{"id":4009,"date":"2023-01-02T09:13:40","date_gmt":"2023-01-02T08:13:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/?p=4009"},"modified":"2023-09-11T12:26:39","modified_gmt":"2023-09-11T10:26:39","slug":"literature-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/dissertation\/literature-review\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, &#038; Templates"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>What is a literature review?<\/strong> A literature review is a survey of <a href=index-2683.html>scholarly sources<\/a> on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or <a href=index-3269.html>dissertation topic<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>There are five key steps to writing a literature review:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=index.html#collect-select-literature\"> <strong>Search<\/strong> for relevant literature<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#evaluate\"><strong>Evaluate<\/strong> sources<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#connections-themes\"><strong>Identify<\/strong> themes, debates, and gaps<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#structure\"><strong>Outline<\/strong> the structure<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#write\"><strong>Write<\/strong> your literature review <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>A good literature review doesn\u2019t just summarize sources\u2014it analyzes, <a href=indexb356.html?p=393424\%22>synthesizes<\/a>, and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-checklist\"><\/ul>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left green\"><figcaption>Tip<\/figcaption>We&#8217;ve also compiled a few <a href=index.html#examples\">examples<\/a>, <a href=index.html#template\">templates<\/a>, and <a href=index.html#outline\">sample outlines<\/a> for you below.<\/figure>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div class=\"scribbrTabs\">\n<ul class=\"scribbrTabs-menu\">\n<li class=\"current\"><a href=index.html#\">Introduction<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#\">Quick Run-through<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#\">Step 1 &amp; 2<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#\">Step 3<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#\">Step 4<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#\">Step 5<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"scribbrTabs-tabs\">\n<div class=\"scribbrTabs-content\">\n<div class=\"card youtubeContainer\"><iframe src=kkankgux7fs438d.html?rel=0\%22 frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"scribbrTabs-content\">\n<div class=\"card youtubeContainer\"><iframe src=ziyc6zg265e438d.html?rel=0\%22 frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"scribbrTabs-content\">\n<div class=\"card youtubeContainer\"><iframe src=u0kvj0lj8rw438d.html?rel=0\%22 frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"scribbrTabs-content\">\n<div class=\"card youtubeContainer\"><iframe src=hmgdwihiwzu438d.html?rel=0\%22 frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"scribbrTabs-content\">\n<div class=\"card youtubeContainer\"><iframe src=pok1-h8vafs438d.html?rel=0\%22 frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"scribbrTabs-content\">\n<div class=\"card youtubeContainer\"><iframe src=kw6uzn-8umi438d.html?rel=0\%22 frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>What is the purpose of a literature review?<\/h2>\n<p>When you write a <a href=index-896.html>thesis<\/a>, <a href=index-1577.html>dissertation<\/a>, or <a href=indexf967.html?cat_ID=14816\%22>research paper<\/a>, you will likely have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-checklist\">\n<li>Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context<\/li>\n<li>Develop a <a href=index-3271.html>theoretical framework<\/a> and <a href=index-1758.html>methodology<\/a> for your research<\/li>\n<li>Position your work in relation to other researchers and theorists<\/li>\n<li>Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate<\/li>\n<li>Evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Writing literature reviews is a particularly important skill if you want to <a href=index-1756.html>apply for graduate school<\/a> or pursue a career in research. We&#8217;ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"colorbox aligncenter mt-4 mb-4\" href=index-3443.html><img decoding=\"async\" src=index-3443.html width=\"800px\" alt=\"Literature review guide\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"examples\">Examples of literature reviews<\/h2>\n<p>Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you&#8217;d like to write.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Example literature review #1:<\/strong> <a href=papers6746.html?abstract_id=1105657\%22>&#8220;Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature&#8221;<\/a> (<strong><a href=index.html#theoretical\">Theoretical<\/a><\/strong> literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Example literature review #2:<\/strong> <a href=index-3444.html>&#8220;Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines&#8221;<\/a> (<strong><a href=index.html#methodological\">Methodological<\/a><\/strong> literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Example literature review #3:<\/strong> <a href=index-3445.html>&#8220;The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review&#8221;<\/a> (<strong><a href=index.html#thematic\">Thematic<\/a><\/strong> literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Example literature review #4:<\/strong> <a href=index-3446.html>&#8220;Learners\u2019 Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review&#8221;<\/a> (<strong><a href=index.html#chronological\">Chronological<\/a><\/strong> literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can also check out our <a id=\"template\"><\/a>templates with literature review examples and <a id=\"outline\"><\/a>sample outlines at the links below.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"btn btn--blue\" href=index-3447.html><i class=\"fa fa-file-word-o\"><\/i> Download Word doc<\/a><a class=\"btn btn--blue\" href=index-3448.html><i class=\"fa fa-folder-open-o\"><\/i> Download Google doc<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"collect-select-literature\">Step 1 &#8211; Search for relevant literature<\/h2>\n<p>Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined <a href=index-3269.html>topic<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your <a href=index-2933.html>research problem<\/a> and <a href=index-1762.html>questions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left purple\"><figcaption>Literature review research question example<\/figcaption>What is the impact of social media on body image among Generation Z?<\/figure>\n<h3>Make a list of keywords<\/h3>\n<p>Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables you&#8217;re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left purple\"><figcaption>Keywords example<\/figcaption><ul>\n<li>Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok<\/li>\n<li>Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health<\/li>\n<li>Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/figure>\n<h3>Search for relevant sources<\/h3>\n<p>Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Your university\u2019s library catalogue<\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3449.html>Google Scholar<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3450.html>JSTOR<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3451.html>EBSCO<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3452.html>Project Muse<\/a> (humanities and social sciences)<\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3453.html>Medline<\/a> (life sciences and biomedicine)<\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3454.html>EconLit<\/a> (economics)<\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3455.html>Inspec<\/a> (physics, engineering and computer science)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can also use <a href=index-3456.html>boolean operators<\/a> to help narrow down your search.<\/p>\n<p>Make sure to read the <a href=index-3119.html>abstract<\/a> to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"evaluate\">Step 2 &#8211; Evaluate and select sources<\/h2>\n<p>You likely won\u2019t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on your topic, so it will be necessary to <a href=index-3131.html>evaluate<\/a> which sources are most relevant to your research question.<\/p>\n<p>For each publication, ask yourself:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-checklist\">\n<li>What question or problem is the author addressing?<\/li>\n<li>What are the key concepts and how are they defined?<\/li>\n<li>What are the key theories, models, and methods?<\/li>\n<li>Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?<\/li>\n<li>What are the results and conclusions of the study?<\/li>\n<li>How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?<\/li>\n<li>What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Make sure the sources you use are <a href=index-3130.html>credible<\/a>, and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.<\/p>\n<p>You can use our template to summarize and evaluate sources you&#8217;re thinking about using. Click on either button below to download.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"btn btn--blue\" href=index-3457.html><i class=\"fa fa-file-word-o\"><\/i> Download Word doc<\/a><a class=\"btn btn--blue\" href=index-3458.html><i class=\"fa fa-folder-open-o\"><\/i>Download Google doc<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Take notes and cite your sources<\/h3>\n<p>As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.<\/p>\n<p>It is important to keep track of your sources with <a href=index-1775.html>citations<\/a> to <a href=index-1154.html>avoid plagiarism<\/a>. It can be helpful to make an <a href=index-1755.html>annotated bibliography<\/a>, where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of<a href=index-3262.html> summary<\/a> and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left green\"><figcaption>Tip<\/figcaption>You can use Scribbr&#8217;s <a href=index-2715.html>free APA citation generator<\/a> or <a href=index-3459.html>MLA citation generator<\/a> to quickly create correct and consistent<a href=index-2715.html>\u00a0<\/a>citations. Want to check your literature review for plagiarism? Try Scribbr&#8217;s <a href=index-931.html>Plagiarism Checker for students<\/a>.<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"connections-themes\">Step 3 &#8211; Identify themes, debates, and gaps<\/h2>\n<p>To begin organizing your literature review\u2019s argument and structure, be sure you understand the connections and relationships between the sources you\u2019ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results):<\/strong> do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Themes:<\/strong> what questions or concepts recur across the literature?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Debates, conflicts and contradictions:<\/strong> where do sources disagree?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pivotal publications:<\/strong> are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gaps:<\/strong> what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left purple\"><figcaption>Example of trends and gaps<\/figcaption>In reviewing the literature on social media and body image, you note that:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Most research has focused on young women.<\/li>\n<li>There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.<\/li>\n<li>But there is still a lack of robust research on highly visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat\u2014this is a gap that you could address in your own research.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"structure\">Step 4 &#8211; Outline your literature review\u2019s structure<\/h2>\n<p>There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review.\u00a0Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"chronological\">Chronological<\/h3>\n<p>The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.<\/p>\n<p>Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"thematic\">Thematic<\/h3>\n<p>If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"methodological\">Methodological<\/h3>\n<p>If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of <a href=_-12.html>research methods<\/a>, you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Look at what results have emerged in<a href=index-2768.html> qualitative versus quantitative research<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship<\/li>\n<li>Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"theoretical\">Theoretical<\/h3>\n<p>A literature review is often the foundation for a <a href=index-3271.html>theoretical framework<\/a>. You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.<\/p>\n<p>You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left green\"><figcaption>Tip<\/figcaption>AI tools like ChatGPT can be effectively used to brainstorm ideas and create an outline for your literature review. However, trying to pass off AI-generated text as your own work is a serious offense. This will be recognized by your university&#8217;s <a href=index-1841.html>plagiarism checker<\/a> or <a href=index-3460.html>AI detector<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Visit our <a href=index-987.html>AI writing<\/a> resources page to learn how to use these tools responsibly.<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"write\">Step 5 &#8211; Write your literature review<\/h2>\n<p>Like any other <a href=index-1794.html>academic text<\/a>, your literature review should have an <a href=index-1764.html>introduction<\/a>, a main body, and a <a href=index-1765.html>conclusion<\/a>. What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"introduction\">Introduction<\/h3>\n<p>The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left green\"><figcaption>Tip<\/figcaption>If you are writing the literature review as part of your dissertation or thesis, reiterate your central problem or research question and give a brief summary of the scholarly context. You can emphasize the timeliness of the topic (\u201cmany recent studies have focused on the problem of x\u201d) or highlight a gap in the literature (\u201cwhile there has been much research on x, few researchers have taken y into consideration\u201d).<\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"body\">Body<\/h3>\n<p>Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a <a href=index-3461.html>subheading<\/a> for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.<\/p>\n<p>As you write, you can follow these tips:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-checklist\">\n<li><strong><a href=index-3262.html>Summarize<\/a> and synthesize:<\/strong> give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole<\/li>\n<li><strong>Analyze and interpret:<\/strong> don\u2019t just <a href=index-1249.html>paraphrase<\/a> other researchers<span>\u2014<\/span>add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole<\/li>\n<li><strong>Critically evaluate:<\/strong> mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources<\/li>\n<li><strong>Write in well-structured paragraphs:<\/strong> use <a href=index-3399.html>transition words<\/a> and <a href=index-1768.html>topic sentences<\/a> to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"conclusion\">Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p>In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left green\"><figcaption>Tip<\/figcaption>Be sure to show how your research addresses gaps and contributes new knowledge, or discuss how you have drawn on existing theories and methods to build a framework for your research.<\/figure>\n<p>When you&#8217;ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don&#8217;t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Not a language expert? Check out Scribbr&#8217;s <a href=index-892.html>professional proofreading services<\/a>!<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"slides\">Free lecture slides<\/h2>\n<p>This article has been adapted into lecture slides that you can use to teach your students about writing a literature review.<\/p>\n<p>Scribbr slides are free to use, customize, and distribute for educational purposes.<\/p>\n<p><iframe width=\"730\" height=\"439\" src=embed3c93.html?start=false&amp;loop=false&amp;delayms=3000\%22 frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" mozallowfullscreen=\"mozallowfullscreen\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"webkitallowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"btn btn--small btn--blue\" href=index-1562.html>Open Google Slides<\/a> <a class=\"btn btn--small btn--blue\" href=index-1563.html>Download PowerPoint<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"other\">Other interesting articles<\/h2>\n<p>If you want to know more about the <a href=index-2946.html>research process<\/a>, <a href=_-12.html>methodology<\/a>, <a href=index-3462.html>research bias<\/a>, or <a href=index-2947.html>statistics<\/a>, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.<\/p>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-user-circle\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em>Methodology<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=index-2948.html>Sampling methods<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2949.html>Simple random sampling<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2950.html>Stratified sampling<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2951.html>Cluster sampling<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2952.html>Likert scales<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2953.html>Reproducibility<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-book\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em>\u00a0Statistics<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=index-2954.html>Null hypothesis<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2955.html>Statistical power<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2956.html>Probability distribution<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2957.html>Effect size<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2958.html>Kurtosis<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2959.html>Poisson distribution<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-globe\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em> Research bias<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=index-2960.html>Optimism bias<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2961.html>Cognitive bias<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2962.html>Implicit bias<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2963.html>Hawthorne effect<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2964.html>Anchoring bias<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-2965.html>Explicit bias<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n    <h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<dl class=\"faq-list faq-list--arrows w-100 my-5\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"what-is-a-literature-review\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-3463.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        What is a literature review?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"what-is-a-literature-review-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>A <a href=index-1575.html><strong>literature review<\/strong><\/a> is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or <a href=index-1762.html>research question<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It is often written as part of a thesis, <a href=index-1577.html>dissertation<\/a>, or <a href=indexf967.html?cat_ID=14816\%22>research paper<\/a>, in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"purpose-of-a-literature-review\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-3464.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        What is the purpose of a literature review?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"purpose-of-a-literature-review-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>There are several reasons to conduct a <a href=index-1575.html>literature review<\/a> at the beginning of a research project:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>To familiarize yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic<\/li>\n<li>To ensure that you&#8217;re not just repeating what others have already done<\/li>\n<li>To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved <a href=index-2933.html>problems<\/a> that your research can address<\/li>\n<li>To develop your <a href=index-3271.html>theoretical framework<\/a> and <a href=index-1758.html>methodology<\/a><\/li>\n<li>To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"where-does-the-literature-review-go\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-3465.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        Where does the literature review go in a dissertation?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"where-does-the-literature-review-go-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>The<a href=index-1575.html> literature review<\/a> usually comes near the beginning of your <a href=index-1577.html>thesis or dissertation<\/a>. After the <a href=index-3128.html>introduction<\/a>, it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your <a href=index-3271.html>theoretical framework<\/a> or <a href=index-1758.html>methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"literature-review-vs-annotated-bibliography\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-3466.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        What is the difference between a literature review and an annotated bibliography?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"literature-review-vs-annotated-bibliography-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>A <a href=index-1575.html>literature review<\/a> is a survey of <a href=index-3130.html>credible sources<\/a> on a topic, often used in <a href=index-1577.html>dissertations<\/a>, theses, and <a href=index-1576.html>research papers<\/a>. Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other\u00a0<a href=index-1794.html>academic texts<\/a>, with an <a href=index-1764.html>introduction<\/a>, a main body, and a <a href=index-1765.html>conclusion<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><span>An\u00a0<\/span><a href=index-1755.html>annotated bibliography<\/a> <span>is a list of\u00a0<\/span><a href=index-1775.html data-wpel-link=\"internal\">source references<\/a><span> that has a short description (called an <\/span><strong>annotation<\/strong><span>) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a\u00a0<a href=index-1576.html data-wpel-link=\"internal\">paper<\/a>. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/dl>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic. There are five key steps [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":""},"categories":[23650,73],"tags":[50079,50088,50112],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<title>How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, &amp; Templates<\/title>\n
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