Chapter 2: Literature Review

What Chapter 2 must accomplish

• Show command of the field: the main studies, theories, and debates on your topic.
• Explain your framework: the theory or model that guides your study and how others have used it.
• Synthesize, don't summarize: organize by ideas and compare sources in every paragraph.
• Evaluate: point out strengths, weaknesses, and conflicting results in the research.
• Identify the gap: end by showing what remains unknown, which is the reason your study is needed.

Typical structure of Chapter 2

Writing a literature review for a course instead of a thesis? The same parts apply in a shorter form: a brief introduction, thematic sections that synthesize your sources, the gap, and a short conclusion. Include the search strategy and framework sections only if your assignment asks for them.

Step 1: Search and document your strategy

1. Define the scope. Write the question your review answers and set limits: years, population, setting, discipline.
2. Choose databases. Use two to four that fit your field, such as ERIC, PsycINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, or Business Source Complete, plus Google Scholar.
3. Build search terms. Combine keywords and synonyms with AND, OR, and quotation marks: ("new graduate nurse" OR "novice nurse") AND (retention OR turnover).
4. Record everything. Keep a search log of databases, terms, dates, and results so you can describe the search in the chapter.
5. Prioritize current, peer-reviewed work. Many programs expect most sources to be from the last five years, plus older seminal works for the theory.

Step 2: Read and take structured notes

For every source, record the same details. This makes synthesis much faster later:

• Purpose and research questions
• Design, method, sample size, and setting
• Key findings
• Limitations the authors name, and ones you notice
• How the study relates to your problem and framework

Step 3: Build a synthesis matrix

Reading down a column shows agreement or disagreement on a theme; reading across a row shows what each study contributes. Your column headings often become your section headings.

Step 4: How to organize a literature review (by theme, method, or time)

Many strong reviews combine a funnel with themes: start broad, then narrow theme by theme toward your exact problem.

Give each section a subheading that names the idea it covers, not a single study:

Step 5: Write synthesis, not summary

The most common problem in literature reviews is a list of summaries: one paragraph per article. Each paragraph should make a point and support it with several sources.

Useful synthesis moves: "Several studies agree that…", "In contrast…", "These findings are limited by…", "Few studies have examined…".

Step 6: Identify and state the gap

End the review by stating clearly what the research has not yet answered. The gap should match the problem statement in Chapter 1 and lead directly to your research questions.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Too many direct quotations instead of paraphrase and analysis.
• Relying on websites, textbooks, or old sources instead of current peer-reviewed research.
• Headings that name authors instead of ideas.
• No clear connection between the review, the framework, and your research questions.
• A gap that appears for the first time at the end, without being built up through the chapter.

Most social science literature reviews use APA style; check your program's requirements.

Formats differ by university, program, and field. Your graduate school's thesis and dissertation manual and your committee always take priority over any general guide, including this one.