Literature Review Process
Planning & Scoping
12-3 weeks
- •Define research questions and objectives
- •Identify key databases and sources
- •Develop search strategy and keywords
- •Set inclusion/exclusion criteria
Searching & Collecting
24-6 weeks
- •Execute systematic searches
- •Screen titles and abstracts
- •Obtain full-text articles
- •Document search process
Analysis & Synthesis
36-8 weeks
- •Extract key findings and data
- •Identify themes and patterns
- •Map theoretical frameworks
- •Synthesize evidence
Writing & Refining
44-6 weeks
- •Draft literature review chapters
- •Create summary tables and figures
- •Integrate feedback from advisor
- •Polish citations and references
Search Strategies
Database Search
Sources:
Tips:
Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) and wildcards (*) for comprehensive searches
Citation Mining
Sources:
Tips:
Follow citation chains both backward and forward to find related research
Author Tracking
Sources:
Tips:
Follow leading researchers and their collaborative networks
Grey Literature
Sources:
Tips:
Include non-peer-reviewed sources for comprehensive coverage
Organization Methods
Chronological
Organize by publication date to show evolution of the field
Showing historical development and paradigm shifts
Thematic
Group by themes, concepts, or research streams
Identifying patterns and gaps across different areas
Methodological
Organize by research methods and approaches
Comparing findings across different methodologies
Theoretical
Structure around theoretical frameworks
Building theoretical contributions and models
Critical Analysis Framework
Theoretical Contribution
- ?What theories are being used or developed?
- ?How do findings support or challenge existing theories?
- ?What theoretical gaps exist?
Methodological Rigor
- ?What methods were used and why?
- ?What are the strengths and limitations?
- ?How does methodology affect findings?
Empirical Evidence
- ?What is the quality of evidence?
- ?Are findings consistent across studies?
- ?What contradictions exist and why?
Practical Implications
- ?How do findings apply to practice?
- ?What are the boundary conditions?
- ?What remains unknown or untested?
Synthesis Process
Extract key findings
Identify main contributions from each source
Compare and contrast
Find agreements, disagreements, and debates
Identify patterns
Recognize recurring themes and trends
Map relationships
Connect concepts and build frameworks
Evaluate evidence
Assess strength and quality of support
Identify gaps
Find what's missing or understudied
Essential Tools
Reference Manager
Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote
Organize citations and PDFs
Synthesis Matrix
Excel, Google Sheets
Track themes across sources
Mind Mapping
XMind, Coggle, MindMeister
Visualize connections
Note-Taking
Obsidian, Roam, Notion
Capture and link ideas
Writing Tips
Start with a compelling introduction
Hook readers with the importance of your research area
Use topic sentences effectively
Each paragraph should have a clear main point
Synthesize, don't summarize
Show relationships between sources, not just list them
Be critical but balanced
Evaluate strengths and weaknesses objectively
Use signposting
Guide readers through your argument structure
End with clear implications
Connect literature to your research questions
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Being too descriptive
✓ Focus on critical analysis and synthesis
❌ Lacking clear organization
✓ Create detailed outline before writing
❌ Missing recent literature
✓ Set up alerts for new publications
❌ Over-relying on few sources
✓ Aim for breadth and depth in coverage
❌ Weak theoretical grounding
✓ Connect findings to established theories
❌ Poor citation management
✓ Use reference manager from day one