Study identity
Keep each row traceable to the selected paper.
- Title
- Authors
- Year
- DOI
- Research question
A literature review matrix Excel template with evidence checking.
Download this free literature review template for Excel or Google Sheets to compare papers by question, sample, method, findings, limitations, exact quote, page, and match status.
A practical starting structure.
The table below is a literature review matrix example that opens in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, or LibreOffice. Researchers can use the same structure as a literature matrix template or evidence matrix template because every finding stays beside the quote, page, and review status needed to check it.
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 literature review matrix Excel template in your workflow.
Download the CSV and open it in Excel, or import it into Google Sheets. Researchers may also call this structure a literature review Excel template, literature review spreadsheet, literature grid, or literature review table template. Each row keeps the study, finding, exact quote, page, and review status together.
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.
How do I download the literature review matrix Excel template?
Choose Download CSV. Excel opens the file directly, and Google Sheets can import the same download without changing the columns.
Is a literature matrix the same as an evidence matrix?
These names often describe the same comparison structure. A literature matrix organizes findings across papers, while an evidence matrix usually places more emphasis on the source supporting each finding. This template includes both uses.
Does the download include a literature review matrix example?
Yes. The preview shows a completed row so you can see how the study details, finding, exact quote, page, and match status fit together before adding your papers.
Can I use this as an Excel template for literature review?
Yes. The CSV is ready for Excel and includes fields for study identity, design, findings, limitations, exact quotes, pages, and review status.
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.