Literature Review in Research PPT: Format & Tips

Introduction

A literature review in research ppt is one of the most common presentations students give—and one of the easiest to get wrong. Not because the topic is hard, but because people try to cram a whole chapter into slides. The result is usually the same: tiny text, too many citations, no clear story, and the audience walking away without understanding the gap.

A good literature review in research ppt is not a reading list. It’s a structured explanation of what the field knows, what it argues about, and what is still missing—so your research direction feels justified. This guide shows you how to build that story in slides, how many slides you actually need, what to put on each slide, and how to avoid the mistakes that make supervisors say, “Okay, but what is your gap?”

What a literature review in research ppt is supposed to achieve

Before you open PowerPoint, be clear about the goal. A strong literature review in research ppt should help your audience understand:

• the research problem and why it matters
• the main themes in the literature (not individual paper summaries)
• common methods/tools used by previous researchers
• where evidence is weak, missing, or contradictory
• what gap your research will address
• how your work is positioned (objectives/conceptual framework)

If your slides don’t clearly land the gap, your literature review in research ppt will feel incomplete even if you included 50 references.

When you’ll need a literature review in research ppt

A literature review in research ppt is usually required for:

• synopsis/proposal presentation
• departmental review or progress seminar
• pre-viva research update
• lab meeting or research committee meeting
• conference or internal colloquium

Early-stage presentations focus on gap + research plan. Later-stage presentations may compare your results with the literature. But the core structure stays the same.

How many slides should a literature review in research ppt have?

Here’s a practical range that works in most academic settings:

• 5–7 minutes: 6–8 slides
• 10–12 minutes: 10–12 slides
• 15–20 minutes: 12–16 slides

If you go beyond 18 slides for a literature review segment, you’re usually trying to present too much. A clear literature review in research ppt is better than a long one.

The biggest mistake: starting with slides instead of themes

If you want your literature review in research ppt to look professional, start with an outline:

1. Write your research topic in one sentence
2. List 4–6 themes (subtopics) from your reading
3. For each theme, choose 3–5 “anchor papers”
4. For each theme, write one takeaway line (“What the literature says”)

That’s the backbone. Now your slides will have direction.

Slide-by-slide structure

Below is a reliable structure for a literature review in research ppt that works across disciplines.

Slide 1: Title slide

Include:

• your working research title
• your name, department, program
• guide/supervisor name
• date and venue

Keep it clean. No long subtitles.

Slide 2: Problem context

Use 3–5 bullets max:

• what is the problem?
• who/what does it affect?
• why is it relevant now?

Add one strong statistic or statement with a citation if possible. A strong literature review in research ppt starts with significance, not with paper names.

Slide 3: Research aim and objectives

Include:

• aim (one sentence)
• 2–4 objectives OR one clear research question

This slide is the anchor. Without it, your literature review in research ppt becomes information without direction.

Slide 4: Search strategy (optional but strong)

If your department values rigor, add:

• databases used (Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, etc.)
• keywords (1–2 examples)
• years included (e.g., 2015–2025)
• how many papers were screened vs included (approx.)

Keep it short. One slide is enough.

Slide 5: Theme map (overview slide)

This slide tells the audience what’s coming. For a good literature review in research ppt, include:

• a simple diagram showing your 4–6 themes
• a one-line explanation for each theme

This is one of the best slides for clarity. It prevents the audience from feeling lost.

Slides 6–9: Thematic synthesis slides (your main section)

Create one slide per theme. Each theme slide should contain:

• Theme title (e.g., “Drivers of adoption”)
• Consensus: what most studies agree on (2–3 bullets)
• Tension: where studies disagree or evidence is weak (1–2 bullets)
• Implication: what this means for your research (one line)
• Key citations: 2–4 anchor references, not a long list

This is how you keep a literature review in research ppt informative without becoming a bibliography dump.

Slide 10: Methods used in prior research (very useful)

Many review presentations skip method comparison, but supervisors love it because it shows maturity.

Include:

• common research designs (cross-sectional, RCT, case study, qualitative)
• common tools/scales (if applicable)
• typical sample types/contexts
• common analysis approaches (regression, thematic coding, etc.)

A method slide strengthens your literature review in research ppt because it shows you’re not only reading conclusions—you’re reading methods.

Slide 11: The gap slide (make this the strongest slide)

Your gap slide should not be vague like “limited research exists.” A good literature review in research ppt gap slide is specific:

• what is known (1–2 bullets)
• what is unclear/missing (2–3 bullets)
• why that matters (1 bullet)
• what you will do (1 bullet linking to objectives)

If you can’t explain your gap in 30 seconds, rewrite the gap slide. This slide is the turning point of your presentation.

Slide 12: Conceptual framework / hypothesis (if relevant)

If your research is quantitative or model-based, add a simple diagram:

• variables and expected relationships
• mediator/moderator if any
• hypotheses labels (H1, H2) only if needed

A clean framework slide makes the literature review in research ppt feel like a step toward research execution, not just reading.

Slide 13: Summary + next steps

End with:

• 3 key takeaways from the literature
• your final research question/objectives
• next action plan (tool finalization, data collection, analysis timeline)

A strong ending ensures your literature review in research ppt feels complete and actionable.

How to handle citations without ruining your slides

A common problem in a literature review in research ppt is citation clutter. Use short citations:

• (Author, Year)
  or
• [1], [2] if you’re using numbered references

Avoid full APA references on every slide. If required, add one “Key References” slide at the end.

Also, limit citations per slide. In a literature review in research ppt, 2–4 strong anchor citations per theme is usually enough.

Visual design rules that make your PPT look professional

Your literature review in research ppt is usually projected. Design for distance.

• Use 28–32 pt headings and 20–24 pt bullets
• Max 6 bullets per slide
• One main idea per slide
• Use diagrams and simple tables instead of paragraphs
• Keep a consistent theme (fonts and colors)

If you want your audience to listen, don’t force them to read walls of text.

What to say while presenting

A good literature review in research ppt talk is not “Paper A did this, Paper B did that.” Instead, speak like this:

• “Most studies agree that…”
• “However, evidence is mixed on…”
• “This difference may be due to…”
• “So the gap is…”
• “Therefore, my study will…”

You’re presenting synthesis, not summaries. That’s what makes the presentation sound research-level.

Common mistakes (and quick fixes)

Mistake 1: Too many slides of paper summaries

Fix: replace them with theme synthesis slides.

Mistake 2: No gap slide or a vague gap

Fix: create one dedicated gap slide with specific missing pieces.

Mistake 3: Overloaded slides with tiny text

Fix: cut text by 30–40% and move details to speaker notes.

Mistake 4: No link between literature and your objectives

Fix: end each theme slide with a one-line implication for your study.

Mistake 5: Too many citations and no story

Fix: use 2–4 anchor citations per theme and speak the synthesis.

Avoiding these makes your literature review in research ppt instantly stronger.

A fast workflow to build your PPT in one day

If you need a literature review in research ppt quickly:

1. Create the theme map (30 minutes)
2. Choose 3 anchor papers per theme (30 minutes)
3. Write one takeaway + one tension line per theme (45 minutes)
4. Build slides (2–3 hours)
5. Rehearse once and cut 20% of content (30 minutes)

Rehearsal is where you find what’s unclear. It’s also where your literature review in research ppt becomes smoother.

Where Anushram fits in

A big reason students struggle with a literature review in research ppt is that it’s hard to judge your own clarity. You may know your topic so well that you don’t notice the gaps in explanation for the listener.

That’s where feedback helps. Anushram is a collaborative platform where researchers, scholars, academicians, and professionals connect to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and support each other across domains. When you’re building a literature review in research ppt, having a research community to review your theme structure, gap slide, and conceptual flow can help you tighten the presentation quickly—without rewriting blindly.

Final checklist before you present

Before you submit or present your literature review in research ppt, check:

• I stated the problem and objectives clearly
• I grouped literature into themes (not paper summaries)
• I included one methods slide (optional but strong)
• I included a clear, specific gap slide
• I linked the gap to my research objectives
• Slides are readable from a distance
• I can present within the time limit without reading slides

Conclusion

A strong literature review in research ppt is all about synthesis and positioning. Your audience should see the field clearly, understand what’s missing, and understand why your research is the right next step. If you follow the slide structure above and keep each slide focused, you’ll present confidently—even if your topic is complex.

If you want one quick next step: write your gap in three bullets and build a single slide around it. Once your gap slide is strong, the rest of the literature review in research ppt becomes much easier to finalize.

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