Literature Review Outline: Structure, Format & Examples
What Is a Literature Review Outline?
A literature review outline is a sketch highlighting how you will convey information about your findings after evaluating and interpreting studies. In other words, it offers a rough overview of the sources you have analyzed in the paper.
Think of a literature outline as a general skeleton of what your full review should look like including the specifics of each part. Its purpose is to assist you in developing ideas, performing research and presenting your findings logically. Specifically, a literary review outline helps you sum up the arguments that you want to emphasize or what you will talk about in your study.
Elements of Literature Review Outline
Now that you know what a literature review outline means, you need to understand the major parts that must be incorporated. In general, it is organized in a similar way to a standard academic essay outline template with three key elements including an introduction, body, and conclusion. You may include subheadings within each part to divide them up into meaningful segments. An outline of a literature review has:
Introduction
Hooks the reader and offers an overview of your topic.
Body
Comprises headings, subheadings, and paragraphs for mapping out your argument.
Conclusion
Summarizes your key points.
Introduction
To create an effective introduction for a literature review, attract readers with a hook. This can be a quotation, example, or question. Introduce the research topic by briefly mentioning key concepts and describing your perspective. Discuss the literature you will review and provide hints about your fundamental concept. Overall, the introduction should bring interest to your research topic and provide readers with an understanding of what to expect in the text.
In addition to outlining the key components of your literature review, it’s important to address any debates or concerns related to your topic. This provides context and helps readers understand the significance of your exploration. Be sure to mention the importance of your research in your literature review outline and articulate your problem statement or research question.
Keep in mind that references should be included in the subsequent sections of your review.
Body
The body of your review is where you analyze and interpret results to support your argument. This section should be well-organized and provide a clear and thorough analysis of the gathered studies.
Structure the information consistently and synthesize the main points while also evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of your sources. You can use one of the approaches described in the next section to structure your information in body paragraphs.
Ensure your work flows systematically and is easier to understand by using transitions words, headings, and subheadings. In your literature review outline, introduce each article you have used for the project and provide a brief description. Briefly explain the relationship between the texts and your dissertation topic, and highlight how the papers are interrelated.
Conclusion
The conclusion is where you present your final evaluation. Begin by identifying the main themes you have discovered and their line of research. Then, mention any strengths and weaknesses you have found in the literature and highlight your work’s significance to existing knowledge. In general, the conclusion of your outline for a literature review should briefly:
Identify major agreements and disagreements in the studies reviewed.
Provide an in-depth explanation of your findings.
Describe any gaps or areas that require further research.
Offer recommendations for future study.
Provide your overall perspective on the issue.
Clarify the importance of the topic within the current academic discourse.
Once you build an outline, your next step is to create a literature review itself. Check out our helpful blog with step-by-step guidance on how to write a literature review. [Original source: https://studycrumb.com/literature-review-outline]
