How to Write a Literature Review in 30 Minutes or Less
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This document provides instructions for writing a literature review in 5 steps: 1) Extract summaries from sources; 2) Reorder summaries; 3) Divide summaries into body paragraphs; 4) Add topic sentences and transitions to paragraphs; 5) Add introduction and conclusion. It then walks through an example applying these steps to summaries about cultural diversity in the workplace, resulting in 5 body paragraphs that describe the problem, cite international and US studies, and discuss some potential solutions.
How to Write a Literature Review in 30 Minutes or Less
- 1. 1 How to Write a Literature Review in 30 Minutes or Less FIVE EASY STEPS Don’t let the name scare you. A “literature review” or “synthesis of literature” is simply a report. The purpose of this report is to organize for discussion the sources you have collected. The process for doing this is easy and consists of 5 simple steps. Click on each of the links below to follow the steps: Step 1: Extract Summaries Step 2: Reorder Summaries Step 3: Divide Into Body Paragraphs Step 4: Shape the Paragraphs Step 5: Add Introduction & Conclusion STEP 1: Extract Summaries Don’t let the name scare you. A “literature review” or “synthesis of literature” is simply a report. The purpose of this report is to organize for discussion the sources you have collected. The process for doing this is easy and consists of 5 simple steps. Step 1: Extract Summaries To use your summaries in paragraphs, first move the citation information to a list by itself. In the remaining summaries be sure to keep author last names and dates of publication as in-text citations. Page numbers aren’t necessary because you are summarizing the entire work. Also, once you indicate the year of publication of a source in a paragraph, you do not have to repeat the publication year again in that paragraph. Here is what the list of sources should look like before and after you strip out the reference citations.
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- 3. 3 AFTER Note that each summary contains an in-text citation of the author(s) last names and year of publication. Also note that the year of publication does NOT have to be repeated once it is stated in a paragraph.
- 4. 4 STEP 2: Reread & Reorder Summaries In this step, reread the summaries and rearrange them for discussion. In other words, after studying the summaries, currently in alphabetical order, reorder them in a sequence that allows you to present them in a logical way. Rearranging the summaries into an organized list forces you to find connections among them. For example, here are seven summaries about communication problems caused by cultural diversity in the workplace. Reading over them, note similarities and differences, then reorder them so that they flow in some type of sequence. Keep in mind: There is no one universally correct sequence. The correct sequence is the one that you find and apply effectively. The first entry by Barker and Gower concerns the use of storytelling. The annotation says the authors studied storytelling as a way to increase communication in a culturally diverse workplace. So, this source is presenting a strategy or a solution for our problem. Let’s label it SOLUTION. SOLUTION Barker and Gower (2010) examine storytelling as a way to increase effective communication in a diverse workplace. The authors present a form of storytelling as an organizational communication tool and discuss how to apply it in the work environment. This approach may not be suitable for all organizations but can be used to develop alternative strategies. Next is a 1996 article by Fine that calls cultural diversity in the US workforce “perhaps the most pressing challenge of our times.” The article challenges academics to get busy and focus on marginalized voices that need assistance. It’s interesting that in the last century someone was already calling cultural diversity "the most pressing challenge of our times." Let’s label this a description of the PROBLEM. PROBLEM Fine (1996) believes that cultural diversity of the US workforce is perhaps the most pressing challenge of our times. However, research on this issue has produced general overviews on diversity. Missing are research studies of diversity in specific organizations. Research needs to document different voices in the workforce, especially those that have been marginalized. Academics should demonstrate to the public the worth of their studies on cultural diversity and multicultural discourses. Next, Frisoli describes a series of Internet interviews he conducted with a West African man. Frisoli found that communication was blurred for two reasons: the medium—the Internet—and also because the two men had different attitudes toward technology and communication. Frisoli ends by underlining the need for flexibility in understanding and accepting how someone can be culturally different. Let’s label this one—PROBLEM. NEED FOR UNDERSTANDING. PROBLEM/ NEED FOR UNDER- STANDING Frisoli (2010) uses a series of interviews he conducted with a West African man to study communication between people of culturally diverse backgrounds. Frisoli found that communication on the Internet can be easily distorted due to cross-cultural barriers. Frisoli also found that people of diverse backgrounds often bring different sets of ethical attitudes toward technology that can further skew communication. Frisoli highlights the importance of understanding these differences in order to improve communication.
- 5. 5 This next entry is about a group of 12 workers who migrated to Australia. Despite having mastered English before going to Australia, these non-native professionals still encountered significant communication barriers. The barriers resulted from differences in culture, not language. A training program that focused on cultural differences seemed to help. We can also label this one-- PROBLEM. NEED FOR UNDERSTANDING. PROBLEM/ NEED FOR UNDER- STANDING Icten (2010) studied the impact of culture on communication for migrant workers in Australia. The twelve workers interviewed were educated and articulate. They mastered English before moving to Australia. However, they encountered significant communication barriers despite their mastery. Icten suggests that the barriers were based on cultural differences, not language skills. Icten describes an “Innovative Communication in the Workplace” program that helped workers overcome these cultural barriers and to communicate more successfully. So, a clear pattern is starting to emerge: sources are describing either the problem or solutions for the problem. Note that two sources both say one key is to UNDERSTAND the differences in order to overcome them. Let’s continue. The Lopez-Rocha entry focuses on a solution—diversity training. It presents evidence that increasing the cultural sensitivity of employees makes good things happen in the workplace, including overcoming communication barriers caused by cultural differences. So, we label this a SOLUTION. SOLUTION Lopez-Rocha (2006) addresses communication conflicts through diversity training, providing evidence that increasing cultural awareness in the workplace improves relationships, organizational procedures, and productivity. Managers must be aware of the main factor that causes conflicts: the differences among individuals from different cultural groups. These differences involve discrepancies in language and communication style, values, attitudes towards authority, and time—all of which can be addressed in diversity training. By now, soon as you look at the Sweeney and Zhu summary, you know where it will fit. The study documents problems that cultural diversity can cause in the workplace. Note that this author also mentions the need for native speakers to be flexible, understanding and accommodating to nonnative speakers. Again we will label this-- PROBLEM. NEED FOR UNDERSTANDING. PROBLEM/ NEED FOR UNDER- STANDING A study by Sweeny and Zhu (2010) observed 14 native speakers of English in intercultural business negotiations to measure how they accommodated 13 nonnative speakers of English. The results suggested that native speakers used a wider range of linguistic devices than nonnative speakers. The majority of the native speakers were challenged to accommodate nonnative speakers and did so with varying degrees of effectiveness. The study concluded that native speakers lacked an understanding of the issues of intercultural communication and were unable to effectively accommodate nonnative speakers. For the final entry by Teodorescu, it takes only a glance to see that the technique of translation has a place in the culturally diverse workplace and we have yet another--SOLUTION.
- 6. 6 SOLUTION This article by Teodorescu (2010) addresses the need for translation in culturally diverse communications. Teodorescu highlights the negative affect that poor translation can have on communications, as well as strategies for effectively sharing ideas in culturally diverse environments. To complete Step 2, we will ignore the original alphabetical order and rearrange the summaries according to PROBLEM—SOLUTION, which is the main pattern we observed. Keep in mind that this is just a rough arrangement that can be fine tuned later:
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- 8. 8 STEP 3: Divide into Body Paragraphs In this step, decide which summaries will stand alone as body paragraphs and which should be combined. This decision is based on how closely related some summaries are and their length—try to limit your paragraphs to a reasonable length, around 10-14 lines long. In a previous step, when categorizing the summaries, four were labeled as describing the PROBLEM and three focused on a SOLUTION to that problem. Now it's time to determine which ones should stand alone as paragraphs and which should be combined. The Fine article can come first because it offers an overview of the problem ("cultural diversity of the US workforce is perhaps the most pressing challenge of our times") that dates back to the previous century: Body Paragraph 1 Fine (1996) believes that cultural diversity of the US workforce is perhaps the most pressing challenge of our times. However, research on this issue has produced general overviews on diversity. Missing are research studies of diversity in specific organizations. Research needs to document different voices in the workforce, especially those that have been marginalized. Academics should demonstrate to the public the worth of their studies on cultural diversity and multicultural discourses. The next three sources share an important similarity. Each source studied a specific group of culturally diverse workers and concluded the same thing: Even if speakers share a mastery of the language, there will likely be communication problems unless cultural differences are recognized and dealt with. The three summaries together are too long for a single paragraph. So the first two can be grouped on the basis of geography. Since one talks about a man in West Africa and the other discusses workers in Australia, this paragraph presents a WORLDWIDE PROBLEM, followed by a paragraph for the Sweeny and Zhu study that took place in the U.S. Body Paragraph 2 Frisoli (2010) uses a series of interviews he conducted with a West African man to study communication between people of culturally diverse backgrounds. Frisoli found that communication on the Internet can be easily distorted due to cross-cultural barriers. Frisoli also found that people of diverse backgrounds often bring different sets of ethical attitudes toward technology that can further skew communication. Frisoli highlights the importance of understanding these differences in order to improve communication. Icten (2010) studied the impact of culture on communication for migrant workers in Australia. The twelve workers interviewed were educated and articulate. They mastered English before moving to Australia. However, they encountered significant communication barriers despite their mastery. Icten suggests that the barriers were based on cultural differences, not language skills. Icten describes an “Innovative Communication in the Workplace” program that helped workers overcome these cultural barriers and to communicate more successfully.
- 9. 9 Body Paragraph 3 A study by Sweeny and Zhu (2010) in the U.S. observed 14 native speakers of English in intercultural business negotiations to measure how they accommodated 13 nonnative speakers of English. The results suggested that native speakers used a wider range of linguistic devices than nonnative speakers. The majority of the native speakers were challenged to accommodate nonnative speakers and did so with varying degrees of effectiveness. The study concluded that native speakers lacked an understanding of the issues of intercultural communication and were unable to effectively accommodate nonnative speakers. It’s important to note that all three are tied together by one theme: mastery of language alone is not enough for effective communication in the workplace. Preparedness to deal with cultural differences is also necessary. The need to be prepared provides a natural transition to the last three summaries that discuss solutions. The first two solutions are very specific and can be combined into one paragraph: Body Paragraph 4 Barker and Gower (2010) examine storytelling as a way to increase effective communication in a diverse workplace. The authors present a form of storytelling as an organizational communication tool and discuss how to apply it in the work environment. This approach may not be suitable for all organizations but can be used to develop alternative strategies. This article by Teodorescu (2010) addresses the need for translation in culturally diverse communications. Teodorescu highlights the negative affect that poor translation can have on communications, as well as strategies for effectively sharing ideas in culturally diverse environments. However, the last summary by Lopez-Rocha offers a universal-type solution (diversity training) that could apply to any workplace; therefore, it provides a good way to end the body of the lit review: Body Paragraph 5 Lopez-Rocha (2006) addresses communication conflicts through diversity training, providing evidence that increasing cultural awareness in the workplace improves relationships, organizational procedures, and productivity. Managers must be aware of the main factor that causes conflicts: the differences among individuals from different cultural groups. These differences involve discrepancies in language and communication style, values, attitudes towards authority, and time—all of which can be addressed in diversity training. So, the body of this particular literature review will have five paragraphs. 1. The first body paragraph will set the stage, telling how old and important this problem is. 2. The second body paragraph will show that the problem is worldwide, beyond mere language, and requires preparing workers to deal with cultural differences in communication. 3. The third body paragraph brings the problem home to the U.S. and reinforces the need for workers to be sensitive to cultural differences. 4. The fourth body paragraph presents two very different solutions to the problem. 5. The fifth body paragraph presents an overarching solution—diversity training—that can apply to virtually any organization. The paragraphs are set and are ready for the next step: adding paragraph topic sentences and transitions.
- 10. 10 STEP 4: Shape the Paragraphs Each body paragraph requires a topic sentence to introduce the source or sources discussed. When there is more than one source in a paragraph, a transition or thought bridge must be added to connect them. A topic sentence for the Fine study could highlight an historical perspective: Topic Sentence: Body Paragraph 1 Cultural diversity has long been recognized as a potential problem in the workplace that deserves serious attention. As far back as 1996, Fine stated that cultural diversity of the U.S. workforce is perhaps the most pressing challenge of our times. However, research on this issue had produced general overviews on diversity. Missing were research studies of diversity in specific organizations. Research to document different voices in the workforce, especially those that have been marginalized, was needed. Fine challenged academics to demonstrate to the public the worth of their studies on cultural diversity and multicultural discourses. Now comes a topic sentence for the West African and Australian studies. This topic sentence also should serve as a transition from the first paragraph, so Fine is referenced. In the middle of the paragraph, a transition sentence is added to tie the two sources together: Topic Sentence: Body Paragraph 2 Fine’s call to action was heeded by numerous researchers and resulted in studies of geographically dispersed cultures. For example, Frisoli (2010) uses a series of interviews conducted with a West African man to study communication between two people of culturally diverse backgrounds. Frisoli found that communication on the Internet can be easily distorted due to cross- cultural barriers. Frisoli also found that people of diverse backgrounds often bring different sets of ethical attitudes toward technology, which can further skew communication. Frisoli highlights the importance of understanding differences in order to improve communication. Transition Sentence: Body Paragraph 2 Frisoli's findings were replicated on the opposite side of the globe by Icten (2010) who looked at the impact of culture on communication for migrant workers in Australia. The twelve workers had mastered English before moving to Australia. However, they encountered significant communication barriers despite their mastery. Icten suggests that the barriers were based on cultural differences, not language skills. Icten describes an “Innovative Communication in the Workplace” program that helped workers overcome these cultural barriers and to communicate more successfully. The result is a longish paragraph that holds together due to the geographical angle. Also, its length could be edited down in the revision stage. Keeping with the geographical angle, a natural topic sentence for the next body paragraph could begin, "These international findings," which also serves as a transition between the two paragraphs:
- 11. 11 Topic Sentence: Body Paragraph 3 These international findings were replicated in the U.S. in a 2010 study by Sweeny and Zhu, who observed 14 native speakers of English in intercultural business negotiations to measure how they accommodated 13 nonnative speakers of English. The results suggested that native speakers used a wider range of linguistic devices than nonnative speakers. The majority of the native speakers were challenged to accommodate nonnative speakers and did so with varying degrees of effectiveness. The study concluded that native speakers lacked an understanding of the issues of intercultural communication and were unable to effectively accommodate nonnative speakers. Now come the paragraphs on solutions: two short ones on storytelling and translation followed by the Lopez- Rocha summary about workplace diversity training. Note the weakness in our research so far: not enough specific solutions. Revealing such gaps in research is an important function of writing a lit review. Any gaps or needs should be noted in the conclusion of the lit review. Here is workable topic sentence for the paragraph containing the two solution summaries as well as a transition sentence to connect them: Topic Sentence: Body Paragraph 4 A variety of specific techniques have been suggestedto address the problem of overcoming the impact of cultural diversity on communication in the workplace. For example, Barker and Gower (2010) examine storytelling as a way to increase effective communication in a diverse workplace. The authors present a form of storytelling as an organizational communication tool and discuss how to apply it in the work environment. This approach may not be suitable for all organizations, but it can be used to develop alternative strategies. When cultural and linguistic differences are at Transition Sentence: Body Paragraph 4 play, the role of translators can become to maintain effective communication. Teodorescu (2010) addresses the need for translation in culturally diverse communications by highlighting the negative affect that poor translation can have on communications and offering strategies for effectively sharing ideas in culturally diverse environments. The specific solutions discussed in the two short summaries help to set up the best overall solution suggested by Lopez-Rocha in the final body paragraph, introduced with this topic sentence: Topic Sentence: Body Paragraph 5 Regardless of the specific techniques employed, it has become clear that the best outcomes are achieved with a formal program of diversity training that fosters a culture of acceptance and accommodation in the workplace. Lopez-Rocha (2006) addresses communication conflicts through diversity training, providing evidence that increasing cultural awareness in the workplace improves relationships, organizational procedures, and productivity. Managers must be aware of the main factor that causes conflicts: the differences among individuals from different cultural groups. These differences involve discrepancies in language and communication style, values, attitudes towards authority, and time—all of which can be addressed in diversity training.
- 12. 12 Now that the paragraphs have been shaped into a narrative with topic sentences and internal transitions, the lit review is ready for the last step: adding an introduction and conclusion. STEP 5: Introduction & Conclusion The body of the literature review now needs an introduction and conclusion. The opening paragraph should begin broadly by introducing the overall topic—in this case, the impact of cultural diversity on communication—and then gradually funnel down to a thesis statement. Because a literature review is about the published works of others, the thesis statement brings together the major points discussed by the sources. A phrase such as “This review of literature on cultural diversity and communication indicates . . . .” signals to readers that they will be reading a literature review, not your individual claims, arguments or opinions. Here is a possible introduction paragraph for this lit review on cultural diversity in the workplace. Note that the thesis statement reflects the problem-solution pattern that the summaries were arranged in. INTRODUCTION Whether it’s an office filled with cubicles, a meeting room, or a video conferencing platform, cultural diversity is a fact in today’s workplaces. An increasing reliance on technology, growth of the global marketplace, and the prominence of multinational companies have increased the need for managers and employees to recognize and deal with the challenges to effective communication this diversity brings. The following review of literature confirms that workplace diversity presents problems that go beyond mere language fluency, discusses specific and general solutions, and concludes that workplace-specific initiatives are needed for today's and tomorrow's workforce.. One common strategy for the conclusion paragraph is to open with a restatement of the thesis, which refocuses the reader on the overall point and brings the discussion full circle. Another common strategy is to comment on any gaps or flaws in the research reviewed and, finally, to end with any reflections on how the literature reviewed relates to the overall field in which the topic is situated. Here is a possible conclusion paragraph for this brief literature review on cultural diversity: Now it’s possible to add a title that can serve as an umbrella for the entire review and view the final product: CONCLUSION The global village that is today’s workplace will only continue to increase in size and diversity. Unfortunately, research into the problems caused by cultural diversity, from lower productivity and morale to communication barriers, has so far been both general and sparse. Reflecting that immaturity, the literature reviewed in this report defines the overall problem and offers some solutions. However, further research is needed to more clearly categorize the difficulties caused by cultural diversity and to develop effective training programs to address these challenges for tomorrow's workforce.
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