Research Prompts
Draft Literature Review Section
Synthesize multiple sources into a thematic literature review for academic or professional writing.
Prompt
I am writing a literature review on the following topic and need help synthesizing multiple sources into a coherent section. **Topic:** [TOPIC] **My thesis or central argument:** [THESIS_OR_ARGUMENT] **Preferred structure:** [STRUCTURE] **Source summaries** (provide 3-5 brief summaries you have written): Source A: [SOURCE_A_SUMMARY] Source B: [SOURCE_B_SUMMARY] Source C: [SOURCE_C_SUMMARY] Source D (optional): [SOURCE_D_SUMMARY] Source E (optional): [SOURCE_E_SUMMARY] Please draft a literature review section that: 1. Opens with a framing sentence that establishes what the literature addresses and why it matters to my thesis. 2. Synthesizes the sources thematically — group related findings and debates together rather than summarizing each source in sequence. 3. Uses [Author, Year] citation placeholders throughout so I can fill in real citations. 4. Highlights where sources agree (consensus) and where they diverge (ongoing debates or contradictions). 5. Closes with a paragraph that identifies the gap or unresolved question that my own work addresses. Write in formal academic prose. Aim for 400-600 words.
How to Use
Before using this prompt, write a 3-5 sentence summary of each source you have read in your own words — this forces you to understand the material and gives the AI accurate input to synthesize. Paste those summaries into the Source fields, fill in your topic and thesis, and choose a structure. Review the draft critically: the AI cannot verify citations, so treat all [Author, Year] placeholders as scaffolding you must replace.
Variables
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
| [TOPIC] | The specific subject your literature review covers |
| [THESIS_OR_ARGUMENT] | The central claim your paper argues — the literature review should build toward this |
| [STRUCTURE] | How to organize the review — "thematic" (by idea), "chronological" (by date), or "methodological" (by research method) |
| [SOURCE_A_SUMMARY] through [SOURCE_E_SUMMARY] | Your own 3-5 sentence summaries of each source (include author, year, and key findings) |
Tips
- Thematic structure almost always produces more readable literature reviews than source-by-source summaries — use it unless your field or instructor specifies otherwise.
- After generating the draft, read it aloud to catch any passages that misrepresent your sources, then verify every synthesized claim against your original notes.