Writing a Literature Review That Argues

A common misconception is that a literature review lists prior work. In fact, it builds a case: it shows what is known, where scholarship disagrees, and what remains unexamined — and it uses that map to justify your own study.

Synthesise, don’t catalogue

Group sources by idea rather than by author. Each paragraph should make a point that several studies collectively support or complicate, with citations as evidence for the point.

Lead to your gap

The review should end where your research begins. By the final section, the reader should already sense the gap your study will address.