WHO?
WHAT?
WHEN?
WHERE?
WHY?
A literature matrix is a spreadsheet that tracks various characteristics from your sources so you can start to see themes emerge.
List of possible source characteristics to track:
Year of Publication | Abstract | Methodology |
Author Names | Geographic location | Sample/Population characteristics |
Source Title | Keywords | Main findings |
Publication Name | Purpose/Objectives | Limitations |
Citation | Research questions/Hypothesis | Future research directions |
Source type (book, journal article) | Theoretical framework | Notes |
Below is an example of a literature matrix from the field of education
A few YouTube videos on how to create a literature matrix:
Creating a Literature Matrix in Excel (with Filtering) - uses Excel
Examples of literature matrices that you can tailor for your own research:
Thanks to Librarian Jamie Niehof at the University of Michigan for providing permission to reuse and remix this Literature Reviews guide.
This work is subject to a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license