Write literature review Using a Synthesis Matrix A synthesis matrix visually represents your research by organizing your sources by themes.

Example of literature review synthesis matrix. A synthesis matrix is useful when your sources are more varied in their purpose and structure for example when youre dealing with books and essays making various different arguments about a topic. The articles I found were piling up and I didnt know what I should really do about them other than to allocate time to read them. Because a literature review is NOT a summary of these different sources it can be very difficult to keep your research organized.

You can sort the literature in various ways for example. A Review of the Literature and Implications for Morphological and Cognitive Effects on Brain Functioning Public Administration Literature Review Sample One Considering the Environment in Transportation Planning. Gary Burkholder in the School of Psychology these sample matrices are one option to help organize your articles.

The synthesis matrix is an approach to organizing monitoring and documenting your search activities. After summarizing and evaluating your sources arrange them in a matrix to help you see how they relate to each other and apply to each of your themes or variables. Concept Maps are graphic representations of topics ideas and their relationships.

It is especially difficult to organize the information in a way that makes the writing process simpler. Synthesis Matrix for literature review. Begin to note similarities among the.

They allow users to group information in related modules so that the connections between and among the modules become more readily apparent than they might from an examination of a list. Ashford Writing Center Wolniewicz 1996 What is a summary table or synthesis matrix. These documents allow you to compile details about your sources such as the foundational theories methodologies and conclusions.

In some cases it may be necessary to first read the paper fully to. How not to write. Review the guidelines provided for the assignment.