Before conducting any research, it's essential to understand previous work, which highlights the importance of a literature review. Through a literature review, we can determine whether previous studies have addressed our questions of interest and how they explored these issues. This helps us identify the innovation points and methods for our research.

The structure of a literature review doesn't have a fixed format but should have a clear logic. We can organize the article based on the research subject, chronological order, or research paradigm. In the review, it's crucial not only to summarize previous studies but also to present our insights, combining description and evaluation.

When writing a literature review, ensure the content is accurate and clear, avoiding irrelevant material. Choosing a small and specific topic helps highlight the focus. Carefully read each referenced work to ensure the review includes the latest research findings.

For high school students, writing a good literature review not only enhances the ability to search and analyze literature but also helps them understand the latest advancements in academic fields. Although writing a literature review might be more time-consuming than conducting experimental research, its value is greater. Hopefully, these suggestions will help you become more adept in the writing process.

How to Find Representative Literature

The first step in a literature review is to search for literature, which means gathering the materials to be reviewed. A common approach is to use various databases, filling in the search fields with "article title, keywords, and abstract," and then executing the search command.

However, given the vast number of journals and articles available both domestically and internationally, we might end up with hundreds or even thousands of related documents, making it overwhelming to start reading and analyzing. We recommend first focusing on collecting and reading representative literature, particularly seminal papers that have significantly impacted related research, and then gathering and reading secondary literature.

So, how do we find representative literature? Consulting a supervisor is the simplest and most effective way. However, sometimes the topic we intend to review may not be within the supervisor's expertise, and they may not be able to provide a primary reading list. In such cases, we suggest the following methods:

1. First, search for and read articles published in top-tier journals.
2. Look for authoritative textbooks and the classic literature they mention in specific fields.
3. Search for research results published by academic authorities.
4. Find syllabi from research-oriented courses at prestigious universities.
5. Visit libraries or databases to check collections titled "handbook."
6. Use "Google Scholar."

After employing these methods, we should be able to find all representative literature. Next, we should also search for a substantial amount of secondary literature. Although these may not be highly cited or make significant academic contributions, they can still deepen the theoretical framework in certain aspects, making it necessary to acknowledge their contributions in our literature review.

Finally, it's important to note that during our literature search, we may come across existing review articles similar to what we intend to write. We can reference these articles (especially their bibliographies) to streamline our process of collecting, understanding, and reading original literature. However, we must not resort to copying these existing reviews without examining the original literature, as this is a common source of errors and contradicts the spirit of academic integrity and rigor.

How to Read Literature

After gathering materials, we may have hundreds of articles at hand. Reading each one word for word is neither feasible nor necessary. We recommend using different reading methods based on the contribution of each piece of literature.

1. Read the abstract and conclusion.
2. Read the abstract, introduction, findings, and conclusion.
3. Read the entire text.

Regardless of the reading method, take notes while reading. Record the title, author, source, publication date, and page numbers. Notes should include two main aspects: a summary of the article's viewpoints and methods, and your own thoughts and reflections. After reading enough literature and organizing your notes by classifying, summarizing, analyzing, trimming, and combining them, you'll have the basic material for a literature review and can list the corresponding references. Without taking notes, it's impossible to efficiently write a good literature review, and it complicates organizing references later. Based on our experience, writing a 10,000-word literature review requires 20,000 to 30,000 words of notes.

How to Write a Literature Review

After reading the literature and organizing your notes, you can start considering the angle from which to write the literature review, that is, the structure of the review. Unlike research papers, review articles don't have a fixed structural requirement, but this doesn't mean they lack structure. Generally, you can choose one of the following methods:

1. Based on different components of the review subject.
2. According to the chronological order of the subject's development.
3. Following major research paradigms, academic schools, research perspectives, or viewpoints.
4. According to research stages (periods).
5. Other structural arrangements.

No matter which structure is used, a good literature review must have a clear logical flow and order, clearly explaining to the reader why these structural arrangements were chosen. By proposing one or more structural arrangements, you are already integrating the material to some extent.

In the first section of the review (the "Introduction"), you should introduce the main content, general structure, and preliminarily outline your original viewpoints. Subsequent sections can then follow the approach outlined in the introduction for discussing the literature.

Suggestions for Writing a Review Article

Once you've found the literature, read it, taken notes, and roughly determined the structure of your article, you can start writing. While writing a review article is not difficult with good notes, crafting a high-quality piece requires significant effort. Here are some suggestions:

1. Avoid Only Summarizing Without Evaluating.
   Simply summarizing previous research without offering your own commentary leads to a superficial review. A good review should present the author's own viewpoints based on extensive reading and clear presentation of previous literature. We suggest a ratio of 70% summary to 30% evaluation. When evaluating, ensure you have original viewpoints and avoid merely descriptive comments. Reviews aiming to develop new theories should propose new propositions or models, offering high value and guiding future research.
2. Ensure Accuracy and Clarity.
   A literature review should be accurate and clear, avoiding a narrative style. "Accuracy" means objectively summarizing previous viewpoints without personal judgment. Avoid selective quoting or misrepresentation. Include all relevant literature, regardless of personal preference. "Clarity" involves maintaining clear relationships and distinct layers among different parts of the review, making it easy for readers to follow. For example, Kirkman and co-authors categorized literature using Hofstede's cultural value framework into two groups: one viewing culture as a primary factor affecting management outcomes, and another as a moderating variable. They organized the review by individual, group, organization, and national levels, ensuring a well-structured and clear presentation.
3. Organize Materials, Avoid Listing and Piling.
   A common mistake is listing and piling materials. After spending much time searching, reading, and analyzing, there's a tendency to include all related viewpoints in the manuscript. However, this can lead to a bloated review, obscuring the main theme. It's crucial to be selective; discard viewpoints unrelated or less relevant to the review theme, even if significant time was spent on them.
4. Narrow the Scope, Highlight Key Points.
   Many review articles suffer from repetitiveness due to broad themes. To create a novel review, narrow the scope and highlight key points. Avoid broad titles like "Service Quality Review" or "Customer Satisfaction Review." Instead, choose narrower topics like "Service Quality in Developing Countries" or "Customer Satisfaction Across Cultures." This approach yields more valuable results. Focus only on literature directly related to the theme, avoiding well-known common knowledge.
5. Read the Literature Carefully.
   Thoroughly read each relevant piece of literature. At least read the abstract and conclusion of each cited work, and for most, read the abstract, introduction, findings, and conclusion. Fully read important works. Do not cite literature you haven't read. A common issue is citing reviews without reading the original texts, leading to errors. These suggestions are based on diligent reading. Additionally, seek out the latest publications to ensure your review reflects cutting-edge research.

For high school students, learning to write a literature review is crucial: it improves skills in searching, reading, and analyzing literature, helps understand existing achievements in the field, and keeps track of the latest academic progress. With effort and mastery of writing techniques, high school students can produce high-quality literature reviews during their studies.

How Embark Helps Students Stand Out Academically

Embark’s core team consists of graduates from top institutions such as the Ivy League, MIT, and Caltech. They are dedicated to providing personalized, one-on-one mentorship to help students develop unique research topics. For example, students can collaborate with Embark mentors to design high-quality projects, delve deeply into STEM fields, and write publishable papers. These papers can not only be published in reputable journals but also serve as significant advantages when applying to top universities.

Additionally, Embark encourages students to apply their research to prestigious STEM competitions, such as Regeneron ISEF and Regeneron STS, further enhancing their global competitiveness.

For more information about Embark and how we help students achieve their research and academic goals, please visit our website.