How to Write a Review Article

Step One: Choose a Good Topic Experienced Chemists would likely choose an area of research they are actively working in In Senior Seminar, you find a Chemical Reviews article from 5-10 years ago that you are interested in You will review a similar literature area as your Chemical Reviews article, but you will update the advances in the area since the article was written

Step Two: Literature Searching In class, we will learn about all of the literature databases available through the SWOSU Library. Of particular utility are: ISI Web of Science (Science Citation Index) SciFinder (American Chemical Society) Once your topic is chosen, you will look for “new” articles (20-50 should be enough) based on Topic searches on keywords from your Chem. Rev. article Author searches from key references from Chem. Rev. “Times Cited” of key articles will lead you to “new” ones

Step Three: Annotated Bibliography Once you collect sufficient (20-50) new articles on your topic you need to read them You will make notes and summarize key points We will learn how to read scientific papers in class We will prepare a 10-paper Annotated Bibliography We will prepare 5 article summaries similar to how discussion of the article would appear in our finished review for one of the deadlines

Step 4: Choose and Organize the Articles You Will Include in Your Review A minimum of 20 “new” articles go in your review Not all of the articles you found will be included Group the articles in topic groups. Each topic group might make up a sub-heading in the review. Articles by the same author are often on a similar subject, which could be part of a “sub-heading” A good review might have 3-5 “sub-heading” groups of articles related to the overall topic Organize the sub-headings in a logical order: chronological, simple to complex, method 1, 2, 3…

Step 5: Write the Introduction The introduction specifies what smaller area of the literature your review will cover It begins broadly and then focuses down to the specific area you will discuss It uses concepts from your Chem. Rev. article, plus ideas from “old references” found in your Chem Rev. article to frame what comes next

Step 6: Write the Body of the Review Write a sub-heading title Discuss each paper under the sub-heading in turn Describe the new development, method, or result Include a figure or table (90% of the time) Use transition sentences as you move from one article to the next Move to the next sub-heading area Include a transition paragraph at the end of the last sub-heading or the beginning of this on Repeat until all papers have been discussed A good review adds the author’s thoughts, insights, and perspective to the accumulating narrative

Step 7: Edit, Conclude, References Don’t turn in the paper until you know it is good Go to the Writing Center for help Read over it and improve grammar, usage, etc… Add a conclusion of summary that ties it together What did you learn of importance? What do you want your readers to get out of this? Make sure references are in ACS Format 20 “new references” are required (can be more) Separate references by “old” and “new” YOU ARE DONE