Time to put all those notes together! Here are some ways to organize your written review of the literature:

• by themes or patterns
• by the main theories or concepts in a subject area
• by methodology

Be selective and only include the sources that are the most reliable, valid and relevant to your topic.

Make an outline with the main areas you want to address as the headings and subheadings of the literature review.

Synthesize the information by:

• making connections between and among ideas and concepts
• comparing and contrasting ideas and concepts
• explaining why your approach is valid in light of opposing viewpoints
• building a knowledge base for your research question
• extending new lines of thinking you've developed during the survey and evaluation
• avoiding simply summarizing isolated sources

It may not seem like it, but the writing the literature review is actually a creative activity because you are bringing your own perspective to it:

"An imaginative approach to searching and reviewing the literature includes having a broad view of the topic; being open to new ideas, methods, and arguments; ‘playing’ with different ideas to see whether you can make new linkages; and following ideas to see where they might lead." – Bloomberg and Volpe, 2008

Citation Style Guides

The UNT Libraries provide print manuals and online style guides to assist you in correctly formatting papers and citing references. The links below take you to manuals and guides for the major citation styles. To see all styles available, visit the Citations and Style Guides webpage.

The UNT Writing Center is a great resource to use for assistance with formatting style and citation, writing style, organization, flow and more. The lab accepts appointments and walk-ins, but appointments are encouraged to guarantee time with a tutor. To make an appointment, drop by the Writing Center or call at (940) 565-2563.

Need help? Then use the library's Ask Us service. Get help from real people face-to-face, by phone, or by email.