Study identity
Keep each row traceable to the selected paper.
- Title
- Authors
- Year
- DOI
- Research question
A literature review matrix template built for evidence checking.
Compare papers by question, sample, method, findings, limitations, exact quote, page, and match status in one CSV.
A practical starting structure.
The CSV opens in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, and most reference workflows. It includes the audit fields usually lost when notes are copied into a spreadsheet.
literature-review-matrix-template.csv| Paper | Research question | Sample | Method | Finding | Exact quote | Page | Match status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kim et al., 2024 | How does feedback affect revision depth? | 116 students | Quasi-experimental | Structured review supported deeper revision | Students using structured peer review revised more substantively... | 12 | Quote matched |
What the template captures.
Study design
Compare the details that determine whether findings belong together.
- Sample
- Method
- Intervention
- Comparator
- Outcome
Evidence trail
Record the source needed to check every interpretation.
- Finding
- Limitation
- Exact quote
- Page
- Match status
- Reviewer note
Use the matrix without losing the source.
The template works for manual reviews and provides a clean schema for an EvidenceGrid workspace.
Define the review question
Remove fields that do not affect the question and add discipline-specific fields before extraction begins.
Add the selected papers
Create one row per included paper. Keep DOI, title, and authors intact so references remain matchable.
Verify each interpretation
Attach the exact supporting text, PDF page, and review status before using a cell in synthesis.
A spreadsheet becomes safer when the source stays one click away.
EvidenceGrid uses the same matrix structure while attaching every extracted value to an exact quote, claimed page, match status, and highlighted PDF view.
Use the template after paper selection.
This resource supports extraction and comparison. Database searching, screening, formal risk-of-bias assessment, and manuscript writing remain separate review stages.
Common questions.
Can I edit the columns?
Yes. Keep only the fields that answer your review question. EvidenceGrid supports up to twelve custom extraction fields per workspace.
Can I use the template in Google Sheets?
Yes. Import the downloaded CSV into Google Sheets, Excel, Numbers, LibreOffice, or another spreadsheet application.
Should every cell include a quote?
Fields used as evidence should include the exact supporting text and page. Bibliographic fields can rely on the paper metadata.