Writing Literature Reviews

Melisa C. Galvan (Ph.D., 2013, UC Berkeley) is co-author of Proposing Empirical Research: A Guide to the Fundamentals (Routledge, 2020) and Writing Empirical Research Reports: A Basic Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences (Routledge, 2023). Dr. Galvan is Professor at California State University, Northridge, USA. Jose L. Galvan (Ph.D., 1980, UT Austin) is Professor Emeritus at California State University, Los Angeles. His academic career spanned 39 years, including appointments at UCLA; Teachers College, Columbia University; California State University, Los Angeles; and San Francisco State University, USA.

Part I: Managing the Literature Search; 1. Writing Reviews of Academic Literature: An Overview; 2. Learn to Navigate the Electronic Resources in Your University’s Library; 3. Selecting a Topic for Your Review 4. Organizing Yourself to Begin the Selection of Relevant Titles; Part II: Analyzing the Relevant Literature; 5. Conduct a Deep Analysis of the Articles; 6. Analyzing Quantitative Research Literature; 7. Analyzing Qualitative Research Literature; 8. Organizing Your Notes by Grouping the Results of Your Analysis; Part III: Writing the First Draft of Your Literature Review; 9. Synthesizing Trends and Patterns: Preparing to Write; 10. Guidelines for Writing a First Draft; 11. Guidelines for Developing a Coherent Essay; Part IV: Editing and Preparing the Final Draft of Your Review; 12. Guidelines for Editing Your Review and Incorporating Feedback; 13. Preparing a Reference List; Appendix A: Comprehensive Self-editing Checklist for Refining the Final Draft; Appendix B: Sample Literature Reviews