Draft or refine standalone literature review sections for academic manuscripts. Builds progressive arguments from theory through prior research to the study's approach, with research questions earned through the argument. Use for literature reviews, theoretical framing, or research question development.
Draft standalone literature review sections that follow the introduction. Produces a progressive argument across two subsections, arriving at research questions as the earned conclusion.
The templates describe what goes where; this section describes why each element appears where it does.
Each paragraph opens by extending or complicating the prior paragraph's conclusion.
Use descriptive headers: "[Theory] in [Domain]: [Construct 1] and [Construct 2] in [Context]" and "[Field]-Mediated [Activity]: From [Existing] to [New Approach]."
RQs should feel earned by the argument, connected to the preceding analysis rather than restating the introduction's wording.
| Step | Action | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interview: if an introduction exists, read it first to identify literature it previews | references/interview_questions.md |
| 2 | Outline: map progressive argument across 8 paragraphs (4 per subsection) | Architecture above |
| 3 | Draft: write flowing paragraphs of 6-10 sentences | references/literature_review_template.md |
| 4 | Coordination (if intro exists): verify intro compresses, lit review elaborates; theory defined here; concrete examples here; coined phrases in one section only; RQ framing differs | — |
| 5 | Refinement (existing drafts): run diagnostic, then revise per Architecture | references/interview_questions.md |
Include: Theoretical framework (origins, dimensions, mechanisms, extensions), synthesis of prior research with specific contributions, gaps as narrative consequences, conceptual motivation for the analytical approach, earned research questions.