If you’re new to doing research, you might find yourself daunted by the prospect of starting a literature review. But rather than interpret your insecurity as a sign of a poor fit for your field, take action on starting and see if your feelings change. Here are eight key steps to get you started.

1. Clarify Your Research Topic

Before you begin to search for articles or books, be sure that you have a defined topic, that you have narrowed down your focus, and that you can define the area of interest for your review. A well-defined topic will help to make your search for the literature relevant and narrow enough to be helpful and maintain a focus. A topic that is too broad will yield an overwhelming amount of information that you will spend hours going through.

2. Conduct Preliminary Research

After you have come up with a research topic, the next step is to do some preliminary research. This involves skimming through some general sources such as textbooks, encyclopedias, or online summaries to provide you with some general information about your topic area. This will help you identify some main ideas, large themes, or important authors in your field. Having some information at this level will prepare you to delve into more specific studies and theories later.

3. Search for Relevant Literature

Having a decent grasp of your topic, you’re ready to start hunting for the literature. Use academic databases such as Google Scholar, JSTOR, PubMed, and others, depending on your subject, and key in specific words and phrases that have to do with your research question. Search for recent studies as well as seminal works that have made an important contribution to the field.

4. Evaluate the Sources

Some sources are better than others, and you need to consider quality and relevance when you assess the literature you find. 

To determine the quality of your sources, ask yourself these questions:

• Am I reading peer-reviewed articles?
• Are these books published by academic presses?
• Is this research conducted by experts in the field?
• How recent are these sources?
• Do they give me updated information or perspectives?
• Is this source relevant to my research question?

5. Organize Your Findings

Having obtained enough literature, the next step is to organize your sources. This could be by theme, method, chronology, or any other approach, depending on the requirements of your research. An annotated bibliography can be very helpful at this point, summarising the main points of each source and indicating its contribution to your work. Organized notes will make it easier to see gaps in the literature and structure your review appropriately.

6. Identify Gaps in the Literature

Another of the main purposes of a literature review is to identify gaps or inconsistencies in existing research. As you pull together your findings, you should look for questions that remain unanswered or research areas that have not been adequately explored. These gaps provide opportunities for further research – and justification for the need for your study. Identifying gaps in the literature will demonstrate that you have thoroughly examined the current state of research and understand where your work fits in with the broader academic conversation. 

7. Consult with Expert Writers

You also have the option to contact expert writers or academic consultants to ask them for literature review help in case you are stuck or do not know what to do next. Professional writers who have experience with academic research can help you structure your review, critique sources, or even proofread and edit your work. You might need assistance with clarifying your thesis or organizing your arguments, and by contacting an expert from literature review writing services, you will save time, reduce stress, and ensure that your literature review is the best it can be. Try this method out if you are overwhelmed or uncertain about your actions.

8. Start Writing Early

Start writing as soon as you have a sufficient number of relevant, well-evaluated sources. As with your research, the earlier you can start writing your literature review, the better. You’ll have more time to shape your ideas and arguments, which means more drafts and revisions. Start by writing an introduction that explains what your literature review will cover and how it is organized. Your aim should be synthesis, not summary.

Navigating the Literature Review Process

Starting a literature review can be an intimidating process. However, by breaking it down into a set of key steps, you can easily navigate the process with confidence. From defining your topic to consulting renowned writers and putting together a plan, each step is designed to make it easier to produce a top-class piece of work. A good literature review is not just a prerequisite to the rest of your research but can also be a valuable addition to the scholarly community. So, take it one step at a time, stay organized, and ask for help when you need it.