How to Write a Literature Review in 30 Minutes or Less

Summary

This presentation outlines a streamlined process for crafting a literature review in under 30 minutes. It clarifies misconceptions about the value of literature reviews, emphasizing their practicality in real-world scenarios like decision-making in a HR management role. The speaker guides viewers through five steps: separating citations from summaries, organizing summaries logically, combining related summaries, adding topic sentences and transitions, and finally, constructing an introduction with a thesis and a conclusion. The script illustrates how literature reviews gather essential background information, making one an expert on the subject.

Takeaways

• 📚 A literature review is a critical step in academic research that involves summarizing and synthesizing existing research on a specific topic.
• ⏱️ The script promises a method to draft a literature review in 30 minutes or less by following a structured approach.
• 🤔 The script addresses common questions about the purpose and relevance of literature reviews, emphasizing their practical application beyond academic settings.
• 🎓 It uses a scenario involving a Human Resources management graduate to illustrate how literature reviews can inform real-world decisions in a professional context.
• 🔍 The process of a literature review involves five key steps: separating summaries from citations, reordering summaries, combining related summaries, adding topic sentences and transitions, and finally, writing an introduction and conclusion.
• 📝 Step one involves creating two lists from research: one of citations and another of paragraph summaries from the sources.
• 🔄 Step two is about reordering the paragraph summaries into a logical sequence that reflects the relationships among the sources.
• 🔐 Step three focuses on deciding which summaries should be standalone paragraphs and which can be combined based on their relationship and length.
• 📈 In step four, topic sentences and transitions are added to transform summary paragraphs into cohesive body paragraphs.
• 📖 The final step, step five, involves adding an introductory paragraph with a thesis statement and a conclusion paragraph to frame the literature review.
• 🏷️ The script suggests using subtitles in the literature review to organize major sections and to reinforce the thesis in the conclusion.

Q & A

What is the main promise of the presenter regarding the literature review?

The presenter promises that if the audience has done thorough research and summarized their sources, they can write the rough draft of a literature review in 30 minutes or less by following the steps provided.

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources that have been researched, with each source accompanied by a summary and an evaluation of the information extracted from them.

Why are literature reviews important in a real-world context?

Literature reviews are important because they help gather background information and answer real questions before making decisions or writing reports, as illustrated by the example of a Human Resources manager needing to decide on cultural diversity training.

What are the five easy steps to writing a literature review according to the script?

The five steps are: 1) Separate the paragraph summaries from the citations, 2) Reorder the paragraphs in a logical order, 3) Combine summaries where appropriate, 4) Add topic sentences and transitions, and 5) Include an introduction with a thesis and a conclusion.

How should the citations be used in the literature review?

The citations should be saved for the reference page and used to introduce each paragraph summary in the literature review.

What is the significance of the problem-solution pattern in organizing the literature review?

The problem-solution pattern helps impose a clear organizational structure on the summaries, making it easier for the reader to follow the progression from identifying issues to discussing potential solutions.

Why is it important to limit the length of body paragraphs in a literature review?

Limiting the length of body paragraphs to 10 to 14 lines ensures that each paragraph focuses on a specific point and maintains readability and coherence.

What role do topic sentences play in the literature review?

Topic sentences introduce the main idea of each paragraph, providing a clear focus and guiding the reader through the discussion of sources.

How should the introduction and conclusion paragraphs of a literature review be structured?

The introduction should contain a thesis statement that summarizes the major points, while the conclusion can restate the thesis and comment on gaps or flaws in the reviewed research.

What is the purpose of subtitles in a literature review?

Subtitles help organize the literature review into clear sections, making it easier for the reader to navigate and understand the progression of ideas.

Why is the literature review considered a preliminary step in research?

The literature review is a preliminary step because it provides the necessary background knowledge to become an expert on the topic, which is essential for writing a thesis, argumentative report, or presentation.