How to Write a Literature Review for a Research Proposal

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Daniel Kingsley

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The argument in your dissertation should build steadily from chapter to chapter, with each section contributing something new to the overall direction.

Time spent understanding the marking rubric before you begin writing is never wasted, because knowing what your examiners are looking for allows you to focus your efforts on the areas that carry the most weight.

Keyword: literature review research proposal UK

A literature review in your research proposal identifies what scholars have already studied and explains what gap your research will fill. It's not just summary. It's strategic positioning of your work within scholarly conversation.

Reading your completed draft from beginning to end in a single sitting, without stopping to make corrections, gives you a reader's perspective on the flow and coherence of your argument that you cannot get from working on individual sections in isolation.

The Purpose of Your Proposal's Literature Review

You're doing three things. First, you're demonstrating that you know your field. Second, you're showing that your research question is genuinely novel, no one's already answered it. Third, you're explaining how your proposed research builds on or challenges existing work. Because this section justifies why your research matters, it's key.

Regular contact with your supervisor throughout the dissertation period helps you stay on track, receive timely feedback, and avoid the isolation that can make a long research project feel more difficult than it needs to be.

And here's what many students miss: your proposal's literature review is different from a standalone literature review assignment. It's shorter, more focused, and explicitly framed around your research question. You're not trying to be thorough; you're carefully selecting sources that illuminate why your question matters.

What to Include in Your Proposal Literature Review

Begin by identifying the most important recent scholarship in your field. What have major scholars concluded? What debates exist? Map the intellectual landscape. Then identify the specific gap your research addresses.

Your structure might look like this: paragraph one establishes what's well-understood (Smith and Johnson both show that X is true). Paragraph two identifies important newer work complicating that (Williams recently challenged Smith's conclusion). Paragraph three identifies the remaining question (but no one has investigated what causes these complications). Then your final paragraph positions your research: "This proposal investigates [the gap], which will clarify [why that matters]."

Include key works in your field. These are foundational pieces that everyone knows. But also include recent scholarship showing where the field is moving. Because combining older classics with recent work demonstrates broad knowledge while showing current engagement.

Real Examples from UK Research Proposals

An Oxford proposal on medieval literature might position its literature review this way:

Chaucer scholarship traditionally emphasised biographical interpretation, linking texts to Chaucer's life. Medieval literary analysis has shifted towards examining manuscript contexts and scribal practices. Recent work by Pearsall (2008) and Gillespie (2012) demonstrates that manuscript variation reveals how medieval readers understood texts differently. However, no study has systematically examined how specific scribal decisions altered textual meaning for contemporary audiences. This proposal investigates how scribal choices in Troilus and Criseyde manuscripts shaped medieval readers' interpretation of narrative authority.

A Durham proposal on criminal justice might write:

Research on sentencing disparities documents consistent racial and gender patterns across decades (Mitchell, 2005; Mustard, 2001). More recent work has examined whether these disparities reflect discrimination or differences in case characteristics (Mustard, 2001 argues case characteristics explain disparities; Mitchell, 2005 disagrees). However, this debate hasn't examined whether disparities exist within specific crime categories or whether patterns differ by judge identity. This proposal investigates whether sentencing disparities for drug offences vary by specific charge characteristics and judge demographics.

An LSE proposal on economic policy might position literature this way:

Income inequality has risen substantially across OECD countries since 1980 (OECD, 2015; Piketty, 2014). Scholars debate whether this reflects labour market changes, policy choices, or globalisation (Acemoglu, 2003; Stiglitz, 2012). Recent work by Piketty (2014) argues that capital returns exceed wage growth basic. However, UK-specific research remains limited and mostly examines overall inequality rather than specific mechanisms within particular sectors. This proposal investigates which mechanisms explain UK financial sector inequality specifically, testing whether capital concentration or wage stratification drives disparities.

A Manchester proposal on social policy might write:

Food bank usage in the UK has increased dramatically since 2010 (Lambie-Mumford et al., 2014). Scholars attribute this to austerity and welfare reform (Loopstra and Tarasuk, 2015), though some argue it reflects increased visibility and reduced stigma (Garthwaite, 2016). Current research focuses on reasons for increased usage but hasn't examined whether food bank expansion itself drives demand through normalization. This proposal investigates whether food bank availability alters household behaviour and expectations regarding food security support.

How Long Should Your Literature Review Be?

For a 2,000 to 3,000-word research proposal, your literature review typically runs 500 to 800 words. For longer proposals (5,000+ words), it might extend to 1,500 to 2,000 words. The principle: your literature review should be substantial enough to demonstrate knowledge and position your research, but not so long that it overshadows your research plan.

Because you're positioning your research specifically, you can be more selective than in standalone literature review assignments. You're including work that directly illuminates why your question matters. That selectivity is a strength, not a weakness.

Structuring Your Literature Review Effectively

Use topic sentences that establish clear position. "Existing research demonstrates that X is true" is clearer than describing individual studies. Then cite specific sources supporting that position.

Group similar studies together. "Multiple studies (Smith 2020; Johnson 2021; Williams 2022) have found similar results..." is more effective than treating each study individually.

Be honest about what remains unclear. "While researchers agree on X, they disagree about Y" shows sophisticated understanding. This disagreement often explains why your question matters.

End with clear positioning of your research. "This proposal addresses the question of Y by investigating Z." This links your literature review directly to your research plan.

Avoiding Literature Review Mistakes

Don't simply summarise studies. "Smith found X. Johnson found Y. Williams found Z." sounds like annotation, not literature review. Instead: "These findings suggest that X explains Y, which has implications for understanding Z." You're interpreting the scholarship, not just reporting it.

Never claim that no one has studied your topic. Unless you're doing genuinely novel work (rare), others have examined similar questions. "No one has investigated this exact question" is usually true. "No research addresses this, explains how your question differs from related work. Because modest positioning sounds more credible than claims of complete novelty, avoid overstating your contribution.

And here's what matters: update your literature review continuously. If major work was published since you drafted your proposal, incorporate it. Because you're demonstrating current knowledge, outdated literature reviews undermine your credibility.

Action Points for Your Literature Review

Before finalising, check that you've identified the specific gap your research addresses. Can you write one sentence explaining what your research will investigate that existing work hasn't? If not, clarify your research question further.

Then verify that your literature review logically leads to your research plan. The conclusion of your literature review should make your research question seem obvious, of course someone should investigate this gap.

Finally, check that you've included recent scholarship. Literature reviews using only works from five or ten years ago look outdated. Include at least some sources from the last three years.

FAQ

Q1: How many sources should I include in my proposal literature review? For a 500-800 word literature review section, roughly 15-25 sources is typical. For longer reviews (1,500-2,000 words), 30-50 sources. This varies by discipline, sciences sometimes cite more, humanities sometimes fewer. The principle: include enough sources to convincingly establish what's known and what remains unclear. At Cambridge, quality matters more than quantity. One carefully analysed recent study might matter more than five older studies you've barely engaged with. Because you're demonstrating knowledge and positioning your research, thoroughness and selectivity matter equally.

Q2: Should my literature review be critical? Yes. Evaluate what you read. Identify strengths and limitations of existing work. "Smith's study is thorough but limited to one geographical region" or "Johnson's methodology has limitations but their findings suggest interesting directions" shows critical engagement. At Durham, literature reviews that simply accept existing work score lower than those that evaluate it analytically. Because academic conversations involve critique, your review should engage with scholarship critically while respecting its contributions.

Q3: Can I include grey literature in my proposal literature review? Yes, if it's relevant and credible. Grey literature includes government reports, working papers, unpublished theses, and organisational publications. These can be valuable if peer-reviewed alternatives don't exist. At Imperial College, including grey literature is encouraged when it provides unique information. But balance grey literature with peer-reviewed sources. Because peer review suggests publication standards, prioritise peer-reviewed sources while including grey literature where particularly relevant.

Q4: How do I handle conflicting findings in my literature review? Acknowledge the disagreement explicitly and explain what might account for it. "While Smith (2020) found positive effects, Johnson (2021) found negative effects. This discrepancy might reflect different sample characteristics or methodological approaches." This shows sophisticated understanding. Because disagreement often motivates research questions, naming and explaining it positions your work well. At LSE, explicitly addressing conflicting findings demonstrates genuine engagement with scholarship.

Q5: Should I include very recent work even if it's not yet published? You can include recently accepted articles not yet in print, or working papers from established scholars. But avoid relying too heavily on unpublished or very preliminary work. If most scholarship supports your positioning, recent unpublished work can strengthen it. At Oxford, including forthcoming work from known scholars is fine if it's genuinely relevant. Because established scholars' forthcoming work represents research the field values, it's credible. But unfinished PhD theses or working papers should be used sparingly.

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