Literature Review Outline Template

Writing a literature review outline may be one of the most challenging academic assignments you will ever receive.  That is not because writing a literature review is especially complex, but because many people do not understand the purpose of a literature review.  Some people confuse literature reviews with annotated bibliographies.  However, literature reviews are not just about compiling sources.  Instead, they are about synthesizing the current state of literature on your topic.  In many ways, this makes the literature review very similar to a well-organized expository essay.  However, it will be formatted slightly differently, which you will see when looking at the format of the essay.  

I. Introduction

A. Describe Your Topic

B. Overview of research trend 1

C. Overview of research trend 2

D. Overview of research trend 3

II. Overview of research trend 1

A. Study 1

1. Research

2. Methodology

3. Conclusions

B. Study 2

1. Research

2. Methodology

3. Conclusions

C. Study 3

1. Research

2. Methodology

3. Conclusions

III. Overview of research trend 2

A. Study 1

1. Research

2. Methodology

3. Conclusions

B. Study 2

1. Research

2. Methodology

3. Conclusions

C. Study 3

1. Research

2. Methodology

3. Conclusions

IV. Overview of research trend 3

A. Study 1

1. Research

2. Methodology

3. Conclusions

B. Study 2

1. Research

2. Methodology

3. Conclusions

C. Study 3

1. Research

2. Methodology

3. Conclusions

V. Conclusion

A. Overall conclusions of the research

B. Strengths of the research

C. Weaknesses of the research

D. Suggested next steps of research

Literature Review Outline Example

The literature review outline looks different than other kinds of outlines, which is largely because the literature review is a very specific type of research paper or a specific subsection in a larger research paper.  This example literature review will focus on the MacDonald Triad of symptoms for serial killers and investigate whether there is evidence that the triad is predictive of serial killer behavior.   For the example, we are only looking at three articles, but for a longer research paper, you would take a more nuanced look at the issue

I. Introduction

A. The MacDonald Triad is said to predict serial killer and sexually violent behavior.

1. Bedwetting

2. Arson

3. Animal cruelty

B. The research suggests that each aspect of the triad is predictive of violent behavior in adulthood.

II. Each aspect of the triad is predictive of violent behavior in adulthood

A. Parfitt, CH, Alleyne E.  (Jan 2018).  Not the sum of its parts: a critical review of the MacDonald Triad.  Trauma Violence Abuse. 

1. Looked at triad and its individual constituents

2. Narrative Review

3. Determined that each constituent predicts violence, but not necessarily the triad

B. Felthouse, AR, Bernard, H. (Jan 1979).  Enuresis, firesetting, and cruelty to animals: the significance of two thirds of this triad. J Forensic Sci. 24(1):240-6.

1. Looked at triad and its individual constituents

2. Literature review

3. Animal cruelty and firesetting predict adult violence

C. Heller, MS, Ehrlich, SM, Lester, D.  (Apr 1984).  Childhood cruelty to animals firesetting, and enuresis as correlates of competence to stand trial.  J Gen Psychol 110: 151-3.

1. Look at elements of MacDonald triad as indicators of competency to stand trial

2. Looked at triad symptoms in 1935 offenders evaluated at a court psychiatric clinic

3. While inmates with triad symptoms were more likely to be declared competent to stand trial, the symptoms were not more correlated with violent crime than non-violent crime

III. Conclusion

A. The triad does not appear to have predictive value for violent behavior, but elements of it might predict violence

B. The research looks at the results from actual criminal offenders

C. Much of the research looks at individual elements instead of the whole triad

D. Future research: Compare rates of violent crime in offenders with one, two, or all three elements of the triad to see if there are significant differences.