Writing a literature review can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re new to academic research. One of the best ways to master this skill is by studying literature review examples. By analyzing how others structure and write their reviews, you can gain valuable insights into what works and apply these lessons to your own work. In this article, we’ll review:
Why study literature review examples?
Literature review examples are like roadmaps for your research journey. They show you how to:
Organize your thoughts: Learn how to structure your review logically.
Synthesize sources: See how to combine findings from multiple studies into a cohesive narrative.
Identify gaps: Understand how to highlight areas where further research is needed.
Examples also vary by discipline and type of review (like narrative, systematic, meta-analysis), so studying examples in your field can provide tailored guidance.
Key elements of a literature review
Before diving into examples, it’s important to understand the essential components of a literature review:
3 key elements of a literature review
Introduction
Defines the topic and scope of the review.
Outline the research question or objective.
Body
Summarizes, analyzes, and synthesizes existing research.
Groups are studied by themes, methodologies, or chronological order.
Highlights key findings, trends, and contradictions.
Conclusion
Summarizes the main insights from the literature.
Identifies gaps in the research and suggests directions for future studies.
Hypothetical literature review examples by discipline
Here are three hypothetical examples of literature reviews across different fields to illustrate how they might be structured:
Education: "The impact of technology on student learning outcomes"
Introduction: Explores the growing use of technology in classrooms and its potential effects on learning.
Body:
Theme 1: Studies showing improved engagement and retention with digital tools.
Theme 2: Challenges such as unequal access to technology and distractions.
Theme 3: Long-term effects on critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Conclusion: Calls for more research on equitable implementation and long-term impacts.
Psychology: "The relationship between sleep and mental health"
Introduction: Examines the connection between sleep quality and mental well-being.
Body:
Theme 1: Research linking poor sleep to anxiety and depression.
Theme 2: Studies on the benefits of sleep interventions for mental health.
Theme 3: Contradictory findings on the role of genetics in sleep disorders.
Conclusion: Highlights the need for longitudinal studies and culturally sensitive interventions.
Environmental science: "Climate change and its effects on biodiversity"
Introduction: Discusses the urgent need to understand how climate change impacts ecosystems.
Body:
Theme 1: Research on species extinction and habitat loss.
Theme 2: Studies on adaptive strategies for conservation.
Theme 3: The role of human activity in accelerating biodiversity decline.
Conclusion: Emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to address the crisis.
What is a literature review example APA?
A literature review in APA format follows the American Psychological Association’s guidelines for citations and references. Here’s what to include:
In-text citations: Use the author-date format (e.g., Smith, 2020).
Reference list: Alphabetize sources and include full publication details.
Structure: Follow the standard introduction-body-conclusion format, ensuring clarity and consistency.
For example, an APA-style literature review on "The Effects of Social Media on Teen Mental Health" would include proper citations for all studies referenced and a detailed reference list at the end.
📌 Want to see some examples? Check out this literature review sample in APA format on the official APA website.
How to analyze lit review examples
When studying examples, keep these tips in mind to get the most out of your analysis:
Look for clear organization
Does the review have a logical flow? Are the sections well-defined?
Identify synthesis techniques
How does the author combine findings from multiple studies? Are themes or patterns clearly highlighted?
Note gaps and future directions
Does the review identify areas where more research is needed? How are these gaps presented?
Evaluate the writing style
Is the language clear and concise? Are sources properly cited?
Consider the discipline
How does the review reflect the conventions and priorities of its field?
Where to find literature review examples
To find high-quality sample lit reviews, explore these resources:
Academic databases: JSTOR, PubMed, Google Scholar.
University repositories: Many institutions publish student theses and dissertations online.
Journals: Look for review articles in your field.
AI research tools: Tools like Litmaps can help you discover relevant literature reviews.
Example of the literature review with Litmaps
Let's walk through the steps in the process with this literature review example.
Define the research question.
First, identify the research question or topic, making it as narrow as possible. In this literature review example, we're examining the effects of urbanization on the migration of birds.
Search for relevant literature.
Searching for relevant studies is critical to a successful literature review. Begin by identifying keywords or phrases related to your topic (e.g., "effects of urbanization on bird migration") and search academic databases like Google Scholar, PubMed, or BASE. Refine your search by adapting to field-specific terminology (e.g., switching to terms like "avian migration" or "avian populations"). Tools like Litmaps can help visualize connections between studies, uncover additional sources, and curate a comprehensive library of literature. This streamlined approach ensures you capture key research and build a strong foundation for your review.
Evaluate the sources
Evaluate the relevance and quality of the sources found by reading abstracts of the most relevant articles. Additionally, consider the publication venue, year of publication, and other salient measures to identify the reliability and relevance of the source.
Read and analyze the sources
Take notes on the key findings, methodologies, and theoretical frameworks used in the studies.
Use research-friendly note-taking software, like Obsidian, that provides #tags to keep track of key concepts.
Organize the literature
Organize the literature according to themes, subtopics, or categories, which will help outline the layout of the literature review.
Tag keywords using a tool like Obsidian to help organize papers into subtopics for the review.
Write the literature review.
Summarize and synthesize the findings from the sources analyzed. Start with an introduction that defines the research question, followed by the themes, subtopics, or categories identified. After that, provide a discussion or conclusion that addresses any gaps in the literature to motivate future research. Lastly, edit and revise your review to ensure it is well-structured, clear, and concise.
The example below is from a review paper, which includes a table comparing the different sources evaluated. Such tables can be useful if you are conducting a comprehensive review.
If you're conducting a comprehensive review, you can include a table of sources reviewed in your process, like the one above from this publication.
Cite and reference the sources.
Lastly, cite and reference the sources used in the literature review. Consider any referencing style requirements of the institution or journal you're submitting to. APA is the most common. However, you may need to familiarize yourself with other citation styles such as MLA, Chicago, or MHRA depending on your venue. See the image below for a literature review example APA of references.
To cite references you've saved in Litmaps, you can move your saved articles from Litmaps to a reference manager (i.e. Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote, etc.) and then export their bibliography from there. Here's how to export articles from Litmaps.
Use a reference manager tool like Zotero to easily export which makes them easy to manage, like in this APA literature review example.
Conclusion
Studying literature review examples is one of the most effective ways to improve your own writing. By analyzing how others structure their reviews, synthesize sources, and identify gaps, you can develop the skills needed to craft a compelling and insightful literature review. Whether you’re in education, psychology, environmental science, or any other field, examples provide a roadmap for success.
Ready to get started? Dive into academic databases or AI research tools like Litmaps to find sample literature reviews in your area of study. With practice and careful analysis, you’ll be writing literature reviews like a pro in no time!