SP2 alumnus Harvey Finkle, SW’61, to the Caster lobby for a special SP2 Minute event. In Finkle’s exhibited photos, members of the organization ADAPT/Disabled in Action advocate for equal access to the components of an independent life. The images are generously on loan to SP2 from Liberty Resources, Inc. in Philadelphia, a major provider of services for people with disabilities. Following remarks by SP2 Associate Dean for Inclusion Jerri Bourjolly and SP2 Dean Sara S. Bachman, Finkle shared memories of his career documenting social change movements since the 1970s during a Q&A discussion led by SP2 Director of Institutional Advancement Bart Miltenberger of the SP2 Art Committee. Describing his transition to photography after thirteen years as a social worker, Finkle explained that the medium allowed him to express his commitment to social justice in a different way. “It wasn’t that I changed values, I just changed instruments,” Finkle said. Read more at link in bio. @harveyfinkle @libertycil ...

@UofPenn Alumni Weekend is May 17 – 20! 🎉 #PennSP2 alumni and their families are invited back to campus to celebrate the completion of another academic year with food, drink, and live music. Reconnect, reminisce, and remember what it means to be part of the SP2 family. 💙 SP2 Alumni Reception | May 17, 5:30 – 8 PM Spend the evening with friends and family catching up with fellow alumni while enjoying the live band, food, and drinks. 🚨 As new alumni, 2024 graduates are encouraged to attend, celebrate their accomplishments, and engage with the SP2 alumni community!! 💙 SP2 Jazz Brunch | May 19, 12 – 2 PM A crowd favorite, the SP2 Jazz Brunch is a great way to close out an exciting weekend with great food, drinks, and a relaxing jazz quartet. We can`t wait to see you there! RSVP today at the link in bio. #PennAlumni #PennGrad @pennalumni ...

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Types of APA Papers

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

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Note:  This page reflects APA 6, which is now out of date. It will remain online until 2021, but will not be updated. There is currently no equivalent 7th edition page, but we're working on one. Thank you for your patience. Here is a link to our APA 7 "General Format" page .

There are two common types of papers written in fields using APA Style: the literature review and the experimental report (also known as a "research report"). Each has unique requirements concerning the sections that must be included in the paper.

Literature review

A literature review is a critical summary of what the scientific literature says about your specific topic or question. Often student research in APA fields falls into this category. Your professor might ask you to write this kind of paper to demonstrate your familiarity with work in the field pertinent to the research you hope to conduct. 

While the APA Publication Manual does not require a specific order for a literature review, a good literature review typically contains the following components:

• Introduction
• Thesis statement
• Summary and synthesis of sources
• List of references

Some instructors may also want you to write an abstract for a literature review, so be sure to check with them when given an assignment. Also, the length of a literature review and the required number of sources will vary based on course and instructor preferences.

NOTE:  A literature review and an annotated bibliography are  not  synonymous. While both types of writing involve examining sources, the literature review seeks to synthesize the information and draw connections between sources. If you are asked to write an annotated bibliography, you should consult the  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association  for the APA Format for Annotated Bibliographies.

Experimental/Research report

In many of the social sciences, you will be asked to design and conduct your own experimental research. If so, you will need to write up your paper using a structure that is more complex than that used for just a literature review. We have a complete resource devoted to writing an experimental report in the field of psychology  here .

This structure follows the scientific method, but it also makes your paper easier to follow by providing those familiar cues that help your reader efficiently scan your information for:

• Why the topic is important (covered in your introduction)
• What the problem is (also covered in your introduction)
• What you did to try to solve the problem (covered in your methods section)
• What you found (covered in your results section)
• What you think your findings mean (covered in your discussion section)

Thus an experimental report typically includes the following sections.

• Multiple experiments (if you conduct more than one)
• Appendices (if necessary)
• Tables and/or figures (if necessary)

Make sure to check the guidelines for your assignment or any guidelines that have been given to you by an editor of a journal before you submit a manuscript containing the sections listed above.

As with the literature review, the length of this report may vary by course or by journal, but most often it will be determined by the scope of the research conducted.

Other papers

If you are writing a paper that fits neither of these categories, follow the guidelines about  General Format , consult your instructor, or look up advice in the  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association .

When submitting a manuscript to a journal, make sure you follow the guidelines described in the submission policies of that publication, and include as many sections as you think are applicable to presenting your material. Remember to keep your audience in mind as you are making this decision. If certain information is particularly pertinent for conveying your research, then ensure that there is a section of your paper that adequately addresses that information.

How to Do a Literature Review: Resources

• Introduction
• Where to Begin
• Organization & Writing

Video Tutorials

Sample Papers

• Sample APA Literature Review Contains explanations and tips. From the Purdue Online Writing Lab.
• Example APA Paper from Purdue OWL Example of an APA communications paper with a literature review inside it. From the Purdue Online Writing Lab.

Online Resources

• PDF Literature Review Guide A succinct guide to literature reviews, including a short sample of a literature review.
• Writing a Literature Review A basic guide to writing a literature review. From the University of Guelph.
• Literature Reviews Very detailed guide to writing literature reviews. From the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• Literature Review Tutorial From American University.
• Why is Writing a Literature Review so Hard?
• Literature Reviews: OWL Purdue Graduate Workshop
• Social Work Literature Review Guidelines: OWL Purdue Writing Lab

Books and Ebooks

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