What is the first step in preparing to write a literature review?

Creating an outline to guide your writing is an essential first step in preparing to write a literature review. The outline serves as a roadmap for organizing thoughts, clarifying the focus of the review, and establishing a structure that logically presents the identified themes, methodologies, and gaps in existing research. By deciding in advance how to categorize and present the information, the writer ensures that the literature review remains coherent and pertinent, making it easier to integrate and analyze the findings from various studies.

Prior to this step, while one might think of gathering literature as a precursor to writing, creating an outline not only helps in the organization but also aids in identifying which literature is most relevant to the research question at hand. It sets the foundation for a focused and comprehensive review that effectively synthesizes knowledge within the specified topic area.