# :books: Writing Literature Review

###### tags: `MPP 699` `Spring 2025`

> This page contains quick instructions, tips and resources for writing your Literature Review chapter

Table of Content
[ToC]

## :memo: Basic Structure

### Introduction
- acquaint the reader with the topic you are going to investigate
- describe the scope of your literature search
- signposting how the review will be organized and presented in the chapter

>==Questions to answer==:
>Where did the problem come from?
How widespread is it?
Why do you consider it important,
and why would others be interested in what you find out?

### Body Paragraphs
- describe the current status of the problem area
- focus your reader on the specific variables you are interested in
- group literature by themes, e.g. theory/ frameworks, early research/ latest quantitative/qualitative research
- synthesize previously used research methods and data collection instruments (will be an anchor point to justify your methods)

### Conclusion
- summarisation of studies’ contribution to the field
- talk about the further possibilities of research in the field (gaps in knowledge, methodological flaws, conflicting studies, etc.)
- specify your research question
- organize your collection of variables into a testable theoretical model

>==Identify key authors and literature==
➜ Make sure that all the sources that are mentioned are accurate, valid, and trustworthy.
➜ Beware of authors showing just their personal opinions.
➜ Format and organize your references correctly from the start (put references in the text right away)

:::info
:bulb: **Hint: Use your Annotated Bibliography and Synthesis Matrix for the Good**
Look at your current literature to see what themes it covers, and continue these documents for your record and convenience. It will be useful not just for the PAE but also for going forward in your academic journey, start building your literature now.
:::

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## Resources and Software
* Try using online reference organizers such as [Mendeley](https://www.mendeley.com/) or [Zotero](https://www.zotero.org/)
* Visual graphs such as [Connected Papers](https://www.connectedpapers.com/), [Research Rabbit](https://www.researchrabbit.ai/)
* Try [Semantic Scholar](https://www.semanticscholar.org/) as one of the alternatives to the Google Scholar or library algorithm

#### Other Resources
[NU Writing Center Literature Review Guide](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AEHF7ryWODRv22dLSI_c7BNXvESZvh0F/view)
[NU Writing Center Writing Resources](https://nuwritingcenter.nu.edu.kz/writingresourcesc)
[UoM Academic Phrasebank](https://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/)
[OWL Purdue Writing Lab](https://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/)
[UoE Academic Development - Writing Literature Review](https://institute-academic-development.ed.ac.uk/study-hub/learning-resources/literature-review)

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