How to Write a Critical Literature Review for University Assignments

A peer-reviewed academic journal will normally carry more weight in a university assignment than an unattributed website.

What was the research question?

You need to understand what the researchers actually investigated before deciding whether the findings apply to your argument.

What methodology was used?

Look at the sample, research design, data collection and analysis.

Are the conclusions supported?

A study may identify an association without demonstrating causation. Likewise, a small qualitative study may provide valuable insight without supporting broad generalisations.

What are the limitations?

Read the limitations section carefully, but don't stop there. Consider whether there are other limitations that could affect how the findings should be interpreted.

This kind of appraisal is central to critical reading. Current literature-review guidance from SAGE specifically separates source quality and criticality from the later processes of synthesis and writing. (Sage Publications)

Read for the Argument

You don't need to highlight every sentence in every article.

Instead, try to identify the argument.

When reading a paper, ask:

• What is the author's main claim?
• What evidence is being used?
• What assumptions underpin the argument?
• Is the method appropriate?
• How strong is the evidence?
• What does the study fail to explain?
• Does another researcher reach a different conclusion?
• How relevant is the study to my assignment question?

The abstract and conclusion can help you decide whether an article deserves a closer reading, but don't rely on them alone when you eventually cite the study. Research guides recommend using the early reading stage to identify relevant material and then examining the evidence and methodology more closely. (ETAMU LibGuides)

Build a Literature Matrix

A literature matrix is one of the simplest ways to stop your review becoming a collection of disconnected summaries.

You could create columns for:

You don't need a complicated spreadsheet. The point is to make relationships visible.

Once you have several papers side by side, patterns usually become easier to see.

Perhaps three studies agree.

Perhaps two contradict one another.