Writing a literature review
A literature review sets the stage for your research question. It should show what has already been said about your topic and what gaps remain to be answered.
Often a literature review draft starts with…
- Individual summaries of each author’s argument
- Collections of meaningful quotes
- Beginnings of critical reflections and connections between the readings
The literature review should evolve into…
- Main themes with relevant evidence from different readings
- Your own overview of the literature findings with significant examples or quotes to support
- Critical reflections to compare different author’s opinions within the theme (sometimes following the evolution of the ideas of the field)
By the end, your literature review should….
- Show how the literature relates to each other and to your topic
- Give a broad overview about what has been said and has not yet been studied
- Give historical or background information about your subject area
A literature review can be like weaving different strands together. This process includes finding similar themes in the literature that relate to your topic and weaving them together to focus on your specific topic.
Video resources
Check out the following video for more information on building a solid literature review:
Additional resources
Find out how to conduct a basic literature search and use the The Library—Te Pātaka Kōrero for resources:
Find downloads and which reference management software might be best for your research through the library’s guides:
Seek advice on how to keep track of your readings through writing an Annotated Bibliography