The aim of a literature review is to demonstrate that you have read, and have a good understanding of, the main published work concerning a particular topic or question in your subject area.

A literature review is a critical evaluation of what researchers have written on your topic - it is not just a simple summary of the information. You need to analyse each point of view as well as identify any strengths or weaknesses you may find in their research methods or findings.

It is important to select your sources carefully - you do not need to include everything you have read on the topic. Concentrate on publications that have influenced the field and have been written by reputable authors such as university academics. Use a variety of sources that are relevant and of a high quality such as books: journal articles, websites, conference proceedings and government reports.

Writing a literature review is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. You need to figure out how each piece of writing fits together as well as identifying any missing pieces.

One common way to approach a literature review is to start out broad and then become more specific:

• General overview of literature: Start by giving a general outline of the broad issues related to your topic or question. You just need to demonstrate that you are aware of all the major issues surrounding it.

• Research/literature with some connection to your topic: Narrow your focus to deal with the research and literature that overlaps with your topic.

• Research/literature specifically about your topic: Hone in on any research and literature which is directly related to your topic. This should form the largest proportion of your writing.

Think of it as a upside-down triangle:

Before you begin to write your literature review

Define your problem:

• Which topic or field is being explored?

• What are the main issues?

• Where do you define the boundaries?

Search the literature:

• Find materials relevant to what you are exploring

• Evaluate what you read:

  • Is it relevant to your topic?
  • Is it up to date?
  • Is the information reliable and accurate?
  • How are you going to organise and keep track of your sources?

Structuring your text

Just like an essay, a literature review needs an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

The introduction

An introduction lets the reader know what the literature review contains, why it was done, what boundaries were set and an explanation of how it may inform further research. The introduction is often one of the last writing tasks you do.

This is a good example of an introduction because it can be broken down into three main parts:

• It has a topic sentence which indicates what will be covered

• It separates the major themes

• And tells the reader the specific focus of the literature review in the concluding sentence.

The Body

This is where you put together all the parts of your jigsaw along with your own analysis of the literature and how it relates to your topic or question. Remember, it is a good idea to start by introducing the broad issues first before getting more specific. It is here that you must develop an integrated argument from all the sources that you have gathered. Linking many arguments together is what makes a good literature review.

Look at the following paragraph:

This is a good example of a body paragraph because:

• It starts with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph, (which hopefully follows logically on from the preceding paragraph).

• It then presents arguments gathered from the literature, both supporting arguments and contrasting arguments. 

• Finally, the paragraph ends with a concluding sentence.

Tip:

Not all paragraphs need to have contrasting arguments but to include some when appropriate shows you have read widely.

A good literature review not only presents the information you have found from the literature, it often includes your own critique and evaluation of it. Even though it may be your own judgement, it is a good idea to support that opinion using other literature.

Look at the following paragraph:

This is an example of a body paragraph which includes student analysis:

• It starts with a topic sentence which introduces the main idea of the paragraph

• It then presents several evidence statements gathered from the literature

• Using these statements as support, an analysis is made

• Finally, it paragraph ends with a concluding sentence.

Tip:

Not all paragraphs need to contain an analysis of the information, but to include some when appropriate shows you have been thinking critically about what you have read.

Conclusion

Don't forget, just like an essay, you need to include a one or two paragraph conclusion that sums up the main points that have emerged throughout the body of your literature review.

A well written literature review contains many verbs that are used to introduce references. These are called reporting verbs. Reporting verbs can indicate either the author’s personal viewpoint, your viewpoint regarding what the author says, and/or the author’s viewpoint regarding other literature.

Try to vary your use of these verbs as using the same one too often is boring for the reader.