Tips for Successful Literature Reviews

October 17, 2018

Literature reviews can be difficult to understand and even more difficult to write. In this workshop, you will learn what a literature review is and how to write one, as well as some useful tools that can help you create successful literature reviews.

Watch The Training

What is a Literature Review?

We’re not talking movie or book reviews. It is a review of what literature has come before. “Must be organized and related to the thesis you are developing.” Synthesizes your results, identifies points of controversy, identify gaps and why your work is important. Includes results from multiple perspectives.

Literature Review Tips

  • Citation organizer: (examples include Zitero, Mandalay, Endnote). Find one and use that right off the bat so your searches are more efficient and helps you create correct citations. Library experts exist for each of the managers.
  • Document your search process and select appropriate tools.
  • Refine your research topic: be careful, some articles are just reviews.
  • Make friends with your subject librarian: The librarians can work remotely if you are not on campus or are traveling. They will also do evening and weekend appointments as well, just talk to them!
    • Databases: some have full text, others just have citations, these are free and usually prevent you from hitting pay walls.
  • Search thoroughly and strategically.
    • Searching makes you a better searcher. It teaches you as you go, the more you do it. It helps you learn alternate terms that are related to your topic. Some tips for more thorough searches are:
    • break searches into component parts
    • Search broadly then narrow down as you go
    • Use quotation marks to group words together as a phrase, and use “and”, “or” (should be like terms together, ex: car OR vehicle) to find sources that use both terms.
    • You get to decide what works for you, if something is working keep using it.
    • Watch for unconscious bias when filtering or using “not”
      • Ex: “Police brutality” vs. “Excessive Force” – both phrases have different connotations.
  • You can set alerts so you are updated when more research comes out as your working on your project
    • You can also print your search history
  • How do librarians share the info with students?
    • They’re here to empower you and teach you to do it yourself.
  • What sources do you use?
    • Ask yourself what’s relevant and what isn’t.
    • Don’t ever pay, we have access to interlibrary resources which is free.
    • Read, Annotate, Analyze, Synthesize
  • Write!
  • It’s okay to share your voice, you’re allowed to have thoughts and opinions about your sources
    • Your voice is the most important thing, so share your personal anecdotes
    • Lisa Berreau adds: The organizational structure during this process is so important, it will make or break you, especially if its an area you’re not familiar with.