PhD Thesis Literature Review Writing Format- Thesis Guidance

Back your Research with Well-Researched Arguments

A good literature review is what every PhD student yearns for. Why yearn? Because there are rare occasions when a researcher gets appreciated for writing a good literature review chapter. Whenever one begins a new study in a particular area, it becomes a compulsion to discuss its ‘then and now’ history for justifying your proposed advancement. It is not merely a summary of previous research works, but it critically analyses the researches and then derives a research gap.

Literature Review is a tough task to complete; given the strict referencing requirements, critical judgements of research works, deriving at a need for current research. It thereby needs to follow a strict pattern to ease the reader’s job of evaluating the prominence of proposed research.

PhD thesis literature review format

1. Introduction

Definition of research topic
General findings
Resources available

2. Body of paper

Select reliable information from multiple perspectives
Synthesise, compare, contrast the multiple researches

3. Conclusion

Summarise the whole paper
Conclude arguments for future purpose

4. References

Correct Citations

A PhD thesis literature review, if written and organised in proper format as given above, is an assessment of the existing literature in a particular domain which aims to provide a summary, classification, comparison and evaluation. Also, it functions as framing the context to place his research in the literary canon of research findings.

What does the literature review chapter reflect?

Ensure these points for a perfectly written literature review chapter

1

Showcase the study/research you undertook pertaining to the related ideas, concepts, and themes.

3

Position your current research in the research area; identify the research gaps from previous research works and then create a dire need of your proposed study.

2

Undertake a critical analysis of past researches talking about their methodologies, samples, contributions as well as limitations.

4

Strictly adhere to the referencing style prescribed by your university (bibliography and in-text citations).

5

Informative and structured literature reviews gain greater comprehension and better presentation. Be careful of your choice of words, writing tone and style.

Literature Review Format