How to Tackle Literature Review

Literature Review Provides:

• an informative summary of current research around a defined topic
• an impartial analysis of existing scholarly inputs
• an engaging dialogue for future directions

Crafting a successful literature review requires thorough pre-writing steps and consideration of your audience.

Suggested Workflow

Step 1: Read the assignment guidelines

Step 2: Define your research question

Step 3: Map out your research elements

Step 4: Conduct literature review from scholarly sources

Step 5: Process scholarly inputs

Step 6: Deliver the research content

Step 7: Refine your work

Step 8: Attribute sources

Color Legends:�

• Pre-writing
• Writing
• Revising

First and foremost, read the assignment guidelines

Reading the assignment guidelines for a literature review assignment is a key starting point. Perhaps, it may help to read such guidelines several times.

• In your initial reading:
• Gain an understanding of the topic, scope, format, and deadline.
• In your follow-up reading:
• Underline key action phrases
• Take notes on key requirements
• Paraphrase the assignment guidelines in your own words:
• What is the task?
• What are your responsibilities?
• If something is unclear, seek clarification from the professor immediately.
• Make a game plan on tackling this assignment ahead of the deadline.

Pre-writing: Define your Topic

Having a defined / unambiguous topic is a must for any literature review to take place. To assess for clarity, the author should consider the following:

• What is the topic of discussion?
• Who is the audience?
• What methodologies are available to address this topic?

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Pre-writing: Map out Research Elements

For any particular research topic, there will be relevant subtopics for you to develop. These subtopics collectively build up to the research topic of interest. In other words, if your research question were the thesis statement, your subtopics would equate to the topic sentences of each body paragraph. Map out your research elements by drawing a concept map, in which the research question / topic sits at the centre and relevant subtopics sits on the periphery.

Main Topic

Subtopic 1

Subtopic 2

Subtopic 3

Subtopic 4

relates to

depends on

links to

shapes

Pre-writing: Conduct Literature Review Using Scholarly Sources

• Note that peer-reviewed journal articles contain doi numbers
• Use a variety of search engines, such as Google Scholar
• Reconsider sources from commercial entities
• Focus your search from within the last 5 years
• Vary your sources with both primary and secondary sources

Pre-writing: Process Scholarly Inputs

Processing scholarly inputs involves synthesizing, evaluating, bookmarking, and ordering information.

When reading each scholarly source, synthesize the information for your audience - can you articulate each source in your own words?

Evaluate your sources: How reliable are the claims? How do you interpret such results? What is the significance of such findings?

Bookmark your sources: Can you keep track of your sources? Explore the idea of creating a separate document for bookmarking.

Order your sources: Think of sources as items on a menu. Which sources come first, second, or last? Why? Consider the impacts of such ordering on the readability and flow of your work.

On Writing: Deliver the Content

Writing literature review means collecting a diversity of sources, integrating this mass of information, and articulating it for a wide range of audience. During the articulation stage, compose your work according to the order outlined in the pre-writing stages.

• Summarize sources
• Evaluate sources
• Connect sources using signposting words
• Weave your academic voice into these sources (i.e. interpretation)
• Summarize the content, significance, and potential future directions

On Revising: Refine your Work

• Double check the relevance of sources to each of your subtopics
• Eliminate irrelevant / redundant content�
• Refine for objectivity / impartiality:
• Is this work comprehensive and inclusive of prior research?�
• Refine for flow and readability:
• Does logical transition make sense from readers’ perspectives?
• Can sentences be rearranged to increase flow?�
• Adjust mechanics using this checklist

On Revising: Attribute Sources

• Adhere to specific referencing guidelines (assignment guidelines)

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• Provide adequate referencing
• The rule of thumb is “if you receive any assistance or information to any extent, cite.”�
• Consult an Acadia Librarian at the Research Desk

For more online referencing guidelines, browse Online Style Guide Resources.

We look forward to assisting you at the Acadia Writing Centre.