Synthesizing the Literature for a Review and More Literature Review Help
Video Link: Synthesis in Literature Reviews, OSU Libraries
An important part of writing literature reviews are synthesizing the literature, and as you search and read through resources related to your topic, you’ll encounter various ideas, disagreements, methods, and perspectives which can be hard to organize in a meaningful way. A synthesis matrix helps you record the main points of each source and document how sources relate to each other.
Literature Review Matrix by Source - this link opens an Excel sheet online. You can then download a copy to your computer from File, Save As, Download a Copy.
Literature Review Matrix by Theme - this link opens an Excel sheet online. You can then download a copy to your computer from File, Save As, Download a Copy.
John Hopkins Library Synthesize LibGuide
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Libraries Literature Review LibGuide - has synthesis templates
Remember that the steps to writing a literature review don’t necessarily happen in a straight line, and that literature reviews can take a while to write, particularly for a dissertation or master’s thesis. At UNCG, your liaison librarian can help with searching for literature in relevant library databases to your field of study, integrating sources in your writing, and citation management. The UNCG Writing Center can help with your writing style and grammar.
Here is a list of other UNCG research modules that can help you search for sources, manage your sources, and write a literature review:
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