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What is a Literature Review?

A literature review does not present primary research. Instead, it summarizes and synthesizes previous research, often from many sources.

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How to write a Lit Review

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Step 1. Gather sources

Use sources that are current
Ensure their relevance to the topic

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How will you keep track of your sources?

Citation Managers

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How will you keep track of your sources?

Citation Managers

Spreadsheets

Include key information such as subject, methodologies, main results, etc.

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Step 2: Take notes on each source!

Guide your notes by answering these questions:

What is the purpose of each source?
How do the results relate to one another?
What areas could each source improve on?
How does each source relate to my research question?
Where could the field go from here?

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Introduction

Establishes what your writing will be about

Give an overview of the topic and your research question
Mention key points that will be seen through the review
Introduce any relevant background information needed to understand the sources

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What’s in the Body Paragraphs?

What does each source say?
How do the sources work together?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of each source?
Make all of these points as objective as possible, your job is not necessarily to insert yourself but to facilitate a conversation between your sources
Depending on the breadth of your topic, the body paragraphs can have relevant subheadings

The body paragraphs are where you will summarize and analyze your sources

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The Conclusion

Wrap up what has been communicated throughout the review

Summarize the main points seen throughout the sources
Connect everything back to your research question
Offer ideas for further research to develop your research question

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Discipline-specific Lit Reviews

Many disciplines use literature reviews, and though their aim is the same, they do differ

Humanities

Biology

More argumentation

More reporting

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What Makes a Biology Lit Review Special?

There is less interpretation and more stating the facts of the source
This does not mean that there is no room for the writer’s voice, ensure that weaknesses (or strengths) are included and suggestions to fix these
Usually the end goal of a biology literature review is to propose new research in an area.

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More Tips!

Again, the goal of a literature review is to summarize and synthesize the information in your sources.

Make sure your sources are “talking to each other” (this is what synthesis is)

If you only have in text citations from one source in a paragraph, your sources aren’t talking
How do each of the sources fill in gaps that the other sources left out? Where do they overlap? Where do they disagree?

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Get them from a reputable journal and ensure that they are peer reviewed

Ensure that you have quality sources