See a complete literature review example with a thematic outline, an APA-style model, a sample matrix, and practical guidance for your research paper.
Last updated: October 17, 2026
A literature review example can help you see how to organize research by theme, compare findings, and identify a gap instead of listing sources one by one. Submit Your Assignments (SYA) provides educational custom writing services, consultations, outlining, editing, reference support, and model papers for undergraduate and graduate students working on research papers, midterm projects, and thesis proposals. Use the sample below as a guide to the process, then shape your own review around your assignment instructions, sources, and research question.
Table of Contents
- What a literature review example should show
- Literature review vs. annotated bibliography
- Literature review outline
- Worked literature review example
- Literature review matrix example
- APA format and review length
- Common literature review mistakes
- Educational support from Submit Your Assignments
- Frequently asked questions
Your professor says, “Do a literature review,” and suddenly those 12 sources feel less like research and more like a pile of loose puzzle pieces. Which ones belong together? Where does your own point fit? And how do you end with a gap instead of a “that’s what the studies said” shrug?
Quick writing tips: Group sources by shared ideas; write a one-sentence takeaway for each; compare methods as well as findings; cite every paraphrased idea; and draft the gap paragraph after you’ve mapped the evidence.
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What a literature review example should show
A useful literature review example shows how research findings connect to one another and what those connections mean for a focused question. A review synthesizes evidence, evaluates patterns and disagreements, and identifies what remains uncertain. It is not a stack of mini book reports; your analysis should guide the reader through the scholarly conversation.
Think of synthesis as answering “What do these studies show together?” rather than “What did each author say?” You might compare findings, consider whether different methods explain conflicting results, and point to an unanswered question. That reasoning, not the number of citations, is what makes a review feel coherent.
Literature review vs. annotated bibliography
An annotated bibliography presents sources individually, usually with a citation followed by a short summary and evaluation. A literature review uses sources together to explain themes, debates, and gaps. The documents may draw on some of the same research, but their organization and purpose differ: one is a set of source entries; the other is a connected discussion.
If you’re unsure which assignment you have, check the instructions before drafting. Our guide to annotated bibliography examples explains that format. For lit review structure, not AI tools or research timing, see how to organize a literature review.
Literature review outline
A literature review outline gives your sources a clear route through the paper: introduce the topic, organize the evidence into thematic sections, synthesize what the research suggests, identify a gap, and conclude with its significance. Adjust the sections to your discipline and instructor’s directions; not every assignment needs a separate heading for every step.
A practical thematic outline:
- Introduction and theme framing: Define the topic, narrow the focus, state the review’s purpose, and preview its main themes.
- Theme one: Explain a major pattern or established finding across sources.
- Theme two: Compare a contrasting explanation, population, method, or result.
- Synthesis and gap: Explain what the evidence collectively suggests and what it has not yet answered.
- Conclusion: Summarize the most important takeaway and connect the gap to your research question.
A chronological or methodological structure can work better when the history of a topic or the comparison of research methods is central. Choose the organization that answers your question best.
Worked literature review example
This short literature review example uses a focused education topic: how feedback relates to elementary students’ writing and revision. Notice how each paragraph begins with an idea about the research, brings studies into conversation, and explains what can, and cannot, be concluded from them.
Topic: Feedback and writing development in elementary school
Research suggests that feedback can support students’ writing, but its value depends partly on what students are asked to do with it. A meta-analysis of writing research in grades 1–8 found positive effects for adult, peer, self, and computer feedback on writing quality, with effect sizes varying across feedback types (Graham et al., 2015). This broad pattern suggests that feedback is not limited to teacher correction; students can also learn through reviewing their own work and discussing a peer’s draft.
However, feedback and revision are not automatically the same thing. In a study of fourth- and fifth-grade persuasive writing, students who gave feedback to peers showed improvements on several writing measures, including addressing an opposing position (Philippakos & MacArthur, 2016). This finding adds a useful dimension to the broader evidence: reviewing another student’s work may support the reviewer’s own writing, not simply the person receiving comments. But the result concerns particular writing outcomes and an age group, so it should not be generalized to every form of feedback or every grade level.
Classroom approaches that connect discussion with rewriting offer another angle. A study of an upper-elementary dialogic writing intervention examined a cycle of writing, talking about writing, and rewriting (Bouwer & van der Veen, 2024). Considered alongside the meta-analysis and peer-feedback study, this work points toward a practical theme: feedback is most meaningful when students have an opportunity to interpret and use it. Still, more research could clarify which kinds of feedback conversations lead to specific improvements in revision quality across different classroom contexts.
Together, these studies support further investigation into how structured peer discussion relates to the quality of elementary students’ revisions. That is a focused gap, not a claim that no research exists. The review connects a broad evidence base to a question that can be studied more precisely.
APA-style references for this example
Bouwer, R., & van der Veen, C. (2024). Write, talk and rewrite: The effectiveness of a dialogic writing intervention in upper elementary education. Reading and Writing, 37, 1435–1456. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-023-10474-8
Graham, S., Hebert, M. A., & Harris, K. R. (2015). Formative assessment and writing: A meta-analysis. The Elementary School Journal, 115(4), 523–547. https://doi.org/10.1086/681947
Philippakos, Z. A., & MacArthur, C. A. (2016). The effects of giving feedback on the persuasive writing of fourth- and fifth-grade students. Reading Research Quarterly, 51(4), 419–433. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.149
Literature review matrix example
A literature review matrix helps you compare studies at a glance. Use one row per source and columns that capture the evidence you need for your research question. It can reveal patterns and missing information, but the matrix is a planning tool, not a substitute for the synthesis in your written review.
| Author/year | Key finding | Method | Gap noted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham et al. (2015) | Several forms of feedback showed positive effects on writing quality. | Meta-analysis of writing studies in grades 1–8 | Which feedback processes support particular revision outcomes? |
| Philippakos and MacArthur (2016) | Giving peer feedback supported several persuasive-writing outcomes. | Study of fourth- and fifth-grade students | How do effects vary by feedback structure or writing task? |
| Bouwer and van der Veen (2024) | Examined writing, peer discussion, and rewriting in an intervention. | Upper-elementary writing intervention | Which parts of the cycle most influence revision quality? |
APA format and review length
APA 7 formatting helps readers follow your review and locate your sources, but your instructor’s requirements come first. Use the required student-paper setup, consistent headings, in-text citations, and a reference list. There is no universal page count for a literature review: its length depends on the assignment, research question, discipline, and amount of relevant evidence.
For a student paper, confirm details such as margins, spacing, page numbers, font, title page, and heading levels against your course guidance. APA’s introduction often begins under the paper title without an “Introduction” heading, while thematic sections use headings that fit the paper’s organization. Cite paraphrases as well as quotations, and make sure each in-text citation matches a reference-list entry.
A short course assignment may be around 1,000–2,000 words, while a thesis or dissertation review can run much longer. Treat those as rough illustrations, not fixed rules. Ask your instructor if the brief does not give a length.
Common literature review mistakes
The most common literature review mistakes are organizing the draft source by source, skipping the gap statement, and paraphrasing without citations. You can avoid them by checking that each paragraph advances a theme, connects evidence from more than one study where appropriate, and explains how the evidence relates to your research question.
Watch for these patterns:
- One-source-at-a-time paragraphs: Reorganize around ideas instead of author names.
- No theme structure: Group studies by a meaningful pattern, debate, method, or population.
- A vague gap: Name what remains unclear and why that uncertainty matters.
- Uncited paraphrases: Cite ideas even when you have put them in your own words.
- A conclusion that only repeats: Explain what the evidence means for your research focus.
Educational support from Submit Your Assignments
When you need a second set of eyes, educational support can help you plan and revise without replacing your own learning. Submit Your Assignments offers consultations, brainstorming, outlining, editing, reference support, and model papers for students nationwide. You can also review our research paper support, writers, and order page.
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Frequently asked questions
These answers cover practical questions students often have when planning a review: what makes it different from a source summary, how to organize studies, and how to judge its length. Check your assignment brief as you apply these points, since instructors and disciplines may set their own requirements.
What is a literature review?
A literature review synthesizes and evaluates research on a focused topic. It identifies patterns, disagreements, limitations, and gaps to show how existing scholarship relates to a research question.
How is a literature review different from an annotated bibliography?
An annotated bibliography presents sources one by one with summaries or evaluations. A literature review connects sources by theme or argument to explain what the body of research shows.
What should a literature review outline include?
A literature review outline typically includes an introduction, thematic body sections, a synthesis or gap paragraph, and a conclusion. Follow your assignment instructions if they require a different structure.
How many sources should a literature review include?
There is no universal source count. Use the number required by your assignment and include sources that are relevant, credible, and useful for answering your research question.
How long should a literature review be?
A literature review’s length depends on the assignment, discipline, and purpose. Follow the word or page limit in your course instructions, or ask your instructor if no limit is provided.
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