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

What is RefWorks?

RefWorks is a web-based bibliographic citation manager that allows you to create your own personal database of references for both academic and personal use. View the quick informational video on RefWorks below, then visit the RefWorks guide to learn how to create a free account, watch video tutorials, and access instructions for basic and advanced functions.

Watch the following video to learn how to set-up a RefWorks account. Contact AskUs@unt.edu requesting the code which is required for creation of a RefWorks account.

Citation Style Guides

The UNT Libraries provides print and online citation style guides to assist in correctly formatting papers and citing references.

The link below directs to the Citations & Styles library guide which covers three commonly used citation styles, subject specific citation styles, citation styles by resource type, and citation tools and resources.

This all in one guide is an excellent resource to learn how to build and format citations for research papers, projects, theses/dissertations, and presentations.

UNT Libraries and UNT offer services for assistance with formatting and citation styles, writing style, organization, flow and more. Visit the links below to learn more about the UNT Writing Center, their walk-in appointments at Willis Library, and check out the UNT Libraries guide on plagiarism to learn what it is and best practices to avoid it.

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