How can you organize your literature review for maximum clarity?

1 Define your scope and purpose

Before you start writing your literature review, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and what you will include and exclude. Your scope and purpose should be guided by your research question, objectives, and methodology, as well as the expectations and conventions of your discipline and audience. You should also consider the type, length, and format of your literature review, whether it is a standalone document or a part of a larger project. A well-defined scope and purpose will help you focus your search, selection, and evaluation of sources, and avoid irrelevant or redundant information.

2 Choose an organizational principle

Once you have gathered and analyzed your sources, you need to decide how to organize them in a logical and coherent way. Various organizational principles can be used, depending on your topic, purpose, and argument. For example, you can present the sources in chronological order to show how the research has evolved over time. Alternatively, you can group the sources by themes, topics, or issues to show how they relate to your research question and objectives. You can also compare and contrast the sources by their methods, approaches, or perspectives to demonstrate how they differ or agree in their assumptions, data, and findings. Additionally, you can examine the sources by their theoretical frameworks, models, or concepts to illustrate how they contribute to or challenge a specific theory or paradigm. Furthermore, you can combine different principles or use subheadings to create a more nuanced and comprehensive structure - such as a chronological order within each theme or a thematic order within each method.

3 Write clear and concise summaries

When writing a summary of each source for your literature review, you need to be clear and concise, avoiding unnecessary details or repetitions. Paraphrase the source accurately, citing it properly according to the referencing style of your discipline. Your summary should answer questions such as what the research question or problem is, what the main argument or claim is, what method or approach is used to conduct the research, what the main findings or results are, and what implications or limitations there are for your research.

4 Synthesize and evaluate the sources

Besides summarizing the sources, you also need to synthesize and evaluate them in relation to your research question and objectives. Synthesis means that you identify and explain the connections, similarities, and differences among the sources, and show how they form a coherent whole. Evaluation means that you assess and critique the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps of the sources, and show how they support or challenge your argument. You should use transitions, signposts, and keywords to guide your reader through your synthesis and evaluation, and demonstrate your critical thinking and analysis skills. You should also use evidence and examples from the sources to back up your claims and opinions.

5 Relate the literature to your research

Finally, you need to relate the literature review to your own research project, and show how it informs and justifies your research question, objectives, and methodology. You should summarize the main findings and gaps of the literature review, and explain how they lead to your research question and hypothesis. You should also discuss how your research will contribute to the existing knowledge and address the limitations or challenges of the previous studies. You should also outline the scope and limitations of your own research, and acknowledge any assumptions or biases that may affect your interpretation and analysis.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?