Writing a literature review

Advanced academic writing

What is the purpose?

To present previous research on the topic
To narrow down to the most relevant research which
is directly related to your question/area of choice
within the field
To show critical appraisal of past studies and theories
To identify a gap in the literature that your research
would fill* (if you are writing a full project)
To display your knowledge, and understanding of the
field
* this may be very small

Contents
Set context
Examine any theories that your research is based on
e.g. marketing/ leadership/ethics
Examine any previous studies which have looked at a
similar area or done a similar study
Present alternative views on the studies and topics (e.g.
some say gender IS related to internet use, some say it
is NOT)
Critique these studies
Indicate a gap- what previous studies have NOT done
(e.g. previous studies have only focused on
undergraduates there remains a gap in knowledge about
the internationalisation experiences of graduate and
mature students )

Planning
Read widely but selectively!
Make notes and summaries on main findings of
the studies/ theories
Group the literature into themes
Decide which studies support each other and
which contrast or offer an alternative viewpoint
Think about whether your literature review will
be chronological, argumentative or thematic
Write a plan for your review which may be
revised as you read and uncover more useful
research

Organisation

Chronological
Presenting the research by date
argumentative
Presenting the research according to
two sides of a debate
thematic
Presenting the research based on
factors

Q and A
What referencing system do I use?
You should use Harvard/APA as this is the standard for journals but also allows
you to synthesise more effectively
How do I select sources?
Find sources as usual, read the abstract and see if it is directly useful to
the research question. Always focus on the research question not the
research topic.
How long should it be?
1500 words plus or minus 10%
Why do a literature review?
It is really important in research projects that we contextualise our own
research by showing what has come before and how we will build on it. It
is also directly related to your discussion section of your own results
because you are showing whether the hypothesis/ question is correct or
not. A project cannot be successful without a good literature review,
therefore practice of this genre is extremely important for success in
research, either for longer research essays or for research projects.
How many sources do I need to use?
5 sources minimum, but you could use more. Make sure you have 3
strong key sources before you begin a topic.