FAQ: What is a literature review and how do I write one?

"A literature review discusses published information in a particular subject area, and sometimes information in a particular subject area within a certain time period.

A literature review can be just a simple summary of the sources, but it usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis. A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information. It might give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations. Or it might trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates. And depending on the situation, the literature review may evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most pertinent or relevant." Source: http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/literature-reviews/

The library has several books and ebooks in our collection which can help answer your questions about writing literature reviews. To find books and ebooks on writing a literature review, please search the Multi-Search or the Online Library Catalog.

Further Help

This information is intended to be a guideline, not expert advice. Please be sure to speak to your professor about the appropriate way to write a literature review in your class assignments and projects.

Campus Students

To access academic support, visit your Brightspace course and select “Tutoring and Mentoring” from the Academic Support pulldown menu.

Online Students

To access help with citation and more, visit Academic Support via modules in Brightspace:

• The Complete Guide to Using Academic Support via Brightspace This link opens in a new window
• Accessing Writing STEM Help This link opens in a new window