Be precise about the topic, the scope, and the aim of a literature review from the beginning, as the review might otherwise cover too broad a field or not stay sufficiently focused. The topic of a review arises from the main theme or research question of a given research project. Once the topic is clear, there are numerous ways in which a literature search can be done – but it should always follow the aim of the research. It can be very helpful to start a literature review with a brief written research statement covering the following questions:

What is the topic of my research?

Why is this topic relevant, important or interesting?

How does this project relate to past research in this field?

What are the main concepts and theories that could be relevant?

What is the aim of the literature review, and how does it relate to the aim of my research?

What could be an appropriate working title for this review?

A written research statement marks the official starting point of the review process.

While none of the responses has to be perfect, it is helpful to write these down in order to make research questions, expectations and knowledge gaps more explicit.

In series of revisions, the focus and scope of the research topic and the literature review may shift. For example, if the selected topic is one that has already attracted a lot of research, it often makes sense to narrow it down further, in order to avoid becoming overwhelmed by too much information. If the topic is very narrow or innovative, it might be necessary to broaden it out in order to find enough related material.