how to complete a literature review matrix

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Common Assignments: Literature Review Matrix

Literature review matrix.

As you read and evaluate your literature there are several different ways to organize your research. Courtesy of Dr. Gary Burkholder in the School of Psychology, these sample matrices are one option to help organize your articles. These documents allow you to compile details about your sources, such as the foundational theories, methodologies, and conclusions; begin to note similarities among the authors; and retrieve citation information for easy insertion within a document.

You can review the sample matrixes to see a completed form or download the blank matrix for your own use.

• Literature Review Matrix 1 This PDF file provides a sample literature review matrix.
• Literature Review Matrix 2 This PDF file provides a sample literature review matrix.
• Literature Review Matrix Template (Word)
• Literature Review Matrix Template (Excel)

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How to Conduct a Literature Review (Health Sciences and Beyond)

• What is a Literature Review?
• Developing a Research Question
• Selection Criteria
• Database Search
• Documenting Your Search

Review Matrix

• Reference Management

Using a spreadsheet or table to organize the key elements (e.g. subjects, methodologies, results) of articles/books you plan to use in your literature review can be helpful. This is called a review matrix.

When you create a review matrix, the first few columns should include (1) the authors, title, journal, (2) publication year, and (3) purpose of the paper. The remaining columns should identify important aspects of each study such as methodology and findings.

Click on the image below to view a sample review matrix.

You can also download this template as a Microsoft Excel file .

The information on this page is from the book below. The 5th edition is available online through VCU Libraries.

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• Last Updated: Mar 15, 2024 12:22 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.vcu.edu/health-sciences-lit-review

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AMA Writing Guide: Literature Matrix

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• Literature Matrix

What is a literature matrix?

As defined by Judith Garrard in her handbook entitled  Health Sciences Literature Reviews Made Easy: The Matrix Method , a “Review of the literature consists of reading, analyzing, and writing a synthesis of scholarly materials about a specific topic. When reviewing scientific literature, the focus is on the hypotheses, the scientific methods, the strengths and weaknesses of the study, the results, and the authors’ interpretations and conclusions.” When reading materials for a literature review, you should critically evaluate the study’s major aims and results. 

The purpose of completing a literature matrix is to help you identify important aspects of the study. Literature matrixes contain a variety of headings, but frequent headings include: author surname and date, theoretical/ conceptual framework, research question(s)/ hypothesis, methodology, analysis & results, conclusions, implications for future research, and implications for practice. You can add additional columns as needed, and you might consider adding a “notes column” to proactively have important quotations and your thoughts already collected.  As you read journal articles, have your literature matrix ready. It is best to fill in the matrix directly after reading a work, rather than returning to the matrix later.  

Literature Matrix Files

You should use a literature matrix that best helps you to organize your reading and research. Excel workbooks can help to organize your research. Sample basic and complex literature matrixes are provided below: 

• Literature Matrix Basic BLANK
• Literature Matrix Basic SAMPLE
• Literature Matrix Complex BLANK

Synthesize vs. Summarize

When writing your literature review, you will not simply summarize the materials that you found related to your topic. A summary is a recap of the information provided in research articles. Summaries provide basic information about the study, but the details provided in a summary are not enumerative or systematic. 

Synthesizing goes beyond summarizing to explore specific aspects of the research study. When synthesizing the literature, rely on your completed literature matrix to inform your writing. Do you see any tends across publications? Was one type of methodology used repeatedly, why or why not? Did separate teams of researchers come to the same conclusion, differing conclusions, or is the literature inconclusive? Synthesizing requires that you look at the current state of the research overall. 

When preparing to write a synthesis, you will read the literature available, tease apart individual findings and supporting evidence across different articles, and then reorganize this information in a way that presents your understanding of the current state of research in this field.  

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Matrix Method for Literature Review

• Introduction
• Organize Your Sources
• Choose Your Remaining Column Topics
• More Information
• Sample Matrix and Templates
• Related Library Guides
• Getting Help

The Review Matrix   

Using a review matrix enables you to quickly compare and contrast articles in order to determine the scope of research across time. A review matrix can help you more easily spot differences and similarities between journal articles about a given research topic. Review matrices are especially helpful for health sciences literature reviews covering the complete scope of a research topic over time.

This guide focuses on the review matrix step in the literature review process. For more information on searching databases, see the Health Sciences Literature Searching Guide.

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• Last Updated: Feb 20, 2024 10:26 AM
• URL: https://guides.library.duq.edu/matrix

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Get Organized

• Lit Review Prep Use this template to help you evaluate your sources, create article summaries for an annotated bibliography, and a synthesis matrix for your lit review outline.

Synthesize your Information

Synthesize: combine separate elements to form a whole.

Synthesis Matrix

A synthesis matrix helps you record the main points of each source and document how sources relate to each other.

After summarizing and evaluating your sources, arrange them in a matrix or use a citation manager to help you see how they relate to each other and apply to each of your themes or variables.  

By arranging your sources by theme or variable, you can see how your sources relate to each other, and can start thinking about how you weave them together to create a narrative.

• Step-by-Step Approach
• Example Matrix from NSCU
• Matrix Template
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Methodology

• How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

Published on January 2, 2023 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 11, 2023.

What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .

There are five key steps to writing a literature review:

• Search for relevant literature
• Evaluate sources
• Identify themes, debates, and gaps
• Outline the structure
• Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it analyzes, synthesizes , and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

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Table of contents

What is the purpose of a literature review, examples of literature reviews, step 1 – search for relevant literature, step 2 – evaluate and select sources, step 3 – identify themes, debates, and gaps, step 4 – outline your literature review’s structure, step 5 – write your literature review, free lecture slides, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions, introduction.

• Quick Run-through
• Step 1 & 2

When you write a thesis , dissertation , or research paper , you will likely have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:

• Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context
• Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
• Position your work in relation to other researchers and theorists
• Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate
• Evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.

Writing literature reviews is a particularly important skill if you want to apply for graduate school or pursue a career in research. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.

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Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.

• Example literature review #1: “Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature” ( Theoretical literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)
• Example literature review #2: “Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines” ( Methodological literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)
• Example literature review #3: “The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Thematic literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)
• Example literature review #4: “Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Chronological literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)

You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.

Download Word doc Download Google doc

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .

If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions .

Make a list of keywords

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.

• Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
• Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
• Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth

Search for relevant sources

Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:

• Your university’s library catalogue
• Google Scholar
• Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
• Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
• EconLit (economics)
• Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)

You can also use boolean operators to help narrow down your search.

Make sure to read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.

You likely won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on your topic, so it will be necessary to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your research question.

For each publication, ask yourself:

• What question or problem is the author addressing?
• What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
• What are the key theories, models, and methods?
• Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
• What are the results and conclusions of the study?
• How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible , and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

You can use our template to summarize and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using. Click on either button below to download.

Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography , where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.

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To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, be sure you understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

• Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
• Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
• Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
• Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
• Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

• Most research has focused on young women.
• There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.
• But there is still a lack of robust research on highly visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat—this is a gap that you could address in your own research.

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological

The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.

Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.

Methodological

If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:

• Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
• Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
• Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical

A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Like any other academic text , your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.

As you write, you can follow these tips:

• Summarize and synthesize: give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers — add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
• Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transition words and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts

In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.

When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Not a language expert? Check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services !

This article has been adapted into lecture slides that you can use to teach your students about writing a literature review.

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If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

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A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.

There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:

• To familiarize yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic
• To ensure that you’re not just repeating what others have already done
• To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved problems that your research can address
• To develop your theoretical framework and methodology
• To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic

Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.

The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your thesis or dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .

A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other  academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .

An  annotated bibliography is a list of  source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a  paper .  

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Literature Review

What Is A Literature Review Matrix and How To Write It

Learn what is a literature review matrix and how to write it. Simplify your research process and organize your sources effectively.

Jul 20, 2024

In the world of literature search , finding suitable sources for a research project can feel like navigating a labyrinth. Think about being able to streamline your search, efficiently categorizing and connecting the pieces of the puzzle. In this guide, you will discover the magic of the literature review matrix, a tool that deftly organizes your findings and insights for smooth access. Are you ready to start on this journey towards more efficient research papers and excellent study material with AI?

Otio's AI research and writing partner solution is a valuable tool to help you achieve your goals. With AI, you can write efficient research papers and get fantastic study material. Are you excited to see how Otio can transform your research process?

Table Of Contents

What is a literature review matrix, purpose of literature review matrix method, how to create a literature review matrix in 3 simple steps, how do you write a research matrix, what are the qualities of a good review matrix, supercharge your researching ability with otio — try otio for free today.

A literature review matrix is a powerful tool for quickly comparing and contrasting articles to understand the research scope over time. This matrix is handy for health sciences literature reviews covering various research topics. 

You can quickly identify differences and similarities between journal articles on a specific research topic using a review matrix . While helpful in any discipline, review matrices are especially beneficial for health sciences literature reviews as they span the overall research topic over time. This article focuses on the review matrix step in the literature review process and offers practical tips on how to use it effectively.

Related Reading

• Systematic Review Vs Meta Analysis • Impact Evaluation • How To Critique A Research Article • How To Synthesize Sources • Annotation Techniques • Skimming And Scanning • Types Of Literature Reviews • Literature Review Table • How To Increase Reading Speed And Comprehension • How To Read Research Papers • How To Summarize A Research Paper • Literature Gap

A literature review matrix method aims to aid students in achieving their personalized research goals. By comparing various articles, the matrix helps emphasize different viewpoints and ideas, enabling researchers to identify the scope of their unique research ideas over time. In essence, writing a literature review matrix involves discerning the similarities and differences between journal articles to make informed assumptions about the scope of a research topic.

1. Matrix Creation Tool: Utilizing Otio

Otio is a powerful tool that caters to the needs of knowledge workers, researchers, and students. The platform aims to alleviate the challenge of content overload, which often plagues individuals engaged in literature reviews. Otio offers a streamlined approach to collecting information from sources like bookmarks, tweets, books, and videos, making the data aggregation process more efficient. 

The tool also features AI-generated notes that extract key takeaways, facilitating the identification of crucial information. Additionally, Otio enables users to create draft outputs based on the collected sources, streamlining the transition from reading to writing. Moreover, Otio provides AI-assisted writing , allowing users to enhance their research papers and essays swiftly. Incorporating Otio into your workflow can streamline the literature review process and expedite the writing phase, resulting in a more productive and effective research experience.

2. Organizing Sources: Constructing a Review Matrix using Table-making Software

One essential step in creating a literature review matrix is organizing your sources effectively. Developing a structured layout for your matrix allows you to systematically review and analyze the information gathered from various literature sources. 

You can create a matrix with standardized column headings using table-making software like Microsoft Excel, Word, Google Sheets, or Numbers. The initial columns should include authors, title, journal information, publication year, and the purpose of the literature source. By organizing your matrix in this manner, you can easily track changes in research over time, enhance readability, and streamline the analysis process.

3. Choosing Column Topics: Determining Relevant Content Categories

As you delve into your literature sources , it is crucial to select appropriate column topics to categorize the information effectively. While the initial columns focus on authors, publication year, and purpose, additional columns can be tailored to address specific aspects of the literature sources. 

Some suggested categories include methodological details, content-specific information, and geographical considerations. Methodological columns can capture the research methods employed, while content-specific columns highlight the topics studied. 

Geographical columns are useful for pinpointing the location of the research, enabling comparative analyses based on regional differences. 

By customizing your column headings to align with your research goals, you can create a comprehensive literature review matrix that effectively captures the insights gleaned from your sources.

1. Create a table with the headings for each column

When writing a research matrix , the first step is to create a table with the following headers for each column: 

Research Questions 

Theoretical / Conceptual Framework 

Methods 

Type of Analysis 

2. List your research questions

Under the "Research Questions" column, you should list the research questions you intend to study in a logical order. Each subsequent question should build upon the previous one to create a cohesive flow in your study.

3. List the theoretical or conceptual framework

In the "Theoretical / Conceptual Framework" column, you need to list the key areas of your theoretical or conceptual framework that align with your research questions. Your chosen framework will provide the lens through which you explore your problem or research topic.

4. List the methods

Under the "Methods" column, you should list the specific methods you plan to use to collect data for your research. Whether qualitative or quantitative, these methods could include interviews, surveys, focus groups, or statistical analyses.

5. List the appropriate type of analysis

Lastly, under the "Type of Analysis" column, you need to specify the analysis you intend to conduct for the chosen methods. This could involve coding and analyzing qualitative data or conducting statistical analysis for quantitative data.

Creating a research matrix can help you visualize and organize your research project, aiding you in staying on track with your research goals.

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Key Elements to Look for in a Literature Review Matrix 

In searching for a good Literature Review Matrix , there are certain vital traits one should look for. These elements are critical to ensuring the matrix is comprehensive, clear, and concise. 

Coverage of Relevant Articles

A quality literature review matrix should include all notable research articles related to the topic. These articles should be recent and relevant to the current research trends. By doing so, the matrix will provide a well-rounded overview of the subject matter.

Clear Presentation of Information

The best literature review matrices present information clearly and concisely. They should also be well-organized and easy to follow. This includes categorizing studies based on their strengths and weaknesses, making it easier for the reader to grasp the overall picture.

Thorough Research

A high-quality matrix requires thorough research on the part of the writer. This research should critically appraise all existing studies on the topic. By compiling and analyzing this information, the writer can produce a well-informed review that adds value to the field.

Conciseness

A suitable literature review matrix is short and to the point. It should include all the necessary information without unnecessary elaboration. This conciseness ensures that the reader can quickly grasp the main points without getting lost in unnecessary details.

Understanding of Subject Matter

To effectively complete a literature review matrix, the writer must deeply understand the subject matter. This includes knowledge of relevant theories and concepts in the field. With this knowledge, the writer can accurately complete all the columns of the matrix, providing a comprehensive overview of the topic.

A literature review matrix is an essential tool in the arsenal of any serious research professional. It helps organize information from different sources and presents a clear picture of the existing knowledge on a specific topic. Typically, researchers use matrices to compare and contrast various articles, books, and other sources to highlight the essential points that contribute to their research. This strategy enables them to identify research gaps and ascertain their study's direction quickly.

Otio: Redefining the Literature Review Process

Otio is a transformative new tool that significantly streamlines the creation of literature review matrices. Gone are the days of struggling with fragmented, manual tools— Otio is here to pave the way for seamless, efficient, and enjoyable research and writing experiences. With Otio , knowledge workers, researchers, and students can revolutionize their workflows by collecting data from various sources, including bookmarks, tweets, books, articles, and YouTube videos.

Solving the Content Overload Conundrum

Indeed, the current environment is plagued by content overload, and traditional tools do not provide the necessary support to navigate this vast information landscape effectively. Otio recognizes this challenge and offers a comprehensive solution.

With Otio, researchers can easily extract key takeaways from their sources, thanks to AI-generated notes and source-grounded Q&A chat. These features enable them to quickly and efficiently identify their research's core elements.

Facilitating the Research and Writing Process

Otio goes beyond helping researchers collect and extract information and actively supports the creation process. The tool assists in drafting outputs using the sources collected, allowing users to transition seamlessly from a reading list to a first draft. Moreover, Otio's AI-assisted writing capabilities cater to users at every stage of the research and writing process, ensuring they can utilize the tool from start to finish.

Embracing the Future of Research and Writing

Otio represents a significant advancement in research and writing technologies, offering a comprehensive solution for knowledge workers needing reliable, effective, and user-friendly tools. Its AI-native workspace, sophisticated features, and intuitive interface make it a vital companion for researchers seeking to streamline their work processes and enhance productivity.

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Are you ready to revolutionize your research and writing experience? Otio is here to help . Experience the power of AI-driven research and writing tools today and unlock your full potential as a knowledge worker, researcher, or student. Say goodbye to content overload and fragmented tooling - Otio is your all-in-one research and writing solution. Try Otio for free and embark on a new era of efficient, effective, and enjoyable research and writing.

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Literature Review: A Self-Guided Tutorial for NUR 288

• Literature Reviews: A Recap
• Peer-Review
• Reading the Literature
• Developing Research Questions
• 2. Review discipline styles
• Super Searching
• Finding the Full Text
• Finding Guidelines in Databases
• Citation Searching
• Evaluating online information
• When to stop searching
• How to cite your sources following APA
• In-Text Citations
• Keeping track of your references
• Annotating Articles Tip
• 5. Critically analyze and evaluate
• How to review the literature

Using a synthesis matrix

• 7. Write literature review

Synthesize : combine separate elements to form a whole.

Why use a synthesis matrix? 

• A synthesis matrix helps you record the main points of each source and document how sources relate to each other.
• After summarizing and evaluating your sources, arrange them in a matrix or use a citation manager to help you see how they relate to each other and apply to each of your themes or variables.  
• By arranging your sources by theme or variable, you can see how your sources relate to each other, and can start thinking about how you weave them together to create a narrative.

A synthesis matrix visually represents your research by organizing your sources by themes:

Add each article citation to the Source column and begin to identify the theme(s) from the article. 

Use the Excel template below to help you evaluate your sources, create article summaries for an annotated bibliography, and a synthesis matrix for your lit review outline. From John Hopkins Sheridan Libraries.  

NOTE : There are several tabs at the bottom of the Excel spreadsheet to help guide you with this method.

• Literature Review Prep - with Synthesis Matrix
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• Last Updated: Oct 14, 2024 2:52 PM
• URL: https://libguides.wccnet.edu/literature_review