How to Make a Literature Review in Research Paper

By Christopher Smith Jan 05, 2025

A literature review is an in-depth summary and evaluation of existing research on a specific topic. It gives a snapshot of what is already known, points out gaps in knowledge, and highlights important discoveries from previous studies.

The goal of a literature review is to place your own research within the context of what’s already been studied, showing how your work adds to the ongoing discussion in the field.

Knowing how to make a literature review for a research paper is essential for successful research. It helps you understand and explain existing findings, showing your grasp of the topic while supporting your research process.

What is a literature review?

A thorough literature review shows that the researcher understands existing studies, sets the stage for their own research, and adds to ongoing discussions in the field. It also helps researchers avoid repeating past work, making sure their research builds on what has already been discovered and adds value to the existing knowledge.

What is the purpose of literature review?

A literature review plays several key roles in research and academic work. Here’s a breakdown of its main purposes:

Setting the Stage for the Research Problem: The literature review provides background information, placing your study within the current knowledge about the topic.
Spotting Gaps in Knowledge: By identifying areas where information is lacking or conflicting, the review helps shape your research question and shows why your study is needed. This ensures your work adds something new to the field.
Understanding Frameworks: A literature review helps you learn about the theories and ideas that have been used in past studies, which can guide the framework for your own research.
Learning from Past Methods: Reviewing previous studies gives insight into the methods used, helping you choose the right approach for your own research and avoid mistakes others have made.
Building Credibility: A strong literature review shows you are familiar with current research, building your credibility and setting a solid foundation for your own study.
Guiding Your Research Questions or Hypotheses: The review helps you form your research questions or hypotheses by pointing out important findings and areas where more research is needed.

Literature review example

Let's explore a literature review example to see how it works. Imagine your topic is about how climate change affects biodiversity. You could break your review into sections, such as the effects of climate change on habitat loss, species extinction, changes in seasonal patterns (phenology), and marine life. Each section would summarize studies related to that area, pointing out key results and any gaps in the research. Your review would end by highlighting areas where more research is needed to better understand the connection between climate change and biodiversity. The following literature review template shows how to structure and organize your research findings, making sure they’re grouped around specific themes in your larger topic.

Literature Review on Climate Change Impacts on Biodiversity:

Climate change is a global issue with wide-reaching effects, including significant impacts on biodiversity. This literature review brings together key findings from various studies:

a. Habitat Loss and Species Extinction:
Changes in temperature and rainfall patterns due to climate change lead to habitat loss, threatening many species (Thomas et al., 2004). This section explains how these environmental changes increase the risk of extinction, especially for species that need specific habitats.

b. Range Shifts and Phenological Changes:
Studies show that climate change causes species to shift their ranges and change the timing of biological events, like migration and blooming (Parmesan & Yohe, 2003). These shifts can disrupt ecosystems and cause species to become mismatched with their resources.

c. Ocean Acidification and Coral Reefs:
This section focuses on the effects of climate change on marine life, particularly the dangers of ocean acidification to coral reefs (Hoegh-Guldberg et al., 2007). Changes in ocean acidity harm coral growth, which in turn disrupts marine ecosystems.

d. Adaptive Strategies and Conservation Efforts:
In response to these challenges, the review looks at how species adapt and what conservation strategies are being used to protect biodiversity (Hannah et al., 2007). It stresses the need for interdisciplinary methods to create effective conservation plans.

How to write a good literature review

Writing a literature review means summarizing and combining research already done on a topic. A strong literature review format should include these main parts:

Introduction

The introduction prepares readers for what’s to come, offering context and explaining the focus of your review.

Opening Sentence: Start with a broad statement about the topic and why it matters.
Scope and Goal: Define what your review will cover and explain the purpose of addressing this specific research question or objective.
Structure Overview: Briefly describe how your review is organized, explaining how you’ll group and discuss the research.
Why It Matters: Show why your review is important and how it helps advance understanding of the topic.
Main Point: Wrap up the introduction with a clear thesis statement that outlines the argument or angle you’ll explore in the review.

Body

The body dives into the details, analyzing and organizing past research by themes, ideas, or methods.

Group by Themes: Organize studies that share similar ideas, approaches, or findings into sections. Summarize important points and identify gaps or disagreements in the research.
Evaluate Each Study: Analyze the strengths, weaknesses, and contributions of each piece of research. Look at the methods used and the reliability of the evidence provided.
Connect the Dots: Combine findings from different studies to show patterns, trends, or common ground in the research.
Spot the Gaps: Point out what’s missing in the current studies and explain how your review helps address those gaps.
Smooth Transitions: Use clear transitions to link different sections or themes so the review flows naturally.

Conclusion

The conclusion of your literature review wraps up the key points, highlights the value of your work, and offers ideas for what comes next in the field.

Summary of Key Findings: Revisit the main discoveries from the literature, explaining how they address your research question or objective.
Value to the Field: Explain how your review adds to the existing knowledge and deepens understanding of the topic.
Real-World Impact: Highlight any practical applications of the findings and how they could influence future studies or practices.
Future Research Directions: Point out areas that still need exploration and suggest new paths for researchers to take.
Closing Thoughts: End with a reflection on why your review matters and how it contributes to the larger academic discussion.

How to Conduct a Literature Review

A literature review is a critical part of research that requires carefully examining existing studies on your topic. Follow these steps to ensure an effective and organized approach:

1. Pick Your Topic and Define the Question

Choose a topic relevant to your study area.
Clearly outline your research question or objective. What specific angle or issue are you aiming to investigate?

2. Set the Scope of Your Review

Decide on the time period you want to cover. Will you focus on recent findings or explore a historical perspective?
Define the geographic focus. Is your review centered on global research or a particular region?
Establish clear guidelines for what you’ll include or exclude. For instance, will you focus on peer-reviewed articles, case studies, or reports?

3. Choose the Right Databases

Use databases suited to your field, such as PubMed for medical research, Scopus for multidisciplinary studies, or IEEE Xplore for engineering topics.
Expand your search to include library catalogs, academic repositories, and specialized platforms like Google Scholar for a comprehensive view.

4. Perform Searches and Stay Organized

Create a search strategy using keywords, Boolean operators (like AND, OR, NOT), and other search techniques.
Document your search methods to keep the process clear and reproducible.
Track your sources, including titles, abstracts, and links. Tools like EndNote, Zotero, or Mendeley can help manage references and keep everything in order.

5. Review and Analyze the Literature

Assess how relevant and reliable each source is. Look at the study’s methods, sample sizes, and findings.
Group the research by themes, ideas, or major concepts. Identify any recurring patterns or unanswered questions.
Summarize the main points from each source. Highlight agreements and disagreements among studies.
Offer a critical view. Note the strengths and weaknesses of the research and where the gaps lie.

6. Structure and Write Your Literature Review

Build your outline based on themes, timelines, or methods used in the studies.
Write a clear and well-organized review that weaves together the insights you’ve collected.
Cite all sources accurately and use a consistent citation style, whether it’s APA, MLA, or Chicago.
End with a summary of key findings, a discussion of gaps in the research, and suggestions for future studies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a literature review in research?
A literature review is an in-depth analysis and summary of existing research on a specific topic or question. It pulls together knowledge from books, articles, and other resources to highlight what’s already known, identify gaps, and lay the groundwork for new research. A strong literature review helps researchers avoid repeating past studies and provides a clear context for their work.

Why is writing a literature review important?
A literature review is key to research writing. It sets the stage for your study by showing what’s already been discovered and helping others stay updated on progress in the field. It highlights research methods, experimental techniques, and insights while boosting the researcher’s credibility. A thorough review also demonstrates your knowledge and strengthens your study’s foundation.

What steps should I take before starting a literature review?
Before diving in, take time to prepare. Start by selecting a topic that interests you and explore it through background research. Create an annotated bibliography of your sources, noting key points and how they align with your perspective. Organizing your ideas early will make writing your review much smoother.

How is a literature review different from a research paper?
While both are essential in academics, they serve different purposes. A literature review summarizes what’s already been studied, identifies gaps, and provides a foundation for new research. It focuses entirely on existing knowledge. On the other hand, a research paper presents original ideas or findings, often combining a literature review in its introduction with new data or analysis in later sections