No, in most academic writing the introduction comes first; the literature review sits within it or follows right after.
You’re mapping a study, a thesis chapter, or a manuscript and want the cleanest order that readers and editors expect. This guide gives a direct answer, shows when section order shifts, and offers ready-to-use outlines so you can format with confidence and pass editorial checks without friction.
What Most Universities And Journals Expect
Across research fields, the opening section orients the reader, states the problem, and frames prior work. The survey of sources then deepens that frame. In journal articles that follow IMRaD, the survey often appears inside the opening section; in theses it may stand as its own chapter placed early in the document. Here’s how that maps across common project types.
| Document Type | Usual Order | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Journal Article (Research) | Introduction → Methods → Results → Discussion | The survey of sources is typically woven into the opening section under IMRaD. |
| Thesis / Dissertation | Introductory Chapter → Literature Review Chapter → Methods → Results → Discussion | The survey often stands as a full chapter placed soon after the opening chapter. |
| Proposal | Introduction → Brief Survey → Proposed Methods | Space is tight; the survey is short and targeted to justify the plan. |
| Standalone Review Paper | Introduction → Thematic Sections → Synthesis | The entire paper is the survey; the opening section still leads. |
Does The Literature Review Go Before Or After The Introduction?
In most cases, the opening section comes first. For research articles that follow the IMRaD pattern, the survey of prior work is part of the opening section and sets up the study question. For theses and dissertations, many programs place a full chapter right after the opening chapter. That still means the opening chapter leads, with the survey next.
If you write for a psychology, education, or social-science outlet that uses APA Style, the opening section routinely includes a condensed survey. APA’s own sample papers show the survey inside the opening section rather than as a separate part at the front. For medical and many STEM journals, the IMRaD pattern is standard; the opening section precedes methods, and the survey sits there.
Why The Introduction Leads
Reader Orientation Comes First
Readers need the topic, the practical or scholarly problem, and the aim before they see the body of sources. A clear opening frames what counts as relevant evidence, so the survey lands with context instead of feeling like a list.
Gap And Aim Sit Before Evidence
Editors look for a defined gap and a focused aim. Placing those in the opening section primes the reader to see how each source connects to that gap, which keeps the survey tight and purposeful.
Flow Into Methods Depends On Framing
The opening section creates the line that runs straight into methods. When that framing comes first, the reader can track why you picked certain measures, datasets, or models as the next step.
Common Exceptions And Special Cases
Some programs and venues lay out a different order. In humanities dissertations, the first chapter may blend scene-setting and source engagement from the start, with a labeled chapter on sources following. In review papers, the entire document is a survey, and the opening section simply states scope and purpose before moving into themes. In grant proposals, tight page limits push the survey into a few sharp paragraphs inside the opening section.
Always check your target venue. Many journals post section rules. For biomedicine and allied fields, the IMRaD pattern (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion) is the default order; the opening section comes first, and the survey sits there. You can see this in the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors’ guidance on manuscript structure. For psychology and allied fields, APA sample papers show the survey embedded in the opening section rather than as a pre-intro block.
Links to official wording help when you need to cite a rule in a cover letter or respond to a supervisor: the ICMJE manuscript structure page outlines IMRaD, and the APA sample papers show how the survey lives inside the opening section for many article types.
How To Decide The Section Order For Your Paper
Check The Exact Instructions
Pull the “Instructions for Authors” page or your program handbook. Note any required headings, word limits, and placement notes. If the venue lists IMRaD, plan for the opening section first and place the survey inside it.
Match The Norms In Your Field
STEM and clinical fields mostly use IMRaD. Social sciences vary by subfield but often follow a similar order. Humanities may keep a flexible sequence with a fuller source chapter early in a thesis.
Pick One Of These Clean Patterns
- Article With Study: Opening section (with survey) → Methods → Results → Discussion.
- Thesis: Opening chapter → Source chapter → Methods → Results → Discussion → Conclusion.
- Proposal: Opening section → Short survey → Planned methods and timeline.
- Standalone Review: Opening section → Thematic synthesis → Outlook or implications.
How To Place And Shape The Survey Of Sources
Integrate, Don’t List
Link sources by theme, method, or finding. Group studies that point the same way, then note where they diverge. End each paragraph by showing how that cluster feeds your question.
Write To The Gap You Stated
Filter every paragraph through your aim. If a study doesn’t help the reader see the need for your work, it belongs in a footnote or not at all.
Set Up Methods With Precision
Use the survey to justify measures, instruments, datasets, or corpora. Name prior choices that your approach keeps or changes, then continue straight into methods so the logic feels seamless.
Sample Outlines You Can Adapt
Research Article (IMRaD)
Opening section: Topic, problem, aim, brief survey by theme leading to hypotheses or research questions. Methods: Design, data, measures, analysis. Results: Findings in a logical sequence. Discussion: What the findings mean, limits, next steps.
Thesis Or Dissertation
Opening chapter: Topic, problem, purpose, scope, definitions, preview of chapters. Source chapter: Themes, trends, methods used by others, clear gap and contribution. Methods: Design and procedures. Results and discussion: Data and interpretation, either separate or combined depending on discipline.
Standalone Review Paper
Opening section: Purpose, scope, criteria for including sources. Body: Thematic synthesis with tables or figures. Wrap-up: Patterns, limits in the field, practical takeaways.
Evidence From Style Guides And Writing Centers
Several respected guides spell out the same order. Purdue OWL notes that the survey in a research paper usually falls after the opening section and before methods. University writing centers and scholarly style bodies describe the opening section as the lead section, with the survey located within it or placed soon after in long-form projects.
| Guide Or Body | Placement Stated | Where To Check |
|---|---|---|
| ICMJE (Biomed) | Opening section comes first; survey appears there under IMRaD. | Manuscript structure |
| APA Style | Survey sits inside the opening section for many article types. | Sample papers |
| Purdue OWL | In research papers, the survey comes after the opening section, before methods. | Literature review guide |
Page-Level Placement Tips That Keep Editors Happy
Open With Reader Signals
Start with a tight paragraph that names the topic, the practical or scholarly problem, and the aim. Add 1–2 sentences that preview how you organize the survey. That quick map helps readers skim and keeps the order clear.
Use Subheads To Show Themes
Inside the survey, write subheads that name a theme or method. Keep them short and direct. Subheads turn a long survey into scannable chunks and cut repetition.
Link Each Cluster To Your Aim
Close each paragraph with a one-sentence link to your study question or thesis claim. This prevents drift and sets up the next section without awkward jumps.
Finish The Survey With A Lead-In
End the survey with a short bridge that points to methods or the next chapter. Readers see the logic, and editors see a smooth handoff to the technical details.
A Close Variant You Can Use In A Heading
When you need a keyword-friendly heading without clunky repetition, a clean variant like “Where The Source Survey Sits In Relation To The Opening Section” keeps the meaning while avoiding the exact phrase in your title. Search engines still recognize the theme, and the wording reads natural for humans.
Quick Checklist Before You Submit
- Order set: Opening section leads; survey sits inside it or comes right after for long-form work.
- Venue matched: Checked the journal or program page for required headings.
- Flow clear: Opening section states problem and aim; survey builds themes toward methods.
- Subheads added: Themes, methods, or debates used to group sources.
- Bridge written: Final survey paragraph leads straight to methods or the next chapter.
- Links verified: Any house rules from the target venue matched exactly.
Mini FAQ-Style Clarifications (No Questions Section)
Can A Thesis Open With A Full Source Chapter?
Yes, many programs place a full chapter early in the document, right after the opening chapter. That still keeps the opening chapter first.
Can A Journal Article Use A Standalone Survey Section?
Some journals allow a labeled section inside the opening portion. Many prefer the survey woven into the opening section to keep the line into methods tight.
Where Do Conceptual Or Theoretical Frames Go?
Place them near the end of the opening section or as the first part of the survey. The goal is the same: frame the question, then cite the lines of work that lead into your approach.
Bottom Line On Section Order
The opening section leads. The survey either lives inside that opening section or appears right after it in long-form projects. Match the venue, keep the flow tight, and use subheads so readers can scan your logic in seconds.