A critical analysis of your sources is key to creating a quality literature review, and keeping your research question in mind as you read the literature will ensure that you are on track.
Reading and Evaluating Scholarly Literature (Oregon State University)
Evaluating Resources (University of Southern California)
Critically Analyzing Information Sources (Cornell University Library)
Once you identify your topic, check for existing literature reviews in your area of interest that can be used as models.
This sample literature review from the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL), provides an example in the field of psychology.
A literature review has a format similar to other scholarly papers. It contains an introduction, body and conclusion, but is focused exclusively on the research of others.
The Basics of a Literature Review. (2014). Teaching and Learning Center University of Washington Tacoma. Retrieved from https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/sites/default/files/2021-05/basics-of-lit-review1.pdf
The creation of a literature review involves reading articles, processing the information from the articles, and integrating that information in the larger context of the review
The Basics of a Literature Review. (2014). Teaching and Learning Center University of Washington Tacoma. Retrieved from https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/sites/default/files/2021-05/basics-of-lit-review1.pdf
Primary Resources - These resources are the basic building blocks for the other types of resources. They include empirical research, firsthand accounts of events and other original materials.
Secondary Resources - These are resources that analyze or interpret primary and other secondary resources.
Tertiary Resources - These include encyclopedias, textbooks, dictionaries, handbooks, and indexes. They provide a summary and definitions of topics and are an effective and efficient way to begin to build your project.