How to do a PhD literature review properly? Be intentional and critical! Steal my strategy and templates!
PhD literature reviews should centre on intention and critique. Learn how to do this properly, and you’ll crush your literature review in no time!
Greetings, fellow academics! Dr. Elizabeth Yardley here, and today I'm thrilled to share with you a comprehensive guide on how to elevate your literature review game. Drawing on my two decades of experience supporting postgrad and PhD students through their dissertations, I've curated five invaluable tips that will not only save you time but also transform the efficiency of your literature review process.
1. Intentional Active Reading: Navigating the Sea of Literature
In the vast sea of academic literature, intentional active reading acts as your navigational compass. It's all too easy to get lost in the ocean of information, meandering through articles and books without a clear purpose. Join me in this first step of our journey, where we'll explore how to align each piece of literature with your research aims and questions.
Begin by establishing a clear focus. As you pick up a piece of literature, ask yourself:
How does this align with my research aims?
Which of my research questions does it help answer?
By setting these parameters, you'll avoid the aimless drifting that often plagues literature reviews. To enhance your focus, consider annotating the text, either by printing it out or saving it as a PDF for interactive note-taking. This ensures that you engage actively with the material, making notes, highlighting key points, and questioning as you progress.
2. Effective Description: Mastering the Art of Academic Summaries
Now that you've anchored your reading with intention, let's delve into the art of effective description. Contrary to what some might think, description is a vital component of critical analysis. It's the ability to distill complex ideas into brief, impactful summaries, showcasing your mastery of academic writing.
Imagine being able to convey the main points, key arguments, and major contributions of a piece of literature in just one or two sentences. That's the power of effective description. You’ll learn to be concise without sacrificing essential details, ensuring your summaries are not only rich but also time-efficient.
Use phrases like these when describing:
This article's main focus is on _______ and how it relates to _______.
In this paper, the author explores _______ in the context of _______ and argues that _______.
In their (year) paper, exploring _______, (author names) argue that ______.
In relation to ________, this item analyses _______ and its implications for _______.
The main focus of this item is on _______ and its relationship with _______ by _______.
3. Interpretation: Unveiling Meanings and Implications
With intentional active reading and effective description as our foundation, let's move to the next level—interpretation. Here, we're not just understanding the literature; we're unveiling its meanings and implications specifically in relation to your research.
As you interpret a piece of literature, consider its application to your topic, aims, and questions.
How does it contribute to your research, and what are its implications for your study?
By accepting or rejecting the arguments presented, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how the literature aligns with your unique research goals.
Use phrases like these when interpreting:
This study _______ has consequences for _______ by _______.
When considering the implications of this item for _______, it becomes clear that _______.
When applied to _______, the arguments presented in this paper suggest that _______.
In relation to _______, this study suggests that _______ has significant implications for _______.
4. Proper Evaluation: Judging the Value for Your Research
Evaluating literature is not about its general acclaim in the academic world but about its specific utility for your research. Strengthen your critical thinking skills by assessing the strengths, weaknesses, and quality of evidence presented in each item.
Think about how convincing the arguments are and scrutinize the evidence.
Is it compelling, valid, and relevant to your research aims?
Consider the book or journal article's utility in shedding light on your specific topic rather than its broader status in the discipline.
Use phrases like these when you’re evaluating:
This article's analysis of _______ is particularly helpful in understanding _______ because ____.
Whilst this paper offers valuable insights into _______ by _______, it is limited in its capacity to _______.
This study provides a useful framework for understanding _______ by _______.
The strengths of this item lie in its ability to _______ and its analysis of _______ in relation to _______.
5. Synthesis: Weaving a Cohesive Narrative
As we near the summit of our literature review journey, we encounter synthesis—the intricate weaving of literature into a cohesive narrative. This step involves considering each piece of literature in the context of all the others you've explored.
How is it positioned?
With which other items does it align or clash?
What unique perspectives or insights does it bring to the table?
By synthesizing the literature, you'll not only form connections and highlight disagreements but also create a unified narrative that contributes significantly to your research area.
Use phrases like these in your synthesis of the literature:
When compared to other relevant literature, this study's unique contribution is _______.
Whilst other studies have focused on _______, this item highlights the importance of _______.
This provides a different perspective on _______ than previous studies by _______.
Considering other relevant literature alongside this, it becomes clear that _______.
Conclusion: Supercharging Your Literature Review
In conclusion, these five tips—intentional active reading, effective description, interpretation, proper evaluation, and synthesis—are designed to supercharge your literature review. Whether you're just starting or looking to refine your current approach, incorporating these strategies will undoubtedly enhance the depth and quality of your research.
Up-Level Your Literature Review!
Check out my Complete Literature Review Guide - details below!
No more second-guessing your literature review. Let’s get it done.
Feeling overwhelmed?
Writing and deleting the same paragraph (again)?
Worried you're summarising instead of synthesising?
You're not failing. You just haven’t been shown how to actually write a literature review that works.
This Complete Literature Review Guide gives you the structure, tools, and clarity you need, so you can stop spinning your wheels and start writing with confidence.
What this guide helps you do:
✅ Map out your structure before you write a single paragraph
✅ Build focused themes using plug-and-play worksheets
✅ Write in your own voice and hit the right academic tone
✅ Understand synthesis (and actually do it!)
✅ Make real progress, no matter where you’re starting from
Inside the guide:
A clear structure with real examples
Sentence starters to help you start writing instead of just thinking
Theme-building worksheets to organise your ideas
Simple breakdowns of synthesis, analysis, and critical flow
Support built for PhD students in social sciences, education, business, humanities and health
🚨What happens if you don’t get your lit review under control?
You’ll keep re-reading the same papers and wondering what you’re missing
You’ll rewrite the same paragraph five different ways
You’ll lose time, lose momentum, and start to question whether you’re even cut out for a PhD
You’ve already done the hard part: you care about your research.
Don’t let confusion over synthesis or structure hold you back.
This guide helps you take what you already know, and turn it into something examiners will love.
💡 Imagine this …
You open your laptop and know what goes where.
You write a paragraph and don’t immediately delete it.
You stop whispering “What even is synthesis?” into the void.
Your lit review is clear, coherent, and actually makes sense, and you did that.
That’s the kind of researcher you’re becoming: focused, confident, and in control.
How to use it:
Open the guide, grab a cup of tea / coffee, and flick through the sections
Use the worksheets to develop your themes
Search, read, and log your insights using the structure
Return to the guide as you write and revise - it’s your calm, structured companion
Not quite ready to buy?
Why not try my FREE “Fix My Messy Literature Review” Starter Kit?
Get a taste of my step-by-step guidance, and take the first step towards taming the chaos.
Download your starter kit here and start making sense of your lit review today.
⚠️ Please note:
This is a digital product (PDF). No physical items will be shipped
These tools support, but don’t replace, your supervisor’s advice
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💬 Got questions before you buy?
Contact me here - I’d love to help you figure out where to start.
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