BLDE University


How To Create A Good Literature Review For An Undergraduate Dissertation

There are many students who have talent in writing, but they don’t seem to create any good paper, especially when it has very specific requirements. This is because you need much more than a good topic to create something that will get the maximum grade. Even when you think you found the perfect topic, do not try to rush the process. Take your time to complete each step with extreme care and every time you finished a good piece of your paper, correct it and ask for feedback from somebody. You have here some guidelines on how to create a good literature review:

  • Choose your topic. This is the first step before starting any kind of paper. Preferably, the topic needs to be very engaging for you and your classmates. In this way, it will be easy for you to write, and interesting for them to read. Also, it is good if you have some previous knowledge on the subject so you can save some time that you would spend on extended research. Even if the topic seems a bit complicated, it is better to chose something more complex than something simple.
  • Get to know the most important pieces that analyze your topic. In a literature review, you basically discuss the most important papers or books that were published on a certain topic. For example, if the main subject of your dissertation is discrimination, in your review you will search for the most common, appreciated and informative papers and articles written by this.
  • Get to know each paper. It is not enough to mention the name, but you need also to write a few words about each piece. Do not give too many details, but just enough to make the reader understand the general ideas and the perspective from which the author approached the topic. If it’s something relevant and extraordinary, like an opinion that changed the public opinion about a topic, you can introduce it in your review.
  • Summarize the conclusion. Of course, you can’t mention the conclusion of every paper, but it will be enough to mention the expected result from your dissertation. Also, the most notable opinions that you found in your researches can be integrated here. Make sure to not reveal too much information; you need to be clear and concise, but to provoke the reader at the same time.