Theme, timeline or method: choosing how to organize your review

The structure of a review should follow the question it answers. Most reviews use one of three, and many mix them: a thematic review, say, can trace how thinking changed within one of its themes.

By theme

Sections follow the main ideas or sub-questions in the research, such as causes, effects and responses. This is the most common choice, and usually the best when the field has several distinct lines of work.

By timeline

Sections follow periods, showing how understanding developed. Use it when the order matters: a field changed after a key study, a new method, or an event. Say what changed between periods, not only what was published in each.

By method

Sections follow how studies were done: surveys, experiments, case studies, records. Use it when the method shapes the findings, for example when field measurements and surveys disagree, or when you're justifying your own choice of method.

How to choose

• If your question has parts, organize by theme
• If the story is how thinking changed, organize by timeline
• If the disagreement comes from how studies were done, organize by method
• Whichever you pick, end every section with what it means for your question