Begin by mentioning the most basic or least recent studies. You want the reader to understand all the research that has examined this topic and all the relevant conclusions that researchers have found. Since each study builds upon past discoveries and picks up where past studies ended, you should start at the beginning of academia's work on the issue and progress forward.
Include many sources. The American Psychological Association explains that a literature review helps prevent researchers from repeating work that has already been accomplished. If you leave out some relevant studies, then people who read your paper might think those studies haven't been conducted, and they might decide to conduct them. To prevent repetition and help the field of study move forward, your literature review should be very thorough.
Assess and critique the resources as you describe and present them. According to the American Psychological Association, a literature review is useful for condensing and clarifying the entire body of work on one subject, which helps scholars determine the holes or flaws in past research and then decide what future research is needed.
Cite each source as you mention it. If you mention the author's name in the text, which is best in a research study, then immediately add a parenthetical citation that notes the publication date of that author's study. If you just mention the information published in the study, then add a parenthetical citation at the end of that sentence; include the author's last name and the source's publication date.
Present recommendations for other scholars in this field, explaining what aspects of the topic require further research or how past studies could be improved, broadened or deepened.