Centre for Academic Practice, Trinity Teaching & Learning

Literature Review

A literature review is a scholarly written paper which scopes and critiques existing literature that has been produced on a topic or theme by scholars and researchers. It identifies and critiques key ideas, theories and methods in a field of study, often identifying research gaps. It can help you link a topic to a wider field of enquiry and to articulate research questions more clearly.

A literature review may be used as a standalone assessment or as part of a larger piece of work (such as a dissertation or project.)

Typically used to….

assess your capacity to identify and locate key sources in a field of research
evaluate your ability to summarise key concepts coherently and concisely (e.g. via tighter word limits).
assess your ability to critique and evaluate arguments, theories or claims made in existing research and to identify existing gaps or weaknesses in the literature
evaluate your engagement with scholars/experts in your discipline
develop your insight into methodologies/experimental approaches and results appropriate to your disciplinary area
develop your understanding of current research in a particular field
develop information literacy which is a key digital capability
Demonstrate your understanding of a subject area and where/how your own work adds to an existing body of knowledge

Key considerations when writing a literature review for assessment 

When writing a literature review as part of an assessment, always refer to the guidelines and requirements provided by your lecturer, keeping the following points in mind:

Is the literature review being used for formative or summative assessment purposes (or both!)
If your literature review contributes to your final grade (i.e. is being used for summative assessment), how much is it worth?
What criteria is being used to assess your review? Has a rubric been provided?
Are there any Trinity guides/supports that might be useful to review before starting the review? For example on research, referencing or critical thinking?
What readings/resources should you use? Have you been given a reading list? Do you need to find your own extra sources?
When writing notes make sure to include what source you are citing from, so you don’t have to go searching later on!
Write a plan before starting the review. Each paragraph should be a new idea.