🎯 The Short Answer: In your literature review synthesis, use clear compare and contrast language to connect studies, show agreements and disagreements, and explain why those differences exist. The goal is not to summarise each study, but to weave them together into a logical conversation.
When it comes to writing the literature review, a common question we hear is: What type of language should I use to demonstrate critical synthesis? If you’re unsure how to move from summarising studies to actually connecting them, you’re not alone. Synthesis is often the trickiest part of a literature review, especially if you’re a first-time researcher.
In this post, we’ll break down exactly how to approach your literature synthesis, what kinds of phrases to use, and how to take your critical analysis to the next level.
🔎 Understand What Synthesis Really Is
Before we talk about key terms, we need to get clear on what literature synthesis actually means. In a literature review, synthesis is about bringing studies together and showing how they relate to each other. It’s not just a list of summaries.
Think of it like hosting a panel discussion. Each study has a voice, but your job is to show where they agree, where they disagree, and how their ideas connect. Instead of saying, “Smith (2020) found X” and then “Jones (2021) found Y,” you explain how X and Y interact.
This is something we see students struggle with often, even in our private coaching sessions. Many students default to summary mode because it feels safer. But synthesis is where your critical thinking really shows.
🧩 Use Compare And Contrast Language
At its core, synthesis relies on compare and contrast language. You need phrases that help you link studies together clearly and logically.
For example, you might write: “Similarly, Brown (2019) found that…” or “In contrast to Lee (2020), Ahmed (2021) argues that…” You can also use phrases like “These studies collectively suggest that…” or “While several researchers emphasise X, others highlight Y.”
The key is to move from isolated findings to connected insights. Instead of treating each article as a separate paragraph, group them around themes, patterns, or debates. Your language should reflect those connections.
đź’¬ Make It Conversational First
Here’s a practical tip that might surprise you: explain your synthesis out loud first. Imagine a friend asks, “So what are these studies actually saying?” How would you respond in plain English?
You might say something like, “Well, most of them agree that social support improves student performance, but a few argue that it only works in certain contexts.” Notice how naturally you compare and qualify ideas when you speak.
If you’re stuck, try recording yourself explaining the literature review section. Then listen back and pay attention to the linking words you use. Those natural phrases can often be adapted into more formal academic language.
If recording yourself feels awkward, ask a friend to chat with you about your research. As you talk through it, you’ll start noticing connections between studies. That’s your synthesis taking shape.
⚖️ Go Beyond Simple Comparison
Good synthesis doesn’t stop at saying that studies are similar or different. Strong synthesis asks, why are they similar or different? This is where your critical analysis comes in.
For example, if two studies reach different conclusions, is it because they used different methods? Different sample groups? Different theoretical perspectives? Pointing this out shows that you’re not just spotting differences, but actually analysing them.
You might write, “This divergence may be explained by the use of qualitative interviews in Smith’s study, compared to the large-scale survey design used by Patel.” That extra sentence explaining the reason for the difference significantly strengthens your literature review.
In other words, comparison is the first step. Explanation is what takes your synthesis to a higher level.
🧠Group Studies Around Themes
If you’re unsure how to structure your synthesis, focus on themes or patterns rather than individual authors. Ask yourself: what are the main ideas that keep coming up across the literature?
For instance, let’s say you’re researching employee motivation. You might notice three recurring themes: financial incentives, leadership style, and workplace culture. Instead of writing one paragraph per author, you write one section per theme and bring multiple studies into each discussion.
This allows you to use phrases like, “Across the literature on leadership style…” or “A consistent finding in studies of workplace culture is…” That kind of wording signals to your reader that you’re synthesising, not summarising.
When you organise your literature review this way, your key terms will flow more naturally because you’re discussing ideas, not just authors.
✍️ Build A Bank Of Linking Phrases
It helps to consciously build a small bank of synthesis phrases that you can draw on while writing. These might include words and phrases that show agreement, disagreement, extension, or limitation.
For agreement, think along the lines of “similarly,” “likewise,” “in line with,” or “these findings support.”
For contrast, you could use “however,” “in contrast,” “on the other hand,” or “despite this.”
For deeper analysis, try “this may be explained by,” “a possible reason for this difference is,” or “this suggests that.”
You don’t need dozens of fancy terms. In fact, simple and clear language is usually better. What matters most is that your reader can easily follow the logic of how studies relate to each other.
đź“Ś Key Takeaways
- A strong literature review synthesis connects studies instead of summarising them one by one.
- Use clear compare and contrast language to show agreements, disagreements, and patterns.
- Go deeper by explaining why studies differ, not just how.
- Group research around themes to make synthesis more natural and structured.
- Try explaining your ideas out loud to uncover natural linking phrases.
P.S. Have a question? Join our next Live Q&A Session – it’s free!
