Organize the Evidence Before Writing the State of Research
A state-of-research section explains existing questions, methods, conclusions, and limitations. Use the evidence matrix and five-sentence template below with your own literature.
Build a Literature Evidence Matrix First
Complete one row for each paper. Only information you can locate in the source should enter the final text.
Research direction
What problem does this paper primarily address?
Research object
Which people, regions, materials, or systems does it study?
Methods and data
Which methods, samples, data, and metrics does it use?
Main conclusions
Which conclusions does the original text directly support?
Limitations
Which limitations and boundaries do the authors state?
Citation location
On which page or in which section does the conclusion appear?
A Five-sentence Paragraph Template
Replace bracketed text with information from the evidence matrix and cite the source after every claim.
Topic judgment
Research on [question] has mainly developed along [direction one] and [direction two].
Shared basis
[Direction one] focuses on [specific problem] and commonly uses [method or data].
Evidence and differences
Studies agree on [shared conclusion] but differ in [objects, methods, or metrics] [citations].
Limitation judgment
Existing evidence mainly covers [scope], leaving [uncovered object or context] underexplored.
Research entry point
This study therefore addresses [specific gap] by using [method] to investigate [object].
How to Organize Domestic and International Sources
Your institution requires separate sections
Use the same fields for both sections: directions, methods, conclusions, and limitations. Compare objects, data, and methods at the end.
Your institution has no fixed rule
Organize sections by research direction or method and compare domestic and international work within each direction.
Five Steps from Literature to a Synthesized Paragraph
Collect representative studies
Choose highly relevant, credible studies representing different directions or methods rather than accumulating papers for volume.
Group by direction and method
Group literature by object, theoretical lens, methodological route, application, or regional difference to create paragraph structure.
Compare methods and evidence
Extract samples, methods, metrics, conclusions, and limitations from each group to identify common ground and differences.
Write claim-led paragraphs
Open each paragraph with a judgment, support it with representative studies, then summarize, compare, or identify limitations.
Verify citations and logic
Return to the sources to ensure citations support the claims and that the synthesis leads naturally to your question.
Checklist for Every Completed Paragraph
- Does the first sentence state the research direction or main judgment?
- Do representative studies directly support the judgment?
- Are methodological differences specific about objects, samples, data, or metrics?
- Do limitations come from the source or an explicit comparison?
- Is the gap specific to an object, method, dataset, or context?
- Does the ending connect to the next direction or your research question?
Frequently asked questions
How do I avoid merely listing papers?
Group studies by direction, method, or problem. Start each paragraph with a judgment, support it with representative papers and methodological differences, then summarize limitations.
My adviser says this reads like a list. How should I revise it?
State the theme judgment of each paragraph, then place studies under shared conclusions, methodological differences, and limitations. Remove author-by-author sequences.
Must domestic and international research be separate?
Follow your institution's template. If separate sections are required, organize both by direction or method and compare them afterward. Otherwise, compare regions within each research direction.
How does a state-of-research section differ from a literature review?
A state-of-research section usually supports a proposal or background by establishing foundations and gaps. A full literature review can develop trajectories, method comparisons, and theoretical debates more systematically.
How do I make an international research section specific?
Summarize major directions, representative methods, data, and theoretical foundations, then explain shared findings, debates, and boundaries. Support every judgment with the source.
Can AI help write this section?
AI can organize literature, synthesize views, compare methods, and draft text. Authors must verify citations, judge whether gaps are valid, and finalize the wording.
How does Acadwrite help?
Acadwrite can extract directions, methods, conclusions, and limitations from a topic or uploaded literature and generate an editable structure. Authors should verify each important citation and source claim.
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