Breadcrumbs

Write a Literature Review: for Undergraduates

Literature Reviews

A literature review means finding, reading and summarising the published research relevant to your question, in other words finding out what is already known about your topic. Once you have read and critically reflected upon the relevant literature, you should be able to identify major themes as well as compare and contrast the various perspectives.

The stages of a literature review are to:

  • Define your terms
  • Use appropriate search strategies
  • Select relevant materials
  • Group materials in a way that makes sense for the argument you want to make
  • Compare, contrast, analyse and synthesize what you’ve read
  • Set the context for your research

An undergraduate literature review may be for an essay, research report, annotated bibliography, or a literature assignment. This may require you to find a small selection of literature, for example ten relevant articles.

If you are asked to write a literature review, check on Moodle or with your tutor for instructions. You may be asked to do an annotated bibliography as a first step.

In all cases, follow these general guidelines.

Hints

Literature Reviews for Essays and Research reports

Most university courses will require you to write at least one essay or report. Your first step is to look at your lecturer's instructions on Moodle or on your paper outline. The Library has lots of great books on essay writing: go to Library Search, type "essay writing" into the search box and limit to books.

These web pages offer helpful hints:

There is also guidance from Student Learning on Writing scientific reports.

Don't forget to check the referencing requirements for your paper!

Literature reviews for an Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is a list of summaries, each prefixed with a full citation in an appropriate referencing style, presented in alphabetical order.

See also our Annotated Bibliography guide.

Valuable Resources

These resources provide information on preparing and writing literature reviews for an annotated bibliography:

Hints
  • Is this a Descriptive/Summary Annotated Bibliography OR an Evaluative/Critique Annotated Bibliography? Read your assignment instructions carefully
  • See also Reading at University (Student Learning)

Literature reviews for a Directed Study, Special topic or Dissertation

Consult your supervisor about your topic.

The literature review often appears near the start of your dissertation, and is a key part of your overall dissertation structure. It is a summary of the current writings in the field you are researching and into which your dissertation will eventually fit (Oxbridge Essays)

Valuable Resources

These resources provide information on preparing and writing literature reviews for a directed study, special topic or dissertation:

Hints
  • The best place to find good literature is at the Library! If you need help in locating the right material, talk to the helpful staff at the Information Desk on Level 4 of the Library or your Academic Liaison Librarian.
  • EndNote is software that helps you to manage your references.
  • NVivo can be used to systematically analyse literature. For more information please see the NVivo download pages and Library tutorials, under Research.

Finding Resources for Literature Reviews

1. Read the instructions on Moodle, your Course Outline or class notes

Then read Find information for assignments
Use High Demand books
Use your Waikato Reading List

2. Think about what you really need to find and your key words

Search strategy - where to look?
Library "How to find" guides

3. Guides

All Library Guides
Guides to searching Library resources

4. Tutorials

Tutorials are offered during each trimester
Attend any Library tutorials arranged by your lecturer

5. Help

Level 4 information desk in the Student Centre - We can help you refine your search
Use Library Chat

6. Library Search

Library Search find books and articles on your topic
Library Search guides
Library Search quick guide
Video Guides

7. Google Scholar

Use Google Scholar to get an overview of what's available.

8. Subject Databases

Subject Specific Databases

9. Use the references from articles/books to find more information

References show the sources authors have used for their work, and these will often lead you to other great books and articles.
Use any live links from reference lists in online articles or check Library Search to find if we have access to the books or journal articles.

10. Subject Portals

Subject portals
Your Academic Liaison Librarian can help you find theses, newspaper articles, as well as subject-specific material

Hints
  • The best place to find good literature is at the Library! If you need help in locating the right material, talk to the helpful staff at the Information Desk on Level 4 of the Library or your Academic Liaison Librarian.
  • Make sure you are using good sources of information: See the Evaluating Resources.
  • And, most importantly, check your Referencing! Why reference?