This document provides guidance on writing a literature review for a research paper. It explains that a literature review analyzes and synthesizes other sources related to the research topic in order to justify and support how the investigation may answer the research question. It advises finding sources from academic databases and references rather than only internet searches, as academic sources are more reliable. The literature review should compare, contrast, and evaluate aspects of the topic to explain the investigation in a logical narrative.

1. Literature Review

2. A Literature Review is the construction of the first section of
your Research Paper based on the selection of other sources
related and relevant to your topic. You must choose the most
appropriate information that explains and justifies how your
investigation may answer your Research Question and at the
end prove your hypothesis right or wrong. (University of
Reading, n.d.).
What is a Literature Review

3. According to the Writing Center at UNC Chapel Hill (2012), a
Research Paper contains a Literature Review as one of its
parts. In a research paper, you use the literature as a foundation
and as support for what you want to prove.
What is a Literature Review
The intention of a Literature Review is to summarize and
synthesize the arguments, which are the reasons of your
proposal and your ideas.

4. Most students rely on the Internet for research, basically
Google. But it is very important that you use texts that have an
academic focus, like Google Scholar, or even more
academically authoritative texts like academic books, journals,
research reports, government publications. Using Google will
probably facilitate your search, but many of the websites will
not guarantee that the information found is trustworthy
(University of Reading, n.d.).
Searching for Sources

5. For the Literature Review you are expected to support it with
information that comes from databases, in this case, Biblioteca
Digital, that will provide you with a numerous texts from
which you can select knowing that they are dependable
(University of Reading, n.d.).
Searching for Sources

6. In summary, according to the University of reading (n.d.), writing
a Literature Review is like writing a story that will explain why
and how you are doing your investigation.
If you are writing a story only like a description of issues, you´re
not on the right track, but if you compare, contrast and evaluate
several aspects related to your topic, you are on the right track.
In Summary
You must start your story in a broad way until you narrow it to
your own project.

7. The following link will lead you to a sample of a Literature
Review.
http://www.montana.edu/stock/ecns305/course-
project/litreviewsample.pdf
Sample of Research Paper

8. The Writing Center at UNC Chapel Hill. (2012). Literature Reviews. [Online].
Retrieved June 14, 2013 from
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/literature-reviews/
University of Reading. (n.d.). Starting a Literature Review. [Online].
Retrieved June 14, 2013 from
https://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/studyadvice/StudyResources/Essays/sta-s
startinglitreview.aspx#what
Sample Literature Review of One Paper PDF. (n.d.). Divorce and Labor Force Participation.
[Online]. Retrieved June 14, 2013 from
http://www.montana.edu/stock/ecns305/litreviewsample.pdf
References