Systematic Review: 2. Structure

To make your review writing process easier, and to improve your final review, consider the following points: 

   Accessibility document - Writing recommendations

Summary vs. analysis

To make the systematic review useful for your readers, make sure you keep in mind the difference between summary and analysis when you write about your research findings.

• To summarise is to simply list the main points of a document or finding, or to describe the steps in your reviewing process. To analyse is to bring out the most significant of those points, to identify concepts they use, and how different concepts are connected.

• When describing literature, a summary reflects the point of view of the authors whose studies you are examining. An analysis reflects your own ability to identify major points and connections, and expresses your point of view (and biases).  

• In a summary you should aim for simple, objective, succinct writing. In an analysis you should aim for critical engagement with the source and understanding how it is constructed.

   Accessibility document - Summary vs. Analysis

Further resources

  The OWL on paraphrasing and summarising