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Literature Reviews

An introduction to the Literature Review process and resources to help you get started.

Organising your literature review

https://www.helpforassessment.com/blog/how-to-outline-a-literature-review/

https://www.helpforassessment.com/blog/how-to-outline-a-literature-review/

Using your notes from the matrix, it is now time to plan before writing.  

The usual structure of Introduction, Body and Conclusion apply here but after that, you need to make decisions about how the information will be organised: 

  • Sequentially/Chronological?
  • Topical - subtopics?
  • Theoretical?
  • Methodology?
  • Geography?
  • Importance?

This will sometimes depend on your discipline. For example, in Science disciplines it might be better to organise by the methods of research used if you are going to find gaps in those methods, while in Education or the Social Sciences, it might be better to organise by synthesising theory. 

Some literature reviews will require a description of the search strategy. For more information, you may want to look at the advice on this page: Steps of Building Search Strategies

This video from Western Sydney University explains further and has examples for geographical and thematic organisation. 

 

 

 

Language and structure

Once you have written a draft, think carefully about the language you have used to signpost the structure of your review in order to build a convincing and logical synthesis.

Carefully choosing transition/linking words and reporting verbs will strengthen your writing. 

Advice and examples for nursing students (may be useful for other Health Sciences)