Ah, the literature review—the part of your dissertation where you wade through an ocean of journal articles, desperately trying to make sense of it all. You’re told to “synthesise” the literature, but what does that even mean? Is it just summarising a bunch of papers? Copying and pasting quotes until it looks academic enough? Spoiler alert: it’s neither.
If you’ve ever felt like your literature review is just a chaotic collection of other people’s ideas rather than a coherent narrative, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Synthesis is the secret ingredient that transforms your literature review from a glorified book report into a meaningful, analytical discussion. Let’s break it down and get you on track.
What is Synthesis, Anyway?
Imagine you’re hosting a dinner party. You’ve invited guests from different backgrounds, each with their own opinions on a topic—some agree, some don’t, and some have wildly different perspectives. Your job as the host is to facilitate a conversation where these guests interact, rather than just giving each person the floor one at a time. That’s what synthesis is—it’s bringing different sources into dialogue with each other.
In practical terms, synthesis means:
- Identifying themes and patterns across multiple studies
- Highlighting agreements, contradictions, and gaps in the research
- Weaving different perspectives together to form your own argument
A well-synthesised literature review doesn’t just say, “Smith (2020) found X, and Jones (2021) found Y.” Instead, it shows how these findings relate to each other and why they matter in the context of your research.
How to Synthesise Like a Pro
- Group Your Literature by Themes, Not Authors
A rookie mistake is structuring your literature review as a list of individual studies (“First, Smith said this, then Jones said that…”). Instead, organise your review around key themes, debates, or research questions. For example, if you’re researching the impact of remote work on productivity, you might have sections like:- The benefits of remote work
- Challenges and limitations
- The role of technology in remote work productivity
- Compare and Contrast Findings
Don’t just list studies—show how they relate to one another. Do two papers come to the same conclusion? Great! Do they completely contradict each other? Even better! A strong literature review highlights these relationships and offers possible explanations for differences. Example: While Smith (2020) found that remote workers experienced increased productivity due to fewer workplace distractions, Jones (2021) reported that prolonged remote work led to burnout and decreased efficiency. This discrepancy may be due to differences in sample populations, with Smith focusing on tech workers and Jones on healthcare professionals. - Identify Research Gaps
One of the most powerful things you can do in your literature review is to point out what hasn’t been studied yet. This helps justify your research. Example: Although several studies (Brown, 2019; White, 2020) have examined the psychological effects of remote work, there is limited research on how these effects differ between introverts and extroverts. This gap highlights the need for further investigation into personality differences in remote work adaptation. - Use Your Own Voice
Yes, you’re reviewing other people’s work, but that doesn’t mean your voice should disappear. Instead of just stating what previous studies have found, interpret and analyse their findings. Example: While multiple studies support the benefits of flexible work arrangements (Taylor, 2018; Green, 2019), these findings primarily focus on Western contexts. It remains unclear whether these benefits translate to cultures with different workplace norms, an aspect my research aims to explore. - Use Synthesis Matrices
If you’re drowning in a sea of articles, a synthesis matrix can be a lifesaver. This is simply a table where you map out different studies and compare their key findings, methodologies, and conclusions. Seeing everything side by side can make it much easier to spot patterns and contradictions.
| Study | Key Finding | Methodology | Gap Identified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith (2020) | Remote work boosts productivity | Survey of tech workers | Didn’t consider long-term effects |
| Jones (2021) | Remote work leads to burnout | Longitudinal study | Focused only on healthcare sector |
| Green (2019) | Hybrid work improves work-life balance | Case study | No comparison to full-time remote workers |
- Keep Your Narrative Flowing
A synthesised literature review should read like a conversation, not a list of disconnected summaries. Use transition phrases like:- Similarly, …
- In contrast, …
- Building on this idea, …
- A key disagreement in the literature is …
Final Thoughts
Synthesising your literature review is about weaving together different studies into a cohesive, analytical discussion. Think of yourself as a detective piecing together clues to tell a bigger story—not just reporting on what others have found but making sense of it in a way that supports your research.
So, grab your highlighter, build that synthesis matrix, and start making those connections. Your literature review (and future self) will thank you!