How to Write a Literature Review for a Dissertation: Structure and Examples
How to search, organise, and write a literature review that synthesises research by theme, identifies a gap, and justifies your own study.
Key Academic Takeaways:
- A literature review is a synthesis organised by theme, not a list of summaries.
- Record your search terms and databases so the search can be reported and repeated.
- Use a synthesis matrix to compare studies across themes.
- End by identifying the gap your research will address.
What is a literature review?
A literature review surveys the existing research on your topic, evaluates it, and shows where your own study fits. Its purpose is to demonstrate that you understand the field and to justify your research question by identifying a gap.
Step 1: Define the scope
Write down your research question and the key concepts within it. Decide on limits such as publication date (often the last ten years), language, geography, and study type.
Step 2: Search systematically
Use your university library databases, for example Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, CINAHL, Business Source Complete, or JSTOR, alongside Google Scholar. Combine keywords with Boolean operators:
- AND narrows the search: remote work AND productivity
- OR widens it: remote work OR teleworking
- Quotation marks search exact phrases: "employee engagement"
Keep a log of search terms, databases, and the number of results.
Step 3: Evaluate and select sources
Prioritise peer-reviewed journal articles and key texts in the field. For each source, note the aim, method, sample, main findings, and limitations.
Step 4: Organise by theme with a synthesis matrix
List your sources in rows and your themes in columns, then fill in what each source says about each theme. Patterns, agreements, and contradictions become easy to see, and each column becomes a section of your review.
Step 5: Choose a structure
| Structure | Best used when |
|---|---|
| Thematic | The literature groups naturally into topics or debates (most common) |
| Chronological | You need to show how thinking developed over time |
| Methodological | Studies differ mainly in research approach |
| Theoretical | You are comparing competing models or frameworks |
Step 6: Write critically
Each section should compare studies, not describe them one by one.
Descriptive: "Smith (2020) found X. Jones (2021) found Y."
Synthesised: "While Smith (2020) and Lee (2022) report X in large organisations, Jones (2021) found the opposite in small firms, suggesting that organisational size moderates the effect."
Step 7: Conclude with the research gap
Summarise what is known, what is contested, and what has not yet been studied. State clearly how your research addresses that gap.
Common mistakes
- Summarising sources one after another with no comparison.
- Relying on textbooks and websites instead of journal articles.
- Including everything you read, whether relevant or not.
- Failing to link the review to your research question.
Need support? Our literature review writing service provides themed, critically synthesised model reviews, including PRISMA systematic reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a dissertation literature review be?
A literature review is usually 25 to 30% of the dissertation. For a 10,000-word undergraduate dissertation that is about 2,500 to 3,000 words, and for a 15,000-word Master's dissertation about 4,000 to 4,500 words.
How many sources do I need for a literature review?
It depends on the level and topic, but a Master's dissertation literature review commonly draws on 40 to 60 sources, and an undergraduate review on 20 to 40.
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