5 Smart ways to Raise the Level of your Literature Review

1. Update your references to show that you’re informed of current research in your field. At least three-quarters of your references should come from the last five years.

2. Focus on what the authors are saying with references, rather than who is saying it. Avoid writing: ‘Author A states…Author B contends, etc.). Focusing on the what with references, rather than on the who, will raise the conceptual level of your writing.

3. Link each section of your literature review to your research problem or research question(s) so that the reader can see its relevance to your research.

4. Introduce the structure of your review and provide an overview at the end. Your readers will love you for it!