Creating a poorly written literature review can seriously impact your dissertation's success. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about writing a literature review for a dissertation.

We’ll start by exploring its purpose, outline the different types of literature reviews, and then explain the steps for conducting both qualitative and quantitative reviews. Finally, we’ll highlight common pitfalls to avoid and provide a framework to evaluate your review effectively.

Keep reading to learn how to craft a high-quality dissertation literature review.

Need for review of literature

The literature review is a cornerstone of your dissertation, providing the foundation for your research. It sets the stage by offering context, relevance, and background to the problem you're investigating. Often referred to as “standing on the shoulders of giants,” a literature review justifies your research question, highlights existing knowledge gaps, and helps shape your methodology.

This section demonstrates your expertise and up-to-date understanding of the topic. A well-structured literature review for a dissertation not only strengthens your study’s rationale but also simplifies the process of writing the discussion chapter. Investing time and effort into this step ensures your research is grounded and impactful.

Writing of review of literature

Formulation of a framework for the ROL

When writing a literature review for a dissertation, it's wise to start by mentioning the databases and keywords you used to gather your references. Similar to a scoping review, tools like PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar are common choices. You can also include unpublished data and book references if relevant.

A helpful approach is to create a framework for your literature review, often visualized as an inverted triangle. Begin with a broad concept, narrow it down to related issues, and then focus on the specific research problem. Organize each section with clear themes and subthemes for clarity.

For example, if your research explores outcomes of reconstructive surgery for leprosy patients, the broader context might cover:

• Epidemiology of leprosy

• Disease burden

• Natural history and complications

The related issues could include:

• Treatment options for complications

• Importance of reconstructive surgery

• Surgical techniques

Finally, the research problem would focus on:

• Types of reconstructive surgeries and their outcomes

• Studies evaluating surgical results in leprosy patients

Using reference management tools like Zotero or Mendeley can help keep your sources organized. Many researchers also create summary tables to streamline their literature review process. While these tables don’t usually appear in the final review, they serve as a practical tool for organizing key points and data during the writing process.

Style

When writing a literature review for a dissertation, researchers typically use one of two styles: descriptive or interpretive. While the descriptive style focuses on summarizing studies by mentioning details like location, methodology, sample size, and findings, it often lacks depth. Therefore, the interpretive style is preferred, as it involves analyzing, synthesizing, and critically evaluating the existing research. This approach helps to establish relationships between different studies and provides a comprehensive understanding of the subject.

Example of a Descriptive Style:

“A study conducted by XXXX et al. in 2015 included 200 students from six dental colleges in Bengaluru, India. Emotional Intelligence was measured using a 30-item Emotional Quotient questionnaire, and the findings revealed that...”

Example of an Interpretive Style:

“Research consistently shows that people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) experience a lower quality of life (QOL) compared to the general population and individuals with other chronic diseases. A multi-center study confirmed that PLWHA have poorer QOL than the general population (ref). Similarly, a cross-sectional study conducted in Africa with 300 participants reported comparable results (ref). However, a cohort study from Africa found that after 12 months of antiretroviral therapy (ART), the QOL for PLWHA significantly improved, aligning closely with that of the general population.”

Tense Matters:

• Use present tense to discuss established facts or general theories.

• Use past tense when referring to specific results from studies.

Adopting an interpretive style, along with the appropriate use of tense, ensures your literature review is insightful, engaging, and highly relevant to your dissertation.

Organization of the body of the literature

There are several effective ways to structure the body of a literature review for a dissertation. Common approaches include organizing by chronology (arranged by time), theme (grouped by topic), methodology (focused on research methods), or theory (based on theoretical frameworks). Depending on the depth and scope of your review, you might even blend these strategies for a more comprehensive structure.

For example, in many postgraduate dissertations, a thematic structure is often the preferred choice. Within each theme, sources are frequently discussed chronologically to show how research has evolved over time. However, it’s essential to go beyond merely listing and summarizing studies. Instead, aim to critically analyze and synthesize the literature, drawing connections between studies and highlighting gaps or trends in the research.

Some final notes

The structure and content of your literature review depend on your research area and academic guidelines, but certain steps are universal across disciplines. Here are essential practices to follow when crafting a literature review for a dissertation:

1. Focus on Analysis Over Description

Avoid simply summarizing the opinions of other writers. Instead, critically analyze the material. Ask questions like:

• What gaps exist in their research?

• How do your ideas align or differ from theirs?

Your literature review should reflect thoughtful analysis rather than passive description.

2. Use a Well-Organized Structure

Organize your review thematically, highlighting key debates, controversial issues, and methodological approaches. A coherent structure ensures your argument flows naturally. Identify gaps in the literature and connect these to your research goals.

3. Back Up Your Points with Evidence

Supporting your arguments with multiple sources is crucial. A literature review is not an opinion piece, it’s academic writing that demands evidence. Reference multiple studies to strengthen your points and give your review credibility.

4. Be Selective with Sources

Not all studies need an in-depth review. Acknowledge key works by summarizing them briefly when appropriate. For example:
"Extensive research exists on urban migration patterns. Key works include A (2015), B (2016), and C (2018)."
Choose only the most relevant sources to discuss in detail.

5. Limit Direct Quotes

Use direct quotes sparingly to emphasize critical points. Avoid relying too heavily on a single author’s work—this can weaken your review’s balance. If one author is pivotal to your research, weave their ideas seamlessly with others and critically assess their contributions in relation to your study.

6. Make Your Voice Stand Out

While your literature review involves summarizing and analyzing others’ work, your perspective matters. Integrate your opinions within the context of the literature. Show how your ideas align, contrast, or expand on existing research. For example:
"While Smith (2018) argues that X influences Y, this review highlights an overlooked factor—Z—that may also play a critical role."

7. Identify Literature Gaps

One of the main goals of a literature review is to pinpoint gaps in existing research. Highlight areas that need further exploration and demonstrate how your study addresses these gaps.

Conclusion

Creating a literature review is an ongoing process that begins with developing your research idea. Although students typically write the literature review section after the methods in a dissertation, it plays a crucial role in shaping the entire research. A well-constructed literature review helps with analyzing data, presenting findings, and crafting the discussion.

To make the process easier, stay organized, focus on relevant sources, and approach the literature with a critical mindset.