A Short guide on how to write a literature review

Froilan P. Ney

A literature review is a well-structured overview of published scholarly works and researches for
a particular topic. It is a summary, analysis and evaluation of the literature and an explanation of
what research has already been performed for a research area [1]. The format of a literature
review contains introduction, body, and conclusion and usually written in a form of an essay [2]–
[4].
Summarized steps in writing a literature review
1. Decide & familiarize with the topic, issue, and theory under consideration
- Gather a lot of sources, read with a purpose and focus your topic.
- Filter your set of sources. Review abstracts, introductions, and conclusions [4]
2. Categorize and organize each concept and identify the strong and weak point
of each idea
- Identify the potential organizing principle [4]. It can be by chronological, thematic or
methodological [5]
- Organize studies according to “common denominators”
3. Write your review by relating and integrating each work.
- Divide your section by subtopic making sure that each section links logically [6]
- Present a clear position logically developed from beginning to end.
4. Present a conclusion about these works
- Include a summary of major agreements and disagreements in the literature [7]
- Provide suggestions for future research that will fill the gaps in the existing body of
work. [3]

Material adapted from:

[1] W. U. Of and Wolverhampton, “Skills for Learning Guide To Writing a Literature Review
What Is a Literature Review? Why Do a Literature Review? Beginning Your Literature
Review,” Skillls for Learning, 2018. [Online]. Available:
https://www.wlv.ac.uk/lib/media/departments/lis/skills/study-guides/LS015-Guide-to-
Writing-a-Literature-Review.pdf. [Accessed: 22-Jun-2018].
[2] N. Mayekiso, “LibGuides: How to write a Literature Review: Home.”
[3] A. Skene, “Writing a Literature Review,” Writ. Cent., p. 2, 2012.
[4] N. Shunda, “What is a Literature Review? (and How Do I Write One?!),” 2007. [Online].
Available: https://web2.uconn.edu/ciom/Shunda/LitRev.pdf.
[5] A. S. Denney and R. Tewksbury, “How to Write a Literature Review,” J. Crim. Justice
Educ., vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 218–234, 2013.
[6] University of Guelph, “Writing a Literature Review | Library.” [Online]. Available:
https://www.lib.uoguelph.ca/get-assistance/writing/specific-types-papers/writing-literature-
review. [Accessed: 22-Jun-2018].
[7] B. Steward, “Writing a literature review,” Br. J. Occup. Ther., vol. 67, no. 11, pp. 495–500,
2004.