A Literature Review is a piece of cohesive writing, not be a sequence of summaries and evaluations of each article. Think of the literature review more as a narrative, in your own voice. Sources must be integrated to the overall story you are telling.
Consider the following ways to organize your review:
♦ By themes, issues.
♦ By varying perspectives on a topic of controversy.
♦ Chronologically, limiting to a defined time period.
Ideally you will develop criteria for including and excluding published material at the beginning of the process.
However it is open to ongoing refinement as you become more familiar with the topic, and you will apply these criteria continually as you sort through material.
It is crucial to managing your sources. Otherwise they may balloon out of control. If you have spent time clearly defining your topic, it will make the inclusion/exclusion decisions easier.
You will want to keep track of the decision criteria, and include it in the introductory description of your review.
The following is just a general outline - always check with your professor for the specific requirements of your assignment.
Introduction
Include in the Main Part of Review
Conclusion
The above adapted from Write a Literature Review, by Johns Hopkins Library