A literature review is not a summary of everything you read — it is an argument built from what others have found, leading the reader to the gap your study fills. Whether it sits inside Chapter Two or stands alone, the skill is the same: read widely, organise by idea, and synthesise. This guide takes Nigerian undergraduate and postgraduate students through the full process, from searching for sources to citing them correctly.
Step 1: Find Credible Sources
Start with academic sources — peer-reviewed journals, theses, and reputable books — rather than blogs or unattributed websites. Free, credible places to search include Google Scholar, your institution's library and e-resources, and open databases. Save the full reference details the moment you find a source, so you never have to hunt for them later.
Step 2: Organise by Theme, Not by Author
Group your sources around the concepts and variables in your topic. A theme-based outline ('what is known about X', 'what is known about the X–Y relationship', 'where studies disagree') produces a flowing review. An author-by-author list produces a catalogue.
Step 3: Synthesise the Findings
Synthesis means writing about the ideas, drawing several sources into each point, and comparing them. Where do findings agree? Where do they conflict, and why might that be? What has nobody studied yet? This reasoning across sources is what examiners look for.
Step 4: Cite Correctly and Honestly
Use the citation style your department requires (APA is the most common in Nigeria). Cite every borrowed idea, paraphrase rather than copy, and make sure each in-text citation has a matching entry in your reference list. Never list a source you did not read.
Step 5: State the Research Gap
End the review by naming clearly what the literature has not yet answered — the gap your study addresses. This single statement justifies your entire project and links the review back to your problem statement.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Listing sources one by one with no comparison between them.
- Relying on blogs and unverified websites instead of academic sources.
- Copying definitions or sentences without paraphrasing and citing.
- Citing only old studies and ignoring recent work in the field.
- Ending the review with no clear statement of the research gap.
Practical Checklist
- Are my sources mostly credible, academic and reasonably recent?
- Is my review organised by theme rather than author?
- Have I compared and synthesised, not just summarised?
- Is every in-text citation matched in my reference list?
- Have I stated the research gap my study fills?
Example Structure (Skeleton You Adapt)
- Introduction: what the review covers and how it is organised.
- Theme 1: definitions and key debates, drawing on several sources.
- Theme 2: the relationship or variable central to your study.
- Theme 3: contradictions or under-studied areas in the literature.
- Summary and research gap: what is unanswered, leading into your study.
To see how the review fits the full chapter, read how to write Chapter Two. Project Lab can help you organise sources by theme and keep your citations consistent and real. You may also want how to write your research methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find free academic sources?
Google Scholar, your institution's library and e-resource subscriptions, and reputable open-access databases are good starting points. Always confirm a source is peer-reviewed or otherwise credible before citing it.
Which citation style should I use?
APA is the most common in Nigerian projects, but some departments use others. Check your handbook and apply one style consistently throughout.