Conducting a Literature Review

After gathering your sources, read the full text of each article you include, complete the table below, asking yourself about each source: 

1. Has the author formulated a problem/issue? Is it clearly defined? Is its significance (scope, severity, relevance) clearly established? 
2. Has the author evaluated the literature relevant to the problem/issue? Does the author include literature taking opposing positions?
3. In a research study, how good are the basic components of the study design (e.g., population, intervention, outcome)? How accurate and valid are the measurements? What are the strengths and limitations?
4. Is the analysis of the data accurate and relevant to the research question? Are the conclusions validly based upon the data and analysis? 
5. Does the author use appeals to emotion, one-sided examples, or rhetorically-charged language and tone? 
6. How does the author structure the argument? Can you “deconstruct” the flow of the argument to see whether or where it breaks down logically (e.g., in establishing cause-effect relationships)? 
7. How does this source relate to the specific thesis or question I am developing? 

Complete a summary of each relevant article you read (change headings to suit your needs)

Literature Review STUDY SUMMARIES