Write a Literature Review that Shines: Expert Tips & Tricks for Success!

Writing a literature review can be challenging, requiring analyzing various research articles, books, and papers on a specific topic. A literature review summarizes the existing knowledge, highlighting key findings and theories. It also identifies gaps or unresolved questions, paving the way for future research.

This article will guide you through writing a literature review. We will simplify it into several straightforward steps. Whether you are new to research or have experience, these tips will help you write a clear and valuable review.

What is a Literature Review?  

A literature review researches and assesses works done on a specific subject. It gives a detailed summary and analysis of a specific research topic. This review involves examining different sources, such as journals, books, and case studies published on a certain topic. The aim of this research is to give an overview, identify the gaps, and highlight some of the key findings.

This review will provide background information on the study topic. As a student, you will understand how different pieces of literature relate to each other and the angle the research takes.  

You will be required to write a literature review of your studies at one point.  Be sure to follow the steps elaborated below to write an effective literature review:

• Define the topic that you are reviewing
• Research the topic
• Read through the resource materials and make notes
• Choose a structure for your work and create an outline.
• Write the review, edit, and revise it accordingly
• Revise and proofread your content
• Seek peer review and revise your work 

Why are Literature Reviews Important in Academic Research?

Literature reviews offer several benefits to academics, like identifying the research gaps. Other benefits include:

• Provides research context. A literature review provides a detailed summary of the existing research. It helps understand the evolution of theories and ideas. You get a historical perspective that assists in understanding current and future trends.
• Enhances research quality. Literature reviews help analyze different research materials, highlighting their weaknesses and strengths. They also provide insights into the methodologies or techniques used in previous research, guiding researchers to choose the appropriate ones for new research.
• Offer support for academic arguments. Before making a claim in an academic field, backing up from credible sources is required.  A literature review assists you in gathering solid concepts and theories for new research.
• Informs practice and policy making. Fields like education, healthcare, and social sciences require literature reviews for decision-making. Previous research offers insights for developing new policies and evidence-based interventions.
• Prevents redundancy. Literature reviews ensure that researchers or even students are consistent with previous studies. So, the resources guide you to build on existing work rather than wasting resources.

To enjoy all these benefits, you must seek the best literature review writing services. At Homeworkmarket, we have the best professionals ready to offer impeccable academic writing services.

What are the Different Types of Literature Reviews?

We have explored different types of literature reviews in our article writing review service blog; consider reading it for more details. Other broad categories of literature review include:

• Simple literature review – involves a brief overview of a topic. It focuses on summarizing the key findings from various sources. An example of this kind of research includes finding out the health benefits of exercise without going into specific studies.
• Applied literature review – it majors in research with practical applications for solving a problem. This study offers insights that can be applied in practice and policy-making processes.
• Integrative literature review - offers a comprehensive, holistic understanding of a topic. It includes a wide range of studies and addresses complex and multifaceted issues. An example of such a review is addressing the overall effectiveness of a new healthcare intervention.

1. Define the Topic that You are Reviewing 

If you have a topic, turn it into a research question; it's easy to get answers when using a search question. Think of the ideas you can write about for the topic, not broad or too narrow. If formulating a research question sounds like Greek to you, check out our

2. Research the Topic

Use tools like OPEN ACCESS, EBSCO, ECONLIT, and PROQUEST to search for information about your topic. As you read through the literature content, check out the following;

• Answers
• Trends/patterns 
• Contradictions
• Common or reoccurring themes
• Gaps in the research

How Should You Use Google Scholar for Your Literature Search?

Here is an illustration of how to do a search on Google Scholar.

• Access Google Scholar from your browser; search the term Google Scholar.
• On the search bar, enter your phrase for the research question and hit enter.
• Use the left-hand filter to refine your search results. You can filter by date, author or publication, and relevance.
• Make use of the Boolean feature to refine your results further. Combine keywords with and, or, and not for accurate results.
• Read through the list of results. Click the article title to view the abstract and the article content. Most articles are protected by paywalls, so note the article title and check it in the school library.
• If you can view the whole article, save it by clicking the star icon in the Google Scholar library.
• Use the "cite" button to get citations in APA, MLA, and Chicago style.

3. Read Through the Resource Materials and Make Notes

Read the abstract, introduction, and conclusion of all the articles under your research question. Identify if they have the relevant content that you need for your subject. Choose the appropriate articles that you need and read them further to note the key concepts.

To organize your work, you can use a Word template or Google Docs to take notes about the articles. Keep a record of the article, why it's necessary, and references, known as an annotated bibliography. You can consult our mentors if you need annotated bibliography writing help.

If you don't want to use an annotated bibliography, make organized notes. Include in-text citations and annotations to make your work easy during the writing stage.  

4. Choose a Structure for Your Work and Create an Outline

There are five structures for a literature review that you can consider.

• Integrative - it sets the stage for a literature review. You start by criticizing the current literature and later introduce a new perspective.
• Thematic – organizing literature around the recurring or key themes
• Chronological – arrange literature by date, especially when explaining the progression of something over time
• Methodological – where you compare and contrast different methods being used in the topic
• Theoretical – where you compare and contrast theories and models

Choose the structure you will apply in your article and create an outline. Choose the appropriate outline depending on your review task, whether it's a stand-alone or part of a larger paper.

For instance, you can decide to follow a specific theoretical approach in your paper. Using multiple and recent sources, discuss the themes in chronological order. This organization will help the reader understand the research process.

5. Write the Review, Edit, and Revise it Accordingly

After gathering your research content, it becomes easy to put it into writing. First, focus on the body section and write the intro and conclusion later.  Remember you are reviewing other researchers' content, so be sure to link to them because these aren't your ideas.  Use terms such as "the author presents, discusses, the article contributes, etc.

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Your article should have well-structured paragraphs with a flow. Ensure they have topic sentences, supporting sentences, evidence, and correct transitions. Remember to add your own interpretations and critically evaluate the information. The aim of reviewing the literature is to draw connections in the content, not summarizing sources.

After completing the body, write the introduction and conclusion. Introduce the topic, background information, and thesis statement. Your statement summarizes work done by other people, so be sure to combine all the main ideas from the sources. Ensure you add a linking phrase to the content.

The conclusion should reiterate the main points discussed in the body. It should also include a concluding statement to identify a gap, restate the thesis, or debate the topic.

6. Edit and Proofread Your Work

Allocate some time to relax after finishing your review. This moment will help you to reflect on your work and revisit it with fresh eyes. Identify the errors you made, omissions, incomplete statements, grammar and spelling issues, weird statements, etc.

Make all the necessary corrections to your draft. You may need to research the areas you feel are incomplete or hard to grasp. Use tools like Grammarly and Hemingway to help you identify other errors and increase the readability score.

7. Seek Peer Review and Revise Your Work 

If you need someone to proofread your work correctly, don't disclose your content. Let them read first, and then ask them for a summary. That way, you will know if you presented the correct thing or if you need to do more explanations.

What's the Structure of a Literature Review?

Let's expound on the best structure for your literature review to ensure you present a standard academic document. From our discussion above, we have seen that a review should have an introduction, body, and conclusion, whether a stand-alone or part of another paper.

 Again, the literature review should apply a down-pyramid style. This means the context should start broad and then narrow to its specific message.

Introduction

It should give a broad overview of the topic. The introduction should include some general concepts and set the stage for your review. You should also define terms and theories that are key to your topic. Finally, state the subject's thesis statement. 

Body

Identify the major themes and trends in your existing literature. The context here should be mid-level specific. Organize these concepts thematically rather than chronologically.

Examine the studies that are most relevant to your research question in detail. Critically analyze their findings, methodologies, and their contributions to the field.

Synthesis and conclusion

Highlight the key points that you have gathered from the studies. Emphasize how these points have progressively focused on your research question. State your research question or hypothesis. Explain how literature has led to this specific focus and justify its importance.

Finally, suggest areas for future research on the gaps and controversies you have identified.

What are the Common Challenges that Students Face When Writing Literature Reviews?

Most students at all academic levels encounter various challenges in writing literature reviews. According to research by Zahra Shahsavar and others, postgraduate students struggle with literature review sections. Their findings suggest that most students struggle to synthesize the research information and put it into context.

Other challenges that students face include:

• Difficulty locating the relevant sources. As per academic conventions, you should use credible sources of information when researching. Some acceptable sources are peer-reviewed journals, academic books, government websites, etc. Sometimes, students find it challenging to trace these sources. Others are overwhelmed by the bulk information contained in these resource materials.
• Lack of critical evaluation skills.  One needs critical analysis skills to differentiate between high-quality and low-quality studies.  However, some learners lack these skills, impeding their scholarly reviews.
• Poor writing skills. Some learners are less informed about academic writing guidelines. They don't know how to structure a literature review. Also, they find it challenging to manage citations and apply the appropriate referencing style.
• Inability to develop a theoretical framework. Some students fail to identify the relevant theories in the studies and relate them to their research. This makes it tricky to build arguments for the current research.
• Negative attitude towards feedback.  Most learners take review comments from their tutors or professors personally which shouldn't be the case. This mentality will prevent you from analyzing the feedback and making the required corrections.
• Negative authorial identity. It makes you lack a sense of authority over your work. It leads to low self-esteem and self-efficacy. This feeling makes you use passive voice, too many quotations, and lack synthesis.
• Loneliness and isolation, especially for those learners taking online programs. This situation can affect your mental health and your creativity. So, to overcome such challenges, register to join our writing community for help. Our experts will walk with you and advise you on how to effectively take an online class.

How Can You Overcome Literature Writing Review Challenges?

If you have struggled to handle literature reviews, don't panic; we have a remedy.  At Homework Market, we have specialists in the academic niche ready to assist you. We help thousands of students globally to write efficient academic reviews.

Consider checking the tips below and consult our experts when you get stuck.

• Develop a search strategy. Literature reviews require quality time to identify the best scholarly sources for your topic. Use the best databases to find these resource materials. Look for databases like JSTOR, Medline, and Google Scholar.
• Adopt an effective note-taking method. To ensure you digest and analyze the research studies, it's best to note the key points. Highlight the key issues you gathered from the methodologies, results, and other sections. You can use sources such as Zotero and Endnote to organize your sources and notes.
• Create a timeline for your research. It's best to have a time frame for each task to ensure you deliver a quality literature review. Break down the tasks into manageable chunks to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
• Apply critical reading and evaluation techniques. Assess the methodology, relevance, and results of each source keenly. Then, identify the bias and limitations of each study. From the findings, make your remarks and have supportive evidence. Read critically by questioning and connecting ideas.
• Use linguistic and rhetorical devices to take a stance in your writing. For example, the use of hedges, boosters, and counters. Words like absolutely, however, and may will emphasize your statement.
• Follow a defined writing process. For example, start with prewriting, planning, drafting, reflection, peer review, and revision. You can follow this formula, but if it doesn't work, devise a technique that works for you.
• Employ a variety of sources in your research. Reading from multiple sources gives you a comprehensive overview of the topic. Include all the seminal works and use credible sources of information.

Where Can You Use Literature Reviews?

The literature review section is applied to almost every academic paper, policy, and research report. Below are examples of where you can use literature reviews:

• Academic research—scholarly documents like theses, dissertations, and term papers require literature reviews. If you need help analyzing different source materials, seek our term paper writing service and dissertation writing service.
• Policy reports to develop evidence-based policies
• Technical reports for decision-making in scientific fields
• Grant proposals when seeking funds

Which Resources and Tools Can Help You with Literature Review Assignment?

• Online databases and libraries such as PUBMED, Google Scholar, JSTOR
• Citation management software such as Endnote, Zotero
• Writing aids like Grammarly
• Academic support services like
• University writing centers

Which Other Services Do We Offer that are Related to Literature Review?

• Editing and proofreading services - assists in proofreading your work and revising it to submit quality documents.
• Term paper writing service – it's a full, detailed research paper that evaluates your understanding of a particular topic. This paper requires in-depth research, including a literature review section.
• Cheapest custom research papers – assists students in acquiring research writing help at an affordable price.
• Dissertation writing services – higher learning academic support. Writing your dissertation entails more profound research to support or discuss your research question. 
• Article review writing service – it's almost the same as literature review; it applies the same research concepts, but the document structure is different.
• Essay writing – examples are analytical essay writing help, nursing paper writing service, and descriptive essay writing help.

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Literature Reviews

These are pitfalls to check out when writing your paper. Consider the tips given and

• Over-reliance on low-quality literature. Check out the information in book chapters, peer-reviewed journals, published books, scholarly articles, and meta-analyses. These are the gold sources for literature.  Keep off sources like blogs, theses, presentations, and opinion pieces. If possible, seek review articles from journals with a high impact factor. Also, use updated peer-reviewed articles that are well-accepted. That doesn't mean you can't use content from a thesis or blog but don't rely on them for all your major arguments.
• Lack of seminal literature. That's failing to include the significant foundation of your literature review or the landmark of that topic and build your argument from there. As you review the sources, identify the recurring central themes.
• Lack of current research. It's an issue to fail to cite a source 3 or 5 years older, depending on your field, to see how things have developed.
• Focus on description rather than synthesis. This is one of the biggest mistakes that most students and researchers make. Students tend to explain what happened in the research or just report instead of linking and integrating the content. 
• That means you should relate the papers' content, even if they are conflicting, and bring out the issue.
• Using irrelevant content. Ensure you introduce literature that feeds directly into your topic and objectives. This helps to keep your readers focused on the subject. So, always ask yourself if the content relates to the objectives and the research question.
• Poor structure and layout. To ensure you overcome this, read widely and then plan your work. The obvious structure of the review should be an introduction, body, and introduction. In the body, ensure you discuss ideas from broad to specific. This organizational structure will help you synthesize your point clearly.
• Poor referencing and plagiarism. It's the worst mistake you can make in your academic journey and has major consequences.  Make sure you reword a sentence, use quotations sparingly, and always cite someone else work correctly.

Again, if you learn to synthesize information and check the relationships between it, you will overcome plagiarism. Instead of reporting, aim to discuss the research's impacts. 

Additionally, you can use helpful plagiarism tools to cross-check your work before submitting it. There are also reference managers that can help you with referencing.

Finally, ensure you have enough citations rather than fewer. It's always best to acknowledge people's ideas; you won't be penalized for having many citations.

To Summarize

Writing a literature review involves more than summarizing past research. It involves looking closely at what has been studied and identifying areas for further research. To achieve a better score, follow a clear plan, choose the right sources, organize your information, and present it clearly.

 A good literature review helps your research and adds value to the academic community. It sets the stage for discoveries. So, take your time, follow the steps, and let your literature review guide future research.

If you have any questions regarding the literature review, shoot them. In case you need a helping hand, we're only a tap away, place your order now.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I write a literature review?

• Define the topic that you are reviewing
• Research the topic
• Read through the content and take notes
• Choose a structure for your work and create an outline
• Write the review, edit, and revise it accordingly
• Edit your work and proofread your work
• Seek peer review and revise your work 

2. What's the basic structure of a literature review?

• Title page
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion
• References 

3. What are the features of an effective literature review?

• Clear structure and organized
• Comprehensive coverage
• Well-written and articulate
• Thoroughly cited
• Original insights
• Objective

4. What's the average length of a literature review?

It varies as follows:

• Undergraduate paper - 5 to 20 pages
• Thesis – 20 to 40 pages
• Dissertations – 40 to 60 pages
• Journal articles – 5 to 15 pages
• Stand-alone reviews -  10,000 words plus

5. How should you start a sentence in a literature review?

By linking to the source, for example:

• The article stated
• According to the studies
• Few studies have addressed
• Furthermore
• Additionally
• Despite extensive research