How to title a literature review

Use this when your topic feels too broad and you need a clearer title that matches your question, sources and scope.

Core concepts

A literature-review title should show the topic, focus, population or setting where relevant, and the kind of review you are planning.

Academic perspectives and points to compare

Perspective 1

Start with the subject or topic area.

Perspective 2

Narrow the title by population, setting, framework or method where relevant.

Perspective 3

Check that the wording matches the assignment brief and does not overclaim.

What to focus on in your reading

Use this when your topic feels too broad and you need a clearer title that matches your question, sources and scope.

Search for title-planning examples, literature-review structures, nursing and public-health review topics, and related resource summaries. If no close match is available, use the support route to request a reviewed resource pack or similar brief.

The full guide shows how to move from a broad subject to a focused title, with patterns you can adapt to your own module brief.

Points to watch

Making the title too broad to guide the review.
Adding claims that the review has not yet demonstrated.
Using a title that sounds like an empirical study when the task is a literature review.