Writing a literature review: from a pile of reading to a clear synthesis

The trap is treating a literature review as a list — 'Smith said this, Jones said that'. A strong review groups sources by theme and shows how they relate, agree and disagree.

Start by sorting your reading into themes or debates. For each theme, summarise the consensus, then the tensions, then where your work fits. The goal is to lead the reader to the gap your research will address.

Keep your own voice in charge: the sources are evidence for your argument about the field, not the argument itself.