Feature Planning Sheet
Use the table below to make notes on each of the literature review features. This will help you to
make sure that you include everything necessary in your literature review section.
Note: you will need to include a minimum of 12 sources in your literature review.
Feature Notes
Introduction
1) Establish what your topic is
2) Give your reasons
3) Explain the organisation of your literature review
4) State the scope (is anything going to be left out?
Are you focussing on any are in specific?)
 Remember, you will be repeating yourself
somewhat from your introduction of the research
proposal, that’s ok. You could try rewording
yourself to maintain reader interest. Also,
numbers 1-4 above should not be more than a
couple to a few sentences each.
Main Body
1) General theories
2) Specific cases and examples
3) Your research gap
 Remember that 1-3 are moving from general to
specific to prove your research gap. Think about
the structures we learnt about in class. You can
structure 1-3 by topic/theme or structure
chronologically, or from distant to close in relation
to your research focus.
Conclusion
1) Summarise the important points in the review
2) Evaluate the current state of literature
3) Identify significant flaws or gaps (restating your
research gap)
4) Link this gap with your research (how will your
research address this gap?)
Sheffield.ac.uk/international-college – Effective from September 2015 1
 Again, you will be repeating yourself a bit from
the main body of your literature review, but try to
reword to maintain reader interest and that you
summarise these points.
Headings
Remember that you must have headings in your
literature review: There must be specific
headings for the different sections of your main
body. Use your objectives to help you and refer
back to PowerPoint.