How to Write a Literature Review
The literature review is one of the most misunderstood sections of UK academic work. Students frequently treat it as an annotated bibliography - a series of summaries of individual sources - when in fact it should be a coherent, critical synthesis that establishes what is known, what is contested and where the gaps are that your research will address. A strong literature review demonstrates that you have engaged deeply with the field and that your research is positioned meaningfully within it.
Understanding the purpose
The literature review serves four main functions: it shows you know the existing scholarship; it identifies tensions, gaps or contradictions in the field; it justifies your research problem; and it provides the theoretical or conceptual framework for your study. Every paragraph should serve at least one of these functions. If you find yourself simply summarising what Author A said and then what Author B said, you are writing a summary, not a review.
Searching and selecting sources
Use academic databases such as Google Scholar, JSTOR, Scopus, Web of Science and your university library catalogue. Prioritise peer-reviewed journal articles and academic books published within the last ten years unless you have a strong reason to use older foundational sources. Use keywords strategically and track your search terms. Aim for breadth first (scan many sources) then depth (read and engage with the most relevant). Keep a reference manager from the start - Zotero and Mendeley are both free.
Structuring the review
Most UK literature reviews are structured either thematically or chronologically. Thematic structure is more common at postgraduate level - you group sources by the themes, debates or theoretical positions they represent. Chronological structure works better when you need to trace the development of a concept or policy over time. Within each section or theme, compare and contrast sources: where do they agree? Where do they conflict? What does each add that the others do not?
Writing critically, not descriptively
Critical writing means evaluating sources rather than simply reporting them. For each source, consider: What is the methodological approach? Are there sample size limitations? Is the context transferable to your own research setting? Is the source from a practitioner perspective or a theoretical one? Phrases such as 'Smith (2019) argues that…', 'However, Jones (2021) challenges this view…', and 'Despite its limitations, this study provides useful evidence for…' signal critical engagement.
Synthesising and closing the gap
Synthesis is the heart of a literature review. Bring sources together around themes or arguments rather than discussing them one at a time. End the literature review by explicitly stating the gap your research addresses - this provides the bridge into your methodology chapter. The gap statement should feel inevitable given everything you have just reviewed: 'While extensive research exists on X, there is limited empirical work examining Y in the context of Z, which this study addresses.'
Key tips
- Write theme headings before you start - they act as a plan and keep you focused.
- Aim for at least 60 percent of your sources to be from the last five to seven years unless the field is established.
- Avoid quoting directly more than necessary - paraphrase and cite to show you understand the material.
- Never include a source in your reference list that you have not actually read.
- Read published dissertations in your field at your institution - many universities make them available through the library.
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