Literature Review Writing
Synthesise sources by theme.
Examples
- Several scholars argue...
Key rules
- A literature review organises existing research by theme, not by source
- Synthesise sources to show agreement, disagreement and gaps
- End by stating the gap your own study will address
Common mistakes
- Smith says this. Jones says that. Lee also writes about it. → Several scholars argue that trust drives adoption (Smith, 2020; Jones, 2022), although Lee (2021) finds the effect weaker in rural areas.
Use cases
- Dissertation chapters
- Research proposals
- Academic articles
💡 Tip: Group sources by theme and compare them within each theme.