Example of A Literature Review Structure

Need a great example of a literature review? This is an essential part of a Ph.D. dissertation. This chapter is similar to what is called the list of references and its main purpose is to collect all the relevant sources of information and organize them in a logical sequence. This part of a dissertation should also make an evaluation of all available sources and find the gaps in existing knowledge on a particular topic in order to create a reasoned ground for research.

Thus, it is important to do it properly. If you lack time, you can turn to a company that offers custom writing services for students but we are sure that after reading this post you should be able to handle this matter on your own!

Example Of A Literature Review Structure

Having a clear understanding of what is a review of the literature and what its main objectives are is important. However, it is only 50% of success. The remaining 50% depends on your ability to identify and stick to the proper literature review structure. That is why you need a good example in front of you. In fact, its format is similar to an ordinary essay. If you have an idea of how to write a literary essay you should not face any troubles with creating a literature review. However, to make the whole process simpler and less stressful for you, we offer you to take a look at the following plan that perfectly demonstrates the right design and content of this paper's structure.

The text should consist of three basic components. These components are the same for all academic papers: an intro, main body, and a conclusion.

1. An Opening Clause

A good intro has to meet the following criteria:

• Make a clear and understandable definition of the paper’s thesis and make a logical transition to the review;
• Reflect the author’s rationale for the review;
• Clarify how data is organized;
• Make a short transition to the content of the main body that leads into your given research topic.

2. The Main Part

This section has to include the following:

• The list of sources organized in accordance with their topics or in a chronological order;
• An explanation of every subcategory of sources’ relevance as well as how they are connected with each other and the main topic of the paper.

3. Conclusion

The closing part has to:

• Make a summary of all significant points drawn from the literature;
• Make a critical evaluation of the current reception of the referenced sources;
• Highlight information gaps or any errors that you were able to find in the existing knowledge;
• Make a suggestion regarding the possibility for further research;
• Explain how your study fills the gaps of the existing knowledge of the matter.

This is a standard literature review essay’s structure. You can use it as a basis for your own text in order to avoid making mistakes and to finish the task faster.

Two Ways To Structure A Literature Review

Often, students underestimate the importance of following the proper structure in a literature review. This is a big mistake that can cost you a grade, which is why it’s important to know how to structure it well. What is the proper structure? There are two main ways to write this paper and we use both at our literature review writing service. These methods are called chronological and thematic. They have certain distinctive features but both can be used to structure and organize your text effectively.

1. The Thematic Literature Review

This method of data organization is based on grouping different literature sources by their topic and theoretical concept in order by their relevance and importance. Many students choose this type of structure. Others insist that writing a review using this form of organization rather than a chronological one, helps a student make their review stronger because it requires you to analyze topics, theories, and concepts central for your investigation. It also requires you to include the explanation of why certain sources are linked to each other, which is usually done with a relevant title in every category. There is no one specific rule for choosing the right sequence. However, it would be wise to place the categories in a sequence starting from the most significant (broad) ones to those that are more specific to keep it clear and understandable.

2. The Chronological Literature Review

If you prefer to stick to a chronological method of organizing data, you have to list your sources in chronological order (e.g. by the date each source was published). It is not as strong as the thematic review. However, in some cases, it can be more appropriate. This method is perfect for historiographical works and other reviews that focuses more on the investigation methodology or on how the specific issue developed over time.

These are the two main ways to organize your literature review. Regardless of which method you choose, there are a few other significant aspects to keep in mind such as using powerful and logical transitions between ideas. Additionally, you need to keep in mind that such a list is not a simple reflection of the main ideas related to your topic. It is designed so that you can demonstrate how knowledgeable you are familiar with the available literature, theories, and issues.