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28/02/2012 Literature Reviews The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill

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Literoture Reoieus
ConLenLs
1. What this handout is about
z. Introduction
1. What is a literature review, then?
z. But how is a literature review different from an academic research paper?
. Wh do we write literature reviews?
q. Who writes these things, anwa?
. Let's get to it! What should I do before writing the literature review?
1. Clarif
z. Find models
. Narrow our topic
q. Consider whether our sources are current
q. Strategies for writing the literature review
1. Find a focus
z. Construct a working thesis statement
. Consider organiation
. Begin composing
1. Use evidence
z. Be selective
. Use quotes sparingl
q. Summarie and snthesie
. Keep our own voice
6. Use caution when paraphrasing
6. Revise, revise, revise
;. Works consulted

What this handout is about


TIIs IundouL wIII expIuIn wIuL u IILeruLure revIew Is und oIIer InsIgILs InLo LIe Iorm und consLrucLIon oI u
IILeruLure revIew In LIe IumunILIes, socIuI scIences, und scIences.
Introduction
Like
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OK. You've goL Lo wrILe u IILeruLure revIew. You dusL oII u noveI und u book oI poeLry, seLLIe down In your
cIuIr, und geL reudy Lo Issue u "LIumbs up" or "LIumbs down" us you IeuI LIrougI LIe puges. "ILeruLure
revIew" done. RIgIL?
Wrong! TIe "IILeruLure" oI u IILeruLure revIew reIers Lo uny coIIecLIon oI muLerIuIs on u LopIc, noL
necessurIIy LIe greuL IILerury LexLs oI LIe worId. "ILeruLure" couId be unyLIIng Irom u seL oI governmenL
pumpIIeLs on BrILIsI coIonIuI meLIods In AIrIcu Lo scIoIurIy urLIcIes on LIe LreuLmenL oI u Lorn AC. And u
revIew does noL necessurIIy meun LIuL your reuder wunLs you Lo gIve your personuI opInIon on wIeLIer or
noL you IIked LIese sources.
What is a literature review, then?
A IILeruLure revIew dIscusses pubIIsIed InIormuLIon In u purLIcuIur subjecL ureu, und someLImes
InIormuLIon In u purLIcuIur subjecL ureu wILIIn u cerLuIn LIme perIod.
A IILeruLure revIew cun be jusL u sImpIe summury oI LIe sources, buL IL usuuIIy Ius un orgunIzuLIonuI
puLLern und combInes boLI summury und synLIesIs. A summury Is u recup oI LIe ImporLunL InIormuLIon oI
LIe source, buL u synLIesIs Is u re-orgunIzuLIon, or u resIuIIIIng, oI LIuL InIormuLIon. L mIgIL gIve u new
InLerpreLuLIon oI oId muLerIuI or combIne new wILI oId InLerpreLuLIons. Or IL mIgIL Lruce LIe InLeIIecLuuI
progressIon oI LIe IIeId, IncIudIng mujor debuLes. And dependIng on LIe sILuuLIon, LIe IILeruLure revIew muy
evuIuuLe LIe sources und udvIse LIe reuder on LIe mosL perLInenL or reIevunL.
But how is a literature review different from an academic research paper?
TIe muIn Iocus oI un ucudemIc reseurcI puper Is Lo deveIop u new urgumenL, und u reseurcI puper wIII
conLuIn u IILeruLure revIew us one oI ILs purLs. n u reseurcI puper, you use LIe IILeruLure us u IounduLIon
und us supporL Ior u new InsIgIL LIuL you conLrIbuLe. TIe Iocus oI u IILeruLure revIew, Iowever, Is Lo
summurIze und synLIesIze LIe urgumenLs und Ideus oI oLIers wILIouL uddIng new conLrIbuLIons.
Wh do we write literature reviews?
ILeruLure revIews provIde you wILI u Iundy guIde Lo u purLIcuIur LopIc. I you Iuve IImILed LIme Lo
conducL reseurcI, IILeruLure revIews cun gIve you un overvIew or ucL us u sLeppIng sLone. or proIessIonuIs,
LIey ure useIuI reporLs LIuL keep LIem up Lo duLe wILI wIuL Is currenL In LIe IIeId. or scIoIurs, LIe depLI
und breudLI oI LIe IILeruLure revIew empIusIzes LIe credIbIIILy oI LIe wrILer In IIs or Ier IIeId. ILeruLure
revIews uIso provIde u soIId buckground Ior u reseurcI puper's InvesLIguLIon. CompreIensIve knowIedge oI
LIe IILeruLure oI LIe IIeId Is essenLIuI Lo mosL reseurcI pupers.
Who writes these things, anwa?
ILeruLure revIews ure wrILLen occusIonuIIy In LIe IumunILIes, buL mosLIy In LIe scIences und socIuI
scIences; In experImenL und Iub reporLs, LIey consLILuLe u secLIon oI LIe puper. SomeLImes u IILeruLure
revIew Is wrILLen us u puper In ILseII.
Let's get to it! What should I do before writing the literature review?
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Clarif
I your ussIgnmenL Is noL very specIIIc, seek cIurIIIcuLIon Irom your InsLrucLor:
RougIIy Iow muny sources sIouId you IncIude?
WIuL Lypes oI sources (books, journuI urLIcIes, websILes)?
SIouId you summurIze, synLIesIze, or crILIque your sources by dIscussIng u common LIeme or
Issue?
SIouId you evuIuuLe your sources?
SIouId you provIde subIeudIngs und oLIer buckground InIormuLIon, sucI us deIInILIons undJor u
IIsLory?
Find models
ook Ior oLIer IILeruLure revIews In your ureu oI InLeresL or In LIe dIscIpIIne und reud LIem Lo geL u sense oI
LIe Lypes oI LIemes you mIgIL wunL Lo Iook Ior In your own reseurcI or wuys Lo orgunIze your IInuI
revIew. You cun sImpIy puL LIe word "revIew" In your seurcI engIne uIong wILI your oLIer LopIc Lerms Lo
IInd urLIcIes oI LIIs Lype on LIe nLerneL or In un eIecLronIc duLubuse. TIe bIbIIogrupIy or reIerence secLIon
oI sources you've uIreudy reud ure uIso exceIIenL enLry poInLs InLo your own reseurcI.
Narrow our topic
TIere ure Iundreds or even LIousunds oI urLIcIes und books on mosL ureus oI sLudy. TIe nurrower your
LopIc, LIe eusIer IL wIII be Lo IImIL LIe number oI sources you need Lo reud In order Lo geL u good survey oI
LIe muLerIuI. Your InsLrucLor wIII probubIy noL expecL you Lo reud everyLIIng LIuL's ouL LIere on LIe LopIc,
buL you'II muke your job eusIer II you IIrsL IImIL your scope.
And don'L IorgeL Lo Lup InLo your proIessor's (or oLIer proIessors') knowIedge In LIe IIeId. Ask your proIessor
quesLIons sucI us: "I you Iud Lo reud onIy one book Irom LIe ;o's on LopIc X, wIuL wouId IL be?"
QuesLIons sucI us LIIs IeIp you Lo IInd und deLermIne quIckIy LIe mosL semInuI pIeces In LIe IIeId.
Consider whether our sources are current
Some dIscIpIInes requIre LIuL you use InIormuLIon LIuL Is us currenL us possIbIe. n LIe scIences, Ior
InsLunce, LreuLmenLs Ior medIcuI probIems ure consLunLIy cIungIng uccordIng Lo LIe IuLesL sLudIes.
nIormuLIon even Lwo yeurs oId couId be obsoIeLe. However, II you ure wrILIng u revIew In LIe IumunILIes,
IIsLory, or socIuI scIences, u survey oI LIe IIsLory oI LIe IILeruLure muy be wIuL Is needed, becuuse wIuL Is
ImporLunL Is Iow perspecLIves Iuve cIunged LIrougI LIe yeurs or wILIIn u cerLuIn LIme perIod. Try sorLIng
LIrougI some oLIer currenL bIbIIogrupIIes or IILeruLure revIews In LIe IIeId Lo geL u sense oI wIuL your
dIscIpIIne expecLs. You cun uIso use LIIs meLIod Lo consIder wIuL Is currenLIy oI InLeresL Lo scIoIurs In LIIs
IIeId und wIuL Is noL.
Strategies for writing the literature review
Find a focus
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A IILeruLure revIew, IIke u Lerm puper, Is usuuIIy orgunIzed uround Ideus, noL LIe sources LIemseIves us un
unnoLuLed bIbIIogrupIy wouId be orgunIzed. TIIs meuns LIuL you wIII noL jusL sImpIy IIsL your sources und
go InLo deLuII ubouL eucI one oI LIem, one uL u LIme. No. As you reud wIdeIy buL seIecLIveIy In your LopIc
ureu, consIder InsLeud wIuL LIemes or Issues connecL your sources LogeLIer. Do LIey presenL one or
dIIIerenL soIuLIons? s LIere un uspecL oI LIe IIeId LIuL Is mIssIng? How weII do LIey presenL LIe muLerIuI
und do LIey porLruy IL uccordIng Lo un upproprIuLe LIeory? Do LIey reveuI u Lrend In LIe IIeId? A rugIng
debuLe? PIck one oI LIese LIemes Lo Iocus LIe orgunIzuLIon oI your revIew.
Construct a working thesis statement
TIen use LIe Iocus you've Iound Lo consLrucL u LIesIs sLuLemenL. Yes! ILeruLure revIews Iuve LIesIs
sLuLemenLs us weII! However, your LIesIs sLuLemenL wIII noL necessurIIy urgue Ior u posILIon or un opInIon;
ruLIer IL wIII urgue Ior u purLIcuIur perspecLIve on LIe muLerIuI. Some sumpIe LIesIs sLuLemenLs Ior
IILeruLure revIews ure us IoIIows:
The current trend in treatment for congestive heart failure combines surger and medicine.
More and more cultural studies scholars are accepting popular media as a subject worth of academic
consideration.
See our IundouL Ior more InIormuLIon on Iow Lo consLrucL thesis statements.
Consider organiation
You've goL u Iocus, und you've nurrowed IL down Lo u LIesIs sLuLemenL. Now wIuL Is LIe mosL eIIecLIve wuy
oI presenLIng LIe InIormuLIon? WIuL ure LIe mosL ImporLunL LopIcs, subLopIcs, eLc., LIuL your revIew needs
Lo IncIude? And In wIuL order sIouId you presenL LIem? DeveIop un orgunIzuLIon Ior your revIew uL boLI u
gIobuI und IocuI IeveI:
First, cover the basic categories
JusL IIke mosL ucudemIc pupers, IILeruLure revIews uIso musL conLuIn uL IeusL LIree busIc
eIemenLs: un InLroducLIon or buckground InIormuLIon secLIon; LIe body oI LIe revIew
conLuInIng LIe dIscussIon oI sources; und, IInuIIy, u concIusIon undJor recommenduLIons
secLIon Lo end LIe puper.
Introduction: GIves u quIck Ideu oI LIe LopIc oI LIe IILeruLure revIew, sucI us LIe cenLruI
LIeme or orgunIzuLIonuI puLLern.
Bod: ConLuIns your dIscussIon oI sources und Is orgunIzed eILIer cIronoIogIcuIIy,
LIemuLIcuIIy, or meLIodoIogIcuIIy (see beIow Ior more InIormuLIon on eucI).
Conclusions/Recommendations: DIscuss wIuL you Iuve druwn Irom revIewIng IILeruLure so
Iur. WIere mIgIL LIe dIscussIon proceed?
Organiing the bod
Once you Iuve LIe busIc cuLegorIes In pIuce, LIen you musL consIder Iow you wIII presenL
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LIe sources LIemseIves wILIIn LIe body oI your puper. CreuLe un orgunIzuLIonuI meLIod Lo
Iocus LIIs secLIon even IurLIer.
To IeIp you come up wILI un overuII orgunIzuLIonuI Irumework Ior your revIew, consIder LIe
IoIIowIng scenurIo und LIen LIree LypIcuI wuys oI orgunIzIng LIe sources InLo u revIew:
You've decIded Lo Iocus your IILeruLure revIew on muLerIuIs deuIIng wILI sperm wIuIes. TIIs
Is becuuse you've jusL IInIsIed reudIng Mob Dick, und you wonder II LIuL wIuIe's porLruyuI
Is reuIIy reuI. You sLurL wILI some urLIcIes ubouL LIe pIysIoIogy oI sperm wIuIes In bIoIogy
journuIs wrILLen In LIe 1q8o's. BuL LIese urLIcIes reIer Lo some BrILIsI bIoIogIcuI sLudIes
perIormed on wIuIes In LIe eurIy 18LI cenLury. So you cIeck LIose ouL. TIen you Iook up u
book wrILLen In 1q68 wILI InIormuLIon on Iow sperm wIuIes Iuve been porLruyed In oLIer
Iorms oI urL, sucI us In AIuskun poeLry, In rencI puInLIng, or on wIuIe bone, us LIe wIuIe
IunLers In LIe IuLe 1qLI cenLury used Lo do. TIIs mukes you wonder ubouL AmerIcun wIuIIng
meLIods durIng LIe LIme porLruyed In Mob Dick, so you IInd some ucudemIc urLIcIes
pubIIsIed In LIe IusL IIve yeurs on Iow uccuruLeIy Hermun MeIvIIIe porLruyed LIe wIuIIng
scene In IIs noveI.
Chronological
I your revIew IoIIows LIe cIronoIogIcuI meLIod, you couId wrILe ubouL LIe muLerIuIs ubove
uccordIng Lo wIen LIey were pubIIsIed. or InsLunce, IIrsL you wouId LuIk ubouL LIe BrILIsI
bIoIogIcuI sLudIes oI LIe 18LI cenLury, LIen ubouL Moby DIck, pubIIsIed In 181, LIen LIe
book on sperm wIuIes In oLIer urL (1q68), und IInuIIy LIe bIoIogy urLIcIes (1q8os) und LIe
recenL urLIcIes on AmerIcun wIuIIng oI LIe 1qLI cenLury. BuL LIere Is reIuLIveIy no conLInuILy
umong subjecLs Iere. And noLIce LIuL even LIougI LIe sources on sperm wIuIes In oLIer urL
und on AmerIcun wIuIIng ure wrILLen recenLIy, LIey ure ubouL oLIer subjecLsJobjecLs LIuL
were creuLed mucI eurIIer. TIus, LIe revIew Ioses ILs cIronoIogIcuI Iocus.
B publication
Order your sources by pubIIcuLIon cIronoIogy, LIen, onIy II LIe order
demonsLruLes u more ImporLunL Lrend. or InsLunce, you couId order u revIew
oI IILeruLure on bIoIogIcuI sLudIes oI sperm wIuIes II LIe progressIon reveuIed u
cIunge In dIssecLIon prucLIces oI LIe reseurcIers wIo wroLe undJor conducLed
LIe sLudIes.
B trend
A beLLer wuy Lo orgunIze LIe ubove sources cIronoIogIcuIIy Is Lo exumIne LIe
sources under unoLIer Lrend, sucI us LIe IIsLory oI wIuIIng. TIen your revIew
wouId Iuve subsecLIons uccordIng Lo erus wILIIn LIIs perIod. or InsLunce, LIe
revIew mIgIL exumIne wIuIIng Irom pre-16oo-16qq, 1;oo-1;qq, und 18oo-
18qq. Under LIIs meLIod, you wouId combIne LIe recenL sLudIes on AmerIcun
wIuIIng In LIe 1qLI cenLury wILI Moby DIck ILseII In LIe 18oo-18qq cuLegory,
even LIougI LIe uuLIors wroLe u cenLury upurL.
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Thematic
TIemuLIc revIews oI IILeruLure ure orgunIzed uround u LopIc or Issue, ruLIer LIun LIe
progressIon oI LIme. However, progressIon oI LIme muy sLIII be un ImporLunL IucLor In u
LIemuLIc revIew. or InsLunce, LIe sperm wIuIe revIew couId Iocus on LIe deveIopmenL oI
LIe Iurpoon Ior wIuIe IunLIng. WIIIe LIe sLudy Iocuses on one LopIc, Iurpoon LecInoIogy, IL
wIII sLIII be orgunIzed cIronoIogIcuIIy. TIe onIy dIIIerence Iere beLween u "cIronoIogIcuI"
und u "LIemuLIc" upproucI Is wIuL Is empIusIzed LIe mosL: LIe deveIopmenL oI LIe Iurpoon
or LIe Iurpoon LecInoIogy.
BuL more uuLIenLIc LIemuLIc revIews Lend Lo breuk uwuy Irom cIronoIogIcuI order. or
InsLunce, u LIemuLIc revIew oI muLerIuI on sperm wIuIes mIgIL exumIne Iow LIey ure
porLruyed us "evII" In cuILuruI documenLs. TIe subsecLIons mIgIL IncIude Iow LIey ure
personIIIed, Iow LIeIr proporLIons ure exuggeruLed, und LIeIr beIuvIors mIsundersLood. A
revIew orgunIzed In LIIs munner wouId sIIIL beLween LIme perIods wILIIn eucI secLIon
uccordIng Lo LIe poInL mude.
Methodological
A meLIodoIogIcuI upproucI dIIIers Irom LIe Lwo ubove In LIuL LIe IocusIng IucLor usuuIIy
does noL Iuve Lo do wILI LIe conLenL oI LIe muLerIuI. nsLeud, IL Iocuses on LIe "meLIods" oI
LIe reseurcIer or wrILer. or LIe sperm wIuIe projecL, one meLIodoIogIcuI upproucI wouId
be Lo Iook uL cuILuruI dIIIerences beLween LIe porLruyuI oI wIuIes In AmerIcun, BrILIsI, und
rencI urL work. Or LIe revIew mIgIL Iocus on LIe economIc ImpucL oI wIuIIng on u
communILy. A meLIodoIogIcuI scope wIII InIIuence eILIer LIe Lypes oI documenLs In LIe
revIew or LIe wuy In wIIcI LIese documenLs ure dIscussed.
Once you've decIded on LIe orgunIzuLIonuI meLIod Ior LIe body oI LIe revIew, LIe secLIons
you need Lo IncIude In LIe puper sIouId be eusy Lo IIgure ouL. TIey sIouId urIse ouL oI your
orgunIzuLIonuI sLruLegy. n oLIer words, u cIronoIogIcuI revIew wouId Iuve subsecLIons Ior
eucI vILuI LIme perIod. A LIemuLIc revIew wouId Iuve subLopIcs bused upon IucLors LIuL
reIuLe Lo LIe LIeme or Issue.
SomeLImes, LIougI, you mIgIL need Lo udd uddILIonuI secLIons LIuL ure necessury Ior your
sLudy, buL do noL IIL In LIe orgunIzuLIonuI sLruLegy oI LIe body. WIuL oLIer secLIons you
IncIude In LIe body Is up Lo you. PuL In onIy wIuL Is necessury. Here ure u Iew oLIer secLIons
you mIgIL wunL Lo consIder:
Current Situation: nIormuLIon necessury Lo undersLund LIe LopIc or Iocus oI LIe IILeruLure
revIew.
Histor: TIe cIronoIogIcuI progressIon oI LIe IIeId, LIe IILeruLure, or un Ideu LIuL Is necessury
Lo undersLund LIe IILeruLure revIew, II LIe body oI LIe IILeruLure revIew Is noL uIreudy u
cIronoIogy.
Methods and/or Standards: TIe crILerIu you used Lo seIecL LIe sources In your IILeruLure
revIew or LIe wuy In wIIcI you presenL your InIormuLIon. or InsLunce, you mIgIL expIuIn
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LIuL your revIew IncIudes onIy peer-revIewed urLIcIes und journuIs.
Questions for Further Research: WIuL quesLIons ubouL LIe IIeId Ius LIe revIew spurked?
How wIII you IurLIer your reseurcI us u resuIL oI LIe revIew?
Begin composing
Once you've seLLIed on u generuI puLLern oI orgunIzuLIon, you're reudy Lo wrILe eucI secLIon. TIere ure u
Iew guIdeIInes you sIouId IoIIow durIng LIe wrILIng sLuge us weII. Here Is u sumpIe purugrupI Irom u
IILeruLure revIew ubouL sexIsm und Iunguuge Lo IIIumInuLe LIe IoIIowIng dIscussIon:
However, oLIer sLudIes Iuve sIown LIuL even gender-neuLruI unLecedenLs ure more IIkeIy Lo
produce muscuIIne Imuges LIun IemInIne ones (GusLII, 1qqo). HumIILon (1q88) usked
sLudenLs Lo compIeLe senLences LIuL requIred LIem Lo IIII In pronouns LIuL ugreed wILI
gender-neuLruI unLecedenLs sucI us "wrILer," "pedesLrIun," und "persons." TIe sLudenLs were
usked Lo descrIbe uny Imuge LIey Iud wIen wrILIng LIe senLence. HumIILon Iound LIuL
peopIe ImugIned . men Lo eucI womun In LIe muscuIIne "generIc" condILIon und 1. men
per womun In LIe unbIused condILIon. TIus, wIIIe umbIenL sexIsm uccounLed Ior some oI
LIe muscuIIne bIus, sexIsL Iunguuge umpIIIIed LIe eIIecL. (Source: ErIku uIk und Jordun
MIIIs, "WIy SexIsL unguuge AIIecLs PersuusIon: TIe RoIe oI HomopIIIy, nLended
AudIence, und OIIense," Women und unguuge1q:z.
Use evidence
n LIe exumpIe ubove, LIe wrILers reIer Lo severuI oLIer sources wIen mukIng LIeIr poInL. A IILeruLure
revIew In LIIs sense Is jusL IIke uny oLIer ucudemIc reseurcI puper. Your InLerpreLuLIon oI LIe uvuIIubIe
sources musL be bucked up wILI evIdence Lo sIow LIuL wIuL you ure suyIng Is vuIId.
Be selective
SeIecL onIy LIe mosL ImporLunL poInLs In eucI source Lo IIgIIIgIL In LIe revIew. TIe Lype oI InIormuLIon
you cIoose Lo menLIon sIouId reIuLe dIrecLIy Lo LIe revIew's Iocus, wIeLIer IL Is LIemuLIc, meLIodoIogIcuI,
or cIronoIogIcuI.
Use quotes sparingl
uIk und MIIIs do noL use uny dIrecL quoLes. TIuL Is becuuse LIe survey nuLure oI LIe IILeruLure revIew does
noL uIIow Ior In-depLI dIscussIon or deLuIIed quoLes Irom LIe LexL. Some sIorL quoLes Iere und LIere ure
okuy, LIougI, II you wunL Lo empIusIze u poInL, or II wIuL LIe uuLIor suId jusL cunnoL be rewrILLen In your
own words. NoLIce LIuL uIk und MIIIs do quoLe cerLuIn Lerms LIuL were coIned by LIe uuLIor, noL common
knowIedge, or Luken dIrecLIy Irom LIe sLudy. BuL II you IInd yourseII wunLIng Lo puL In more quoLes, cIeck
wILI your InsLrucLor.
Summarie and snthesie
Remember Lo summurIze und synLIesIze your sources wILIIn eucI purugrupI us weII us LIrougIouL LIe
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revIew. TIe uuLIors Iere recupILuIuLe ImporLunL IeuLures oI HumIILon's sLudy, buL LIen synLIesIze IL by
repIrusIng LIe sLudy's sIgnIIIcunce und reIuLIng IL Lo LIeIr own work.
Keep our own voice
WIIIe LIe IILeruLure revIew presenLs oLIers' Ideus, your voIce (LIe wrILer's) sIouId remuIn IronL und cenLer.
NoLIce LIuL uIk und MIIIs weuve reIerences Lo oLIer sources InLo LIeIr own LexL, buL LIey sLIII muInLuIn
LIeIr own voIce by sLurLIng und endIng LIe purugrupI wILI LIeIr own Ideus und LIeIr own words. TIe
sources supporL wIuL uIk und MIIIs ure suyIng.
Use caution when paraphrasing
WIen purupIrusIng u source LIuL Is noL your own, be sure Lo represenL LIe uuLIor's InIormuLIon or
opInIons uccuruLeIy und In your own words. n LIe precedIng exumpIe, uIk und MIIIs eILIer dIrecLIy reIer
In LIe LexL Lo LIe uuLIor oI LIeIr source, sucI us HumIILon, or LIey provIde umpIe noLuLIon In LIe LexL wIen
LIe Ideus LIey ure menLIonIng ure noL LIeIr own, Ior exumpIe, GusLII's. or more InIormuLIon, pIeuse see
our IundouL on plagiarism.
Revise, revise, revise
DruIL In Iund? Now you're reudy Lo revIse. SpendIng u IoL oI LIme revIsIng Is u wIse Ideu, becuuse your
muIn objecLIve Is Lo presenL LIe muLerIuI, noL LIe urgumenL. So cIeck over your revIew uguIn Lo muke sure
IL IoIIows LIe ussIgnmenL undJor your ouLIIne. TIen, jusL us you wouId Ior mosL oLIer ucudemIc Iorms oI
wrILIng, rewrILe or rework LIe Iunguuge oI your revIew so LIuL you've presenLed your InIormuLIon In LIe
mosL concIse munner possIbIe. Be sure Lo use LermInoIogy IumIIIur Lo your uudIence; geL rId oI unnecessury
jurgon or sIung. InuIIy, doubIe cIeck LIuL you've documenLed your sources und IormuLLed LIe revIew
upproprIuLeIy Ior your dIscIpIIne. or LIps on LIe revIsIng und edILIng process, see our IundouL on revising
drafts.
Works consulted
We consuILed LIese works wIIIe wrILIng LIe orIgInuI versIon oI LIIs IundouL. TIIs Is noL u compreIensIve
IIsL oI resources on LIe IundouL's LopIc, und we encouruge you Lo do your own reseurcI Lo IInd LIe IuLesL
pubIIcuLIons on LIIs LopIc. PIeuse do noL use LIIs IIsL us u modeI Ior LIe IormuL oI your own reIerence IIsL, us
IL muy noL muLcI LIe cILuLIon sLyIe you ure usIng. or guIdunce on IormuLLIng cILuLIons, pIeuse see LIe UNC
Libraries citation tutorial.
Anson, CIrIs M. und RoberL A. ScIwegIer, TIe ongmun Hundbook Ior WrILers und Reuders. Second
edILIon. New York: ongmun, zooo.
Jones, RoberL, PuLrIck BIzzuro, und CynLIIu SeIIe. TIe HurcourL Bruce GuIde Lo WrILIng In LIe DIscIpIInes.
New York: HurcourL Bruce, 1qq;.
umb, Sundru E. How Lo WrILe L: A CompIeLe GuIde Lo EveryLIIng You'II Ever WrILe. BerkeIey, CuIII.: Ten
Speed Press, 1qq8.
28/02/2012 Literature Reviews The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill
9/9 writingcenter.unc.edu/resources/handouts-demos/specific-writing-assignments/literature-reviews
Rosen, eonurd J. und uurence BeIrens. TIe AIIyn und Bucon Hundbook. ourLI edILIon. BosLon: AIIyn
und Bucon, zooo.
Troyku, ynn QuILmun. SImon und ScIusLer Hundbook Ior WrILers. Upper SuddIe RIver, N.J.: PrenLIce
HuII, zooz.
TIIs work Is IIcensed under u Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-
NoDerivs 2.5 License.
You muy reproduce IL Ior non-commercIuI use II you use LIe enLIre IundouL (jusL cIIck prInL) und uLLrIbuLe
LIe source: TIe WrILIng CenLer, UnIversILy oI NorLI CuroIInu uL CIupeI HIII

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