how to do research in literature

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Writing a Literature Review

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A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis ). The lit review is an important genre in many disciplines, not just literature (i.e., the study of works of literature such as novels and plays). When we say “literature review” or refer to “the literature,” we are talking about the research ( scholarship ) in a given field. You will often see the terms “the research,” “the scholarship,” and “the literature” used mostly interchangeably.

Where, when, and why would I write a lit review?

There are a number of different situations where you might write a literature review, each with slightly different expectations; different disciplines, too, have field-specific expectations for what a literature review is and does. For instance, in the humanities, authors might include more overt argumentation and interpretation of source material in their literature reviews, whereas in the sciences, authors are more likely to report study designs and results in their literature reviews; these differences reflect these disciplines’ purposes and conventions in scholarship. You should always look at examples from your own discipline and talk to professors or mentors in your field to be sure you understand your discipline’s conventions, for literature reviews as well as for any other genre.

A literature review can be a part of a research paper or scholarly article, usually falling after the introduction and before the research methods sections. In these cases, the lit review just needs to cover scholarship that is important to the issue you are writing about; sometimes it will also cover key sources that informed your research methodology.

Lit reviews can also be standalone pieces, either as assignments in a class or as publications. In a class, a lit review may be assigned to help students familiarize themselves with a topic and with scholarship in their field, get an idea of the other researchers working on the topic they’re interested in, find gaps in existing research in order to propose new projects, and/or develop a theoretical framework and methodology for later research. As a publication, a lit review usually is meant to help make other scholars’ lives easier by collecting and summarizing, synthesizing, and analyzing existing research on a topic. This can be especially helpful for students or scholars getting into a new research area, or for directing an entire community of scholars toward questions that have not yet been answered.

What are the parts of a lit review?

Most lit reviews use a basic introduction-body-conclusion structure; if your lit review is part of a larger paper, the introduction and conclusion pieces may be just a few sentences while you focus most of your attention on the body. If your lit review is a standalone piece, the introduction and conclusion take up more space and give you a place to discuss your goals, research methods, and conclusions separately from where you discuss the literature itself.

Introduction:

• An introductory paragraph that explains what your working topic and thesis is
• A forecast of key topics or texts that will appear in the review
• Potentially, a description of how you found sources and how you analyzed them for inclusion and discussion in the review (more often found in published, standalone literature reviews than in lit review sections in an article or research paper)
• Summarize and synthesize: Give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret: Don’t just paraphrase other researchers – add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
• Critically Evaluate: Mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs: Use transition words and topic sentence to draw connections, comparisons, and contrasts.

Conclusion:

• Summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance
• Connect it back to your primary research question

How should I organize my lit review?

Lit reviews can take many different organizational patterns depending on what you are trying to accomplish with the review. Here are some examples:

• Chronological : The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time, which helps familiarize the audience with the topic (for instance if you are introducing something that is not commonly known in your field). If you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order. Try to analyze the patterns, turning points, and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred (as mentioned previously, this may not be appropriate in your discipline — check with a teacher or mentor if you’re unsure).
• Thematic : If you have found some recurring central themes that you will continue working with throughout your piece, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic. For example, if you are reviewing literature about women and religion, key themes can include the role of women in churches and the religious attitude towards women.
• Qualitative versus quantitative research
• Empirical versus theoretical scholarship
• Divide the research by sociological, historical, or cultural sources
• Theoretical : In many humanities articles, the literature review is the foundation for the theoretical framework. You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts. You can argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach or combine various theorical concepts to create a framework for your research.

What are some strategies or tips I can use while writing my lit review?

Any lit review is only as good as the research it discusses; make sure your sources are well-chosen and your research is thorough. Don’t be afraid to do more research if you discover a new thread as you’re writing. More info on the research process is available in our "Conducting Research" resources .

As you’re doing your research, create an annotated bibliography ( see our page on the this type of document ). Much of the information used in an annotated bibliography can be used also in a literature review, so you’ll be not only partially drafting your lit review as you research, but also developing your sense of the larger conversation going on among scholars, professionals, and any other stakeholders in your topic.

Usually you will need to synthesize research rather than just summarizing it. This means drawing connections between sources to create a picture of the scholarly conversation on a topic over time. Many student writers struggle to synthesize because they feel they don’t have anything to add to the scholars they are citing; here are some strategies to help you:

• It often helps to remember that the point of these kinds of syntheses is to show your readers how you understand your research, to help them read the rest of your paper.
• Writing teachers often say synthesis is like hosting a dinner party: imagine all your sources are together in a room, discussing your topic. What are they saying to each other?
• Look at the in-text citations in each paragraph. Are you citing just one source for each paragraph? This usually indicates summary only. When you have multiple sources cited in a paragraph, you are more likely to be synthesizing them (not always, but often
• Read more about synthesis here.

The most interesting literature reviews are often written as arguments (again, as mentioned at the beginning of the page, this is discipline-specific and doesn’t work for all situations). Often, the literature review is where you can establish your research as filling a particular gap or as relevant in a particular way. You have some chance to do this in your introduction in an article, but the literature review section gives a more extended opportunity to establish the conversation in the way you would like your readers to see it. You can choose the intellectual lineage you would like to be part of and whose definitions matter most to your thinking (mostly humanities-specific, but this goes for sciences as well). In addressing these points, you argue for your place in the conversation, which tends to make the lit review more compelling than a simple reporting of other sources.

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What is a literature review?

A literature review is an integrated analysis -- not just a summary-- of scholarly writings and other relevant evidence related directly to your research question.  That is, it represents a synthesis of the evidence that provides background information on your topic and shows a association between the evidence and your research question.

A literature review may be a stand alone work or the introduction to a larger research paper, depending on the assignment.  Rely heavily on the guidelines your instructor has given you.

Why is it important?

A literature review is important because it:

• Explains the background of research on a topic.
• Demonstrates why a topic is significant to a subject area.
• Discovers relationships between research studies/ideas.
• Identifies major themes, concepts, and researchers on a topic.
• Identifies critical gaps and points of disagreement.
• Discusses further research questions that logically come out of the previous studies.

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1. Choose a topic. Define your research question.

Your literature review should be guided by your central research question.  The literature represents background and research developments related to a specific research question, interpreted and analyzed by you in a synthesized way.

• Make sure your research question is not too broad or too narrow.  Is it manageable?
• Begin writing down terms that are related to your question. These will be useful for searches later.
• If you have the opportunity, discuss your topic with your professor and your class mates.

2. Decide on the scope of your review

How many studies do you need to look at? How comprehensive should it be? How many years should it cover? 

• This may depend on your assignment.  How many sources does the assignment require?

3. Select the databases you will use to conduct your searches.

Make a list of the databases you will search. 

Where to find databases:

• use the tabs on this guide
• Find other databases in the Nursing Information Resources web page
• More on the Medical Library web page
• ... and more on the Yale University Library web page

4. Conduct your searches to find the evidence. Keep track of your searches.

• Use the key words in your question, as well as synonyms for those words, as terms in your search. Use the database tutorials for help.
• Save the searches in the databases. This saves time when you want to redo, or modify, the searches. It is also helpful to use as a guide is the searches are not finding any useful results.
• Review the abstracts of research studies carefully. This will save you time.
• Use the bibliographies and references of research studies you find to locate others.
• Check with your professor, or a subject expert in the field, if you are missing any key works in the field.
• Ask your librarian for help at any time.
• Use a citation manager, such as EndNote as the repository for your citations. See the EndNote tutorials for help.

Review the literature

Some questions to help you analyze the research:

• What was the research question of the study you are reviewing? What were the authors trying to discover?
• Was the research funded by a source that could influence the findings?
• What were the research methodologies? Analyze its literature review, the samples and variables used, the results, and the conclusions.
• Does the research seem to be complete? Could it have been conducted more soundly? What further questions does it raise?
• If there are conflicting studies, why do you think that is?
• How are the authors viewed in the field? Has this study been cited? If so, how has it been analyzed?

Tips: 

• Review the abstracts carefully.  
• Keep careful notes so that you may track your thought processes during the research process.
• Create a matrix of the studies for easy analysis, and synthesis, across all of the studies.
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How To Approach Research In Literature Studies

Table of Contents

Introduction

How To Approach Research In Literature Studies Researching literature studies can be a fascinating and difficult endeavor. Since literary studies is a broad academic field that covers a variety of texts, genres, and approaches, it is crucial to conduct research methodically and carefully.

Learning how to carry out exhaustive and efficient research will improve your capacity to interact critically with literature, regardless of whether you’re a graduate researcher, undergraduate student, or just someone looking to expand your knowledge of literary works.

Literature studies research entails evaluating works, comprehending their settings, and adding novel insights to the corpus of existing knowledge. It goes beyond just recounting stories or reading critics’ viewpoints. This article will walk you through the essential processes of performing literature research, including practical suggestions and strategies to help you succeed.

1. Understanding the Basics of Literature Research

1.1 what is literary research.

Literary research involves the process of investigating, analyzing, and interpreting literary works using various methods. This research can range from close readings of individual texts to broader examinations of literary movements, genres, or cultural contexts. A key aspect of literary research is formulating questions about a text, examining it through different theoretical lenses, and supporting arguments with evidence from both primary and secondary sources.

• How To Write A Perfect Literature Essay In 2024

1.2 Purpose of Literary Research

The purpose of literary research is to gain a deeper understanding of literary texts and their cultural, historical, and social significance. Literary research is not merely about providing summaries or subjective opinions about literature. Instead, it seeks to critically engage with texts and contribute to the ongoing discourse surrounding literature. Researchers often aim to:

• Analyze literary themes, motifs, and symbols.
• Examine the historical and cultural context in which a text was written.
• Identify and critique the ideologies embedded in a work.
• Compare works from different authors, genres, or periods.
• Offer new interpretations or readings of existing literary works.

By doing so, literary research can open new perspectives on familiar texts and offer original insights into lesser-known works.

2. Steps for Conducting Effective Literary Research

2.1 step 1: choose your topic or research question.

Choosing a topic or developing a research question is the initial stage in every research effort. This is arguably the most important step in the process since a clear topic will help you stay focused and direct the course of your investigation.

Tips for choosing a research question:

• Narrow your focus : Avoid overly broad topics, which can be difficult to research in depth. For example, instead of researching “Shakespeare,” narrow it down to “The portrayal of women in Shakespeare’s comedies.”
• Make it original : Aim to explore areas that have not been extensively covered. Consider examining overlooked themes or authors, or propose a new interpretation of a widely discussed work.
• Ensure feasibility : Your question should be specific and manageable within the scope of your assignment or research project.

Example : Rather than asking, “What is the theme of love in Romeo and Juliet ?” you might narrow the question to “How does the theme of love in Romeo and Juliet reflect the political tensions of Elizabethan England?”

2.2 Step 2: Conduct Preliminary Research

Before diving into more detailed research, it’s important to do some preliminary reading. This will help you become familiar with the key themes, authors, and critical discussions around your topic.

How to conduct preliminary research:

• Read overviews : Use textbooks, encyclopedias, or general guides to get an overview of the literary work, genre, or movement you’re researching.
• Familiarize yourself with the context : Understand the historical, cultural, and social context in which the work was written. This will help you appreciate its significance and influence.
• Explore critical essays : Look for general articles or introductory essays to help you get an idea of the current debates and themes within your topic.

Example : If researching the theme of alienation in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis , a preliminary review of general critical responses to the text will give you a solid starting point for narrowing down your angle.

2.3 Step 3: Gather Primary and Secondary Sources

In literature research, both primary and secondary sources are important.

Primary sources : These are the original texts themselves, such as novels, plays, poems, or historical documents. Your primary source is where you’ll find the raw material for analysis.

Secondary sources : These are works written by other scholars or critics that discuss, analyze, or interpret the primary text. Secondary sources provide context, support, and alternative perspectives on your research topic.

Where to find sources:

• Library databases : Use academic databases such as JSTOR, Project MUSE, or Google Scholar to find scholarly articles and journals.
• Books and monographs : Scholarly books often provide in-depth analysis on a specific topic or author. Use library catalogs or online book retailers.
• Bibliographies : Check the bibliographies of key articles and books to find additional relevant sources.

Tip : When gathering secondary sources, ensure they are credible. Peer-reviewed journals and academic books from reputable publishers are always your best bet.

2.4 Step 4: Analyze the Texts Critically

Once you’ve gathered your primary and secondary sources, it’s time to dive into analysis. Literary analysis involves closely reading the text, identifying key themes and motifs, and interpreting the significance of various elements, such as:

• Character development : How are characters portrayed? Do they evolve over the course of the text?
• Symbols and imagery : What symbols are present? How do they contribute to the overall meaning of the text?
• Narrative techniques : How does the author use narrative structure, point of view, or voice to convey themes?

Tip : As you analyze, keep a research journal or notes. Write down your observations, ideas, and connections. This will help you form a coherent argument later on.

• Understanding Literary Devices: A Comprehensive Guide

2.5 Step 5: Develop a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is the central argument or claim you intend to prove through your research. It is the backbone of your paper and provides direction to your analysis.

Tips for crafting a thesis statement:

• Be clear and concise : Your thesis should be a single sentence that clearly conveys the argument you will make.
• Make it debatable : Your thesis should present an argument that can be supported with evidence. Avoid statements that are too obvious or fact-based.
• Be specific : Avoid vague generalities. Focus on the key aspects of the text you will analyze.

Example : “In The Great Gatsby , Fitzgerald critiques the American Dream by illustrating how its pursuit leads to personal disillusionment and social decay.”

2.6 Step 6: Organize Your Research and Outline Your Paper

Organizing your research and making sure your article flows logically depend on creating an outline before you start writing. Divide your research into pieces that support your thesis and arrange them logically.

Suggested outline structure :

• Introduction : Introduce your research question and thesis.
• Literature Review : Summarize previous research on your topic, highlighting gaps in the literature that your research will address.
• Methodology : Explain your approach to analyzing the texts, including any literary theories or frameworks you’ll use.
• Analysis : Present your findings, providing evidence from both primary and secondary sources to support your thesis.
• Conclusion : Summarize your argument and discuss the broader implications of your findings.

2.7 Step 7: Write the Paper

With your outline in hand, you can begin writing your research paper. Focus on presenting your argument clearly and persuasively, supporting it with evidence from the texts you have analyzed.

Writing tips :

• Be critical and analytical : Rather than merely summarizing the text, focus on analyzing its deeper meanings and implications.
• Use textual evidence : Quote passages from primary and secondary sources to back up your arguments.
• Stay focused : Ensure that every paragraph contributes to your central thesis.

3. Tips for Effective Literary Research

• Use a variety of sources : Don’t rely solely on one type of source. A combination of books, journal articles, and critical essays will provide a more well-rounded perspective on your topic.
• Take organized notes : Keep track of your research and ideas. Annotate the texts you read, and keep a record of important quotes, arguments, and sources.
• Avoid plagiarism : Properly cite all of your sources to avoid plagiarism. Use citation styles such as MLA, APA, or Chicago, as required by your institution or field.
• Seek feedback : Don’t hesitate to discuss your research with peers or professors. Feedback can help you refine your arguments and improve the clarity of your paper.
• Stay updated : Literary research is an evolving field. Be sure to check for recent studies or articles that might inform your research.

Critical thinking, close reading of texts, and a firm grasp of literary techniques are all necessary for literature studies research. You can produce perceptive and persuasive literary studies research by following the stages described in this guide: choosing a clear topic, carrying out in-depth research, critically analyzing texts, and putting up a well-supported thesis.

• The Art Of Close Reading: Tips For Students

1. How long should my literature research paper be?

Your paper’s length will be determined by the particular specifications of your project or assignment. Although this can vary, a typical literature study research paper is between 3,000 and 6,000 words long.

2. What are some common mistakes in literary research?

Lack of focus, excessive reliance on secondary sources, inadequate text analysis, and improper citation of sources are examples of common errors. Furthermore, it’s crucial to refrain from summarizing the content instead of thoroughly evaluating it.

3. How can I find scholarly sources for my research?

To locate peer-reviewed books, essays, and articles, use scholarly databases such as Project MUSE, Google Scholar, or JSTOR. Numerous scholarly books and publications are also accessible through university libraries.

4. What if I don’t know what literary theory to use for my research?

Read more about the various critical approaches if you’re not sure which literary theory to choose. Selecting a theoretical lens that fits your research question can be aided by books or articles that offer summaries of literary theory.

5. How do I know if my thesis statement is strong?

Specific, debatable, and closely tied to the text you’re evaluating are characteristics of a strong thesis statement. It’s probably a strong thesis if it makes a point that is evident and backed up by facts.

• How To Compare And Contrast Two Literary Works

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Chapter Four: Theory, Methodologies, Methods, and Evidence

Research Methods

You are viewing the first edition of this textbook. a second edition is available – please visit the latest edition for updated information..

This page discusses the following topics:

Research Goals

Research method types.

Before discussing research   methods , we need to distinguish them from  methodologies  and  research skills . Methodologies, linked to literary theories, are tools and lines of investigation: sets of practices and propositions about texts and the world. Researchers using Marxist literary criticism will adopt methodologies that look to material forces like labor, ownership, and technology to understand literature and its relationship to the world. They will also seek to understand authors not as inspired geniuses but as people whose lives and work are shaped by social forces.

Example: Critical Race Theory Methodologies

Critical Race Theory may use a variety of methodologies, including

• Interest convergence: investigating whether marginalized groups only achieve progress when dominant groups benefit as well
• Intersectional theory: investigating how multiple factors of advantage and disadvantage around race, gender, ethnicity, religion, etc. operate together in complex ways
• Radical critique of the law: investigating how the law has historically been used to marginalize particular groups, such as black people, while recognizing that legal efforts are important to achieve emancipation and civil rights
• Social constructivism: investigating how race is socially constructed (rather than biologically grounded)
• Standpoint epistemology: investigating how knowledge relates to social position
• Structural determinism: investigating how structures of thought and of organizations determine social outcomes

To identify appropriate methodologies, you will need to research your chosen theory and gather what methodologies are associated with it. For the most part, we can’t assume that there are “one size fits all” methodologies.

Research skills are about how you handle materials such as library search engines, citation management programs, special collections materials, and so on.

Research methods  are about where and how you get answers to your research questions. Are you conducting interviews? Visiting archives? Doing close readings? Reviewing scholarship? You will need to choose which methods are most appropriate to use in your research and you need to gain some knowledge about how to use these methods. In other words, you need to do some research into research methods!

Your choice of research method depends on the kind of questions you are asking. For example, if you want to understand how an author progressed through several drafts to arrive at a final manuscript, you may need to do archival research. If you want to understand why a particular literary work became a bestseller, you may need to do audience research. If you want to know why a contemporary author wrote a particular work, you may need to do interviews. Usually literary research involves a combination of methods such as  archival research ,  discourse analysis , and  qualitative research  methods.

Literary research methods tend to differ from research methods in the hard sciences (such as physics and chemistry). Science research must present results that are reproducible, while literary research rarely does (though it must still present evidence for its claims). Literary research often deals with questions of meaning, social conventions, representations of lived experience, and aesthetic effects; these are questions that reward dialogue and different perspectives rather than one great experiment that settles the issue. In literary research, we might get many valuable answers even though they are quite different from one another. Also in literary research, we usually have some room to speculate about answers, but our claims have to be plausible (believable) and our argument comprehensive (meaning we don’t overlook evidence that would alter our argument significantly if it were known).

A literary researcher might select the following:

Theory: Critical Race Theory

Methodology: Social Constructivism

Method: Scholarly

Skills: Search engines, citation management

Wendy Belcher, in  Writing Your Journal Article in 12 Weeks , identifies two main approaches to understanding literary works: looking at a text by itself (associated with New Criticism ) and looking at texts as they connect to society (associated with Cultural Studies ). The goal of New Criticism is to bring the reader further into the text. The goal of Cultural Studies is to bring the reader into the network of discourses that surround and pass through the text. Other approaches, such as Ecocriticism, relate literary texts to the Sciences (as well as to the Humanities).

The New Critics, starting in the 1940s,  focused on meaning within the text itself, using a method they called “ close reading .” The text itself becomes e vidence for a particular reading. Using this approach, you should summarize the literary work briefly and q uote particularly meaningful passages, being sure to introduce quotes and then interpret them (never let them stand alone). Make connections within the work; a sk  “why” and “how” the various parts of the text relate to each other.

Cultural Studies critics see all texts  as connected to society; the critic  therefore has to connect a text to at least one political or social issue. How and why does  the text reproduce particular knowledge systems (known as discourses) and how do these knowledge systems relate to issues of power within the society? Who speaks and when? Answering these questions helps your reader understand the text in context. Cultural contexts can include the treatment of gender (Feminist, Queer), class (Marxist), nationality, race, religion, or any other area of human society.

Other approaches, such as psychoanalytic literary criticism , look at literary texts to better understand human psychology. A psychoanalytic reading can focus on a character, the author, the reader, or on society in general. Ecocriticism  look at human understandings of nature in literary texts.

We select our research methods based on the kinds of things we want to know. For example, we may be studying the relationship between literature and society, between author and text, or the status of a work in the literary canon. We may want to know about a work’s form, genre, or thematics. We may want to know about the audience’s reading and reception, or about methods for teaching literature in schools.

Below are a few research methods and their descriptions. You may need to consult with your instructor about which ones are most appropriate for your project. The first list covers methods most students use in their work. The second list covers methods more commonly used by advanced researchers. Even if you will not be using methods from this second list in your research project, you may read about these research methods in the scholarship you find.

Most commonly used undergraduate research methods:

• Scholarship Methods:  Studies the body of scholarship written about a particular author, literary work, historical period, literary movement, genre, theme, theory, or method.
• Textual Analysis Methods:  Used for close readings of literary texts, these methods also rely on literary theory and background information to support the reading.
• Biographical Methods:  Used to study the life of the author to better understand their work and times, these methods involve reading biographies and autobiographies about the author, and may also include research into private papers, correspondence, and interviews.
• Discourse Analysis Methods:  Studies language patterns to reveal ideology and social relations of power. This research involves the study of institutions, social groups, and social movements to understand how people in various settings use language to represent the world to themselves and others. Literary works may present complex mixtures of discourses which the characters (and readers) have to navigate.
• Creative Writing Methods:  A literary re-working of another literary text, creative writing research is used to better understand a literary work by investigating its language, formal structures, composition methods, themes, and so on. For instance, a creative research project may retell a story from a minor character’s perspective to reveal an alternative reading of events. To qualify as research, a creative research project is usually combined with a piece of theoretical writing that explains and justifies the work.

Methods used more often by advanced researchers:

• Archival Methods: Usually involves trips to special collections where original papers are kept. In these archives are many unpublished materials such as diaries, letters, photographs, ledgers, and so on. These materials can offer us invaluable insight into the life of an author, the development of a literary work, or the society in which the author lived. There are at least three major archives of James Baldwin’s papers: The Smithsonian , Yale , and The New York Public Library . Descriptions of such materials are often available online, but the materials themselves are typically stored in boxes at the archive.
• Computational Methods:  Used for statistical analysis of texts such as studies of the popularity and meaning of particular words in literature over time.
• Ethnographic Methods:  Studies groups of people and their interactions with literary works, for instance in educational institutions, in reading groups (such as book clubs), and in fan networks. This approach may involve interviews and visits to places (including online communities) where people interact with literary works. Note: before you begin such work, you must have  Institutional Review Board (IRB)  approval “to protect the rights and welfare of human participants involved in research.”
• Visual Methods:  Studies the visual qualities of literary works. Some literary works, such as illuminated manuscripts, children’s literature, and graphic novels, present a complex interplay of text and image. Even works without illustrations can be studied for their use of typography, layout, and other visual features.

Regardless of the method(s) you choose, you will need to learn how to apply them to your work and how to carry them out successfully. For example, you should know that many archives do not allow you to bring pens (you can use pencils) and you may not be allowed to bring bags into the archives. You will need to keep a record of which documents you consult and their location (box number, etc.) in the archives. If you are unsure how to use a particular method, please consult a book about it. [1] Also, ask for the advice of trained researchers such as your instructor or a research librarian.

• What research method(s) will you be using for your paper? Why did you make this method selection over other methods? If you haven’t made a selection yet, which methods are you considering?
• What specific methodological approaches are you most interested in exploring in relation to the chosen literary work?
• What is your plan for researching your method(s) and its major approaches?
• What was the most important lesson you learned from this page? What point was confusing or difficult to understand?

Write your answers in a webcourse discussion page.

• Introduction to Research Methods: A Practical Guide for Anyone Undertaking a Research Project  by Catherine, Dr. Dawson
• Practical Research Methods: A User-Friendly Guide to Mastering Research Techniques and Projects  by Catherine Dawson
• Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches  by John W. Creswell  Cheryl N. Poth
• Qualitative Research Evaluation Methods: Integrating Theory and Practice  by Michael Quinn Patton
• Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches  by John W. Creswell  J. David Creswell
• Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners  by Ranjit Kumar
• Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques  by C.R. Kothari

Strategies for Conducting Literary Research Copyright © 2021 by Barry Mauer & John Venecek is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Literature Reviews

Steps in the literature review process.

• What is a literature review?
• Define your research question
• Determine inclusion and exclusion criteria
• Choose databases and search
• Review Results
• Synthesize Results
• Analyze Results
• Librarian Support
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools
• You may need to some exploratory searching of the literature to get a sense of scope, to determine whether you need to narrow or broaden your focus
• Identify databases that provide the most relevant sources, and identify relevant terms (controlled vocabularies) to add to your search strategy
• Finalize your research question
• Think about relevant dates, geographies (and languages), methods, and conflicting points of view
• Conduct searches in the published literature via the identified databases
• Check to see if this topic has been covered in other discipline's databases
• Examine the citations of on-point articles for keywords, authors, and previous research (via references) and cited reference searching.
• Save your search results in a citation management tool (such as Zotero, Mendeley or EndNote)
• De-duplicate your search results
• Make sure that you've found the seminal pieces -- they have been cited many times, and their work is considered foundational 
• Check with your professor or a librarian to make sure your search has been comprehensive
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of individual sources and evaluate for bias, methodologies, and thoroughness
• Group your results in to an organizational structure that will support why your research needs to be done, or that provides the answer to your research question  
• Develop your conclusions
• Are there gaps in the literature?
• Where has significant research taken place, and who has done it?
• Is there consensus or debate on this topic?
• Which methodological approaches work best?
• For example: Background, Current Practices, Critics and Proponents, Where/How this study will fit in 
• Organize your citations and focus on your research question and pertinent studies
• Compile your bibliography

Note: The first four steps are the best points at which to contact a librarian. Your librarian can help you determine the best databases to use for your topic, assess scope, and formulate a search strategy.

Videos Tutorials about Literature Reviews

This 4.5 minute video from Academic Education Materials has a Creative Commons License and a British narrator.

Recommended Reading

• Last Updated: Oct 23, 2024 11:46 AM
• URL: https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/literaturereviews

How to do Research on Literature

Selected Subject Headings

Listed below is a sample of a few broad Library of Congress subject headings—made up of one word or more representing concepts under which all library holdings are divided and subdivided by subject—which you can search under and use as subject terms as well when searching online library catalogs for preliminary and/or additional research, such as books, audio and video recordings, and other references, related to your research paper topic. When researching materials on your topic, subject heading searching may be more productive than searching using simple keywords. However, keyword searching when using the right search method (Boolean, etc.) and combination of words can be equally effective in finding materials more closely relevant to the topic of your research paper.

Academic Writing, Editing, Proofreading, And Problem Solving Services

Get 10% off with 24start discount code, suggested research topics in literature:.

• American Literature
• English Literature
• Fiction and Juvenile Literatures
• Literature and Society
• Literature, Comparative
• Literature, Dictionaries
• Literature—History and collections
• Literature—History and criticism
• Literature Research
• Romance Literature
• Short Stories, American—History and criticism
• Teutonic literatures

Suggested Research topics in Literary Criticism:

• American Literature—History and criticism
• British literature—History and criticism
• English drama—History and criticism
• Fiction—History and criticism
• Literature—17th Century—History and criticism
• Literature—18th Century—History and criticism
• Literature—19th Century—History and criticism
• Literature—20th Century—History and criticism
• Poetry—History and criticism

Selected Keyword Search Strategies and Guides

If your topic is “banned books and American literature,” for example, enter “banned books” and “American literature” with “and” on the same line to locate sources directly compatible with the primary focus of your paper. To find research on more specific aspects of your topic, alternate with one new keyword at a time with “and” in between (for example, “banned books and authors,” “banned books and the U.S. Constitution,” “banned books and politics,” “banned books and racism,” “banned books and religion,” etc.).

For additional help with keyword searching, navigation or user guides for online indexes and databases by many leading providers—including Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, EBSCO, H.W. Wilson, OCLC, Ovid Technologies, ProQuest, and Thomson Gale—are posted with direct links on library Web sites to guides providing specific instruction to using whichever database you want to search. They provide additional guidance on how to customize and maximize your search, including advanced searching techniques and grouping of words and phrases using the Boolean search method—of your research paper topic, of bibliographic records, and of full-text articles, and other documents related to your subject.

Selected Source and Subject Guides

As part of your preliminary research to find appropriate resources for your research paper, information source and research guides are available at most public and academic libraries and are keyword searchable through your library’s online catalog (to search and locate guides, enter your “subject” followed by these keywords one search at a time: “information sources,” “reference sources,” and “research guide”). Printed guides available for this subject area include

Literary Research Guide: An Annotated Listing of Reference Sources in English Literary Studies , 5th ed., by James L. Harner, 826 pages (New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2009)

Reference Works in British and American Literature , 2nd ed., by James K. Bracken, 727 pages (Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1998)

A Reference Guide for English Studies , by Michael J. Marcuse, 790 pages (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990)

A Research Guide for Undergraduate Students: English and American Literature , 6th ed., by Nancy L. Baker and Nancy Huling, 96 pages (New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2006)

In addition to these sources of research, most college and university libraries offer online subject guides arranged by subject on the library’s Web page; others also list searchable course-related “LibGuides” by subject. Each guide lists more recommended published and Web sources—including books and references, journal, newspaper and magazines indexes, full-text article databases, Web sites, and even research tutorials—that you can access to expand your research on more specific issues and relevant to the topic of your research paper.

Selected Books and References

Anthologies.

Norton Anthology of American Literature , 7th ed., 5 vols., edited by Nina Baym et al., 2,600 pages (New York: W.W. Norton, 2007)

Classic, broadly focused anthology of American literature featuring the works of 212 well-known writers, including 38 new additions—many in their entirety—from Native American to postmodern women writers. Thirty complete works are included in this two-volume set, among them The Awakening, A Streetcar Named Desire, and newer entries, such as Allen Ginsberg’s Howl, and David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross.

Oxford Companion to American Literature , 6th ed., edited by James David Hart and Philip Leininger, 800 pages (New York: Oxford University Press 1995)

This anthology encompasses more than 5,000 scholarly entries treating all areas of American literature. Among the entries are more than 2,000 biographical profiles of U.S. and foreign authors examining each author’s style, subjects, and major literary works. In addition, 1,100 summaries discuss major American novels, biographies and autobiographies, essays, plays, poems, and stories. Many other subjects related to writing in America are highlighted as well, such as literary awards, literary and social history, and all are extensively cross-referenced and indexed for easy use.

Biography and Literary Criticism

Contemporary Authors , 296 vols. (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research, 1962– )

Published since 1962, this multivolume source supplies biographical and bibliographic information on more than 120,000 modern fiction and nonfiction writers from many countries and fields, including novelists, poets, playwrights, scriptwriters, journalists, biographers, and essayists. This popular reference series is also available as an e-book and on the Web separately and as part of Gale’s Literary Index by subscription.

Contemporary Literary Criticism , 292 vols. (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research, 1973– )

First published in 1973, this ongoing reference series offers critical essays of authors now living or deceased since 1960 originally published in books, scholarly and popular periodicals, and newspapers with bibliographical citations to the full critical study for further reference. A separate cumulative title index accompanies the set, and the entire series is also offered online.

Contemporary Novelists , 7th ed., edited by Josh Lauer and Neil Schlager, 1,166 pages (Detroit, Mich.: St. James Press, 2000)

This encyclopedic reference, originally published in 1972, includes biographies, bibliographies, and critical essays on approximately 650 contemporary English-language novelists, including 100 new entries. Includes nationality and title indexes. Also offered online as part of Gale’s Literary Index, a master index of literary references published by Gale, and in e-book form.

Contemporary Poets , 7th ed., 1,443 pages (Detroit, Mich.: St. James Press, 2000)

Fully revised and updated reference featuring biographical and bibliographical data on 787 contemporary English-language poets, with 120 new entries added. Coverage includes personal and career information, critical essays, and detailed bibliographies covering each poet’s works. Nationality and title indices are provided for cross-referencing of subjects. Written by noted experts, this reference is also accessible online as part of Gale’s Literary Index, featuring 130 literature references from Gale and other publishers’ imprints and in an e-book version.

Dictionary of Literary Biography , 357 vols. (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Group, 1978– )

With nearly 300 volumes published since 1978, this reference series provides detailed biographical and critical information on more than 10,000 authors grouped by period, genre, or movement from a wide range of historical periods and nationalities written by more than 8,000 editors and contributors. Each entry includes a biography, a complete listing of the author’s writings, and a selection of critical sources for further study. Mostly focusing on English or American authors, the series also covers 20th-century American and British science fiction and fantasy writers prior to World War I. Yearbooks, published annually since 1980, feature updates of previously included authors and new authors. The final volume indexes the authors by name and corresponds with entries to all volumes. The entire contents of the series are available as a single online database and also as part of Gale’s Literary Index, and in an e-book edition.

Magill’s Bibliography of Literary Criticism: Selected Sources for the Study of More Than 2,500 Outstanding Works of Western Literature , edited by Frank N. Magill, 4 vols., 2,380 pages (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem Press, 1979)

This four-volume set indexes criticism of more than 2,500 books and periodicals and all types of literature from biblical times through 1979. Each volume contains an author-title index, and Volume 4 is a title index.

Magill’s Critical Survey of Long Fiction,  2nd rev. ed., edited by Carl Rollyson and Frank N. Magill, 8 vols., 4,392 pages (Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press, 2000)

Revised in 2000, this multivolume series, formerly edited by Frank N. Magill and first published in 1983, supplies critical studies and in-depth overviews of major authors of long fiction.

Magill’s Critical Survey of Poetry , 2nd rev. ed., edited by Philip K. Jason and Frank N. Magill, 8 vols., 5,352 pages (Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press, 2002)

Revised version of the original 1982 edition edited by Frank N. Magill featuring scholarly articles and in-depth essays on 368 English-language poets, including 27 new entries, examining the work of major and minor poets. Each entry, averaging 10 pages each, surveys subjects’ backgrounds and achievements combined with critical analysis of their major works. Updated and annotated bibliographies accompany all entries.

Magill’s Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature , edited by T. A. Shippey and A. J. Sobczak, 4 vols., 1,126 pages (Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press, 1996)

Provides a plot summary and brief critical analysis for several hundred works of science fiction and fantasy, arranged by the title of the work. Volume 4 includes bibliographies, lists of prizewinners, and much more.

Magill’s Literary Annual , edited by Frank N. Magill, et al. (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem Press, 1977– )

Each edition of this annually published two-volume set contains critical essays, reviews, and sources for further study of 200 major literary works published in the United States each year. In addition, the set includes four cumulative indexes—biographical works by subject, a category index, a title index, and an author index—listing titles reviewed in past editions from 1977 to 2004 in Volume 2. Updates Magill’s Masterplots annual.

Magill’s Masterplots , edited by Frank N. Magill, 11 vols. (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem Press, 1954– )

First launched in 1954, This multivolume work offers critical essays and synopses with principal characters drawn from world literature arranged by title. An author index accompanies the series. Also since 1954, Salem Press publishes an annual series called Masterplots Annual that includes reviews of 100 outstanding books each year. A cumulative print index, Index to Masterplots: Cumulative Indexes 1963–1990, also indexes many volumes in the series.

Magill’s Masterplots II , edited by Frank N. Magill, 30 vols. (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem Press, 1986– )

Newer series of interpretive essays and criticisms with summaries and brief bibliographies on the works of 20th-century authors, published as fourto six-volume sets on different genres of literature published around the world. Titles in the series include Masterplots II: African-American Literature Series (1994– ); Masterplots II: British and Commonwealth Series (1989– ); Masterplots II: Drama Series (1990– ); Masterplots II: Juvenile and Young Adult Fiction Series (1991– ); Masterplots II: Nonfiction Series (1989– ); Masterplots II: Short Story Series (1986– ); and Masterplots II: World Fiction Series (1987– ). Salem Press’s Index to Masterplots: Cumulative Indexes 1963–1990 also indexes the series.

Magill’s Survey of American Literature , edited by Frank N. Magill, 8 vols., 2,896 pages (New York: Marshall Cavendish Corp., 1991–94)

Features critical surveys of major American writers from the 17th to the late 20th century representing all forms of literature.

Magill’s Survey of Contemporary Literature , edited by Frank N. Magill, 19 vols., 13,701 pages (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem Press, 1971, 1977)

This major multivolume literary series contains 500 updated reprints of 2,000 reviews from Masterplots annuals from 1954 to 1976 on authors of contemporary literature. Each essay includes brief biographical data about the author and publication data about the work, a brief description of the work and a critical essay.

Magill’s Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature , edited by Frank N. Magill, 5 vols., 2,589 pages (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem Press, 1983)

Featuring 500 critical essays covering individual works, collections, series, trilogies, and short fiction, this five-volume set includes biographical information about each author, dates of publication, descriptions of their work, and criticisms. The fifth and final volume features 19 critical essays on theories of fantasy, eroticism, witchcraft, fantasy poetry, and other forms of fantasy.

Magill’s Survey of Science Fiction Literature: Five Hundred 2,000-Word Essay Reviews of World-Famous Science Fiction Novels with 2,500 Bibliographical References , edited by Frank N. Magill, 5 vols., 2,542 pages (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem Press, 1979– )

A five-volume set providing lengthy and detailed essays and plot summaries of science fiction with critical analysis of each author’s style, content, and individual works covering some of the most significant science fiction novels ever written. In 1982, Salem Press published a bibliographical supplement to the series.

Magill’s Survey of Short Fiction , 2nd Ed., edited by Charles E. May and Frank N. Magill, 7 vols. 2,900 pages (Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press, 2001)

Part of Salem Press’s award-winning Critical Survey series, this seven-volume set examines the work of 500 short fiction writers, including such diverse writers as Hans Christian Andersen, Woody Allen, Ursula Le Guin, and Alice Walker. Entries offer biographical information, critical analysis of specific works, a list of literary works, dates of publication, and an annotated bibliography for each author reviewed.

Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism , 240 vols. (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research Co., 1978– )

Features excerpts from criticism of the works of more than 500 novelists, poets, playwrights, short story writers, and other creative writers living between 1900 and 1999. Every fourth volume in the series is devoted to literary topics that could not be covered under the author approach.

World Authors , 9 vols. (Bronx, N.Y.: New York: H.W. Wilson Co., 1975– )

First published in 1975, this nine-volume reference set—a companion volume to H.W. Wilson’s now outdated biographical dictionary Twentieth Century Authors (1942–79)—features biographical sketches on internationally known authors. The first volume in the set spans 20 years (1950–70), with each subsequent volume covering a five-year period, including 1970–75, 1975–80, 1980–85, 1985–90, 1990–95, 1995–2000, and 2000–05.

Encyclopedias

Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia of American Literature , 5th ed., edited by Bruce Murphy, 1,232 pages (New York: HarperCollins, 2008)

This classic, fully revised and updated, explores all aspects of world literature. Entries encompass biographies of poets, playwrights, novelists, and belletrists, plot summaries and character sketches from major works, historical information on literary schools, movements, terms, and awards, myths and legends, and much more. Coverage is given to African, African-American, Eastern European, Middle Eastern, South American, and women’s literature, and more.

Encyclopedia of Folklore and Literature , edited by Mary Ellen Brown and Bruce A. Rosenberg, 784 pages (Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 1999)

Authoritatively surveys the connections between folklore and literature in 350 alphabetically arranged entries. Divided into four categories, entries explore writers who used folklore as a source in their literary works, concepts, themes, and characters with folklore origins found in written literature and studies in the field of folklore and literature by leading scholars. Major emphasis is given to European and Western themes, including classical Greek and Roman mythology.

Encyclopedia of the Novel , edited by Paul Schellinger, 2 vols., 1,652 pages (Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1998)

Designed for more advanced literature students, this highly recommended encyclopedia comprehensively covers the history and development of the novel in 650 scholarly essays. All aspects of novel are explored, including classic novels, famous novelists, novels, novels about a specific country or region, and other subjects, such as theory, influence, and criticism. Each entry includes brief biographies, lists of works, and additional readings.

Encyclopedia of World Literature in the 20th Century , 3rd ed., edited by Steven R. Serafin, 4 vols., 3,000 pages (Detroit, Mich.: St. James Press, 1998)

This widely acclaimed four-volume encyclopedic set offers in-depth criticisms of more than 2,000 individual authors discussing “genres, movements, and trends in literature” of authors from around the world, including Chinua Achebe, James Baldwin, Samuel Beckett, William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and Virginia Woolf, and entries on numerous other topics. Bibliographies are included.

The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story , 2nd ed., edited by Abby H. P. Werlock (New York: Facts On File, 2009)

This updated guide, written in a clear, easy-to read style, discusses American short fiction from the 19th century to the 1990s. Approximately 675 entries, listed in alphabetical order, cover author biographies, famous characters, influential events, themes and theories, and detailed summaries of major stories. Author entries provide personal and career information, including important dates, biographies, lists of stories, critical reaction, and a list of references. Also included are appendixes, covering short story awards and winners, stories by subject and setting, and a selected bibliography of critical histories and theoretical approaches to short story writing. Other useful references include The Facts On File Companion to American Drama, The Facts On File Companion to Classical Drama, and other titles in the Facts On File literature list.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature , edited by Jay Parini, 4 vols., 2,280 pages (New York: Oxford University Press, 2003)

Suitable for high school and university students and literature enthusiasts, this multivolume reference examines American literature from colonial times to the present. Throughout this outstanding resource are 350 historical and topical articles discussing all genres of literature. Includes an extensive index and bibliographies for further reading.

General References

Literary Research Guide: A Guide to Reference Sources for the Study of Literatures in English and Related Topics , 5th ed., edited by James L. Horner, 826 pages (New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2008)

Complete bibliographic reference of sources available for study of literature and related topics. Items covered in this revised fourth edition include databases, dissertations, guides to manuscripts and archives, indexes, literary genres, periodicals, and American, English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh literature.

World Literature and Its Times , edited by Joyce Moss and Lorraine Valestuk, 8 vols. (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Group, 1999– )

Each volume of this highly acclaimed academic reference set spans 50 entries of major fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from countries listed in alphabetical order by title. Each entry combines literary and historical information and discusses the social and political background, plot or contents, social, political or literary events of the author’s life and influences on each work. The six-volume set covers the literatures of Africa, Asia, India, Italy, France, England, Ireland, Latin America, the Middle East, Portugal, and Spain. Also published in e-book form.

Selected Full-Text Article Databases

ABELL: Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature  (Ann Arbor, Mich.: ProQuest. 1892 )

Indexes 860,000 citations of journal articles on all aspects and periods of English literature, with full-text availability of articles from 120 scholarly journals from 1892 to date.

Academic Search Elite  (Ipswich, Mass.: EBSCOHost, indexing/abstracting: 1984– , full text: 1990– )

Indexes more than 2,700 journals with full-text coverage of 1,530 academic titles in the fields of humanities, education, and general science. Full text extends back to January 1990, while indexing and abstracting is from January 1984 to the present. This subscription database is an ideal place to look up book reviews, criticisms, and reviews of creative works, from poems to short stories.

Bloom’s Literary Reference Online  (New York: Infobase Publishing, 2006– )

Full-text collection of critical articles published in the long-standing Bloom’s Literary Criticism series, including Bloom’s Modern Literary Views and Bloom’s Modern Literary Interpretations. Also includes full text of literature reference books published by Facts On File, including the Companion to Literature and the Critical Companion series. Ideal for high school and college students researching authors or works.

Contemporary Authors  (Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale, 19th century– )

Web edition of this reference series includes biographical and bibliographical information on more than 120,000 contemporary writers. Covers novelists, poets, essayists, journalists, and other writers. Includes full text of journals on literature and literary criticism.

DiscLit: American Authors  (Boston: G. K. Hall & Co./OCLC, 1992– )

CD-ROM collection of full-text biographical and critical overviews of 140 American authors from books in Twayne’s United States Authors series published before 1991. Entries include chronologies, references, and selected bibliographies of each author and his or her literary work.

DiscLit: British Authors  (Boston: G. K. Hall & Co./OCLC, 1992– )

Compact disc reference of literary criticism of selected British authors from Twayne’s English Authors series containing the full text of 145 volumes by authors ranging from Chaucer to Shakespeare, as well as the OCLC British Authors Catalog featuring 200,000 citations of widely held books by and about British authors from the OCLC Online Union Catalog.

DISCovering Authors  (Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale, GaleNet, 1992– )

First published in 1992 on CD-ROM as DISCovering Authors: Biographies and Criticism on 300 Most Studied Authors, this online full-text bio-bibliographical version features fully illustrated biographical sketches and excerpts from literary criticism of 1,260 of the world’s most-studied novelists, poets, and dramatists. Authors are from a variety of nations, cultures, time periods, and genres, from Maya Angelou to William Shakespeare.

Expanded Academic ASAP  (Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale InfoTrac, 1980– )

Indexes some 8.5 million articles from 3,000 journals, magazines, and newspapers, with full text available for selected literary journals.

Humanities Full Text  (Bronx, N.Y.: H.W. Wilson Co., WilsonWeb/Ovid Technologies, Inc./Thomson DIALOG, indexing: 1984– ; full text: January 1995– )

Provides online indexing of 160 journal articles, some full text, from 400 major humanities periodicals in the fields of archaeology, classical studies, film, folklore, gender studies, history, journalism, communications, language, literature, literary and political criticism, performing arts, philosophy, and religion.

International Index to Black Periodicals Full-Text  (Ann Arbor, Mich.: Chadwyck-Healey/ProQuest, 1902– )

Web adaptation of the printed volume offering current and retrospective bibliographic citations and abstracts from 150 scholarly and popular journals, newspapers, and newsletters from the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean since 1902, and full-text coverage of 40 black studies periodicals from 1988 to the present. Coverage spans cultural, economic, historical, religious, social, and political issues in the area of black studies.

JSTOR  (Ann Arbor, Mich.: Journal Storage Project, 1996– )

Full-text collection of more than 300 scholarly journals covering the arts and sciences, including such literature journals as African American Review, Comparative Literature, ELH, Modern Language Journal, New Literary History, Review of English Studies, and Shakespeare Quarterly.

LION: Literature Online  (Ann Arbor, Mich.: ProQuest, 600– )

This subscription-based library bills itself as “the world’s largest cross-searchable database of literature and literary criticism.” It covers more than 350,000 works of English and American poetry, drama and prose, 400 author bibliographies, 1,000 biographies of the most studied authors, 200 journals (with 30 in full text), and links to author Web sites and ABELL (Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature).

Literature Resource Center  (Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale)

Online database providing direct access to biographical, bibliographical, and critical analysis, based on Gale’s library of literary references, including Contemporary Authors, Dictionary of Literacy Criticism, and some 371,000 full-text articles from more than 230 literary journals, 38,000 critical essays, and 4,329 plot summaries and overviews. Areas covered include drama, history, journalism, nonfiction, and poetry. Also includes a link to the full-text version of Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature and links to 5,000 Web sites focusing on major authors and their works.

NewsBank Newsfile Collection  (Naples, Fla.: NewsBank, 1991– )

Besides covering current events, this fully searchable collection includes full-text articles from 500 U.S. regional and national newspapers, news broadcasts, and wire services from 1991 to the present. Coverage includes newspaper book reviews and literary news topics found under the category “General News: Arts and Sports Reviews.”

Periodicals Index Online  (Ann Arbor, Mich.: Chadwyck-Healey/ProQuest, 1770–1995)

This major online periodical database (formerly called Periodicals Contents Index) offers full text and retrospective coverage of the content (including book reviews) of thousands of humanities and social science periodicals since their first issues from 1770 to 1995.

ProjectMUSE  (Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990– )

Full-text collection of more than 100 scholarly journals in arts and humanities, mathematics, and social sciences, including 31 literature titles.

ProQuest Research Library II  (Ann Arbor, Mich.: ProQuest/UMI, indexing: 1971– , full text: 1986– )

Offers complete citations with abstracts to some 2,500 periodicals, including the current six months of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Publications index includes 396 humanities and 239 general-interest periodicals with full-text article searchable from approximately 600 titles.

Selected Periodicals

American Literature: A Journal of Literary History, Criticism, and Bibliography  (Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press; published in cooperation with the Modern Language Association 1929– , quarterly)

Regarded as “the preeminent journal in its field,” this quarterly scholarly journal features criticisms of a broad spectrum of literary periods and literary genres. Each issue contains articles written by leading scholars and critics covering the works of American authors, and a large book review section. The journal is indexed and abstracted in such leading references as America: History and Life, Historical Abstracts, Humanities Index, Index to Book Reviews in the Humanities, MLA International Bibliography, and many others. Links to full text of recent articles is available through JSTOR (1929–99) and ProjectMUSE (2003– ).

Comparative Literature  (Eugene: University of Oregon, 1949– , quarterly)

Founded in 1949, this official publication of the American Comparative Literature Association is devoted to the worldwide exploration of important issues of literary history and theory. Published quarterly by the University of Oregon, each issue typically contains scholarly articles covering a broad range of theoretical and critical approaches. EBSCOHost’s Academic Search Premier (1975– ) and Wilson Select Full Text Plus (1995– ) are among the online databases that offer full-text indexing of articles from past issues. Online access to the first 50 volumes is available through JSTOR (1949–98).

Contemporary Literature  (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1968– )

Written by leaders in their field and some of the most respected writers today, this quarterly journal focuses on the study of contemporary American, British, and Continental literature. Available in print and online, content typically includes interviews with emerging authors, articles on contemporary literature, and reviews of recently published critical works. Articles are indexed in such popular online databases as Biography Resource Center (1993–99), EBSCOHost’s Academic Search Premier (1975– ) and Expanded Academic ASAP (1992), excluding the most recent 12 months. Back issues of Contemporary Literature are available in full-text form through JSTOR, and also accessible through ProjectMUSE.

ELH: Journal of Literary History  (Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1934– , quarterly)

This quarterly academic journal offers “superior studies that interpret the conditions affecting major works in English and American literature.” Articles offer a scholarly view of historical, critical, and theoretical concerns relative to its subject. One of the first journals offered in electronic form by ProjectMUSE, ELH is available as part of its online collection starting with the winter 1993 issue, and through JSTOR (1934–94) with links to full-text recent issues (1995–2003).

Journal of Modern Literature  (Philadelphia: Temple University; Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1970– , quarterly)

More than 30 years after its founding, the Journal of Modern Literature is widely recognized as “the journal of record on modern literature.” Each issue addresses contemporary writing and literature written from 1900 to the present. Contents include essays, interviews, position papers, and political manifestos on related subjects. Full-text articles are available through Academic Search Premier (1975– ), Wilson Select Full Text Plus (1997– ), and ProjectMUSE (1998–present)

The New York Review of Books  (New York: Arno Press, 1963– , biweekly)

Widely regarded as “the premier literary intellectual magazine in the English language,” this biweekly magazine founded during a New York newspaper publishing strike in 1963 features informative and critical essays on culture, current affairs, and literature. Articles from recent editions are accessible online at  http://www.nybooks.com/ .

The New York Times Book Review  (New York: Arno Press, 1896–; Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 2001– , weekly)

Distributed separately or as part of Sunday’s New York Times, this weekly literary tabloid reviews new nonfiction and fiction books, and includes essays on literary culture, previews of upcoming books, discussion of publishing trends, and more. Visitors can browse recent articles online at  http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/ .

PMLA  (Publications of the Modern Language Association) (New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1884– , 6 times a year)

Published six times yearly since 1884, this journal of the Modern Language Association of America offers a variety of articles geared toward university and college scholars and teachers of English and foreign languages. Four issues per year (January, March, May, and October) feature a collection of essays written by association members on language and literature. A directory is published in September listing all members, including names and addresses, and a program is published in November for the association’s annual convention. A collection of past issues is accessible to subscribers at JSTOR (1889–1990).

Publishers Weekly: The International News Magazine of Publishing  (New York: F. Leypoldt, 1872– , weekly)

The longest-active trade publication of its kind, this weekly newsmagazine offers international coverage of book publishing, including interviews with authors, industry news, and a list of the latest nonfiction and fiction bestsellers. Every issue covers all segments of publishing, from the creation and production of books to sales and marketing. The Web site offers current and past articles, including news, features, book reviews, and special reports, at  http://www.publishersweekly.com/ . Full access is restricted to subscribers only.

TLS: The Times Literary Supplement  (London: Times Newspapers Ltd., 1902– , weekly)

Weekly literary supplement published by the Times Newspapers of London featuring comprehensive and entertaining essays on new and forthcoming books, both hardcover and paperback, on the arts, history, politics, and world literature. Full-text images of previous issues from 1902 to 1994 are available as part of a subscription database, TLS: Times Literary Supplement, offered by the Gale Group.

World Literature Today  (Norman: University of Oklahoma, 1927– , quarterly)

Founded in 1927 by Oklahoma scholar Roy Temple House, this quarterly scholarly journal upholds his original vision, featuring interviews, reviews, and essays on authors and literature from around the world. Content includes reviews of fiction, poetry, and criticism, divided by language, and articles and columns discussing global and regional trends, children’s literature, and writers’ conferences. Full-text articles of World Literature Today are available at InfoTrac’s Expanded Academic ASAP (1994– ).

For a complete and current list of literature journals, not including newsletters, see:

MLA Directory of Periodicals: A Guide to Journals and Serials in Language and Literature , 2nd Ed. 2 vols., (Modern Language Association, 1991–96)

Produced by the Modern Language Association of America, this second edition, two-volume directory lists periodicals, indexed in the MLA International Bibliography, in the fields of literature, language, linguistics, culture, and folklore. All entries provide such basic information as title, publisher, editor name, and language. In 2000, the directory was offered online via subscription through EBSCO Publishing. Content is keyword-searchable by subject, title, and more.

Selected Web Sites

English Literature on the Web  ( http://www.lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~matsuoka/EngLit.html )

Large online directory of literature sites on the Web.

English Literature: A Guide to Sources  ( http://guides.library.cornell.edu/englishlit )

Compiled by Fred Muratori of Cornell University libraries, this Web page features a selected bibliography of library resources, such as chronologies, handbooks, indexes, and sources of literary criticism on English literature.

Literary Sources on the Net  ( http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Lit/ )

A comprehensive collection of electronic sources for the study of literature covering such areas as classical, biblical, medieval, Victorian, and more with links.

Voice of the Shuttle: English Literature  ( http://vos.ucsb.edu/ )

Provides access to both primary and secondary resources for students and instructors from elementary school, high school, and the general public on all academic disciplines, including English literature.

Careers Related to Literature

Literary Arts Career Field ( http://career.iresearchnet.com/career-fields/literary-arts-career-field/ )

From the earliest times, people have wanted to communicate with other people, and one of the best means of communication is language. Before the invention of writing, people could only transmit information orally. After writing was invented, which may have occurred in Sumer in approximately 4000 BC, writers could communicate with people who were not within speaking distance. Written communication took various forms in various cultures, and over the centuries a wide range of forms came into existence. As time passed, these forms were developed and refined.

Book Publishing Career Field ( http://career.iresearchnet.com/career-fields/book-publishing-career-field/ )

The earliest known books were the clay tablets of Mesopotamia and the papyrus rolls of Egypt. Examples of both date from about 3000 BC. According to archeological findings, the Chinese developed books about 1300 BC. Early Chinese books were made of wood or bamboo strips and bound together with cords.

With the spread of Greek culture and the Greek alphabet in the third century b.c., books became accessible to more people. For the first time, the general public began to read on a wide range of topics. Up until that point, books had been primarily produced for scholarly research or for use by royalty.

Writers Career Information ( http://career.iresearchnet.com/career-information/writer-careers/ )

Writers express, edit, promote, and interpret ideas and facts in written form for books, magazines, trade journals, newspapers, technical studies and reports, company newsletters, radio and television broadcasts, and advertisements.

Writers develop fiction and nonfiction ideas for plays, novels, poems, and other related works; report, analyze, and interpret facts, events, and personalities; review art, music, film, drama, and other artistic presentations; and persuade the general public to choose or favor certain goods, services, and personalities. There are approximately 192,000 salaried writers, authors, and technical writers employed in the United States.

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

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A literature review surveys prior research published in books, scholarly articles, and any other sources relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory, and by so doing, provides a description, summary, and critical evaluation of these works in relation to the research problem being investigated. Literature reviews are designed to provide an overview of sources you have used in researching a particular topic and to demonstrate to your readers how your research fits within existing scholarship about the topic.

Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper . Fourth edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2014.

Importance of a Good Literature Review

A literature review may consist of simply a summary of key sources, but in the social sciences, a literature review usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis, often within specific conceptual categories . A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information in a way that informs how you are planning to investigate a research problem. The analytical features of a literature review might:

• Give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations,
• Trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates,
• Depending on the situation, evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most pertinent or relevant research, or
• Usually in the conclusion of a literature review, identify where gaps exist in how a problem has been researched to date.

Given this, the purpose of a literature review is to:

• Place each work in the context of its contribution to understanding the research problem being studied.
• Describe the relationship of each work to the others under consideration.
• Identify new ways to interpret prior research.
• Reveal any gaps that exist in the literature.
• Resolve conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies.
• Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication of effort.
• Point the way in fulfilling a need for additional research.
• Locate your own research within the context of existing literature [very important].

Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2005; Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998; Jesson, Jill. Doing Your Literature Review: Traditional and Systematic Techniques . Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2011; Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review." PS: Political Science and Politics 39 (January 2006): 127-132; Ridley, Diana. The Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students . 2nd ed. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2012.

Types of Literature Reviews

It is important to think of knowledge in a given field as consisting of three layers. First, there are the primary studies that researchers conduct and publish. Second are the reviews of those studies that summarize and offer new interpretations built from and often extending beyond the primary studies. Third, there are the perceptions, conclusions, opinion, and interpretations that are shared informally among scholars that become part of the body of epistemological traditions within the field.

In composing a literature review, it is important to note that it is often this third layer of knowledge that is cited as "true" even though it often has only a loose relationship to the primary studies and secondary literature reviews. Given this, while literature reviews are designed to provide an overview and synthesis of pertinent sources you have explored, there are a number of approaches you could adopt depending upon the type of analysis underpinning your study.

Argumentative Review This form examines literature selectively in order to support or refute an argument, deeply embedded assumption, or philosophical problem already established in the literature. The purpose is to develop a body of literature that establishes a contrarian viewpoint. Given the value-laden nature of some social science research [e.g., educational reform; immigration control], argumentative approaches to analyzing the literature can be a legitimate and important form of discourse. However, note that they can also introduce problems of bias when they are used to make summary claims of the sort found in systematic reviews [see below].

Integrative Review Considered a form of research that reviews, critiques, and synthesizes representative literature on a topic in an integrated way such that new frameworks and perspectives on the topic are generated. The body of literature includes all studies that address related or identical hypotheses or research problems. A well-done integrative review meets the same standards as primary research in regard to clarity, rigor, and replication. This is the most common form of review in the social sciences.

Historical Review Few things rest in isolation from historical precedent. Historical literature reviews focus on examining research throughout a period of time, often starting with the first time an issue, concept, theory, phenomena emerged in the literature, then tracing its evolution within the scholarship of a discipline. The purpose is to place research in a historical context to show familiarity with state-of-the-art developments and to identify the likely directions for future research.

Methodological Review A review does not always focus on what someone said [findings], but how they came about saying what they say [method of analysis]. Reviewing methods of analysis provides a framework of understanding at different levels [i.e. those of theory, substantive fields, research approaches, and data collection and analysis techniques], how researchers draw upon a wide variety of knowledge ranging from the conceptual level to practical documents for use in fieldwork in the areas of ontological and epistemological consideration, quantitative and qualitative integration, sampling, interviewing, data collection, and data analysis. This approach helps highlight ethical issues which you should be aware of and consider as you go through your own study.

Systematic Review This form consists of an overview of existing evidence pertinent to a clearly formulated research question, which uses pre-specified and standardized methods to identify and critically appraise relevant research, and to collect, report, and analyze data from the studies that are included in the review. The goal is to deliberately document, critically evaluate, and summarize scientifically all of the research about a clearly defined research problem . Typically it focuses on a very specific empirical question, often posed in a cause-and-effect form, such as "To what extent does A contribute to B?" This type of literature review is primarily applied to examining prior research studies in clinical medicine and allied health fields, but it is increasingly being used in the social sciences.

Theoretical Review The purpose of this form is to examine the corpus of theory that has accumulated in regard to an issue, concept, theory, phenomena. The theoretical literature review helps to establish what theories already exist, the relationships between them, to what degree the existing theories have been investigated, and to develop new hypotheses to be tested. Often this form is used to help establish a lack of appropriate theories or reveal that current theories are inadequate for explaining new or emerging research problems. The unit of analysis can focus on a theoretical concept or a whole theory or framework.

NOTE: Most often the literature review will incorporate some combination of types. For example, a review that examines literature supporting or refuting an argument, assumption, or philosophical problem related to the research problem will also need to include writing supported by sources that establish the history of these arguments in the literature.

Baumeister, Roy F. and Mark R. Leary. "Writing Narrative Literature Reviews."  Review of General Psychology 1 (September 1997): 311-320; Mark R. Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper . 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2005; Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998; Kennedy, Mary M. "Defining a Literature." Educational Researcher 36 (April 2007): 139-147; Petticrew, Mark and Helen Roberts. Systematic Reviews in the Social Sciences: A Practical Guide . Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 2006; Torracro, Richard. "Writing Integrative Literature Reviews: Guidelines and Examples." Human Resource Development Review 4 (September 2005): 356-367; Rocco, Tonette S. and Maria S. Plakhotnik. "Literature Reviews, Conceptual Frameworks, and Theoretical Frameworks: Terms, Functions, and Distinctions." Human Ressource Development Review 8 (March 2008): 120-130; Sutton, Anthea. Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review . Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, 2016.

Structure and Writing Style

I.  Thinking About Your Literature Review

The structure of a literature review should include the following in support of understanding the research problem :

• An overview of the subject, issue, or theory under consideration, along with the objectives of the literature review,
• Division of works under review into themes or categories [e.g. works that support a particular position, those against, and those offering alternative approaches entirely],
• An explanation of how each work is similar to and how it varies from the others,
• Conclusions as to which pieces are best considered in their argument, are most convincing of their opinions, and make the greatest contribution to the understanding and development of their area of research.

The critical evaluation of each work should consider :

• Provenance -- what are the author's credentials? Are the author's arguments supported by evidence [e.g. primary historical material, case studies, narratives, statistics, recent scientific findings]?
• Methodology -- were the techniques used to identify, gather, and analyze the data appropriate to addressing the research problem? Was the sample size appropriate? Were the results effectively interpreted and reported?
• Objectivity -- is the author's perspective even-handed or prejudicial? Is contrary data considered or is certain pertinent information ignored to prove the author's point?
• Persuasiveness -- which of the author's theses are most convincing or least convincing?
• Validity -- are the author's arguments and conclusions convincing? Does the work ultimately contribute in any significant way to an understanding of the subject?

II.  Development of the Literature Review

Four Basic Stages of Writing 1.  Problem formulation -- which topic or field is being examined and what are its component issues? 2.  Literature search -- finding materials relevant to the subject being explored. 3.  Data evaluation -- determining which literature makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the topic. 4.  Analysis and interpretation -- discussing the findings and conclusions of pertinent literature.

Consider the following issues before writing the literature review: Clarify If your assignment is not specific about what form your literature review should take, seek clarification from your professor by asking these questions: 1.  Roughly how many sources would be appropriate to include? 2.  What types of sources should I review (books, journal articles, websites; scholarly versus popular sources)? 3.  Should I summarize, synthesize, or critique sources by discussing a common theme or issue? 4.  Should I evaluate the sources in any way beyond evaluating how they relate to understanding the research problem? 5.  Should I provide subheadings and other background information, such as definitions and/or a history? Find Models Use the exercise of reviewing the literature to examine how authors in your discipline or area of interest have composed their literature review sections. Read them to get a sense of the types of themes you might want to look for in your own research or to identify ways to organize your final review. The bibliography or reference section of sources you've already read, such as required readings in the course syllabus, are also excellent entry points into your own research. Narrow the Topic The narrower your topic, the easier it will be to limit the number of sources you need to read in order to obtain a good survey of relevant resources. Your professor will probably not expect you to read everything that's available about the topic, but you'll make the act of reviewing easier if you first limit scope of the research problem. A good strategy is to begin by searching the USC Libraries Catalog for recent books about the topic and review the table of contents for chapters that focuses on specific issues. You can also review the indexes of books to find references to specific issues that can serve as the focus of your research. For example, a book surveying the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may include a chapter on the role Egypt has played in mediating the conflict, or look in the index for the pages where Egypt is mentioned in the text. Consider Whether Your Sources are Current Some disciplines require that you use information that is as current as possible. This is particularly true in disciplines in medicine and the sciences where research conducted becomes obsolete very quickly as new discoveries are made. However, when writing a review in the social sciences, a survey of the history of the literature may be required. In other words, a complete understanding the research problem requires you to deliberately examine how knowledge and perspectives have changed over time. Sort through other current bibliographies or literature reviews in the field to get a sense of what your discipline expects. You can also use this method to explore what is considered by scholars to be a "hot topic" and what is not.

III.  Ways to Organize Your Literature Review

Chronology of Events If your review follows the chronological method, you could write about the materials according to when they were published. This approach should only be followed if a clear path of research building on previous research can be identified and that these trends follow a clear chronological order of development. For example, a literature review that focuses on continuing research about the emergence of German economic power after the fall of the Soviet Union. By Publication Order your sources by publication chronology, then, only if the order demonstrates a more important trend. For instance, you could order a review of literature on environmental studies of brown fields if the progression revealed, for example, a change in the soil collection practices of the researchers who wrote and/or conducted the studies. Thematic [“conceptual categories”] A thematic literature review is the most common approach to summarizing prior research in the social and behavioral sciences. Thematic reviews are organized around a topic or issue, rather than the progression of time, although the progression of time may still be incorporated into a thematic review. For example, a review of the Internet’s impact on American presidential politics could focus on the development of online political satire. While the study focuses on one topic, the Internet’s impact on American presidential politics, it would still be organized chronologically reflecting technological developments in media. The difference in this example between a "chronological" and a "thematic" approach is what is emphasized the most: themes related to the role of the Internet in presidential politics. Note that more authentic thematic reviews tend to break away from chronological order. A review organized in this manner would shift between time periods within each section according to the point being made. Methodological A methodological approach focuses on the methods utilized by the researcher. For the Internet in American presidential politics project, one methodological approach would be to look at cultural differences between the portrayal of American presidents on American, British, and French websites. Or the review might focus on the fundraising impact of the Internet on a particular political party. A methodological scope will influence either the types of documents in the review or the way in which these documents are discussed.

Other Sections of Your Literature Review Once you've decided on the organizational method for your literature review, the sections you need to include in the paper should be easy to figure out because they arise from your organizational strategy. In other words, a chronological review would have subsections for each vital time period; a thematic review would have subtopics based upon factors that relate to the theme or issue. However, sometimes you may need to add additional sections that are necessary for your study, but do not fit in the organizational strategy of the body. What other sections you include in the body is up to you. However, only include what is necessary for the reader to locate your study within the larger scholarship about the research problem.

Here are examples of other sections, usually in the form of a single paragraph, you may need to include depending on the type of review you write:

• Current Situation : Information necessary to understand the current topic or focus of the literature review.
• Sources Used : Describes the methods and resources [e.g., databases] you used to identify the literature you reviewed.
• History : The chronological progression of the field, the research literature, or an idea that is necessary to understand the literature review, if the body of the literature review is not already a chronology.
• Selection Methods : Criteria you used to select (and perhaps exclude) sources in your literature review. For instance, you might explain that your review includes only peer-reviewed [i.e., scholarly] sources.
• Standards : Description of the way in which you present your information.
• Questions for Further Research : What questions about the field has the review sparked? How will you further your research as a result of the review?

IV.  Writing Your Literature Review

Once you've settled on how to organize your literature review, you're ready to write each section. When writing your review, keep in mind these issues.

Use Evidence A literature review section is, in this sense, just like any other academic research paper. Your interpretation of the available sources must be backed up with evidence [citations] that demonstrates that what you are saying is valid. Be Selective Select only the most important points in each source to highlight in the review. The type of information you choose to mention should relate directly to the research problem, whether it is thematic, methodological, or chronological. Related items that provide additional information, but that are not key to understanding the research problem, can be included in a list of further readings . Use Quotes Sparingly Some short quotes are appropriate if you want to emphasize a point, or if what an author stated cannot be easily paraphrased. Sometimes you may need to quote certain terminology that was coined by the author, is not common knowledge, or taken directly from the study. Do not use extensive quotes as a substitute for using your own words in reviewing the literature. Summarize and Synthesize Remember to summarize and synthesize your sources within each thematic paragraph as well as throughout the review. Recapitulate important features of a research study, but then synthesize it by rephrasing the study's significance and relating it to your own work and the work of others. Keep Your Own Voice While the literature review presents others' ideas, your voice [the writer's] should remain front and center. For example, weave references to other sources into what you are writing but maintain your own voice by starting and ending the paragraph with your own ideas and wording. Use Caution When Paraphrasing When paraphrasing a source that is not your own, be sure to represent the author's information or opinions accurately and in your own words. Even when paraphrasing an author’s work, you still must provide a citation to that work.

V.  Common Mistakes to Avoid

These are the most common mistakes made in reviewing social science research literature.

• Sources in your literature review do not clearly relate to the research problem;
• You do not take sufficient time to define and identify the most relevant sources to use in the literature review related to the research problem;
• Relies exclusively on secondary analytical sources rather than including relevant primary research studies or data;
• Uncritically accepts another researcher's findings and interpretations as valid, rather than examining critically all aspects of the research design and analysis;
• Does not describe the search procedures that were used in identifying the literature to review;
• Reports isolated statistical results rather than synthesizing them in chi-squared or meta-analytic methods; and,
• Only includes research that validates assumptions and does not consider contrary findings and alternative interpretations found in the literature.

Cook, Kathleen E. and Elise Murowchick. “Do Literature Review Skills Transfer from One Course to Another?” Psychology Learning and Teaching 13 (March 2014): 3-11; Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper . 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2005; Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998; Jesson, Jill. Doing Your Literature Review: Traditional and Systematic Techniques . London: SAGE, 2011; Literature Review Handout. Online Writing Center. Liberty University; Literature Reviews. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J. and Rebecca Frels. Seven Steps to a Comprehensive Literature Review: A Multimodal and Cultural Approach . Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2016; Ridley, Diana. The Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students . 2nd ed. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2012; Randolph, Justus J. “A Guide to Writing the Dissertation Literature Review." Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation. vol. 14, June 2009; Sutton, Anthea. Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review . Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, 2016; Taylor, Dena. The Literature Review: A Few Tips On Conducting It. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Writing a Literature Review. Academic Skills Centre. University of Canberra.

Writing Tip

Break Out of Your Disciplinary Silo!

Thinking interdisciplinarily about a research problem can be a rewarding exercise in applying new ideas, theories, or concepts to an old problem. For example, what might cultural anthropologists say about the continuing conflict in the Middle East? In what ways might geographers view the need for better distribution of social service agencies in large cities than how social workers might study the issue? You don’t want to substitute a thorough review of core research literature in your discipline for studies conducted in other fields of study. However, particularly in the social sciences, thinking about research problems from multiple vectors is a key strategy for finding new solutions to a problem or gaining a new perspective. Consult with a librarian about identifying research databases in other disciplines; almost every field of study has at least one comprehensive database devoted to indexing its research literature.

Frodeman, Robert. The Oxford Handbook of Interdisciplinarity . New York: Oxford University Press, 2010.

Another Writing Tip

Don't Just Review for Content!

While conducting a review of the literature, maximize the time you devote to writing this part of your paper by thinking broadly about what you should be looking for and evaluating. Review not just what scholars are saying, but how are they saying it. Some questions to ask:

• How are they organizing their ideas?
• What methods have they used to study the problem?
• What theories have been used to explain, predict, or understand their research problem?
• What sources have they cited to support their conclusions?
• How have they used non-textual elements [e.g., charts, graphs, figures, etc.] to illustrate key points?

When you begin to write your literature review section, you'll be glad you dug deeper into how the research was designed and constructed because it establishes a means for developing more substantial analysis and interpretation of the research problem.

Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1 998.

Yet Another Writing Tip

When Do I Know I Can Stop Looking and Move On?

Here are several strategies you can utilize to assess whether you've thoroughly reviewed the literature:

• Look for repeating patterns in the research findings . If the same thing is being said, just by different people, then this likely demonstrates that the research problem has hit a conceptual dead end. At this point consider: Does your study extend current research?  Does it forge a new path? Or, does is merely add more of the same thing being said?
• Look at sources the authors cite to in their work . If you begin to see the same researchers cited again and again, then this is often an indication that no new ideas have been generated to address the research problem.
• Search Google Scholar to identify who has subsequently cited leading scholars already identified in your literature review [see next sub-tab]. This is called citation tracking and there are a number of sources that can help you identify who has cited whom, particularly scholars from outside of your discipline. Here again, if the same authors are being cited again and again, this may indicate no new literature has been written on the topic.

Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J. and Rebecca Frels. Seven Steps to a Comprehensive Literature Review: A Multimodal and Cultural Approach . Los Angeles, CA: Sage, 2016; Sutton, Anthea. Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review . Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, 2016.

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Step 1: choose a topic, step 2: consult reference sources, step 3: grab some books, step 4: search for articles, step 5: collect, read, evaluate, and write what you have learned, step 6: cite your sources.

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This page walks you through the basic steps of research. Keep in mind that the research process is actually quite messy, and you might find yourself jumping back and forth between the steps listed here. These steps are meant to orient you to the research process, but you do not necessarily have to follow this exact order:

• Choose a topic
• Consult reference sources
• Grab some books
• Search for articles
• Collect, read, evaluate, and write what you have learned
• Cite your sources

When choosing a topic, keep the following points in mind:

• Choose a topic that ACTUALLY interests you.
• Your topic is not set in stone. Once you start doing some initial research on your topic, you will probably decide to tweak it a bit.
• Pick a topic that is manageable. If your topic is too broad, it will be hard to condense it all into one university paper. But if your topic is too narrow, you may have a hard time finding enough scholarly research for your paper.
• Handout: Choosing a topic Check out this helpful handout on choosing a research topic!

Or, watch this incredibly useful video from North Carolina State University Library on choosing a topic:

When you first get started on a research project, you might not have very much prior knowledge of your topic. In that case, it's a great idea to start with some background information. The most heavily-used reference source in the world is Wikipedia, but as a student you also have access to many other excellent scholarly reference sources.

Jump to the "Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and more" page of this guide.

Time to get down to it! Books will help you get an even better handle on your topic. Books provide more in-depth information than reference sources, but are often much better for background information than journal articles. Keep the following in mind:

• Start by registering your Dal card as your library card. Fill out your registration form and bring it to the service desk at the Killam Library, or register online using our online form (this will take about 24 hours to process).
• Use the Novanet library catalogue to search for books on your topic.
• You can access ebooks immediately online; if you find a print book that interests you, write down the call number and visit the stacks!
• Check out this quick video: How to read a call number in 90 seconds
• Remember that in most cases you won't need to read the whole book!
• You may borrow print books for 3 weeks, and renew them twice. To renew books online, start here . Click "Guest," at the top right of the screen, and then "My library card." Log in with your barcode and password. You should see an overview of the books you have checked out, and an option to renew. You can also check out this quick video tutorial on renewing books .  

Jump to the "Find books" page of this guide.

Scholarly journals are specialized journals that publish new research on specialized topics. They are written FOR academics, researchers, and students to keep them aware of new developments in the field. They are written, for the most part, BY academics and researchers who are actively involved with the field of study. You can find scholarly articles in databases that the library subscribes to. Make sure to search in subject-specific databases (such as a history database), as well as multidisciplinary databases that include a wider scope of material.

Jump to the "Find journal articles" page of this guide.

• Handout: Identifying and reading scholarly works New to reading scholarly articles? Check out this helpful handout.

Or, check out this great video from Western Libraries:

Take very careful notes as you read your sources! This will help you trace themes and develop an argument. Check out the following two videos on writing a research paper, and make an appointment at the Dalhousie Writing Centre if you would like assistance with your writing.

• Dalhousie Writing Centre: Make an appointment
• Video tutorial: Writing a research paper, Part 1
• Writing Research Papers Part 2 Draft -- Revise -- Proof read -- References

Very important! When you use somebody else's words or ideas in your academic papers, you must to give credit to the original source. This is one of the reasons why keeping good notes is so important to the research process.

Jump to the MLA Citation page of this guide.

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