literature review for epq

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EPQs: finding and using evidence

Finding the evidence that will help you understand a topic or answer a question is an important stage in the research process. And once you have found it, you will need to examine it closely and carefully, to judge how reliable it is and whether it is useful to help you answer your question.

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is an opportunity for you to work independently on a topic that really interests you or that you think is important. It is equivalent to an A-level qualification. These articles are designed to help you if you are enrolled on an EPQ.

  See previous article in series: Designing your research question

Before working through this article, you should have settled on your research question .

This article will support you through the next steps in the research cycle (Figure 1): collecting evidence (or data) to help you answer your question and starting your analysis of that evidence.  First, let’s look at collecting data.

The research cycle: data collection

What is already known about your topic?

The first step in answering a research question is usually to do a ‘literature review’ or ‘research review’.

These articles focus on the ‘research review’ type of EPQ, in which collecting and analysing evidence from what other people have written will be a major part of what you do.

Researchers need to do research reviews for two reasons. First, they want to uncover what is already known. A lot is already known about some topics and they want to be sure that they are researching a novel question. Second, they want to get a balanced view of what is known, rather than jumping in and relying on the first pieces of information they find.

Photo of Julia

A literature review starts with focused and serious reading, to help you develop your knowledge and understanding of the topic, and begin to gather evidence that will help you answer your question.

Julia , a researcher in AstrobiologyOU, whose research explores the possibilities for habitable environments in the Solar System, demonstrates how she starts a literature review. As you read through, think about the process Julia describes and how you could apply the steps she takes to your EPQ research review.

  • Starting a literature review.

When you’re starting a literature review, where do you look for evidence? 

Any literature review requires a well-defined topic. Let’s assume the topic is something in planetary science!

Find an exciting topic: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov provides a good overview of our Solar System.  Let’s pick Mars.

Photo of Mars

Define a specific question. How did Valles Marineris form? 

Photo of Valles Marineris

Learn about Valles Marineris. You can use Wikipedia as a starting point and look up the references given there.

Use Google Scholar to find specific literature (e.g. search words such as *formation of Valles Marineris*). Look up research cited in the papers you read if they are also relevant to your topic. Make sure you always cite your sources.

My colleague Julia is a research fellow in AstrobiologyOU. She uses computer modelling to understand geological processes on planets such as Venus and Mars. For her, the process of starting a literature review is all about starting broad and gradually narrowing down. So, assuming that the topic is something in planetary science, start with something that gives you an overview. In this case, it’s the whole solar system. Then gradually coming in a step, first of all, focusing on one planet: Mars. Coming down to something on that planet; how did Valles Marineris form? And then having decided on the specific topic, learning more about it, Julia suggests using Wikipedia as a starting point, but looking up references given from it, and then using Google Scholar or other research engines to find specific literature, to look up research, and to find papers that are relevant to your topic.

Comments on Julia’s approach 

You’ll notice that Julia starts from the ‘big picture’ and gradually focuses down to more specific material. This is very similar to the process you followed in article 1 ( Designing your research question ) to move from ‘this is a topic I’m interested in’ to ‘this is the question I want to ask’.

You’ll also notice that Julia moves from a quite open, broad source of evidence (Wikipedia) to using more serious sources (Google Scholar). There’s more on where and how to look for evidence in Section 4.

You will know that Wikipedia, despite having information about hundreds of thousands of topics, is not a 100% reliable source. Wikipedia can be a good place to start your research, get your ideas moving and find places where you can look for more information, but you should always cross-check any information you find there against another source.

Finding keywords.

With so much information available online, how do you begin finding relevant material? Most researchers start by assembling a collection of keywords that relate to the topic and can be used to search for more information. But how do you find those all-important keywords?

In some ways, deciding on your keywords is like the ‘ten words’ activity you used in Article 1 to help you move from topic to question.

  • Watch how Devyani creates a mind map
  • Ann’s summary

Photo of mind map

Devyani's mindmap

But how do you come up with those all-important keywords? Devyani, who is a PhD student in AstrobiologyOU, gave me a few thoughts. As a PhD student, she’s just been through this process herself. 

She suggested looking for key concepts and words in the main topic, perhaps splitting your question up and looking at separate elements of it. So for her, space technologies, sustainable development, SDGs, would be good keywords. Perhaps writing down similar words to the keywords that you've identified, using a thesaurus to help you find alternatives. 

Once you start searching, using things like Google Scholar or the Web of Science, you can use advanced search options such as ‘and’ and ‘or’ functions to help you link topics that you need to look for. 

We’ll come on to different places you can actually do your searches in a couple of minutes.

Scattering of keywords printed out and cut up

You might want to try Devyani’s method, or you could try  this quick activity  from The Open University to get started on finding good keywords. 

Going back to the example research question we used in Article 1:  ‘ How did young people use social media for activism?: comparing the content of Instagram posts on #blacklivesmatter and #FridaysForFuture during 2020’

What keywords might you use to search for relevant material to help answer this question?  Perhaps you’d come up with ideas like “social media”, “activism”, “black lives matter”, “Fridays for future”.

As you can see, keywords can sometimes be more than one word!

Searching for evidence.

Having identified your keywords, the next step is to use them to start searching for evidence that will help you answer your research question.

Evidence can come from many sources: books; academic articles (often called ‘papers’); reports from businesses, charities and other organisations; newspaper articles; radio and television; websites; social media … the list could go on!

With so much material out there, it’s helpful to make a plan before you start your search. Think about:

  • the keywords you will use
  • the most useful places to search
  • the time you have available for searching.

Keeping track .

You will gather a lot of information, so you should keep good records. Knowing what you’ve looked for, where you looked and what you found there will help you avoid repeating something you’ve already done. You’ll also be able to fully acknowledge the sources you have used in your research (this will be discussed further in Article 3 ). Make notes of:

  • what keywords and combinations of keywords you used (your ‘search terms’)
  • where you looked
  • what documents you downloaded or read online
  • notes you made about what you read.

You could keep a record in a simple table, perhaps on a spreadsheet (you can download  an example here ).

For any documents you find, you’ll also find it useful to keep records of:

  • the name of the author(s)
  • when it was published
  • the title of the article, report, book or chapter
  • where it was published – i.e., the title of the journal, book or website
  • a link to the document or its DOI (digital object identifier)
  • (for books) the name of the publishing company and where it’s based.

The digital object identifier (DOI):  You might not have come across a DOI before. Most academic articles have a DOI – a unique string of numbers and letters that is permanently attached to an article. If you paste a DOI into a browser, it will take you straight to that article. Try this one: https://doi.org/10.14324/RFA.05.2.14

When it comes to writing up your dissertation, these notes can be good evidence in themselves, showing how you carried out your review, so it’s sensible to get your record-keeping method set up before you begin searching.

Where should I search?

It’s very likely that you will carry out your search using online resources. But there are so many to choose from that it can be difficult to know where to start.

  • Search engines
  • University repositories
  • Social media
  • Researchers’ websites
  • Scholarly databases
  • Collections
  • Journal websites

You can use the well-known search engines, such as Google, Bing or Yahoo, but you will get more reliable results if you use a specialised search engine such as  Google Scholar , which returns links to articles and academic papers produced by researchers in universities and research institutions.

Many of the papers, articles, newspaper pieces and other items that you will find in your searching – but not all – will be  open access,  which means they are free to view and you can download them. 

Many universities have repositories that store the work of researchers at that university. The Open University’s repository is called  Open Research Online (ORO) . Most UK and international universities have something similar. Universities maintain these repositories because they want to make the work of their researchers available for others to use.

Repositories are often looked after by the university’s library team, so if you can’t find the repository easily, try looking on the library pages on the university website.

Online repositories usually allow you to search by a topic, or by the name of the author if you are trying to get hold of a particular resource.

If you’re interested in the work of a particular research group (such as  AstrobiologyOU ) or a specific researcher, you’ll often find them on social media. Most research groups keep copies of work published by their researchers; it’s always worth contacting them. Explain that you want to use the research for your EPQ.

Researchers often have their own websites ( here’s an example ), which you can find using a search engine. If you can’t get hold of an article that you need for your work, email the researcher. Researchers are often willing to share copies of their work to help other researchers, so explain that you want to use it for your EPQ.

Many researchers keep copies of their papers and articles on networking sites such as  ResearchGate , which also allow you to search by topic. However, these records are kept up to date by the researchers themselves, so you should always check against another source if you can.

Professional databases, such as Web of Science and EBSCO , bring together research from thousands of researchers across the world.

However, you will have to create an account, or pay a subscription to make full use of sites like this, which might not be practical for you.

If you find the researcher on the database but the paper you want isn’t there, use the database’s facilities to contact the researcher. Again, tell them why you want to read the article.

Universities and research institutions are increasingly bringing their resources together into large collections.

CORE  is the world’s largest collection of open access research papers and articles.

ARXIV.org  has more than a million articles, mainly in physics, mathematics and engineering.

A screenshot of the results of searching for the term

Journals are the places where researchers publish the articles that discuss their research. There are many thousands of academic journals in existence, covering every topic imaginable.

For example, try typing the phrase "ecology journal" (complete with speech marks) into a search engine. You will find a long list of possible titles is returned.

On the journals’ websites, you can search by topic to find relevant articles. If you are searching for a specific paper, and know the journal it was published in, you can use the journal’s search function to find it. However, many journals are commercial organisations and keep articles behind a ‘paywall’, meaning they are only available to people or institutions that subscribe to them.

Fortunately, more and more journals (for example PLoS – Public Library of Science ) are fully open access and many journals make some articles freely available.

Print media: If you’re looking for material published in newspapers or magazines, first try the website of the newspaper or search for their digital archive. If you can’t find it online, try your local public library; they often have access to hard-copy archives or can advise you where to find them.

Book publishers:  There are many academic publishers, such as  Ubiquity Press , that produce open access books you can download.

Organisations:  research funders, such as the  Wellcome Trust , make available copies of papers and reports written by their researchers. Other organisations’ websites, such as those from the government or charities, often have copies of project reports or annual reports available.

Public libraries: Finally, don’t forget your local public library. Even if they don't have the exact article or book you’re looking for on the premises, they have trained librarians who can help you find it or suggest alternative routes to get the information you need.

Refining your search.

Even if you use very specific keywords, an online search might return hundreds, if not thousands of results. How can you cut hundreds of results down to a sensible level?

Focusing and refining the keywords you use for your search will help you be realistic, making the best possible use of the limited time you have available for the EPQ, and cutting down your results to an amount that you can realistically deal with.

  • Thoughts from Michael

Photo of Michael, a researcher from AstrobiologyOU.

Here are Michael’s key tactics for refining your searches:

  • Linking several search terms to narrow down your search.
  • Starting broad and then refining – he used a personal example where he started by looking for ‘bacteria associated with plants’ and narrowed down to ‘bacteria associated with peas’.
  • Keeping track of your topics and sub-topics with a list, spreadsheet or mind map.
  • Remembering you don’t have to read every single resource you find.

My colleague Michael, who’s a microbiologist, is particularly interested in looking at life in extreme environments on Earth that might be similar to places such as Mars. 

He had some useful ideas on how to start refining your searches. He suggests linking search terms, so when searching online you can use symbols such as the plus sign and quotation marks that are incredibly helpful. Typing in ‘this’ plus ‘ that’ will return results that have both of those elements. Conversely, typing ‘this’  minus ‘ that’ will mean you only get results that include the phrase ‘this’. You can use quote marks to make phrases stick together, so quote marks "this stuff" and plus quote marks "that thing", will enable you to find papers that refer to both of those topics. 

Michael also suggested it’s good to start broad and then refine searches. For example, for his PhD, he had to write several chapters for his thesis about bacteria that are associated with plants. The first searches were in the obvious place ‘plant-associated bacteria’, which he then refined to think about specific types of plant, such as ‘pea-associated bacteria’ or ‘legume-associated bacteria’. Those initial searches and papers allowed him to identify other useful terms that then meant he could be even more specific with his searches. For example, searching for ‘nitrogen’ plus ‘ plant-associated bacteria’ or ‘legumes’ minus ‘ disease’.

When searching, he also suggested it’s really helpful to keep track of topics and subtopics with a list, spreadsheet or a mind map. Whatever works for you. He found this helped him keep his notes organised and meant he didn’t have to repeat searches, because he had a record of what he had looked for.

But the most important point, he felt, was not to feel overwhelmed when doing a literature review. It’s possible to turn up hundreds of papers on any topic, but you don’t have to read all of them. As a start, he suggested that you look for review papers. These are papers in which the authors have pulled together material from several other sources. They give a really good introduction and overview of a topic, and can give you some clues on where to look next.

Practising searching using Google Scholar.

Google Scholar is a freely-available search engine that only returns links to scholarly literature, so it’s a good place to practise your searching techniques.

Imagine  that you have decided to research this question:

What are the health benefits of people spending time in nature?

What are the keywords you could use in your search? You might think of:

  • health               
  • nature therapy              
  • green health                 
  • forest bathing

Experiment with entering the search terms into Google Scholar . For example, type the words ‘ green health ’ into the search box and press enter. 

Google Scholar search box with search terms

Using a simple search term like this can generate a long list of articles. In this example (Figure 10) it was somewhere around five million, which is  far too many for you to review meaningfully!

Google Scholar search returns

Combining search terms and using punctuation to keep two or more words together can help you focus your search and return fewer results to look through. Try typing “forest bathing” + health + ”open access” into the search bar:

Google Scholar search box with search terms

Quote marks (“…”) keep words together. With quote marks (“forest bathing”) the search will return articles about forest bathing. Without them (forest bathing), you’d get articles on woodland and swimming pools (among other things!).

Using the + symbol combines “ forest bathing”  AND  health.  Adding + “ open access ” means you will only see results where you have free access to the full article.

This cuts down the number of results to around 1600 (Figure 12):

Results returned from Google Scholar using refined and combined search terms

You can then click on the search results to access the articles. Clicking the  top link   brings up an article about forest bathing (at time of writing – the top result may well have changed since then).

Screenshot of publisher's page of journal article

To refine your search even further, Google Scholar has filters you can use to tweak your search. For example, if you are only interested in very recent material, you could filter so that only material published after 2021 is shown. This is useful if you want to access material published in a particular time range.

Google Scholar search returns

Most search engines or search facilities on repositories, collections or websites have an  advanced search  function that allows you to refine your search to cut down the number of results to something more useful. You can search for material published before or since a specific date, include or exclude specific words, or look for articles by a specific author.

To access advanced search on Google Scholar, click on the menu hamburger in the top left.

The advanced search box on Google Scholar

What is the right number of resources to include in your EPQ research?

It’s difficult to give an exact number of resources you should aim to use in your EPQ research. You could keep going for ever – new articles come from researchers in a constant stream! A rule of thumb is to stop reading when you sense you are no longer finding new ideas.

Credibility.

Even a refined search is likely to throw up lots of material from a range of sources. Wherever your material comes from, you should always scrutinise it carefully. But how do you decide what you can trust (therefore making it useful), and what you can’t?

Assessing a source’s credibility is a good place to start. Making sure you draw your evidence from credible, believable, trustworthy sources is very important for your research.

Quiz: judging credibility.

Comments on credibility of sources.

In order of least to most credible, below we explain why each source is credible or not:

  • Tabloid newspaper article:  this kind of reporting puts a priority on the sensational and doesn't always give a full and balanced story.
  • Podcast:  podcasts often present the podcaster’s personal opinion, and it’s not always obvious whether that’s based on research.
  • Popular science books:  authors usually draw material from a range of sources, and sometimes interview the researchers to get a first-hand view.
  • New Scientist article:  this magazine has a good reputation for serious science journalism, and the articles usually have links to the original research so the reader can investigate further for themselves.
  • Original research paper:  research papers usually give the reader the evidence that the researchers gathered, so the reader can review it for themselves.

Judging credibility – Thomas’ thoughts.

Thomas, who is a lecturer in space governance, discusses the credibility of materials. As you watch his video, listen out for the ways in which he judges credibility.

‘How do you judge the credibility of a source? That is, what questions do you ask yourself when you read or review a source?’

So this is one of the more important questions for any researcher, particularly one in the humanities such as myself. It’s also one of the hardest, especially when you’re just starting out because the honest answer is: it’s experience. I’ve learned enough about my field that I can differentiate between ‘I don’t agree with this’ and ‘this is nonsense’ but obviously that wasn’t always the case. So in the early days, in high school and undergraduate, there are a few things you can look at to get an understanding of what makes a good source. First port of call is always what your teachers and lecturers recommend, they’ve got that experience that you don’t have, so they’ll be pushing you in the right direction. Pay attention to how those sources are written, that’ll give you clues as to what makes a good source.

But how to find them on your own? Well again, when just starting out, it’s best to be conservative, to err on the side of caution, so there are a few things you can look to. First is publisher. Academic presses (like Oxford University Press) specialise in publishing scholarly work, so that acts as a form of quality filter. Author is another one. Who is this person, why are they qualified to write an article or a book on this topic? There are other indicators you can use. For example: are there footnotes, references, a bibliography? What sort of sources do they use? How up-to-date are they?

Then there’s the work itself. Is it well-structured and thought out? Do they actually make an argument? Do they explain their reasoning to you, or do they just declare things to be true? ("Well of course it’s true, I said it" – it happens more often than you would think it does!)

Finally, you need to read widely and broadly. You need to read authors you agree with, and authors that you disagree with, and then work out what you think. Gradually you’ll be able to work out what constitutes a good source without being dependent upon some of these indicators – which is good, they’re not ironclad rules; some excellent works of history have been written by people without history degrees. And more importantly, you’ll be able to discern the difference between ‘I don’t agree with this’ and ‘this is nonsense’.

Thomas’ main points

Thomas’ main points were:

  • Ask people you trust, such as teachers, what they recommend.
  • Look at the quality of the writing – good sources are well-written and well-structured, with evidence to back up the arguments they present.
  • Go to reputable sources such as academic publishers.
  • Look at the writer’s qualifications on the topic.
  • Look at the sources the writer has used.
  • Read lots for yourself and build your ability to judge gradually.

Judging credibility – Charlotte's thoughts.

Charlotte, who is a researcher in geochemistry, also has some thoughts about how she judges credibility.

  • Thoughts from Charlotte

Figure 16 Charlotte, a researcher in geochemistry Show description A photograph of Charlotte

  • the data support the conclusion the authors have come to
  • the methods are appropriate and up-to-date
  • they haven’t cherry-picked the best data and ignored others
  • the authors don’t have any financial interest in coming to a particular conclusion.

If it’s an area she’s less familiar with, she starts with newspapers, online news and experts. She looks for:

  • links to the original research
  • what qualifies the writer to be an expert in that area
  • whether other experts agree with the author
  • any hint of conspiracy theories
  • whether the authors have any financial interest in a particular conclusion.

Another colleague, Charlotte, who’s interested in extremophiles – life that lives in very extreme environments on Earth – said that for her, essentially the rule of thumb that she uses is, one: peer-reviewed research. This is a term that means that the paper, before it’s published, has been looked at by two or three colleagues who are knowledgeable in the area. They offer comments and the original authors are then able to improve what they’ve written.

Peer-reviewed research is typically what’s published in academic journals, and that’s the most credible source. Everything else; social media, newspapers, online news forums, is less credible. Charlotte says that when she is reading or researching in the field that she’s an expert in – geochemistry – she always develops her ideas using peer-reviewed academic articles, asking herself: do their data support their conclusions? Are they using the most appropriate and up-to-date methods?

Are there signs that they’re cherry-picking the best data, or ignoring data that doesn’t quite fit what they want it to be? And, super important: do the researchers have financial interests in the conclusions? You might not necessarily trust someone who was working for a toothpaste firm to give you the absolute disinterested best data on tooth decay.

However, Charlotte said that when she’s reading about a topic that’s outside her field of expertise, perhaps in something in health and medicine, she finds it much harder to read and understand the peer-reviewed literature, as sadly it will often use specialist language or jargon. Therefore, in such situations, she often uses a larger range of sources, which might well include newspapers, online news, and things written by people who have been deemed experts.

In that case, some of the questions she asks herself are things like: does the expert or the news article refer back to the original research?  Is the news article or expert giving an opinion that’s backed up by a range of research? If it’s someone giving their opinion, what qualifies them to give that opinion? Is there anything about conspiracy theories? Those red flags that Thomas talked about. And again, do the authors seem to have a financial interest in the opinion that they’re pulling out? If the sources she looks at refer to specific academic articles, it  makes her think that these sources may be more credible than those that don’t. And if the experts on news articles are spreading an idea that feels like conspiracy, has been widely debunked, or for which there is very limited evidence, then she doesn’t count that as a credible source.

  • Similarities and differences
  • Similarities
  • Differences

What are the similarities and differences between how Charlotte and Thomas judge credibility? Charlotte is a science researcher, whereas Thomas is a law researcher – do you think this affects their processes? 

Thomas and Charlotte both:

look at where the article has come from – a reputable source or one where work is reviewed by experts

consider the writer’s qualifications to be an expert on a subject

review whether other experts or sources agree with the writer

  • check that the arguments or conclusions are supported by data.

Charlotte will look for  links to the original research and any  evidence of financial interests.

Thomas will look at the quality of the writing and the structure of the article.

Whether you use PROMPT, RAVEN or another method of assessing credibility, this will help you determine that you have the best sources possible for your project. Then it is time to get started reading for the literature review.

More about the PROMPT checklist

PROMPT stands for:

  • P resentation: Is it clearly written, and can you follow it?
  • R elevance:   Does it meet your needs?  Tip: for a speedy check, read the first and last sections (often called the Introduction and Conclusion) and decide whether it’s worth reading the rest.
  • O bjectivity:   Does the author make their position clear? Are there any ‘hidden’ interests such as advertising or sponsors?
  • M ethod:   Is there any information about how the work was done? For example, if the paper is about the results of a survey, do they tell you what the questions were?
  • P rovenance:   Where does the article come from – university? Government? News media? Someone’s personal website? How much can you trust the source?
  • T imeliness:  W hen was the information produced? Could it be out of date? Have ideas changed? (But remember that old is not necessarily bad; you could use older information to compare with current thinking.)

Try using the PROMPT checklist on the articles you have found.

There is more information about  PROMPT  on the OU’s Library Services website. Click here for a downloadable and printable version.

  • Reading critically

A good research review is more than just a list of ‘she says this ... they say that … he says the other’. It’s an opportunity to test and show the strength of different arguments and the contribution they have made to your thinking.

The key is to  critically read   the material you have found.

The aim of critical reading is to assess the strength of the evidence and the argument. It is just as useful to conclude that a study, or an article, presents very strong evidence and a well-reasoned argument as it is to identify the studies or articles that are weak.

As you read, it is useful to keep asking yourself questions such as:

Why am I reading this? –  Because it’s interesting? Useful? Has good information for me?

Do I trust the source? –  What evidence do I have that the source is trustworthy?

What claims are the authors making? –  Have they included their conclusions?

Do I think those claims are trustworthy? –  Have the authors given me the evidence they are basing their claims on so I can judge for myself?

Imagine you were researching the question: ‘what is the influence of advertising on people’s consumption of junk food?’

Remembering that you will find material from a range of sources. Here we’ll use an article from the  Guardian newspaper’s website.

Screenshot of an article from the Guardian

What information in the article do you think would be relevant or useful to help you answer this question? Use the questions in the ‘Reading critically’ tab to help you reflect.

What did you think about as you read the article?

You might have picked up points such as:

  • Why am I reading this?
  • It is about the effect of advertising on people buying junk food, so it is relevant to the question.
  • Do I trust the source?
  • It comes from the Guardian , a well-known UK newspaper.
  • The writer is named, so you could check on other things they have written – for example, if they specialise in writing articles about food or have a background in food science.
  • What claims are the authors making?
  • That a ban on junk food advertising has led to a reduction in purchasing of unhealthy food.
  • Do I think those claims are trustworthy?
  • The article mentions that the research was done by researchers at a university – you could look for them on the university website.
  • One of the researchers is named and there is a quote from them.

At this stage, no one expects you to come up with all these possibilities! But keep those critical questions at the front of your mind as you search for and examine the evidence. Remember to ask:

For more ideas on how to judge the credibility of the material you find and think critically about the contents, watch this short video on critical thinking , produced by the BBC and The Open University. It discusses five key strategies you can use to sharpen your critical thinking.

In this article, we have looked at the second part of the research cycle – how to find the evidence that will help you answer your research question, and how you can start to read it critically and analyse its relevance to your question. When you have finished searching, reading and analysing, you are ready to move on to the next step: writing your dissertation.

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Other articles in this series...

EPQs: designing your research question

EPQs: designing your research question

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EPQs: writing up your dissertation

EPQs: writing up your dissertation

You have collected and analysed your evidence and considered it in relation to your research question. The next step is to communicate all that you have done. Your dissertation is the element of the EPQ that is read and assessed by others who haven’t been involved in your research.

EPQs: why give a presentation?

EPQs: why give a presentation?

What are the guidelines for the presentation?

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Ratings & comments, share this free course, copyright information, publication details.

  • Originally published: Wednesday, 3 May 2023
  • Body text - Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 : The Open University
  • Image 'Photo of Julia' - Copyright: AstrobiologyOU
  • Image 'Photo of Mars' - Copyright: Image by  WikiImages  from  Pixabay  
  • Image 'Photo of Valles Marineris' - Copyright: Image by  Alexander Antropov  from  Pixabay  
  • Image 'Devyani's mindmap' - Copyright: Devyani Gajjar, AstrobiologyOU
  • Image 'Scattering of keywords printed out and cut up' - Copyright: The Open University 
  • Image 'An illustration depicting the research process' - Copyright: Ann Grand
  • Image 'Photo of Michael, a researcher from AstrobiologyOU.' - Copyright: Michael Macey
  • Image 'Photo of Charlotte' - Copyright: AstrobiologyOU
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Assessing the EPQ literature review

literature review for epq

6th October 2016

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Here's a short, one-sided student-friendly assessment grid to help Level 3 Extended Project students assess the quality of their literature review. All they need to do is simply circle a mark from 0 (non-existent) to 5 (absolutely fantastic) for each of the elements identified as being important in a literature review, and then use those marks to help them plan their next steps. All great for the activity log too!

Ruth Tarrant

Ruth has been an enthusiastic Head of Economics and Politics for many years, having taught in a variety of schools and at university level. She is also a Senior Examiner. Ruth is passionate about boosting the quality of teaching and learning across all subjects in schools and colleges.

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Methodology

  • How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

Published on January 2, 2023 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 11, 2023.

What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .

There are five key steps to writing a literature review:

  • Search for relevant literature
  • Evaluate sources
  • Identify themes, debates, and gaps
  • Outline the structure
  • Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it analyzes, synthesizes , and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

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Table of contents

What is the purpose of a literature review, examples of literature reviews, step 1 – search for relevant literature, step 2 – evaluate and select sources, step 3 – identify themes, debates, and gaps, step 4 – outline your literature review’s structure, step 5 – write your literature review, free lecture slides, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions, introduction.

  • Quick Run-through
  • Step 1 & 2

When you write a thesis , dissertation , or research paper , you will likely have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:

  • Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context
  • Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
  • Position your work in relation to other researchers and theorists
  • Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate
  • Evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.

Writing literature reviews is a particularly important skill if you want to apply for graduate school or pursue a career in research. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.

Literature review guide

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Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.

  • Example literature review #1: “Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature” ( Theoretical literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)
  • Example literature review #2: “Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines” ( Methodological literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)
  • Example literature review #3: “The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Thematic literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)
  • Example literature review #4: “Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Chronological literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)

You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.

Download Word doc Download Google doc

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .

If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions .

Make a list of keywords

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.

  • Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
  • Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
  • Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth

Search for relevant sources

Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:

  • Your university’s library catalogue
  • Google Scholar
  • Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
  • Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
  • EconLit (economics)
  • Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)

You can also use boolean operators to help narrow down your search.

Make sure to read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.

You likely won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on your topic, so it will be necessary to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your research question.

For each publication, ask yourself:

  • What question or problem is the author addressing?
  • What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
  • What are the key theories, models, and methods?
  • Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
  • What are the results and conclusions of the study?
  • How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible , and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

You can use our template to summarize and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using. Click on either button below to download.

Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography , where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.

To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, be sure you understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

  • Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
  • Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
  • Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
  • Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
  • Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

  • Most research has focused on young women.
  • There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.
  • But there is still a lack of robust research on highly visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat—this is a gap that you could address in your own research.

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological

The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.

Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.

Methodological

If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:

  • Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
  • Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
  • Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical

A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Like any other academic text , your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.

As you write, you can follow these tips:

  • Summarize and synthesize: give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
  • Analyze and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers — add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
  • Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
  • Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transition words and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts

In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.

When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Not a language expert? Check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services !

This article has been adapted into lecture slides that you can use to teach your students about writing a literature review.

Scribbr slides are free to use, customize, and distribute for educational purposes.

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If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

  • Sampling methods
  • Simple random sampling
  • Stratified sampling
  • Cluster sampling
  • Likert scales
  • Reproducibility

 Statistics

  • Null hypothesis
  • Statistical power
  • Probability distribution
  • Effect size
  • Poisson distribution

Research bias

  • Optimism bias
  • Cognitive bias
  • Implicit bias
  • Hawthorne effect
  • Anchoring bias
  • Explicit bias

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.

There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:

  • To familiarize yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic
  • To ensure that you’re not just repeating what others have already done
  • To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved problems that your research can address
  • To develop your theoretical framework and methodology
  • To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic

Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.

The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your thesis or dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .

A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other  academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .

An  annotated bibliography is a list of  source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a  paper .  

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McCombes, S. (2023, September 11). How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved February 19, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/literature-review/

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  • A Complete Guide to the EPQ | Oxford Royale Summer Schools

literature review for epq

The time for you to apply to university is fast approaching, and you may be starting to think about how you’re going to make your university application that little bit more eye-catching. If you have the prospect of a long summer stretching before you and you have no other plans, why not use the summer months to give yourself the best chance of a successful university application? In this article, we introduce you to one way of doing this: the Extended Project Qualification, or EPQ. You may not have heard of it, but we’re going to show you that there are lots of reasons why it’s worth considering.

What is the EPQ?

The Extended Project Qualification, or EPQ, is offered by many schools, and it’s a standalone qualification that’s a bit like a mini-thesis. You’re allowed to choose whatever topic you like – it doesn’t even have to be related to your A-levels – so it’s about as flexible as you can get. It’s unlikely to be included in your university offer, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a respected qualification; it’s certainly no General Studies. Most people start their EPQ over the summer between AS and A2 levels.

What do you have to do to get an EPQ?

You’ll need to register for the EPQ through your school, assuming they offer it. Once you’ve chosen your topic (more on that later), your task is to conduct detailed academic research into that topic. You then have two options: 1. You write a 5,000 word report. 2. You create a ‘production’ or ‘artefact’ and write a 1,000 word report.

Why bother with the EPQ?

So why bother with it, when you already have A-levels to worry about? Well, at a time when it’s increasingly difficult to make your university application stand out, what’s needed is a qualification that highlights the academic skills that admissions tutors are looking for. The EPQ is just such a means of proving that you have talent in the very same areas needed to succeed at university. It’s an academic exercise that has direct relevance to the way in which you’re likely to study once you get to university, as it involves conducting research, just as you would for a university thesis. It’s also a great talking point on your personal statement and in university interviews, demonstrating your enthusiasm for the subject and giving you the chance to show off your knowledge of a particular area of the discipline. As well as the obvious research skills the EPQ helps you develop and demonstrate, it has many additional benefits, as it confers on you a range of other useful skills and demonstrates your suitability for undergraduate study in numerous ways. These advantages include:

  • It helps you develop the ability to conduct your own, self-directed programme of study. You’ll be planning your own work, and nobody is going to be there to tell you what to do (though you’ll have a supervisor who’ll be able to give you rough pointers).
  • It shows you to be self-motivated, as you’ll need to have the discipline to see your project to fruition – even though it’s the summer and you’ll have plenty of distractions.
  • It demonstrates that you have the initiative to pursue your own academic interests. Admissions tutors will love this, because that’s exactly the initiative you’ll need at university.
  • It develops your knowledge of your subject beyond the A-level syllabus. This gives you a deeper understanding of the subject and places you at an advantage over those who’ve merely done the A-level.
  • It teaches you how to make use of different research materials, not just A-level textbooks. You’ll learn how to use a library for research, and get used to the idea of writing footnotes and bibliographies, which you’ll have to do at university.

What’s more, it doesn’t just help you with applying to university; it’s a satisfying thing to do for your own sake, simply because it allows you to explore a subject you find interesting, in depth. Leaving aside the fact that you’ll come out with an extra qualification, it’s learning for learning’s sake, and you can revel in the fact that you can devote your time to studying something you genuinely find interesting. This will probably make a refreshing change from the classroom, in which there will inevitably be subjects forced upon you that you’d rather not bother with.

What kind of things can I study for my EPQ?

The beauty of the EPQ is that you decide what you study. Of course, in view of the fact that you’re applying to university, it would make sense to select a topic that ties in with the subject you’re planning to study at university (hopefully you’ve decided this by now!). Below you’ll find some guidance on how to choose what to study and whether to choose the longer thesis or the ‘production’ option.

Choosing your topic for a 5,000 word report

When you can choose pretty much any topic you want, it can be difficult to figure out what to do. It makes sense to choose a subject that’s related to what you’re aiming to study at university, as this is an extra way of demonstrating your enthusiasm for the subject, and the fact that you possess the research skills needed to excel in it. It’s also a good way of keeping your mind active and thinking about your future university subject over the summer, ready to write a brilliant personal statement come the start of the new school year. The topic can’t be too broad, or else you don’t stand a chance of doing the topic justice; for example, there would be far too much to cover if you chose the First World War (as a whole) as your topic. A much narrower research focus is needed, to allow you to explore one aspect of a bigger topic in plenty of depth. For example, in the First World War example, you’d stand a better chance with a very specific aspect of the war, such as the Christmas truce, or the Zeppelin attacks on England, or the role of a specific type of aircraft, such as the Sopwith Camel. To give you another example, let’s say you were aiming to study music at university. Trying to address an entire period of classical music, such as the Baroque period, might be a bit of a tall order in a 5,000 word thesis. Even picking the life and works of a famous Baroque composer, such as Bach, might be quite an undertaking. But you could find a lesser-known Baroque composer to research and write about, about whom less is generally known. Or you could research a particular (unusual/antique) instrument and the works written for it during the Baroque period. You could even look into the different kinds of venues used for musical performances during the Baroque period. Ultimately, you’ll need to come up with a specific research question to give direction to your research. For example, taking the Sopwith Camel example above, your question might be “To what extent did the Sopwith Camel shape the outcome of the First World War?” Your question will need to be approved before you can start work.

Choosing your production or artefact

If the thought of writing a 5,000 word report fills you with dread, your alternative is to choose a production or artefact instead. You’ll still need to produce a written report to accompany it, but it’s much shorter, at 1,000 words. What you can do for this is just as flexible as the longer report option. Here are a few examples:

  • A musical performance or recording
  • A mobile phone app
  • A piece of software
  • A short film
  • A short story
  • A model of something
  • A piece of art
  • An invention
  • A charity event
  • A fashion show

Ideally, if you’re applying to university, you would choose something that’s in some way related to your future university course. For instance, if you were going to be studying art, then a piece of art would make sense as your chosen EPQ project. A short story would tie in nicely with English Literature, while a musical performance would demonstrate your capabilities in music if that’s what you’re aiming to study at university. Your future career aims may also lead you more towards this option rather than the 5,000 word report, as you can use your project to build up relevant experience for your CV. For example, if you want to go into the fashion industry, then organising a fashion show is an obvious fit. If your ambition is to work for a charity, organising a charity event will be invaluable experience as well as giving you an extra qualification. The benefits of the EPQ, then, go far beyond simply having an extra piece of paper to add to your collection of certificates.

Conducting the research

This may be your first big piece of academic research, so you may be wondering where on earth to start with such an undertaking. You will have a supervisor who’ll be able to teach you the skills you need and point you in the right direction. Some general tips for conducting effective academic research may come in useful. For example, try to make use of as many different resources as you can when you’re conducting your research, including primary and secondary sources, books in the library, the internet, and so on. As you go along, keep a bibliography and record everything you’ve read, including specific page numbers. Be critical of your own methodologies in collecting data, if that’s what you’re doing, and consider the strengths and weaknesses of your methods. These are things you’ll need to get used to thinking about when you go to university, so the EPQ is an excellent warm-up.

How is the EPQ marked?

You’ll need to get a grade between A* and E in order to be awarded the EPQ – anything lower than an E means you don’t get the qualification, so it’s slightly different from A-levels in that respect. Looking at the AQA Specification, there are a number of ‘assessment objectives’ used to decide your final grade, the weighting of which is divided up as follows:

  • Manage – 20%. This covers your ability to come up with a project idea and plan how you’re going to achieve it, using “a range of skills, strategies and methods to achieve objectives.”
  • Use Resources – 20%. This covers the research phase and how well you’re able to select, organise and deploy relevant information. It also looks at your ability to analyse data, including your ability to see the connections between things you’ve observed, and your appreciation of the “complexities of the topic”.
  • Develop and Realise – 40%. This aspect means how well you’re able to carry out your project and see it to fruition, using a range of appropriate skills and technologies.
  • Review – 20%. This means how well you evaluate every aspect of your project, such as whether you’ve achieved your objectives, and how well you’ve performed throughout the project. It also reflects your ability to “Select and use a range of communication skills and media to present evidenced project outcomes and conclusions in an appropriate format.”

The mark scheme makes it sound scarier than it is, as mark schemes always do. But if you’re looking for an interesting project to get your teeth into, you can’t do much better than the EPQ thanks to the excellent preparation it gives you for thinking like an undergraduate. It’s a fair bit of work, but the rewards – both in terms of university preparation and personal enjoyment – make it more than worth the effort.

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  • What is a Literature Review? | Guide, Template, & Examples

What is a Literature Review? | Guide, Template, & Examples

Published on 22 February 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 7 June 2022.

What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research.

There are five key steps to writing a literature review:

  • Search for relevant literature
  • Evaluate sources
  • Identify themes, debates and gaps
  • Outline the structure
  • Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarise sources – it analyses, synthesises, and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

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Table of contents

Why write a literature review, examples of literature reviews, step 1: search for relevant literature, step 2: evaluate and select sources, step 3: identify themes, debates and gaps, step 4: outline your literature review’s structure, step 5: write your literature review, frequently asked questions about literature reviews, introduction.

  • Quick Run-through
  • Step 1 & 2

When you write a dissertation or thesis, you will have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:

  • Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and scholarly context
  • Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
  • Position yourself in relation to other researchers and theorists
  • Show how your dissertation addresses a gap or contributes to a debate

You might also have to write a literature review as a stand-alone assignment. In this case, the purpose is to evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of scholarly debates around a topic.

The content will look slightly different in each case, but the process of conducting a literature review follows the same steps. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.

Literature review guide

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literature review for epq

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Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.

  • Example literature review #1: “Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature” ( Theoretical literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)
  • Example literature review #2: “Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines” ( Methodological literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)
  • Example literature review #3: “The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Thematic literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)
  • Example literature review #4: “Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Chronological literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)

You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.

Download Word doc Download Google doc

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .

If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research objectives and questions .

If you are writing a literature review as a stand-alone assignment, you will have to choose a focus and develop a central question to direct your search. Unlike a dissertation research question, this question has to be answerable without collecting original data. You should be able to answer it based only on a review of existing publications.

Make a list of keywords

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research topic. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list if you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.

  • Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
  • Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
  • Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth

Search for relevant sources

Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some databases to search for journals and articles include:

  • Your university’s library catalogue
  • Google Scholar
  • Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
  • Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
  • EconLit (economics)
  • Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)

You can use boolean operators to help narrow down your search:

Read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.

To identify the most important publications on your topic, take note of recurring citations. If the same authors, books or articles keep appearing in your reading, make sure to seek them out.

You probably won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on the topic – you’ll have to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your questions.

For each publication, ask yourself:

  • What question or problem is the author addressing?
  • What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
  • What are the key theories, models and methods? Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
  • What are the results and conclusions of the study?
  • How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
  • How does the publication contribute to your understanding of the topic? What are its key insights and arguments?
  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible, and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

You can find out how many times an article has been cited on Google Scholar – a high citation count means the article has been influential in the field, and should certainly be included in your literature review.

The scope of your review will depend on your topic and discipline: in the sciences you usually only review recent literature, but in the humanities you might take a long historical perspective (for example, to trace how a concept has changed in meaning over time).

Remember that you can use our template to summarise and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using!

Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It’s important to keep track of your sources with references to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography, where you compile full reference information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.

You can use our free APA Reference Generator for quick, correct, consistent citations.

Prevent plagiarism, run a free check.

To begin organising your literature review’s argument and structure, you need to understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

  • Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
  • Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
  • Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
  • Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
  • Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

  • Most research has focused on young women.
  • There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.
  • But there is still a lack of robust research on highly-visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat – this is a gap that you could address in your own research.

There are various approaches to organising the body of a literature review. You should have a rough idea of your strategy before you start writing.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological

The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarising sources in order.

Try to analyse patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organise your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.

Methodological

If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:

  • Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
  • Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
  • Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical

A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Like any other academic text, your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

If you are writing the literature review as part of your dissertation or thesis, reiterate your central problem or research question and give a brief summary of the scholarly context. You can emphasise the timeliness of the topic (“many recent studies have focused on the problem of x”) or highlight a gap in the literature (“while there has been much research on x, few researchers have taken y into consideration”).

Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.

As you write, make sure to follow these tips:

  • Summarise and synthesise: give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole.
  • Analyse and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers – add your own interpretations, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole.
  • Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources.
  • Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transitions and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts.

In the conclusion, you should summarise the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasise their significance.

If the literature review is part of your dissertation or thesis, reiterate how your research addresses gaps and contributes new knowledge, or discuss how you have drawn on existing theories and methods to build a framework for your research. This can lead directly into your methodology section.

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a dissertation , thesis, research paper , or proposal .

There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:

  • To familiarise yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic
  • To ensure that you’re not just repeating what others have already done
  • To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved problems that your research can address
  • To develop your theoretical framework and methodology
  • To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic

Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.

The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your  dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

McCombes, S. (2022, June 07). What is a Literature Review? | Guide, Template, & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 19 February 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/literature-review/

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EPQ Literature Review Services: Your Path to EPQ Excellence

EPQ Literature Review Services_ Your Path to EPQ Excellence

Are you an AQA EPQ student on a quest for EPQ excellence? If so, you’re likely aware that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is no ordinary academic endeavor. This independent research project demands dedication, critical thinking, and the ability to navigate the intricate world of academia. One of the crucial components of your EPQ project is the Literature Review , a task that often perplexes even the most capable students. But don’t worry; you’re not alone in this journey. We’re here to guide you through the process with our EPQ Literature Review Services, your path to EPQ excellence.

Table of Contents

Unlocking the Power of the EPQ Literature Review

Before we delve into the specifics of our services, let’s first understand why the EPQ Literature Review is so important. Your EPQ is a testament to your research and project management skills. It’s an opportunity to explore a topic of personal interest deeply and independently. The Literature Review , in particular, is your gateway to the existing body of knowledge related to your chosen subject.

  • EPQ Literature Review : The Heart of Your Project The EPQ Literature Review isn’t just a box to tick; it’s the very essence of your project. It’s where you establish the context of your research, demonstrate your understanding of existing scholarship, and identify gaps in the literature that your project aims to address.

AQA EPQ Literature Review : Meeting the AQA Standards If you’re an AQA EPQ student, you know that the assessment criteria set by AQA are rigorous. Your Literature Review must meet these standards to secure top marks. Our EPQ Literature Review Services are tailored to align with AQA requirements, ensuring that you meet or exceed their expectations.

EPQ Literature Review Example: Learning from the Best

A common challenge for many EPQ students is understanding what a high-quality EPQ Literature Review should look like. That’s where our EPQ Literature Review examples come into play. We provide you with exemplar Literature Reviews that have received accolades and commendations, not only to inspire you but to serve as practical models for your own work.

  • EPQ Literature Review Example AQA: Aligning with the Official Guidelines Our EPQ Literature Review examples are crafted to reflect the official AQA EPQ guidelines, making them invaluable resources for AQA students. We understand the importance of meeting these guidelines to succeed in your EPQ.

Literature Review EPQ: Navigating the Complexity The world of academic literature can be daunting. Our Literature Review EPQ examples demonstrate how to sift through a sea of research articles, identify key themes, and synthesize information effectively.

Why Choose Our EPQ Literature Review Services?

Now that you’re aware of the significance of the EPQ Literature Review and the value of our EPQ Literature Review examples, let’s explore why our services are your ultimate path to EPQ excellence.

  • Customized Guidance: Tailored to Your Project Every EPQ project is unique, and your Literature Review should reflect that. Our services are customized to align with your specific research question, ensuring that your Literature Review is not just a template but a bespoke masterpiece.
  • Expertise and Experience: The Power of Professional Assistance Our team consists of seasoned researchers and academics with a wealth of experience in EPQ projects. We understand the intricacies of EPQ requirements, and our expertise is at your disposal.
  • Time-Saving and Stress-Relieving: Focus on Your Research EPQs are time-consuming, and managing the entire project can be stressful. By entrusting your Literature Review to us, you free up precious time to concentrate on other aspects of your research.
  • Quality Assurance: Excellence in Every Line We uphold the highest standards of quality in every Literature Review we produce. Our work undergoes rigorous editing and quality checks to ensure that it meets or exceeds your expectations.

Confidentiality and Plagiarism-Free Guarantee: Your Work, Your Reputation We take confidentiality seriously, and we guarantee that the Literature Review you receive is 100% plagiarism-free. Your academic integrity is of paramount importance to us.

The EPQ Journey: Your Potential, Our Expertise

Your EPQ journey is a testament to your potential and your ability to make a meaningful contribution to your field of interest. Our EPQ Literature Review Services are designed to complement your journey, providing the guidance, examples, and expertise you need to excel.

Don’t let the Literature Review be a stumbling block on your path to EPQ excellence. Embrace the power of our EPQ Literature Review Services, and let us be your guiding light through the intricacies of academic research.

Contact us today to unlock the full potential of your EPQ project and embark on your path to EPQ excellence. Your success is our mission, and together, we’ll make your EPQ journey a triumph.

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Literature Reviews

  • Getting started

What is a literature review?

Why conduct a literature review, stages of a literature review, lit reviews: an overview (video), check out these books.

  • Types of reviews
  • 1. Define your research question
  • 2. Plan your search
  • 3. Search the literature
  • 4. Organize your results
  • 5. Synthesize your findings
  • 6. Write the review
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literature review for epq

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literature review for epq

Definition: A literature review is a systematic examination and synthesis of existing scholarly research on a specific topic or subject.

Purpose: It serves to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge within a particular field.

Analysis: Involves critically evaluating and summarizing key findings, methodologies, and debates found in academic literature.

Identifying Gaps: Aims to pinpoint areas where there is a lack of research or unresolved questions, highlighting opportunities for further investigation.

Contextualization: Enables researchers to understand how their work fits into the broader academic conversation and contributes to the existing body of knowledge.

literature review for epq

tl;dr  A literature review critically examines and synthesizes existing scholarly research and publications on a specific topic to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of knowledge in the field.

What is a literature review NOT?

❌ An annotated bibliography

❌ Original research

❌ A summary

❌ Something to be conducted at the end of your research

❌ An opinion piece

❌ A chronological compilation of studies

The reason for conducting a literature review is to:

literature review for epq

Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students

While this 9-minute video from NCSU is geared toward graduate students, it is useful for anyone conducting a literature review.

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Exploring the Role of a Literature Review in EPQ: A Comprehensive Analysis

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literature review for epq

When embarking on an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), one of the key components is the literature review. This critical analysis of existing literature plays a crucial role in shaping the direction and scope of the EPQ. In this article, we will explore the significance of a literature review in EPQ and delve into its various aspects.

The Importance of a Literature Review in EPQ

The literature review serves multiple purposes in an EPQ. Firstly, IT provides a platform for the student to establish the background and context of their chosen topic. This involves identifying the key theories, concepts, and research findings relevant to the subject matter. By doing so, the student can demonstrate their understanding of the existing knowledge base and establish the need for further investigation.

Secondly, a literature review aids in the formulation of research questions and hypotheses. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature, the student can identify gaps, contradictions, or areas of debate within the current scholarship. This process of critical analysis allows them to develop meaningful and impactful research questions that contribute to the existing body of knowledge.

Furthermore, a literature review provides the foundation for the methodology and research design of the EPQ. By examining the methods and approaches used in previous studies, the student can make informed decisions about the best research methods to employ in their own project. This ensures the validity and rigor of their research process.

The Process of Conducting a Literature Review

Conducting a literature review requires a systematic and structured approach. The first step is to define the scope and boundaries of the review. This involves identifying the key themes, concepts, and variables that are relevant to the EPQ topic.

Once the scope is established, the student can begin the process of gathering and evaluating relevant literature. This can involve searching online databases, academic journals, books, and other scholarly sources. IT is important to critically evaluate the quality and relevance of each piece of literature to ensure that only the most credible and authoritative sources are included in the review.

After gathering the literature, the student must synthesize and analyze the findings. This involves identifying common themes, patterns, and gaps in the existing literature. By synthesizing the findings, the student can develop a coherent and compelling narrative that leads to a clear rationale for their research questions and hypotheses.

The Role of a Literature Review in Shaping the EPQ

As the literature review is a critical component of the EPQ, IT has a significant impact on the overall direction and outcome of the project. A well-conducted literature review provides the groundwork for the development of a strong and compelling research proposal. IT enables the student to situate their research within the broader scholarly conversation and make a persuasive case for the significance of their project.

Furthermore, the findings and insights gained from the literature review inform the analysis and interpretation of the research data. By drawing on the existing literature, the student can contextualize their findings and make meaningful connections to the broader body of knowledge in their field of study.

In conclusion, the literature review plays a pivotal role in the success of an EPQ. IT establishes the foundation for the research questions, methodology, and overall direction of the project. By engaging in a comprehensive analysis of existing literature, students can demonstrate their ability to critically evaluate and synthesize information, and make a valuable contribution to the scholarly conversation in their chosen field.

1. How do I know which literature to include in my review?

The literature you include in your review should be relevant, credible, and authoritative. Look for scholarly sources such as peer-reviewed articles, academic books, and reputable online databases.

2. Can I use a literature review from a previous project for my EPQ?

While you can reference the literature review from a previous project, IT is important to ensure that IT is still relevant and up-to-date. IT is recommended to conduct a fresh literature review to align with the specific focus and objectives of your EPQ.

3. How do I synthesize the findings from the literature review?

To synthesize the findings, look for common themes, patterns, and gaps in the existing literature. Consider how the findings from different sources contribute to the overall understanding of your research topic.

4. Can I include non-academic sources in my literature review?

While IT is important to prioritize scholarly sources, you can include non-academic sources such as reports, government publications, and industry publications if they are relevant and contribute valuable insights to your review.

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Conduct an Effective Literature Review for Your EPQ: A Step-by

    A well-conducted literature review can provide a solid foundation for your EPQ, helping you to identify gaps in the research, establish the context for your study, and build a strong theoretical framework. Why is a literature review important? Conducting an effective literature review is crucial for several reasons:

  2. Literature review EPQ format

    Literature review EPQ format A AstarforEPQ 11 Hello! i am struggling on what I am supposed to put on my literature review! I have a word document with all sources I read and I analyized, summarized and evaluated credibility of each source. Am I just suppose to condense that into the literature review?

  3. An Example of a Well-Written EPQ Literature Review: Lessons and

    The chosen EPQ topic for this literature review is "The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health." The review aims to explore the existing studies, theories, and arguments related to this topic in order to identify gaps and provide valuable insights for future research. Structure of the Literature Review

  4. EPQ Literature Review: Best Practices and Common Mistakes to Avoid

    Writing Articles & Reviews October 15, 2023 Completing an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is an excellent opportunity for students to delve into a topic of their choice and develop the skills of independent research.

  5. EPQs: finding and using evidence

    The first step in answering a research question is usually to do a 'literature review' or 'research review'. These articles focus on the 'research review' type of EPQ, in which collecting and analysing evidence from what other people have written will be a major part of what you do. Researchers need to do research reviews for two reasons.

  6. How to Write an EPQ Essay

    Articles How to Write an EPQ Essay Writing an EPQ essay can seem like a daunting task, which is why we've written this nine-step guide to help make the whole process easier. In addition to the A-Levels you're already doing, you can choose to take an EPQ (Extended Project Qualification).

  7. Extended Project Qualification Resources

    Campus and Community. UEA Strategy 2030. UEA Values. Donate. Our resources are designed to support you every step of the way - from setting your question to presenting your findings. Your EPQ Plan. Check out the resources we offer to help you plan your extended project qualification, designed to help you every step of the way.

  8. PDF EPQ Resources Assessing a Literature Review Aspects of the literature

    Assessing a Literature Review 1 20 to 25 sources is a minimum suggestion to ensure that there is a good depth and breadth of literature - many students use more sources than this 2 There is a super guide to the Harvard referencing system available from the Open University here:

  9. Assessing the EPQ literature review

    Assessing the EPQ literature review Ruth Tarrant 6th October 2016 Here's a short, one-sided student-friendly assessment grid to help Level 3 Extended Project students assess the quality of their literature review.

  10. Logistics

    1. Introduction Economic production quantity (EPQ) is the most generally applied inventory model for estimating the size of production batches [ 1 ]. The ideal level of production, also known as the economic manufacturing quantity (EMQ), is the amount of output generated while reducing total inventory costs [ 2 ].

  11. How to Write a Literature Review

    Examples of literature reviews. Step 1 - Search for relevant literature. Step 2 - Evaluate and select sources. Step 3 - Identify themes, debates, and gaps. Step 4 - Outline your literature review's structure. Step 5 - Write your literature review.

  12. (PDF) A Literature Review on the Sustainable EPQ Model, Focusing on

    A Literature Review on the Sustainable EPQ Model, Focusing on Carbon Emissions and Product Recycling Authors: Rubayet Karim Jashore University of Science and Technology Koichi Nakade Nagoya...

  13. PDF Quick Guide to the Edexcel/Pearson EPQ Overview

    4. Dissertation:- Possible structure (Abstract, Introduction, Literature Review (including Source Analysis), Analysis & Discussion, Conclusions, Evaluation, Bibliography) 5. Presentation (Powerpoint slides) Required Documents (Assessment) 1. Oral Presentation Record Form 2. Observation Record/Witness Statement 3.

  14. EPQ Literature Review: Key Elements and Structure for Success

    A well-written literature review is essential for the success of your EPQ, as IT demonstrates your understanding of the existing research in your chosen topic and provides a strong foundation for your own investigation. Key Elements of a Literature Review A literature review is not simply a summary of existing research.

  15. A Complete Guide to the EPQ

    The Extended Project Qualification, or EPQ, is offered by many schools, and it's a standalone qualification that's a bit like a mini-thesis. You're allowed to choose whatever topic you like - it doesn't even have to be related to your A-levels - so it's about as flexible as you can get. It's unlikely to be included in your ...

  16. PDF Extended Project Qualification Epq 2019

    Literature review What is advertising? The Wikipedia definition of advertising is: an audio or visual form of marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored, non-personal message to promote or sell a product, service or idea. ô1 The Advertising Association of the UK defines advertising as

  17. What is a Literature Review?

    Knowledge Base Dissertation What is a Literature Review? | Guide, Template, & Examples Published on 22 February 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 7 June 2022. What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic.

  18. EPQ Literature Review Services: Your Path to EPQ Excellence

    EPQ Literature Review: The Heart of Your Project The EPQ Literature Review isn't just a box to tick; it's the very essence of your project. It's where you establish the context of your research, demonstrate your understanding of existing scholarship, and identify gaps in the literature that your project aims to address.

  19. EPQ literature review

    11 Hello! I really need help as my supervisor doesn't reply to my emails for the past month. I am wondering whether a literature review is necessary for the 5000 essay. I am doing a topic related to Economics. if yes: Q1) What is the format of the literature review?

  20. EPQ Literature Review: Tips and Techniques to Find and Analyze Relevant

    Undertaking an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) involves a comprehensive literature review, which is an essential component of the research process. A well-constructed literature review forms the foundation of any academic project, providing a solid basis for the research question and methodology. In this article, we will explore various tips and techniques to find and analyze […]

  21. Getting started

    What is a literature review? Definition: A literature review is a systematic examination and synthesis of existing scholarly research on a specific topic or subject. Purpose: It serves to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge within a particular field. Analysis: Involves critically evaluating and summarizing key findings, methodologies, and debates found in ...

  22. EPQ- Dafq is a Literature review???

    basically a literature review is a compilation of key sources that you are going to use in your discussion. For your investigation you might use academic journals, essays, maybe bbc articles and news reports. Choose a couple of good sources that will help your write your discussion and in the literature review, you have to evaluate them.

  23. Exploring the Role of a Literature Review in EPQ: A Comprehensive

    The Importance of a Literature Review in EPQ. The literature review serves multiple purposes in an EPQ. Firstly, IT provides a platform for the student to establish the background and context of their chosen topic. This involves identifying the key theories, concepts, and research findings relevant to the subject matter. By doing so, the ...

  24. EPQ Literature review

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