Literature review thesis: how to approach it in 6 steps

A literature review for a thesis is the systematic collection, selection and analysis of existing sources to build the scientific foundation of your research. You carry it out in 6 steps: orient, define scope, collect, select, write, and cite. A well-executed literature review significantly improves the grade of your thesis.

A literature review for your thesis is something you simply cannot avoid as a student, yet many students struggle with the question of how to approach their literature study in a structured way. Which sources do you use? How do you select reliable information? And how do you incorporate all of that into your theoretical framework?

In this article, we set out six concrete steps that will give you a solid and well-structured literature review. Follow this step-by-step guide and the scientific foundation of your thesis will be firmly in place. Would you like personal guidance with your literature review? Schedule a free consultation with us.

What is a literature review in a thesis?

A literature review for a thesis is the process of analysing existing sources in order to gather information about a specific topic. You investigate what knowledge, theories and methods are available in the scholarly literature, and how they contribute to answering your research question.

The literature study often forms the beginning of the thesis process. It is the scientific foundation of your research: you analyse a range of documents to show what is already known about your topic, and where a knowledge gap exists that your own research will fill. Those sources can be academic publications such as articles and books, but also policy documents, annual reports, government budgets or industry reports, depending on your field.

Want to achieve a high grade for your thesis? It always starts with a well-executed literature review thesis.

Step 1: Orientation

The first step of your literature review is orientation. You want to get a general picture of the research field in which your topic is situated. Search for and read one or two recent, relevant and reliable articles about your topic. At this stage, it is about getting a first impression of what has already been researched, and where there are still gaps.

Ask yourself the following questions when orienting:

• Which subtopic has not yet been sufficiently published about?
• Which aspect would you like to investigate further?

Example: Your client runs a rose nursery and wants advice on promoting rose cultivation. You read two recent publications on rose growing. Both studies show that the factor of light plays a crucial role. You wonder how light is currently being used in that nursery and how it could be optimised. That is the aspect you want to investigate further.

Top tip! Record the details of every relevant publication you read immediately: author, title, year and publisher. Keeping track of your sources from the very first moment will save you a lot of searching when you put together your reference list — an essential part of every literature review thesis.

Step 2: Define the scope of your literature review

The second step in writing a good literature review for your thesis is defining the scope. How far does your literature study reach? By clearly delineating your topic, you prevent your argument from becoming too general. You can then go into greater depth on one specific aspect, which makes your thesis much more interesting and convincing.

Based on your orientation, formulate your research question and objective using the following template:

I am researching [topic], because I want to know [research question], with the aim of [objective].

Example: “I am researching the use and possibilities of light in rose cultivation, because I want to know how light can be used optimally to positively influence the cultivation of roses, with the aim of drawing up an advice and lighting plan for rose nursery Rozenpracht.”

A sharply defined research question gives your literature review thesis direction. Without that direction, you risk endlessly collecting sources without a clear goal.

Step 3: Collect sources for your literature review

Now that your research question and objective are established, you start systematically collecting information for your thesis literature review. You search specifically for knowledge that contributes to answering your research question.

Start by identifying your keywords. You will find these in your research question and objective, and possibly also in the sources you read during the orientation phase. Write down the terms, note synonyms and create different combinations.

Example of search terms (rose nursery example): rose cultivation, growing roses, rose growing, rose cultivation light, rose cultivation lighting, rose cultivation light recipe, rose cultivation LED light, rose cultivation light spectrum, rose cultivation influence of light.

Sometimes your keywords lead you to publications that use terms not yet on your list. Search those terms toom they sometimes yield the best results for your literature review.

Search in both your own language and in English. English-language sources give you access to a much larger part of the scientific literature and the most-used databases for sources for a literature review are Google Scholar, PubMed, JSTOR, Scopus and Web of Science.

Step 4: Select reliable sources for your literature review

Information is abundant, so the skill lies in making a good selection. Which sources do you include in your literature review and which do you leave out? In this step, you systematically select on two criteria: relevance and reliability.

A. Selecting on relevance

Want to know whether a publication is relevant? First read the introduction and the conclusions. Only if the source appears relevant to your research question do you read the full article or book. Only include sources in your literature study that contribute to answering your research question. Everything that does not directly contribute to it does not belong in your literature review.

B. Selecting on reliability

Then assess the reliability of the source. Pay attention to the year of publication: science develops continuously, and the more current your source, the better. An old article may describe results that are now outdated. In current articles you will also find the latest insights and trends in your field. Have you found a source online? Be critical. Choose as much as possible for scientific research and authors affiliated with a scientific institution, or sources via the library.

Top tip! Have you found a relevant and reliable source? Then check the references and citations in that source itself. This way you will often easily find additional in-depth information for your literature review thesis. This is called the ‘snowball effect’: one good source naturally leads to the next.

Step 5: Writing your literature review

You have collected enough information and carefully selected it. Now you can start incorporating all the information into your problem analysis or theoretical framework thesis. Be (very) critical as you do so.

Read each publication carefully. Keep in mind what problem is central, how the researcher went about their work, and which concepts, theories and methods are covered. Are there aspects the researcher did not include, but which you consider important? Critically discuss the conclusions of the research, that is what makes a thesis scientific.

Basic structure of a literature review:

1. Introduction
2. Critical description of source 1
3. Critical description of source 2
4. Critical description of source 3
5. Comparison of conclusions from various sources
6. Summary

Top tip! What are the specific requirements of your study programme, supervisor or client? Actively respond to these. Read the course guide of your programme, or speak to your supervisor. A thesis that meets the assessor’s expectations always results in a higher grade — and this starts with a well-structured literature review thesis.

Step 6: Citing your sources 

The last step of your literature review thesis is correctly citing your sources. Do this with great care, for two reasons.

First, you want to avoid committing plagiarism. Plagiarism occurs when you do not, or do not carefully, refer to a source when copying information or quotes from someone else’s work. This gives the reader the impression that you yourself are the source of that knowledge. This can lead to a fail for your thesis, or even to permanent suspension from your programme.

Second, most programmes require a bibliography in a specific reference style, such as APA or MLA. This means you cite your sources in a fixed, precise way — every space, comma and capital letter must be correct.

A well-cited literature review shows academic integrity and strengthens the credibility of your entire thesis.

Frequently asked questions about the literature review

What is the difference between a literature review and a systematic review?

In a standard literature review for a thesis, you collect and analyse existing sources to lay a theoretical foundation for your own research. A systematic review is a standalone research method in which you map all available literature on a specific topic in a fully transparent and reproducible way. It follows a strict protocol with explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria. A standard literature review thesis is less exhaustive and serves as a foundation for the subsequent research.

How many sources do I need for my literature review?

The number of sources required depends on the requirements of your programme and the scope of your thesis. For a bachelor’s thesis, a minimum of 10 to 15 sources is often expected; for a master’s thesis or dissertation, that is generally between 20 and 40 sources or more. Quality outweighs quantity: 15 strong, relevant and current sources are more valuable than 40 sources of which half do not directly contribute to your research question.

Which databases should I use for my literature review?

The most commonly used databases for a literature review thesis are Google Scholar, PubMed (for medical and health sciences), JSTOR, Scopus and Web of Science. Through your university or college library, you have access to additional databases and can view paid articles for free. Always start your search with targeted keywords and use filters on publication year, language and field to refine your results.

How do I incorporate sources into my theoretical framework?

You incorporate sources into your theoretical framework thesis by using them as building blocks for your theory, not as a list of quotes. Describe the key findings of each relevant source in your own words, compare the views of different authors and explain how the sources together form the basis for your research. Only quote directly when the exact wording of the author is essential. Refer to the correct source for every claim, using the reference style of your programme such as APA.

Can Topscriptie help me with my literature review?

Yes, Topscriptie’s coaches are happy to help you with every part of your literature review: from developing a search strategy to critically incorporating sources into your theoretical framework. Whether you are stuck on selecting reliable sources, defining the scope of your topic or writing your literature study, we think concretely with you. 

Stuck with your literature review or would you like personal guidance? Topscriptie’s coaches are here to help. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation today and take the next step towards a strong literature review thesis.