Understand the purpose of a literature review.
The purpose of a literature review is to survey a variety of data and scholarly sources related to one topic. According to Dena Taylor of the University of Toronto, “As a piece of writing, the literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g., your research objective, the problem or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of the material available, or a set of summaries.” Washington and Lee University has published a set of tips regarding writing a literary review, and it quotes, “This section of a scholarly report allows the reader to be brought up to date regarding the state of research in the field and familiarizes him or her to any contrasting perspectives and viewpoints on the topic.”
Define your topic.
You may be writing the literature review as an introduction or addendum to a larger research project, so the first step will be to narrow down the topic and draft a working thesis for your paper. A working thesis should be clear and direct, and should be the backbone for the rest of the paper. All research and writing should be used to support the thesis. Taylor recommends asking yourself the following questions as a guide to formulating the paper.
1. What is the specific thesis, problem or research question that my literature review helps to define?
2. What type of literature review am I conducting? Am I looking at issues of theory? Methodology? Policy? Quantitative research (e.g. on the effectiveness of a new procedure)? Qualitative research (e.g., studies)?
3. What is the scope of my literature review? What types of publications am I using (e.g., journals, books, government documents, popular media)? What discipline am I working in (e.g., nursing psychology, sociology, medicine)?
Evaluate your research.
Evaluate each piece of research individually, and ask critical questions of each.
1. Identify gaps in the research. Was the author thorough? Were experiments and studies carried out thoroughly and analyzed accurately? As Taylor of the University of Toronto puts it, “Synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known.”
2. Identify bias/point of view. What is his/her point of view and would the outcome be different if approached from a different perspective? What are the examples used to prove points, and do they appeal to emotion or logic?
3. Identify areas of controversy. The point of a literature review is to thoroughly survey all types of research pertaining to your subject. If there are opposing arguments, which author makes the stronger case for his/her claim? Why?
Lest you drown in a stack of unnecessary paperwork, of each piece of research ask, “How does this book or article relate to the specific thesis or question I am developing?” If it is not relevant, discard it immediately.
Write your literature review.
1. Summarize the research and identify links between sources and how researchers have approached the subject. Don’t forget to cite your sources!
2. Organize the material. Your paper should not be a list of research, rather, according to Taylor, be “Discursive prose” that is interesting to read and organized by themes, trends or other labeling measures. The writing should be serious but not dry.
3. Describe how the data you have collected gives your thesis relevance and uniqueness. According to Washington and Lee University, “Your literature review should present your synthesis of previous research and lay the foundation for understanding your research and appreciating its value.”
Format your paper.
Most sociological papers use the APA format, but check your assignment guidelines for the specific requirements.