Strong examples of literature review in research papers (with tips)

First, some real examples of literature review in research papers

Let’s start where students actually need help: with concrete, real examples. Below are several examples of literature review in research papers across disciplines, with a quick breakdown of what each one does well.

Example of a narrative literature review in education

Imagine a research paper on the impact of one-to-one laptops in middle school classrooms. A strong narrative literature review in this paper might:

• Open by summarizing early 2000s studies that focused mostly on access to technology.
• Shift to mid-2010s research that moved toward student engagement and motivation.
• End with 2020–2024 studies that look at learning outcomes, equity, and digital distraction.

The review would not just list findings. Instead, it would highlight patterns:

• Early studies were optimistic but used small, non-diverse samples.
• Later work started to measure test scores and found mixed results.
• Recent research brings in issues like screen time, equity, and teacher training.

This kind of narrative review shows the story of the field: how the conversation has changed over time, and where gaps still exist (for example, limited long-term data on post-pandemic laptop use). It’s one of the best examples of how a literature review can guide the reader from “Here’s what we thought” to “Here’s what we still don’t know.”

If you want to see a real-world education literature review, browse recent open-access articles in journals like Teachers College Record or American Educational Research Journal via university libraries such as Harvard’s library (harvard.edu).

Example of a systematic-style literature review in public health

Now picture a public health paper on vaccine hesitancy among adults in the United States. Here, the literature review might borrow elements from systematic reviews:

• The author explains how they searched for studies (databases, keywords, date range).
• They group the studies into themes: misinformation, trust in institutions, access barriers, and political identity.
• They compare effect sizes or prevalence rates across surveys from 2018–2024.

This kind of review does more than say, “Some people are hesitant.” Instead, it might point out that:

• Studies from 2020–2021 linked hesitancy strongly to political polarization.
• More recent data (2023–2024) show fatigue and reduced perceived risk playing a bigger role.
• Interventions that simply provide more facts often fail, while approaches that build trust through community leaders have better outcomes.

You can see similar structures in many articles indexed by the National Institutes of Health (nih.gov). These are strong examples of examples of literature review in research papers that need to be transparent about how evidence was selected and weighed.

Example of an argumentative literature review in psychology

Consider a psychology paper on whether social media use causes anxiety in teenagers. The literature review might:

• Present cross-sectional studies that show correlations between heavy social media use and higher anxiety.
• Introduce longitudinal studies that suggest the relationship is more complex.
• Bring in experimental work where social media use is restricted for a period of time.

The author doesn’t stay neutral. Instead, they build an argument:

• Many early studies overstated causation from purely correlational data.
• Newer longitudinal and experimental studies from 2021–2024 suggest bidirectional effects: anxious teens may use social media differently, and specific patterns of use (like late-night scrolling or social comparison) matter more than total screen time.

This is one of the best examples of a literature review that takes a stand. It weighs quality of evidence, points out overstatements in past work, and justifies a more nuanced research question.

For high-quality psychology reviews, the American Psychological Association and journals indexed through APA PsycNet (apa.org) offer real examples that show this argumentative style.

Example of a theoretical literature review in sociology

Now shift to a sociology paper on gig work and labor precarity. A theoretical literature review here might:

• Summarize classic labor theories from the 20th century.
• Introduce more recent concepts like the “platform economy” and “algorithmic management.”
• Compare how these theories explain workers’ experiences on platforms like Uber or DoorDash.

Instead of focusing on data, this review focuses on ideas. The author might argue that:

• Older theories explain income instability well but miss the role of app-based control and ratings.
• Newer frameworks capture surveillance and data-driven management but sometimes ignore race, gender, or immigration status.

This literature review is an example of examples of literature review in research papers where the goal is to build a conceptual framework, not just summarize findings. It sets up the paper’s own theoretical contribution.

Example of an integrative literature review in nursing

Take a nursing research paper on burnout among hospital nurses post‑COVID‑19. An integrative literature review might:

• Combine quantitative studies (burnout scales, turnover rates) with qualitative studies (interviews, focus groups).
• Include both U.S. and international research from 2020–2024.
• Highlight organizational, psychological, and policy-level factors.

The author could show that:

• Quantitative studies report high burnout levels, especially in intensive care units.
• Qualitative studies reveal emotional exhaustion tied to moral distress, staffing shortages, and repeated surges.
• Policy papers suggest staffing ratios, mental health support, and schedule flexibility as interventions.

You’ll see similar integrative examples in nursing journals indexed through PubMed and in guidance from organizations like the Mayo Clinic (mayoclinic.org) when they summarize research on clinician burnout.

Example of a scoping-style literature review in computer science

Now imagine a computer science paper on using large language models (LLMs) in K–12 education. The field is moving so fast that a scoping-style literature review makes sense. It might:

• Map out different application areas: automated feedback, tutoring, lesson planning, accessibility, and language support.
• Distinguish between conceptual pieces, small pilot studies, and larger classroom trials.
• Note which age groups and subjects have been studied and which are missing.

The author might conclude that:

• Most research so far focuses on higher education, not K–12.
• Many 2023–2024 studies are small pilots with limited generalizability.
• There’s almost no long-term data on learning outcomes or equity effects, especially for younger students.

This is a clear example of examples of literature review in research papers that aim to map a landscape rather than answer a narrow question. Scoping reviews are especially common when a technology or topic is new and the research is scattered.

Example of a mini literature review in an undergraduate research paper

Not every paper needs a long, formal review. Picture a 12-page undergraduate research paper on remote learning satisfaction among college freshmen. The literature review might be just two to three pages, but it can still be strong.

A good mini-review would:

• Summarize key findings from 5–10 recent studies on remote learning during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Organize them around themes like student engagement, technology access, and mental health.
• Point out that most studies focus on overall satisfaction, with less attention to first-year students who are adjusting to college and remote learning at the same time.

Even at this level, the best examples include clear topic sentences, critical comments about sample size or method, and a final paragraph that says, in plain language, “Here’s what’s missing—and here’s how my study fits in.”

What these examples of literature review in research papers have in common

The fields above look different on the surface, but the strongest examples of examples of literature review in research papers share the same backbone. They all:

• Move from broad to specific so the reader can follow the logic.
• Group studies into themes or debates, not article-by-article summaries.
• Comment on quality, not just results (sample size, method, bias, time period).
• End by identifying a clear gap or tension that justifies the new study.

Think of a literature review as a carefully organized conversation at a crowded conference. Your job is to:

• Introduce the main speakers (key studies and theories).
• Summarize what each one is saying.
• Point out where they agree, disagree, or simply talk past each other.
• Then explain why your voice needs to enter the conversation.

When you look at real examples of literature review in research papers, you’ll notice that the authors rarely just list studies in chronological order. They make choices about what to include, what to emphasize, and how to connect the dots.

How to model your own review on these real examples

Reading examples is helpful, but the real payoff is being able to copy the underlying moves. Here’s how to use the best examples of literature review in research papers as templates without copying their wording.

Step 1: Skim several examples just for structure

Pick three or four real examples of examples of literature review in research papers from your field. Don’t worry about the content at first. Instead, ask:

• How does the author start—history, definitions, statistics, or a big problem statement?
• Where do they switch from background to more focused themes?
• How do they transition between sections? (Look for phrases like “in contrast,” “however,” “more recently,” “building on this work.”)
• How many paragraphs do they spend on each major theme?

You can find open-access examples through:

• PubMed Central for health, medicine, and psychology (nih.gov).
• University repositories (.edu) for theses and dissertations.
• Nonprofit organizations (.org) that publish research summaries.

Step 2: Map out themes before you write

Once you’ve read some examples, turn to your own sources. Instead of writing from the first article forward, step back and:

• List your studies on sticky notes or in a spreadsheet.
• Group them by theme: similar questions, methods, populations, or findings.
• Notice which piles are big (well-studied) and which are tiny (gaps).

This is exactly what those strong examples of literature review in research papers are doing behind the scenes. They’re not magically fluent; they’re organized.

Step 3: Borrow sentence patterns, not sentences

If academic writing feels stiff, look at a real example of literature review and literally copy the sentence shape, then plug in your own content. For instance:

• “Early research on ___ focused primarily on ___, often overlooking ___.”
• “While several studies have examined ___, far less attention has been paid to ___.”
• “Taken together, these findings suggest ___, yet they leave unanswered questions about ___.”

You’ll see variations of these lines in many examples of examples of literature review in research papers. Using these patterns keeps your writing clear and reader-friendly while staying original.

Step 4: Tie the review directly to your research question

The last paragraph of your literature review should not feel like a random ending. In the best examples include moves like:

• Summarizing the state of the field in one or two sentences.
• Naming specific gaps (methods, populations, time period, context).
• Stating how your study will address at least one of those gaps.

For instance:

“Although prior research has linked social media use to adolescent anxiety, most studies rely on cross-sectional self-report data from single time points. The present study addresses this gap by using a two-year longitudinal design to examine how specific patterns of use predict changes in anxiety symptoms over time.”

That kind of ending shows you’ve learned from the examples of literature review in research papers you’ve read—and that you understand the point of the review: to justify your study.

Recent trends in literature reviews (2024–2025)

If you’re writing now, you’re not writing in a vacuum. A few current trends show up again and again in recent examples of literature review in research papers:

• More transparency about search and selection. Even in non-systematic reviews, authors increasingly mention how they found and filtered studies, especially in health and social sciences.
• Attention to bias and representation. Reviews are more likely to point out when samples are heavily skewed toward one country, race, gender, or income group.
• Inclusion of gray literature. Policy reports, preprints, and organizational white papers sometimes appear alongside journal articles, especially in fast-moving areas like AI in education or pandemic-related topics.
• Use of AI as a tool (with caution). Some researchers use AI tools to help identify or organize sources, but reputable examples always show that humans made the final selections and interpretations.

When you look at fresh examples from 2023–2025, you’ll see more explicit comments about limitations in the existing literature and diversity of samples than you might find in older papers.

FAQ: Common questions about examples of literature review in research papers

How many sources should I include in my literature review?
There’s no magic number. A short undergraduate paper might use 8–15 solid sources, while a thesis or journal article might draw on 40–100. When you study real examples of literature review in research papers from your field, pay attention to how many sources they typically cite and aim for a similar range, adjusted for your assignment.

Where can I find good examples of literature review in research papers?
Look at recent articles in reputable journals in your discipline, especially review articles and introductions to empirical studies. Databases like PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC, and Google Scholar, plus university repositories (.edu), are reliable starting points. When you open a paper, scroll to the introduction section—that’s usually where the literature review lives.

What is an example of a bad literature review?
A weak review usually reads like a list: “Smith (2018) found X. Jones (2019) found Y. Lee (2020) found Z.” There’s no organizing logic, no comparison, and no clear gap at the end. If you compare that to the best examples of literature review in research papers, you’ll notice that strong reviews always group studies by theme, not by author, and they comment on quality and patterns.

Can I use literature reviews from health sites like Mayo Clinic or WebMD as models?
Yes, with caution. Sites like the Mayo Clinic and MedlinePlus (nih.gov) often provide readable summaries of research, but they’re written for the public, not for academic journals. They’re useful to see how someone explains complex evidence clearly, but for academic structure, rely on journal articles and theses as your main examples.

Do I need a separate section called “Literature Review”?
That depends on your field and assignment. In many research papers, especially in the sciences, the literature review appears as part of the Introduction rather than as its own heading. Social sciences and humanities sometimes use a dedicated “Literature Review” section. Look at examples of examples of literature review in research papers from your target journal or your department’s thesis guidelines to see the usual format.

If you remember nothing else, remember this: don’t write your literature review in isolation. Spend a bit of time with real examples from your field, notice how they’re built, and then treat them as blueprints. With that approach, your own review stops being a random pile of summaries and starts becoming what it’s meant to be: a clear, convincing map that leads straight to your research question.