WRITING REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Writing a Review of Related Literature (RRL) is like being a detective for your research — you search for what’s
already known, piece together the most relevant findings, and explain how they connect to your study. Here’s a step-
by-step guide:

[Link] the Purpose

 The RRL should: Show you understand what has been studied about your topic. Identify gaps in the
existing research. Provide a foundation and justification for your study. Show how your work fits into the
bigger picture.

2. Gather Relevant Sources Look for credible and recent materials such as:

 Books Peer-reviewed journal articles

 Theses and dissertations
 Conference papers
 Credible online resources (e.g., government reports, reputable organizations)

Tip: Use keywords related to your topic in databases like Google Scholar, JSTOR, or ResearchGate.

3. Organize the Review You can structure your RRL in three common ways:

Thematic – Group studies based on topics or themes (most common).

Chronological – Present research in the order it was published to show development over time.
Methodological – Organize based on the research methods used by different authors.

4. Write the RRL A good RRL typically has three parts:

A. Introduction

Briefly introduce your research topic. Explain why reviewing literature on it is important. Define your scope (what
topics/years/types of studies you will include).

Example: This review explores the impact of financial difficulties on academic performance among senior high school
students. It focuses on studies conducted from 2015 to 2024, highlighting patterns, gaps, and implications for
educational policy.

B. Body Summarize and synthesize each source (don’t just list them).

 Show how the findings relate to each other. Highlight gaps or contradictions. Use transitions to connect
studies.

Example: Santos (2019) found that financial stress significantly affects student concentration and motivation.
Similarly, Reyes and Cruz (2021) reported that students from low-income families had lower attendance rates.
However, Contreras (2022) noted that peer support can mitigate these effects, suggesting the relationship between
financial stress and performance is not always direct.

C. Synthesis & Gap Identification

 Summarize the main trends or insights from the review. Identify gaps your study will address.

Example: The reviewed literature consistently links financial difficulties with poor academic outcomes. However,
most studies focus on college students, leaving a gap in understanding the experiences of senior high school learners
in rural areas—an area this study aims to explore.

5. Use Proper Citation Always credit the authors (APA, MLA, or your school’s required format).

Example in APA: According to Dela Cruz (2020), financial hardship can lead to reduced study hours and lower
academic engagement.
6. Avoid Common Mistakes

 Don’t just summarize one study per paragraph — compare and contrast. Avoid outdated sources unless they
are classic or foundational. Don’t include irrelevant literature just to make it longer. Don’t copy-paste;
paraphrase and synthesize.

SYNTHESIZING LITERATURE
When we say a literature review should be “synthesized,” it means you combine and connect ideas from multiple
sources instead of simply summarizing them one by one.

Example

× Summary-only approach:

Santos (2019) found that financial problems lower student motivation. Reyes (2020) found that financial stress leads
to poor attendance. Cruz (2021) found that students with financial struggles have lower grades.

 Synthesized approach:

Several studies (Santos, 2019; Reyes, 2020; Cruz, 2021) agree that financial stress negatively impacts academic
performance, often by reducing motivation, increasing absenteeism, and lowering grades. This suggests a consistent
pattern across different contexts, although the specific effects may vary by school setting. In short:

Summary = tells what each study says individually.

Synthesis = blends studies together to show relationships, patterns, or contradictions.

 Here’s an example of a synthesized RRL paragraph based on the topic ‘’financial problems and academic
performance of senior high school students’’.

Synthesized Example:

Several studies highlight the negative impact of financial difficulties on students’ academic outcomes. Santos
(2019) reported that financial stress often lowers students’ motivation to study, while Reyes (2020) observed that
these challenges contribute to increased absenteeism. Similarly, Cruz (2021) found a link between financial strain and
declining grades, suggesting that economic hardship affects both engagement and performance. However, Contreras
(2022) argued that strong peer and teacher support can buffer these effects, indicating that the relationship between
financial stress and academic success is not always straightforward. Taken together, these findings suggest a
consistent connection between financial struggles and academic difficulties, but they also reveal a need to explore
how social support may alter this relationship—particularly among senior high school students in rural settings.

Why this is synthesis?

 Combines findings from multiple studies into one paragraph.

 Shows connections (motivation, attendance, grades all linked to finances).
 Points out differences (Contreras shows a possible exception). Ends with a research gap that justifies your
study.

STEP-BY-STEP METHOD for turning plain summaries into a strong synthesized paragraph (this way, your RRL will
never sound like a list)

Step 1: Gather Your Summaries (Write a brief 1–2 sentence summary for each source you’ve read.)

Example:

Santos (2019) → Financial stress lowers motivation.

Reyes (2020) → Financial stress increases absenteeism.
Cruz (2021) → Financial stress lowers grades.
Contreras (2022) → Peer support can reduce the negative effects.

Step 2: Group Similar Ideas

Look for patterns, themes, or relationships between the studies.

Example:

Theme 1: Negative effects on academic performance (motivation, attendance, grades).

Theme 2: Factors that reduce or change the effect (peer support).

Step 3: Connect with Linking Phrases

 Use connectors to show how studies relate:

Agreement: “Similarly,” “Consistently,” “In line with”

Contrast: “However,” “On the other hand,” “In contrast”
Cause/Effect: “As a result,” “Consequently,” “Leading to”

Step 4: Combine into a Coherent Paragraph

Blend the summaries under each theme, showing patterns and differences.

Example:

Several studies highlight the negative impact of financial difficulties on students’ academic outcomes. Santos (2019)
reported that financial stress often lowers motivation, while Reyes (2020) observed that these challenges contribute
to increased absenteeism. Similarly, Cruz (2021) found a link between financial strain and declining grades,
suggesting that economic hardship affects both engagement and performance. However, Contreras (2022) argued
that strong peer and teacher support can buffer these effects, indicating that the relationship between financial
stress and academic success is not always straightforward.

Step 5: Add a Synthesis Conclusion

End the paragraph by summarizing the big picture and hinting at the research gap.

Example:

Taken together, these findings suggest a consistent connection between financial struggles and academic difficulties,
but they also reveal a need to explore how social support may alter this relationship—particularly among senior high
school students in rural settings.

Result: You now have a synthesized paragraph instead of a list of summaries.

Benefit: Your RRL flows logically, shows critical thinking, and makes a clear case for your research. If you want, I
can make you a full sample RRL section (3–4 synthesized paragraphs) for your research topic so you have a ready
reference to follow. That way, you’ll see exactly how the intro, body, and synthesis all connect.

Review of Related Literature (APA 7th Edition Format)

 Introduction

Financial challenges have long been recognized as a significant factor influencing students’ academic success.
In the Philippine context, where economic inequality remains a pressing issue, many senior high school students
struggle to meet the demands of school while managing household and personal expenses. Reviewing relevant
literature provides insights into how financial problems affect motivation, attendance, and academic performance, as
well as the possible factors that can lessen these effects. This review focuses on studies from 2015 to 2024, drawing
from local and international research to identify patterns, contradictions, and gaps related to the issue.
  Body

Financial Stress and Student Motivation Several studies have established a clear link between financial
difficulties and reduced academic motivation. Santos (2019) reported that students facing economic hardship often
experience a decline in study interest, citing the stress of unpaid school fees and lack of resources as major
distractions. Similarly, Lopez and Garcia (2020) found that students from low-income families tend to postpone
academic tasks due to part-time work commitments, which further undermines their focus and performance. These
findings indicate that financial strain not only limits access to resources but also reduces the mental and emotional
energy students can dedicate to learning.

Attendance and Academic Engagement

Financial stress also contributes to irregular attendance and diminished classroom engagement. Reyes (2020)
observed that students from financially struggling households often miss classes to assist in family income-generating
activities. Supporting this, Mendoza (2021) found that absenteeism rates were significantly higher among students
whose parents had unstable employment. These patterns suggest that financial problems disrupt consistent
participation in learning activities, which in turn affects overall academic performance. However, Torres (2022) noted
that schools with active scholarship programs and transportation assistance reported lower absenteeism rates,
suggesting that institutional support can help counteract these issues.

Grades and Overall Performance Outcomes

The connection between financial strain and declining grades has been consistently documented. Cruz (2021)
reported that economic hardship correlates with lower average grades, particularly in subjects requiring costly
materials such as science experiments or art projects. Similarly, Villanueva (2022) found that financial stress can
indirectly affect performance by limiting students’ participation in extracurricular activities that enhance learning.
Interestingly, Contreras (2022) highlighted those students with strong peer and teacher support maintained relatively
stable grades despite financial difficulties, pointing to the importance of social networks in mitigating negative
effects.

 Final Synthesis and Research Gap

The reviewed literature consistently demonstrates that financial problems hinder students’ academic
performance by reducing motivation, increasing absenteeism, and lowering grades. While various studies point to
the role of institutional support and social networks in lessening these effects, there remains a limited understanding
of how these protective factors operate specifically among senior high school students in rural Philippine settings.
Furthermore, most research has focused on college populations, leaving a gap in knowledge regarding younger
learners whose educational needs and financial coping strategies may differ. This study aims to address this gap by
examining the experiences of senior high school students in rural areas, exploring both the challenges they face and
the support systems that help them succeed academically.

References:

Cruz, L. M. (2021). Economic hardship and academic outcomes among public high school students. Philippine Journal
of Education, 94(2), 45–57.

Contreras, J. F. (2022). Peer and teacher support as buffers against financial stress in education. Journal of Social and
Educational Research, 12(3), 88–102

Lopez, R. T., & Garcia, P. S. (2020). Part-time work and academic motivation: A study of low-income students. Asian
Education Review, 15(1), 21–34.

Mendoza, A. P. (2021). Parental employment instability and absenteeism in senior high school. Philippine Educational
Studies, 10(4), 112–125.
Reyes, M. G. (2020). Socioeconomic factors and student attendance in public senior high schools. Education and
Development Journal, 8(2), 33–47.