Literature Reviews
Dr. Meri Wimberly
Director, McCourt Writing Center
What is a lit review?
A synthesis of the literature on a particular research topic that explains what is currently known (reliable conclusions) and what has yet to be discovered (gaps).
Synthesis: Combining multiple perspectives in order to create a new and better whole.
Research topic: The policy problem or question you want to answer.
Reliable conclusions: Different studies have achieved the same results.
Gaps: Unanswered questions, unexplored aspects, or unreliable conclusions.
Why do a lit review?�Use it to:
Inform the design of your research plan: What is the most important policy question and best way to find the answer?
Motivate your research.
Help you interpret the results and provide policy recommendations.
The Writing Process �PHASE I: PREPARATION
Assessing the Context ☑️
Topic Identification
Research
Planning
The Writing Process �PHASE II: COMPOSITION
Drafting
Feedback
The Writing Process �PHASE III: FINALIZING
Revisions
Editing
Proofreading
Submission
Shortcuts
Don’t cherry-pick!
What is Synthesis?
A THESIS is a claim.
An ANTITHESIS is the opposite claim.
SYNTHESIS is the combining of a thesis and its antithesis in order to create a new whole. It is the combining of multiple perspectives on an issue in order to develop a greater and stronger argument.
SYNTHESIS How-To
Initial research: Know the debates around the topic.
Find sources that represent multiple perspectives.
Process your sources, noting the conclusions drawn and the methodologies and evidence that got them there.
Place your sources into conversation: Determine how your sources agree, and how they disagree. Decide which conclusions are most reliable, and which are not.
Use your research to make your own conclusion about what the literature tells us, and what it doesn’t.
What the literature tells us—and doesn’t—is the thesis for your lit review.
SYNTHESIS Questions
Are there obvious “buckets” of studies that relate to each other?
How do these studies relate to each other, and how do they relate to the research question?
Do they ask the same questions, use the same methods, and/or get the same results?
How do they differ from each other?
If similar studies reach different conclusions, why?
What research designs or methods seem unsatisfactory? Consider sample size, confounding factors, etc.
What evidence is lacking, inconclusive, contradictory, or too small-scale to be generalizable?
SYNTHESIS Example
THESIS: Nuclear power plants are dangerous for the planet, because of accidents and fallout. We should use other sources of energy.
ANTITHESIS: Nuclear energy is statistically one of the cleanest and cheapest sources.
SYNTHESIS: The literature on nuclear energy reliably concludes that it is generally clean and safe. On the other hand, documented reports of accidents with tangible consequences on people’s lives abound.
Leading into Your Project
Therefore, what question remains?
Structure & Outlining
Introduction
Thesis Statement
Body/Support
Section Headings
Sub-claims for each paragraph
Conclusion
Lit review arguments are additive
It’s all about the LOGIC!
Sub-Claim 1
+ Sub-Claim 2
+ Sub-Claim 3
+ Sub-Claim 4
= the Thesis Statement
Introduction
Purpose: What is the lit review about?
The Stakes: Why do we need it?
Thesis Statement
Roadmap
Support Paragraphs
Introductory Sentence: Sub-claim and link to thesis
Analysis and Evidence
Concluding Sentence: Restated Sub-claim and link to thesis
Transition
Conclusion
Restate thesis statement
Policy takeaways
Policy questions that emerge
Responsible Use of Source Material
See the library’s APA tutorial here.
Quotations need to be incorporated grammatically into sentences. For example: According to Smith, “true popular culture is culture of the people” (2021, 16).
Quotation marks must be used any time more than three words are taken directly from a text.
To paraphrase, you must truly rewrite the entire sentence using your own words and structure.
Any time any information is taken from a source, an in-text citation corresponding to an entry on the References page is needed.
Finalizing
Revision | Editing | Proofreading |
SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES | LOWER-ORDER CHANGES | FINAL CHECK |
Thesis statement | Format | Typos |
Structure | Style/tone | |
Evidence | Word choice | |
Argumentation | Concision | |
| Grammatical conventions | |
| | |
What’s next?
The Writing Center is here if you want help! Visit our website for general services. Email dedicated thesis/capstone advisor Dr. Jeff Mayer at mayerjl@georgetown.edu for individual appointments.