Use consistent margins, 12-pt font, double spacing, clear headings, and a references list to format a literature review for academic style guides.
A polished review of sources looks neat, reads smoothly, and follows the rules for the style you are using. This guide walks you through page setup, heading structure, citation basics, and practical layout moves so your survey of research passes instructor checks and journal screens.
Formatting A Literature Review Section: Quick Standards
Start with the layout your course or field requires. Most papers use APA, MLA, or Chicago. Each has predictable settings for page margins, font, spacing, and headings. Set these before you write to avoid messy fixes later.
| Style | Core Paper Setup | Citation System |
|---|---|---|
| APA (7th) | 1-inch margins; double spaced; 11-pt Calibri/Arial or 12-pt Times New Roman; left align; 0.5-inch first-line indent | Author–date in text; reference list |
| MLA (9th) | 1-inch margins; double spaced; legible 12-pt font; left align; 0.5-inch first-line indent | Author–page in text; works cited |
| Chicago | 1-inch margins; double spaced; 12-pt Times New Roman; left align | Notes-bibliography or author–date |
Set Up The Page First
Open a fresh document, then adjust the basics. Pick the approved font. Set margins to one inch on all sides. Keep line spacing at double. Turn on automatic first-line indents. Add page numbers where your style expects them. With these in place, everything you paste in will match the template.
Font And Spacing
APA permits several fonts, including 11-pt Calibri or Arial and 12-pt Times New Roman. MLA and Chicago favor a readable 12-pt serif option. Keep the same font family across the paper. Use double spacing throughout, including headings and references, except where a style guide makes a clear exception.
Margins, Indents, And Alignment
Margins stay at one inch unless your venue says otherwise. Align text to the left; ragged right edges aid legibility. Indent the first line of each paragraph by half an inch. Use your word processor’s paragraph settings instead of tapping the space bar.
Name The Section Clearly
Readers should see what they’re entering. If your paper is a stand-alone review, use a descriptive title that states the topic and scope. If the review is a section inside a thesis, center a short heading such as “Related Work” or “Background and Prior Findings.” Match the heading level to your style guide.
Organize The Body For Flow
A strong survey groups studies by theme, method, or debate instead of marching source by source. Lead with the organizing idea, then move through subtopics. Within each block, start with a short framing sentence, synthesize key claims with citations, point out agreement and friction, and end with what the pattern means for your project.
Pick A Structure
- Theme-driven: Cluster sources around shared questions or constructs.
- Method-driven: Compare designs, measures, and data types.
- Chronology-driven: Show shifts across time when the field has clear phases.
Write For Synthesis, Not Summaries
Blend sources inside paragraphs. Tie claims together with brief signal phrases and short citations. Explain how findings connect, where results diverge, and what gaps remain. Keep plot summaries of single papers short; the value lives in the patterns you surface.
Use Headings That Guide Skim Readers
Break long sections with informative subheads. Use parallel phrasing across sibling headings. Keep them short and descriptive. Apply the exact capitalization and level rules for your style. Headings are signposts; they reduce load and help reviewers see your scope at a glance.
Citations And Reference Pages
Your audience expects two things: clean in-text citations and a complete list at the end. In author–date systems, include the author and year. In author–page systems, include the author and page number. Every in-text citation should map to a full entry in your list.
Common In-Text Patterns
- Parenthetical: Place the citation at sentence end before the period.
- Narrative: Name the author in the sentence and add year or page in parentheses.
- Multiple Sources: Separate with semicolons and order by author.
Build The Reference List
Create a fresh page for the list. Title it as your style requires: “References,” “Works Cited,” or “Bibliography.” Use hanging indents. Check every field—author order, year, title casing, edition, publisher, DOI or URL. Be consistent with punctuation.
Show Your Method Briefly
A one-paragraph note on process builds trust. Describe where you searched, the time window, and the core inclusion rules. Mention databases and key terms. State how you screened and tracked sources. Keep it brisk; the goal is transparency, not a full methods paper.
Formatting Details That Earn Easy Points
Numbers, Acronyms, And Abbreviations
Spell out acronyms at first mention, then use the short form. Follow the style rules on numbers, hyphenation, and capitalization. Keep terms consistent across the paper.
Quotations, Tables, And Figures
Prefer paraphrase over long blocks. When a precise phrase matters, quote briefly and integrate it into your sentence. Give tables and figures concise titles. Cite data sources in notes. Place visuals near their first mention and keep formatting consistent.
Model Paragraph Template
Use this repeatable shape to draft each subsection. It keeps paragraphs tight and analytical.
- Topic Line: Name the theme or claim.
- Blend Evidence: Weave two to four sources that speak to the same point.
- Compare And Contrast: Point out alignment and tension.
- So What: State what the pattern means for your question or approach.
When You Need Style-Specific Rules
Some settings differ by manual. Fonts and heading levels vary in APA; page layout and notes vary in Chicago. If you are writing in education, public health, or many social sciences, start with APA. If you are in literary studies or many humanities fields, use MLA. Many history programs and some social sciences ask for Chicago.
For detailed page setup and heading guidance in APA, see the student paper setup guide. For genre expectations and planning tips across fields, the UNC Writing Center handout is a clear reference.
Editing Pass: Make It Skimmable
Once the draft is down, switch hats and read like a grader. Trim throat-clearing. Replace vague verbs with precise ones. Shorten long sentences. Move citations to the cleanest spot in each line. Fix repetition. Push definitions and side notes to footnotes only when a style allows it.
Transitions That Keep Momentum
Use short connectors that signal logic without bloating the line: “next,” “also,” “but,” “still,” “so,” “e.g.” Vary openings to avoid a listy feel. Keep paragraphs under ten lines on a laptop screen.
Second Table: Quick Setup And Checks
Use the table below while proofreading. It reflects common settings used in courses and journals. Adjust if your venue posts different specs.
| Element | APA 7 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Title Page | Student paper title page with course, instructor, due date | Follow program or journal template |
| Headings | Five levels with bold and title case patterns | Apply levels consistently |
| In-Text Citations | Author–date, year with letters for same-year repeats | Use et al. after three or more authors |
| Reference List | Hanging indents; DOIs as URLs | Include publisher for books |
| Page Numbers | Top right in header | Start on title page |
Common Pitfalls And Easy Fixes
- String-of-summaries: Merge sources inside paragraphs instead of stacking one-paper mini-reviews.
- Missing scope: State date ranges, types of studies, and boundaries so readers see your lens.
- Over-quoting: Keep quotes short and purposeful; paraphrase for synthesis.
- Style drift: Do a final pass only for style compliance—fonts, margins, headings, and list format.
- Source-list gaps: Cross-check every in-text citation against the list, then run a reference manager check.
Step-By-Step Drafting Plan
- Define Your Aim: Write a one-sentence research question and scope line.
- Map The Field: Collect the most cited and most recent work.
- Build Buckets: Sort studies into themes or methods.
- Outline Headings: Sketch H2/H3s and the claim for each block.
- Write In Sprints: Draft one block at a time using the paragraph template.
- Cite As You Go: Drop clean in-text citations while drafting.
- Revise For Flow: Read aloud, trim repeats, and tune topic lines.
- Final Style Pass: Fix page setup, headings, and reference list details.
Formatting In Different Venues
Course papers and journal manuscripts share many settings, yet submission portals add quirks. Journals may ask for line numbers, separate title pages, or blinded files. Conferences may want shorter sections and fewer headings. Read the call, download the sample file, and mirror it exactly.
Working In A Thesis Or Dissertation
Graduate templates include margins, page numbers, and heading levels. They also add front matter rules that sit outside standard manuals. When your department offers a template, start from that file to avoid late-stage reformatting.
Word Processor Settings That Save Time
Google Docs
Open a blank document, set margins to one inch, then set line spacing to double. Turn on “Show ruler.” Create a 0.5-inch first-line indent in the ruler. Define “Normal text” with your chosen font and size, then click “Update ‘Normal text’ to match.” Save as a named style so new documents inherit your setup.
Microsoft Word
Use Layout → Margins → Normal. In Home → Paragraph, set spacing to double and first-line indent to 0.5 inch. Choose your font in Home → Font, then open Design → Themes → Fonts to lock a paper-wide selection. Create custom heading styles that match your manual, then apply them across the paper.
Reference Manager Moves
Pick one tool and stick with it for the project. Add PDFs with full metadata. Tag entries by theme so you can pull clusters during drafting. Write in your own words while the tool sits in “plain” mode; switch on automatic formatting near the end. Export the final list with DOIs or stable URLs where required.
Ethics, Scope, And Balance
Be fair to competing viewpoints. Cite the best evidence for each side, not just papers that agree with your aim. Be clear about the scope: time window, population, methods, and the types of sources you included. If seminal work falls outside your date range, note it and explain why your lens centers on newer sources.
Finishing Touches Before You Submit
Read the paper on a phone and on a laptop. Scan your headings only—do they tell the same story you tell in the text? Check that tables fit the column width. Test links. Confirm that every claim tied to a source has a matching entry in the list. Export to PDF and inspect spacing again. You’re ready to share.