Grad Coach

Literature Review Example/Sample

Detailed Walkthrough + Free Literature Review Template

If you’re working on a dissertation or thesis and are looking for an example of a strong literature review chapter , you’ve come to the right place.

In this video, we walk you through an A-grade literature review from a dissertation that earned full distinction . We start off by discussing the five core sections of a literature review chapter by unpacking our free literature review template . This includes:

  • The literature review opening/ introduction section
  • The theoretical framework (or foundation of theory)
  • The empirical research
  • The research gap
  • The closing section

We then progress to the sample literature review (from an A-grade Master’s-level dissertation) to show how these concepts are applied in the literature review chapter. You can access the free resources mentioned in this video below.

FAQ: Literature Review Example

Literature review example: frequently asked questions, is the sample literature review real.

Yes. The literature review example is an extract from a Master’s-level dissertation for an MBA program. It has not been edited in any way.

Can I replicate this literature review for my dissertation?

As we discuss in the video, every literature review will be slightly different, depending on the university’s unique requirements, as well as the nature of the research itself. Therefore, you’ll need to tailor your literature review to suit your specific context.

You can learn more about the basics of writing a literature review here .

Where can I find more examples of literature reviews?

The best place to find more examples of literature review chapters would be within dissertation/thesis databases. These databases include dissertations, theses and research projects that have successfully passed the assessment criteria for the respective university, meaning that you have at least some sort of quality assurance. 

The Open Access Thesis Database (OATD) is a good starting point. 

How do I get the literature review template?

You can access our free literature review chapter template here .

Is the template really free?

Yes. There is no cost for the template and you are free to use it as you wish. 

Literature Review Course

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Literature Review Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

You Might Also Like:

Example of two research proposals (Masters and PhD-level)

What will it take for you to guide me in my Ph.D research work?

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

  • Print Friendly

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

  • Harvard Library
  • Research Guides
  • Harvard Graduate School of Design - Frances Loeb Library

Write and Cite

  • Literature Review
  • Academic Integrity
  • Citing Sources
  • Fair Use, Permissions, and Copyright
  • Writing Resources
  • Grants and Fellowships
  • Last Updated: Apr 26, 2024 10:28 AM
  • URL: https://guides.library.harvard.edu/gsd/write

Harvard University Digital Accessibility Policy

  • Search Menu
  • Advance articles
  • Editor's Choice
  • Supplement Archive
  • Article Collection Archive
  • Author Guidelines
  • Submission Site
  • Open Access
  • Call for Papers
  • Why Publish?
  • About Nutrition Reviews
  • About International Life Sciences Institute
  • Editorial Board
  • Early Career Editorial Board
  • Advertising and Corporate Services
  • Journals Career Network
  • Self-Archiving Policy
  • Journals on Oxford Academic
  • Books on Oxford Academic

Issue Cover

  • < Previous

Efficacy and safety of prolonged water fasting: a narrative review of human trials

ORCID logo

  • Article contents
  • Figures & tables
  • Supplementary Data

Mark Ezpeleta, Sofia Cienfuegos, Shuhao Lin, Vasiliki Pavlou, Kelsey Gabel, Krista A Varady, Efficacy and safety of prolonged water fasting: a narrative review of human trials, Nutrition Reviews , Volume 82, Issue 5, May 2024, Pages 664–675, https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuad081

  • Permissions Icon Permissions

The goal of this narrative review is to summarize the effects of prolonged fasting on various metabolic health measures, including body weight, blood pressure, plasma lipids, and glycemic control. Prolonged fasting is characterized by consciously eating little to no food or caloric beverages for several days to weeks. Results reveal that prolonged fasting for 5–20 days produces potent increases in circulating ketones, and mild to moderate weight loss of 2–10%. Approximately two-thirds of the weight lost is lean mass, and one-third is fat mass. The excessive lean mass loss suggests that prolonged fasting may increase the breakdown of muscle proteins, which is a concern. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure consistently decreased with prolonged fasting. However, the impact of these protocols on plasma lipids is less clear. While some trials demonstrate decreases in LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, others show no benefit. With regard to glycemic control, reductions in fasting glucose, fasting insulin, insulin resistance, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were noted in adults with normoglycemia. In contrast, these glucoregulatory factors remained unchanged in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The effects of refeeding were also examined in a few trials. It was shown that 3–4 months after the fast was completed, all metabolic benefits were no longer observed, even when weight loss was maintained. With regard to adverse events, metabolic acidosis, headaches, insomnia, and hunger were observed in some studies. In summary, prolonged fasting appears to be a moderately safe diet therapy that can produce clinically significant weight loss (>5%) over a few days or weeks. However, the ability of these protocols to produce sustained improvements in metabolic markers warrants further investigation.

Email alerts

Citing articles via.

  • Recommend to your Library

Affiliations

  • Online ISSN 1753-4887
  • Print ISSN 0029-6643
  • Copyright © 2024 International Life Sciences Institute
  • About Oxford Academic
  • Publish journals with us
  • University press partners
  • What we publish
  • New features  
  • Open access
  • Institutional account management
  • Rights and permissions
  • Get help with access
  • Accessibility
  • Advertising
  • Media enquiries
  • Oxford University Press
  • Oxford Languages
  • University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

  • Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
  • Cookie settings
  • Cookie policy
  • Privacy policy
  • Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

Log in using your username and password

  • Search More Search for this keyword Advanced search
  • Latest content
  • Current issue
  • For authors
  • New editors
  • BMJ Journals More You are viewing from: Google Indexer

You are here

  • Volume 58, Issue 9
  • Infographic. Return to activity/sport postpartum: a summary of current recommendations
  • Article Text
  • Article info
  • Citation Tools
  • Rapid Responses
  • Article metrics

Download PDF

  • http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9279-4076 Jenna M Schulz 1 , 2 , 3 ,
  • http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3519-7101 Jane S Thornton 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5
  • 1 Family Medicine , Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University , London , Ontario , Canada
  • 2 Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic , Western University , London , Ontario , Canada
  • 3 Bone & Joint Institute , Western University , London , Ontario , Canada
  • 4 Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry , Western University , London , Ontario , Canada
  • 5 Kinesiology , Western University , London , Ontario , Canada
  • Correspondence to Jenna M Schulz, Family Medicine, Western University Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, London, Canada; jschulz2{at}uwo.ca

https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-107856

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request permissions.

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

  • Physical activity

With increased participation in sport by female athletes, there has been a concomitant rise in the number of female athletes aiming to return to activity (RTA) and/or return to sport (RTS) postpartum. However, almost one in two female participants stops exercising/playing sport due to pelvic floor symptoms. 1 Additionally, a lack of female athlete-specific research and clinical practice guidelines make it difficult for both athletes and clinicians to navigate a safe and successful RTA/RTS. 2 Furthermore, female athletes have specific biological, sociocultural and environmental considerations that could impact sport and health outcomes. 3

A recent scoping review was undertaken to evaluate recommendations for RTA/RTS postpartum. 4 We concluded that while some recommendations exist, 5–7 evidence informed guidelines are needed to improve physical activity levels and RTA/RTS for postpartum females. 4 This infographic aims to summarise the results of the scoping review and suggest a framework for RTA/RTS postpartum.

Traditional RTA/RTS frameworks for musculoskeletal injuries involve not only assessment of strength, endurance and functional abilities, but also emphasise mental readiness. We suggest that postpartum RTA/RTS should follow a similar process and propose a five-step framework for athletes and clinicians navigating RTA/RTS postpartum ( figure 1 ). Before beginning any activity/exercise, clearance should be obtained from a medical professional with expertise in female athletes/women’s health (ie, pelvic health physiotherapist, gynaecologist, family medicine or sport medicine physician). Before progressing to the next stage, athletes should be screened for any risk factors that may impact a successful advancement to the next stage (ie, pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), relative energy deficiency (REDs) in sport and postpartum depression). Some potential screening areas include a PFD, strength/endurance/functional testing, load management, REDs, breastfeeding, caesarean section/perineal scar tissue, sleep and a psychological survey for postpartum depression/anxiety and mental readiness. 8 9 Some specific tools may include the REDs Clinical Assessment Tool (REDs-CAT-2) 10 and the PFD-ScrEeNing Tool IN fEmale athLetes (PFD-SENTINEL); 11 however, these are yet to be validated. Furthermore, instead of focusing on specific timelines, athletes may progress to the next phase as tolerance, confidence and personal goals indicate. At any point, the athlete can return to the previous stage if symptoms (ie, incontinence, pelvic girdle pain, bleeding, excessive fatigue or poor muscular control) are present. As with all RTA/RTS frameworks, exercises should be patient-specific, goal-oriented, with a graded progression and modified to fit the needs of the athlete. All clinicians should be using a whole-systems, biopsychosocial approach (ie, considering changes beyond the musculoskeletal system, including psychological, socioeconomic and environmental) 8 when working with the active postpartum population.

  • Download figure
  • Open in new tab
  • Download powerpoint

Infographic on recommended milestones for return to activity/sport postpartum.

While this five-step framework based on a scoping review provides a starting point for clinicians and athletes navigating RTA/RTS postpartum, more research is needed to improve postpartum care and support for athletes. High quality primary clinical studies should be conducted to inform evidence-based recommendations for postpartum policy and clinical practice guidelines. This will reduce the likelihood of long-term injury and promote increased postpartum activity levels, satisfaction and longevity in sport, hopefully alleviating the decision between becoming a mother or remaining active.

Ethics statements

Patient consent for publication.

Not required.

Ethics approval

  • Hay-Smith J , et al
  • Davenport MH ,
  • Khurana R ,
  • Thornton JS , et al
  • Crossley KM ,
  • Bo K , et al
  • Schulz JM ,
  • Marmura H ,
  • Hewitt CM , et al
  • Birsner ML ,
  • Gyamfi-Bannerman C , Committee on Obstetric Practice
  • Barakat R , et al
  • Al-Ansari SS ,
  • Biddle S , et al
  • Donnelly GM ,
  • Brockwell E ,
  • Rankin A , et al
  • Brockwell E , et al
  • Stellingwerff T ,
  • Mountjoy M ,
  • McCluskey WT , et al
  • Salvioli S ,
  • Innocenti T , et al

X @jennaschulz_1, @janesthornton

Contributors JMS conceptualised the project, designed the infographic and drafted the manuscript. JST contributed to conception, design and critical revision of the article.

Funding JMS is supported by the Ontario Women’s Health Scholars Postdoctoral Award and a Western’s Bone and Joint Institute Collaborative Training in Musculoskeletal Heath Program Trainee Award. JST holds a Canada Research Chair in Injury Prevention and Physical Activity for Health.

Competing interests JST is an editor of BJSM.

Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Read the full text or download the PDF:

COMMENTS

  1. How to write a review paper

    Include this information when writing up the method for your review. 5 Look for previous reviews on the topic. Use them as a springboard for your own review, critiquing the earlier reviews, adding more recently published material, and pos-sibly exploring a different perspective. Exploit their refer-ences as another entry point into the literature.

  2. (PDF) Writing a Literature Review Research Paper: A step-by-step approach

    47. Writing a Literatur e Review Research Paper: A step -by- step approach. Abdullah Ramdhani 1, Muhammad Ali Ramdhani 2, Abdusy Syakur Am in 3. 1 Department of Public Administration, Garut ...

  3. PDF How to Write a Literature Review

    A literature review is a review or discussion of the current published material available on a particular topic. It attempts to synthesizeand evaluatethe material and information according to the research question(s), thesis, and central theme(s). In other words, instead of supporting an argument, or simply making a list of summarized research ...

  4. PDF What is a Literature Review?

    erature review is a synopsis of other research. Moreover, it is a critical appraisal of other research on a given topic that helps to put that topic in context (Machi and McEvoy, 2009). A comprehensive review should provide the reader with a succinct, objective and logical summary of the current knowledge on a particular topic.

  5. PDF Conducting Your Literature Review

    Conducting Your Literature Review. 3. A. literature reviewis an overview of the available research for a specific scientific topic. Literature reviews summarize existing research to answer a review question, provide the context for new research, or identify important gaps in the existing body of literature. We now have access to lots of ...

  6. PDF CHAPTER 3 Conducting a Literature Review

    literature review should situate the proposed research in the context of extant literature, and it should clearly identify how the proposed research will create new knowledge that enhances the existing knowledge about the topic. If a research question is the guardrails of our research, the literature review is the pavement on which we are ...

  7. PDF Writing a Literature Review

    A literature review can either be part of a larger study or free standing as a research effort in its own right. Novice scholars may be most familiar with the literature review that is part of a larger study and may not realize that stand alone reviews are also considered a form of research (Torraco 2005). Both types of

  8. Writing a literature review

    Writing a literature review requires a range of skills to gather, sort, evaluate and summarise peer-reviewed published data into a relevant and informative unbiased narrative. Digital access to research papers, academic texts, review articles, reference databases and public data sets are all sources of information that are available to enrich ...

  9. How to Write a Literature Review

    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 ...

  10. PDF Conducting a Literature Review

    quality research papers. Publons Supporting researchers through documenting their peer-review and journal editing contributions, providing guidance and best practice for the peer-review process, as well as increasing the overall visibility of their research and its impact. Converis One flow to let institutions collect, manage,

  11. PDF Undertaking a literature review: a step'by-step approacii

    research literature on the topic being studied (Hart, 1998). Its goal is to bring the reader up-to-date with current hterature on a topic and form the basis for another goal, such as the justification for future research in the area. A good literature review gathers information about a particular subject from many sources. It is well written ...

  12. (PDF) How to Do a Systematic Review: A Best Practice Guide for

    review articles and research syntheses, empirical articles), subject categories, sub- headings, etc; • Consider using "AND" and "OR" Boolean search operators : "AND" which will search

  13. (PDF) Literature Review as a Research Methodology: An overview and

    This paper draws input from a study that employed a systematic literature review as its main source of data. A systematic review can be explained as a research method and process for identifying ...

  14. PDF Literature Review and Focusing the Research

    the topic of the research and to build a rationale for the problem that is studied and the need for additional research. Boote and Beile (2005) eloquently explain the purpose of a literature review in planning primary research: As the foundation of any research project, the literature review should accomplish several important objectives.

  15. PDF LITERATURE REVIEWS

    2. MOTIVATE YOUR RESEARCH in addition to providing useful information about your topic, your literature review must tell a story about how your project relates to existing literature. popular literature review narratives include: ¡ plugging a gap / filling a hole within an incomplete literature ¡ building a bridge between two "siloed" literatures, putting literatures "in conversation"

  16. PDF Introduction to Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: A Health Care

    Systematic Review (SR): Review of a clearly formulated question that uses systematic and. explicit methods to identify, select, and critically appraise relevant research, and to. collect and analyze data from the studies that are included in the review Meta-analysis (MA): Use of statistical techniques in an SR to integrate the results of ...

  17. Literature review as a research methodology: An ...

    This is why the literature review as a research method is more relevant than ever. Traditional literature reviews often lack thoroughness and rigor and are conducted ad hoc, rather than following a specific methodology. Therefore, questions can be raised about the quality and trustworthiness of these types of reviews.

  18. Guidance on Conducting a Systematic Literature Review

    Literature review is an essential feature of academic research. Fundamentally, knowledge advancement must be built on prior existing work. To push the knowledge frontier, we must know where the frontier is. By reviewing relevant literature, we understand the breadth and depth of the existing body of work and identify gaps to explore.

  19. Literature Review Example (PDF + Template)

    The literature review opening/introduction section; The theoretical framework (or foundation of theory) The empirical research; The research gap; The closing section; We then progress to the sample literature review (from an A-grade Master's-level dissertation) to show how these concepts are applied in the literature review chapter. You can ...

  20. (PDF) Systematic Literature Reviews: An Introduction

    Systematic literature reviews (SRs) are a way of synt hesising scientific evidence to answer a particular. research question in a way that is transparent and reproducible, while seeking to include ...

  21. Research Guides: Write and Cite: Literature Review

    This guide offers information on writing resources, citation style guides, and academic writing expectations and best practices, as well as information on resources related to copyright, fair use, permissions, and open access.

  22. On what motivates us: a detailed review of intrinsic v. extrinsic

    This review aims to provide an overview of the conceptualization, measurement, and neurobiology of intrinsic motivation, providing a framework for understanding its potential contributions to psychopathology and its treatment. ... Review of Educational Research, 66 (1), 5-32. 10.3102/00346543066001005. [Google Scholar] ... PDF (387K) Actions ...

  23. Oxford Academic

    Oxford Academic

  24. (PDF) Writing Critical Reviews: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Ev en better you might. consider doing an argument map (see Chapter 9, Critical thinking). Step 5: Put the article aside and think about what you have read. Good critical review. writing requires ...

  25. PDF IRB Review of Research Involving AI

    • IRBs/HRPPs should build capacity and expand competencies in review of AI research. • IRBs/HRPPs should develop standard operating procedures for review of AI research, e.g., templates for protocols/consent forms, reviewer worksheets, etc. • IRBs/HRPPs should engage with researchers - to include education about relevant research

  26. Infographic. Return to activity/sport postpartum: a summary of current

    With increased participation in sport by female athletes, there has been a concomitant rise in the number of female athletes aiming to return to activity (RTA) and/or return to sport (RTS) postpartum. However, almost one in two female participants stops exercising/playing sport due to pelvic floor symptoms.1 Additionally, a lack of female athlete-specific research and clinical practice ...

  27. (PDF) A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Literature Review

    Utilizing proper keywords or controlled vocabulary is essential for effectively exploring a wide range of literature. Step 3: Selecting resources. This step is relevant for extracting the desired ...

  28. PDF 2024nrpa Agency Performance Review

    Review in conjunction with other internal and external resources to gather a clearer understanding of needs and resources specific to their agency. How to Use the 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review and NRPA Park Metrics To begin using the 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review, first look at the available data. Throughout this

  29. (PDF) How to Review a Research Paper

    The state of evidence: what we know and what we don't know about journal peer review In Godlee F, Jefferson T, editors. Peer review in health sciences. Second edition. London: BMJ Books, 2003:45 ...

  30. (PDF) Importance of Reliability and Validity in Research

    PDF | A review of how psychologists use tools of assessment to ensure reliability and validity in research | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate