PhD Survival Guide Part 6 – Literature Review Structure & Development

Your literature review isn’t broken — it’s just messy. This guide helps you rebuild structure and momentum.

Started with a plan...

Now you’ve got 47 tabs open, 19 documents named “litreview-final-FINAL,” and no clue how it all fits together anymore?

You’re not failing.

You’re in the messy middle — and that’s a normal (and fixable) part of the process.

Part 6 of the PhD Survival Guide series — Literature Review Structure & Development — gives you tools to rebuild structure, add new sources smoothly, and track everything without losing your mind.

It helps you tame the chaos without starting over — so you can keep going with confidence.

What you’ll learn:

✅ Keep a clear, flexible structure as your review grows

✅ Add new sources without derailing your argument

✅ Stay organised (and stop repeating Google searches!)

✅ Use tools like Google Scholar alerts to work smarter, not harder

✅ Regain a sense of calm, control, and momentum

Why this matters:

If you don’t fix the structure now, the mess multiplies.

❌ You waste hours reshuffling text instead of making progress

❌ You lose track of sources and repeat your work

❌ You feel like your lit review is crumbling — and your confidence goes with it

This guide stops the spiral. You don’t need a perfect plan. You need a process that evolves with you.

Inside the guide:

📚 Flexible outlining strategies that actually hold up

🔖 Source Record Sheet to track what you’ve read

🧠 Smart systems for adding and categorising new literature

🔍 How to use Google Scholar alerts to spot new papers — automatically

📄 Tips for refining headings, summaries, and review structure

🔁 Guidance on when (and how) to revisit earlier drafts

🧭 Reflection prompts to stay on track as you write

How to use it:

1. Grab a cup of tea (and maybe a cookie!) — then open the PDF guide

2. Browse through the tools and pick the one that fits what you’re stuck on today

3. Use the trackers and structure tips to bring some calm to the chaos

4. Come back to it anytime your lit review starts to feel like a tangled mess again

Before:
❌ You’re lost in the weeds with no idea what fits where
❌ You’re afraid to add anything new in case it breaks your structure
❌ You keep fixing the same paragraph without moving forward

After:
✅ You’ve got a flexible structure that grows with your thinking
✅ You know where each source fits — and why
✅ You’re making steady progress and it actually feels doable

🔁 Want deeper support with your lit review?

This planner is also part of the Complete 10-Part Survival Guide Bundle — perfect for step-by-step support from title to appendices.

Or grab the Complete Literature Review Guide for full guidance from start to finish.

⚠️ Please note:

• This is a digital product (PDF). No physical item will be shipped

• These tools support — but don’t replace — your supervisor’s advice

• By purchasing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions

💬 Need help deciding if this is the right fit?

Contact me here — I’d love to help.

The mess isn’t a sign you’re doing it wrong — it’s a sign you’re doing the work.

But you don’t have to do it without a plan.

Let’s turn the chaos into clarity — and get your lit review moving again.