Literature Review
Sources, Topical, Chronological, General-to-Specific Lit. Reviews
Literature Review
Table of Contents
What Is a Literature Review?
What Counts as Literature?
How to Do a Literature Review
Step 1: Finding Sources
Step 2: Reading Strategically
Step 3: Synthesizing and Organizing
Step 4: Identifying the Gap and Contribution
Step 5: Explaining Your Rationale
Literature Review
What it is?
Literature Review - synthesis of the research previously done on a topic
- gives background for your study and helps show what your research will add (how it will address weaknesses of existing studies)
- shows that the question has been answered in a limited or flawed way
- could point out what scholars disagree about
- develops an argument about what needs to be done to provide a better answer.
The literature review is not just a summary of the previous literature. It is also a critical analysis of the literature
The literature review is also an iterative process: you can go back to it even after you write your conclusion and findings.
Literature Review
What Counts as Literature
What counts as literature includes:
- articles in peer-reviewed journals
- books
What does not count as scholarly literature
- blog posts
- news articles
- opinion pieces
Literature Review
The Basic Steps
- Search the Relevant Literature on Google Scholar: pick credible sources (peer-reviewed journals and academic books)
- Evaluate sources
- Organize: Identify themes, debates
- Identify the gaps, what is missing or contradictory
- Outline the structure of the literature review
- Write your literature review in context
Note
search → read → synthesize → gap → write
Literature Review
How to Take Notes
For all the articles and chapters that you read, complete an excel spreadsheet with the following columns:
- Citation
- Question
- Methods
- Findings
- Gap
Remember to always cite ideas that are not your own, even when paraphrasing
Literature Review
Step 1: Finding Sources
- Identify key terms and related concepts based on your research question.
- Combine terms strategically in Google Scholar (e.g., “gender quotas” AND “political speech”).
- Prioritize sources with relevant titles and strong citation counts.
- Save useful PDFs using a clear naming convention (e.g., “barnes_2020_gender_quotas_speech.pdf”) and organize them in a designated folder.
- If search results are too broad or irrelevant, refine your terms or test alternative combinations (e.g., “political speech gender”).
Example
Research Question: Do women become more aggressive in political speech after gender quotas?
Start with:
- “gender quotas”
Then refine to:
- “gender quotas political speech”
- “political speech gender”
Literature Review
Step 1: Finding Sources: Example
Your folder should look like this.
Literature Review
Step 1: Finding Sources: Tips
If you cannot find some pdf go to “bing.com” and type the name of the paper and the authors and add pdf
You may be able to find the article this way.
Literature Review
Step 2: Reading Strategically Homework 1
Now that you’ve found your sources, let’s talk about how to read them efficiently.
Read at least 3 key articles in full. For the others, skim strategically — focus on the abstract, introduction, and conclusion, as well as any sections directly relevant to your topic.
For each article, answer:
- What is the author’s central research question?
- What key factors or variables does the analysis highlight?
- What assumptions underpin the argument?
- What methods and evidence are used to support the claims?
- What are the article’s key insights or implications for your research question?
- What other relevant sources does the article cite? (Note them: Author, Year)
- How does this article’s argument differ from others you’ve read?
Literature Review
Step 2: Reading Strategically Homework 1 Example
Article barnes_holmes_2020_gender_quotas.pdf
Central Question
Do gender quotas increase not only women’s numeric representation but also the overall personal and professional diversity of legislators?
Factors Highlighted in the Analysis
- Time since quota adoption
- Women’s share in legislature
- Party recruitment patterns
- Legislative turnover
- Disruption of gendered norms in candidate selection
Literature Review
Step 2: Reading Strategically Homework 1 Example
Assumptions Behind the Argument
- Quotas can redefine what qualifies someone as a viable political candidate
- Political parties rely on insular, gendered networks
- Greater diversity benefits democratic representation and legitimacy
Methods and Evidence Used
- Quantitative analysis of 1,700+ legislators across 10 Argentinian provincial chambers over time
- Creation of diversity indexes using biographical data
- Qualitative evidence from elite interviews
Literature Review
Step 2: Reading Strategically Homework 1 Example
Insights on Gender Quotas and Political Speech
An implication that increasing diversity through quotas may reshape legislative priorities and norms.
Other Relevant Citations
- Alexander, 2012
- Holman and Schneider, 2018
- Crowder-Meyer, 2013
- Clayton and Zetterberg, 2018
- Murray, 2014
- Franceschet and Piscopo, 2014
Literature Review
Step 3: Synthesizing and Organizing - Topical Organizing
You can organize your literature review by topic
- emphasize the different related issues about the topic
Best for: When the field has multiple competing or complementary strands.
- thus, it helps synthesize across studies;
Literature Review Organization
Step 3: Synthesizing and Organizing - Topical Organizing
Intro
“Scholars have long debated the causes of voter turnout. The literature can be divided into three main themes: institutional factors, socioeconomic variables, and psychological motivations.”
Body Paragraphs (by theme):
- Institutional Factors
Studies such as Powell (1986) and Blais (2006) emphasize how electoral systems and compulsory voting laws shape turnout rates…
- Socioeconomic Variables
A second body of work focuses on individual-level characteristics such as education and income (Verba et al. 1995)…
- Psychological Motivations
Finally, researchers point to internal political efficacy and civic duty as predictors (Campbell et al. 1960)…
Literature Review Organization
Step 3: Synthesizing and Organizing - Topical Organizing
Intro
“Scholars have long debated the causes of voter turnout. The literature can be divided into three main themes: institutional factors, socioeconomic variables, and psychological motivations.”
Conclusion
While each theme contributes to our understanding of turnout, few studies integrate these perspectives, leaving open questions about how institutions and individual-level motivations interact.
Literature Review Organization
Step 3: Synthesizing and Organizing - Chronological Organizing
You can also organize your literature review chronologically.
If you identify themes in time, you can organize your literature review with some chronology in mind
Best for: Showing how ideas, debates, or methods evolved over time.
Literature Review Organization
Step 3: Synthesizing and Organizing - Chronological Organizing
Intro
“Theories of nationalism have evolved over time, moving from primordialist to constructivist perspectives.”
Body Paragraphs (by time period):
- Early Approaches (1940s–1960s)
Primordialist views, such as those of Geertz (1963), saw nationalism rooted in ancient loyalties…
- Modernist Turn (1970s–1990s)
Anderson (1983), Gellner (1983), and Hobsbawm (1990) emphasized the role of industrialization…
- Constructivist and Post-Structuralist Approaches (2000s–Present)
More recent work highlights the performativity and discursive nature of nationalism (Brubaker 2004)…
Literature Review Organization
Step 3: Synthesizing and Organizing - Chronological Organizing
Intro
“Theories of nationalism have evolved over time, moving from primordialist to constructivist perspectives.”
Conclusion
The field has increasingly shifted toward fluid, socially constructed accounts, though debate remains over the role of historical continuity.
Literature Review Organization
Step 3: Synthesizing and Organizing - General-to-Specific Organizing
You can organize the literature review by focusing on general things and then, more on the specific debates
This allows you to clearly show the gap in previous research.
Literature Review Organization
Step 3: Synthesizing and Organizing - General-to-Specific Organizing Example
Intro
“Why do some authoritarian regimes survive mass protests while others collapse? Existing literature provides partial answers but leaves important gaps.”
Body Paragraphs:
- Broad Context:
Scholars have studied democratization broadly (Przeworski et al. 2000)…
- Narrowing Focus:
More recent work examines protest in authoritarian regimes (Chenoweth & Stephan 2011)…
- Specific Debate:
Some argue elite cohesion is key (Slater 2010), others stress economic shocks (Acemoglu et al. 2013)…
Literature Review Organization
Step 3: Synthesizing and Organizing - General-to-Specific Organizing Example
Intro
“Why do some authoritarian regimes survive mass protests while others collapse? Existing literature provides partial answers but leaves important gaps.”
- Gap
However, few studies examine the interaction between protest tactics and regime type.
Literature Review Organization
Step 3: Synthesizing and Organizing - General-to-Specific Organizing Example
Intro
“Why do some authoritarian regimes survive mass protests while others collapse? Existing literature provides partial answers but leaves important gaps.”
Conclusion
This study addresses that gap by analyzing how digital mobilization strategies vary by authoritarian institutional structure.
Literature Review Organization
Many other types of literature reviews are possible including based on:
- methodological approach
- theoretical framework
- geographic focus
- empirical vs. conceptual structures
Literature Review
Gap, Contribution, and Rationale
The additional elements that need to be included in the literature review are:
- Gap and Contribution - What’s missing in the literature and What new insight you are offering?
- Rationale - Why you’re doing the project
Note: Do not over-claim novelty.
A reminder: “No one has ever done X” is almost always false.
Literature Review
Step 4: Identifying the Gap and Contribution
Your literature review should conclude by identifying:
- What the literature has overlooked (concepts, data, arguments)
- Why this gap exists (blind spots, assumptions, lack of data, etc.)
- Why it matters (theoretical, empirical, or practical consequences)
You can frame the gap as something that has not been done and should complement existing work rather than aggressively criticize it. Keep in mind: the authors you’re critiquing might review your work.
Literature Review
Step 4: Identifying the Gap Homework 2
Write 1-2 paragraphs on your gap
Answer these questions in your paragraph:
- What is the current literature missing?
- Why is it missing this important point?
- What are the consequences of this gap?
- Why does the gap matter?
Literature Review
Step 4: Identifying the Contribution Homework 3
Explain how your project addresses the identified gap. Ask yourself:
- What does my reader now know that they didn’t know before?
- How am I changing their understanding?
- How do I want them to think differently after reading the article?
Your contribution should be:
- New (not just a minor variation)
- Relevant (to current debates or concerns)
- Connected to the gap (not a standalone insight)
For practice, try this sentence: When my reader reads _____________, they’ll think differently about ____________.
Literature Review
Step 5: Explaining the Rationale: Why This Project?
Explain why you are doing this project:
- What motivates your interest in this question?
- Why should others care?
Readers care because the work is:
- Relevant (to pressing questions or debates)
- Beneficial (helps clarify or explain something misunderstood)
- Provocative (challenges existing assumptions)
Literature Review
Step 5: Explaining the Rationale: Advice
To make your contribution clear, consider whether your project:
- Introduces overlooked data or cases
- Applies methods in novel ways or to new sources
- Offers a new interpretation of a theory
- Challenges dominant frameworks
- Bridges two literatures or concepts not usually in conversation
Literature Review - Rationale and Contribution
Learn from Others - Homework 4
Select three articles you’ve already read for your project.
Carefully read each abstract and identify how the author presents their rationale and/or contribution.
Look for phrases like:
- “This article introduces…”
- “Prior research has done X, but this article does Y…”
- “I redefine…”
- “This paper explores…”
Write: For each article, jot down 2–3 sentences that explain:
- What the author sees as the problem or gap
- How they justify their project (i.e., why it matters)
Literature Review - Rationale and Contribution
Learn from Others - Homework 4 Example: Murray, 2014
Identifying the Problem
- Gender quotas typically target women’s underrepresentation
- This reinforces men as the default and women as the “other”
- Male overrepresentation is rarely problematized or scrutinized
Author’s Contribution & Justification
- Reframes the issue as one of overrepresentation, proposing “quotas for men”
- Aims to enhance meritocracy and quality of representation for all
- Argues that true democracy requires scrutiny of all groups, not just outsiders
- Suggests that reducing male dominance could improve substantive and symbolic representation
Literature Review - Rationale and Contribution
Write Your Rationale - Homework 5
Now turn to your own project.
Write 1–2 paragraphs that answer these questions:
- Why am I doing this work? (personal/intellectual motivation)
- Why should others in my field care?
- What gap or “need” in the literature or subfield does my project address?
Tip: You don’t need to state this in grand terms. Even curiosity about a puzzle or frustration with an incomplete explanation can be a valid rationale.
Literature Review
Key Takeaways
- A literature review is more than a summary — it’s a critical synthesis.
- Organize your review to highlight debates, gaps, and themes.
- Always connect the literature back to your research question.
- Your review should show what’s missing, what’s been overlooked, and what you’re adding.
- Treat the process as iterative — revisit and refine as your project evolves.
Popescu (JCU): Literature Review