Understanding how to write a PhD literature review is one of the skills that almost all PhD students struggle with. Largely because the lit review is never finished, incredibly unwieldy, and serves as the foundation for the whole thesis.
It’s also the most complex chapter, and the one that pushes your skillset (and sanity). In this post I’m going to help explain how to write a PhD literature review. At every stage I’ll link out to other articles that we’ve published that go into more detail about the respective themes.
What is a PhD literature review and why does it matter?
The purpose of a PhD literature review is to position your research within the broader academic conversation. It shows that you’ve engaged deeply with existing scholarship, identified relevant debates and gaps, and used this to justify your own research direction.
But what does that mean?
Put differently, the literature review is where you tell the reader what we know about the particular phenomenon you’re interested in, in order to explain what the problem is with what we know (a research gap, for example). You do that in order to pave the way for your research questions. Whilst you would have told the reader what the research questions are earlier in the thesis, it can be helpful to think about the research questions as being the conclusion to the literature review:
- Here’s what we know
- Here’s the problem with what we know
- Here are my research questions, as a way of ‘solving’ that problem.
Because it is there to highlight any gaps in the literature and justify why filling those gaps is important, and because such contributions are at the heart of any PhD, the literature review is crucially important.
If you fail to adequately make the case that the contribution exists and that it is worthwhile filling it, it doesn’t matter how good the rest of your study is, you will fail to convince your examiner that the study has merit and that you have made a sufficiently robust contribution to knowledge.
We’ve published a detailed post on the purpose of the literature review here.
How to approach a PhD literature review
A well-structured PhD literature review isn’t just about arranging sources — it’s about telling a clear, logical story that leads the reader to your research question. One way to do this is by mapping the literature thematically rather than chronologically. Group your sources by topic or concept, not by date, so you can demonstrate how different strands of work relate to one another and highlight tensions, agreements, and gaps. This helps your review feel purposeful and argumentative rather than just descriptive.
Another key structural tip is to use signposting and transitions to guide the reader. Make sure each section flows logically into the next, and regularly remind the reader why you’re including particular sources or debates. Think of your structure as a funnel: start broad, then narrow in towards the specific problem or gap your research addresses. Done well, your literature review will not only demonstrate your knowledge — it will make a strong case for your research.
Regardless of which approach you use, the key thing to remember is that you need to be argument led. The literature is there to serve you, not the other way around. That means that the literature is there to help you back up, validate and elaborate upon the various arguments you’re laying out.
In the context of the PhD literature review chapter then, that means that the literature is there to help you (as we saw above):
- Explain what we know…
- …in order to explain what the problem is with what we know
Think of it this way: imagine you’re making a new model of mobile phone. You’d need to look at old models to see how other people are designing them (and so you know how yours will differ) and to see how they are made. You’ll need to look for their flaws, and get an idea of where they can be improved.
That’s because you can’t make something new if you don’t know what the old one looks like.
The literature review is the same. You use it to make the case for your research by surveying the work that’s already been done in your discipline (and sometimes beyond).
Where the literature review fits in the wider PhD thesis
The literature review is one of the foundational chapters of your thesis. It usually appears after the introduction and before the methodology (sometimes in its own chapter, but not always).
As we’ve seen, its purpose is to situate your research within the existing body of work, showing how your project builds on, challenges, or fills gaps in that literature. While the introduction sets the stage and outlines your research questions, the literature review deepens the context, demonstrating that you’ve done the intellectual work to understand the field and justify your study.
Crucially, the literature review also lays the groundwork for later chapters. It informs your theoretical framework, shapes your methodological choices, and gives meaning to your analysis and discussion. It’s not an isolated summary — it’s a strategic, argumentative chapter that supports your entire thesis. A strong literature review sets up everything that follows, making it easier for your examiner to understand your reasoning and trust your contribution.
How It Differs from a Theoretical Framework
The literature review and the theoretical framework are closely related, but they serve distinct purposes within your thesis. The literature review surveys the existing research in your field — it’s where you map the intellectual terrain, highlight key debates, and identify gaps that your project aims to fill. It’s broad in scope and focuses on what other people have said, done, and found. Your task is to critically engage with that work and build a case for your research question.
The theoretical framework, on the other hand, is where you make your own analytical choices. It’s not about summarising other people’s work — it’s about selecting the concepts, models, or theories that will guide your analysis. In this section, you explain how you’ll make sense of your data and justify why you’re approaching your topic in a particular way. While the literature review leads up to your question, the theoretical framework leads into your methodology and analysis.
This is difficult to wrap your head around, so think about it like this:
- The literature review is backwards looking. It looks at what has already been done to problematise it.
- The theory framework is forward looking. It looks forward to how you are going to answer your research questions (which concepts, relationships, ideas, etc you will use)
The literature review is there to say what you will be studying (and why), and the theory framework (and later the methods) is there to say how you will be studying it. Still confused? Read this.
How do I even start my literature review?
When conducting your PhD literature review, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, but using the right techniques can bring clarity and direction. This article outlines three powerful methods: snowballing, where you trace references backwards and forwards from key texts to expand your reading; mapping, where you group sources visually or thematically to understand the landscape of your field; and tracking influential authors, which helps you follow major voices, debates, and intellectual lineages over time. These techniques make your review more focused, strategic, and insightful, and stop you from getting lost in a sea of authors.
How can I conduct my literature review?
Writing a literature review can feel overwhelming, but breaking it down into manageable steps makes the process far more doable. This article outlines nine steps you’ll need to take.
The first few steps focus on preparation: start by clarifying your research question so you know exactly what you’re looking for. Then, define the scope of your reading and decide where you’ll find relevant sources – databases, journals, books, or grey literature. Begin with a broad skim-read to get a feel for the field before diving deeper. As you go, start logging what you’re reading and grouping it into themes. This gives you visibility over what’s out there and helps you avoid duplication or aimless searching.
Once you’ve built a solid foundation, shift towards synthesis and writing. Read more selectively and analytically, with your research question in mind. Begin to connect the literature – comparing arguments, spotting contradictions, and identifying gaps. Then:
- Structure your review into clear sections based on themes or arguments
- Start writing early, even before it feels “finished”
- Edit for clarity, coherence, and flow — aim to present an argument, not a summary
Following these steps will help you move from a messy pile of notes to a coherent, purposeful chapter that supports your overall thesis.
How to be critical in your PhD literature review
We’ve hinted a few times already at the importance of being argument-led in your PhD literature review. But what does that mean?
In short, it means being critical.
But what does that mean?
Being critical in your PhD literature review doesn’t mean being negative – it means showing that you can evaluate existing research with insight, balance, and independence. And as we’ve seen, you engage with the literature in order to further your argument.
You’re expected to go beyond simply describing what others have said, and instead analyse the strengths, limitations, assumptions, and contributions of different sources. This helps you build a credible, informed case for your own research and for the arguments you’re trying to lay out in a piece of writing. One key tip is to ask why a source matters, how it fits with others, and what’s missing.
To write critically, it’s helpful to avoid overusing summary phrases like “Smith says…” and instead centre your own analytical voice. Use language that compares and contrasts, such as “while,” “however,” and “in contrast,” to show how studies relate to one another. And be brave in highlighting gaps, contradictions, or underexplored areas; this is how you justify your own project. Ultimately, critical writing signals to your examiner that you’re not just repeating the field, but reshaping it.
What to do if there’s no literature
Hint: there is. You’re just likely not looking hard enough.
How to write a PhD literature review
The PhD literature review is complex, ongoing, and often overwhelming, but it’s also entirely doable with the right structure, mindset, and tools.
To help you get started (or get unstuck), we’ve put together a free PhD Literature Review Template & Worksheet. It’s a two-part download that gives you:
- A one-page cheat sheet showing exactly what your literature review needs to do (and what to avoid)
- A guided worksheet to help you define your scope, organise your themes, and begin writing with clarity
Whether you’re just starting out or deep in the reading stage, this resource will help you think more clearly, write more purposefully, and feel more in control.
Click here to download the free template now and start making real progress on your literature review today.
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