Research papers
How to write a review of related literature (RRL).
By the EssayMate team · Updated November 9, 2026
The review of related literature, usually called the RRL, is Chapter 2 of a Philippine research paper or thesis. It shows what is already known about your topic, how earlier studies connect to yours, and the gap your study fills.
It follows the same principles as any literature review, but Philippine schools add their own conventions: separating literature from studies, often splitting foreign and local sources, and ending with a synthesis and a framework. This guide covers both.
Related literature vs related studies
| Related literature | Related studies | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Published writing on the topic: books, journal articles, reports, laws and policies | Earlier research: published studies, theses and dissertations |
| What you take from it | Concepts, definitions, theories, the state of the issue | Methods, respondents, findings and how they compare with your study |
| Example | A DepEd order on learning recovery; a book on adolescent development | A thesis on study habits of senior high students; a journal study on screen time |
Many schools ask you to divide each into foreign (studies done outside the Philippines) and local (done in the Philippines). Others prefer one section organised by theme. Follow your template; if you have the choice, organise by theme and mark sources as foreign or local within it, because that makes comparison easier.
1. Find good sources
- Google Scholar for journal articles and theses worldwide.
- Philippine Journals Online (PhilJOL) and university repositories for local studies.
- Official sources such as DepEd, CHED, the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Official Gazette for policies and data.
- Your school library's previous theses and research papers, often the best local studies on similar respondents.
Many teachers require sources from the last 5 or 10 years, except for classic theories. Check the rule before you start. Record each source's full details as you go (an annotated bibliography is a good working file), and never cite a source you have not read.
2. Organise by variable or theme
The simplest structure follows your variables and the order of your statement of the problem. A study on screen time and academic performance might have three themes:
Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature and Studies
Screen time among adolescents (what it means, how it is measured, how common it is)
Academic performance and its factors
Screen time and academic performance (studies that tested the relationship)
Synthesis of the reviewed literature and studies
Theoretical framework
Conceptual framework
3. Write with synthesis, not one summary per source
The most common RRL problem is a list of summaries: "Author A (2019) found… Author B (2020) found…". Panels want synthesis: paragraphs that group studies by what they found, compare them, and relate them to your study.
Studies on device use in class agree that it lowers learning. Students who used phones during a lecture took fewer notes and scored lower on a later test (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013), and even students seated near a classmate using a laptop understood less of the lecture (Sana et al., 2013). When phones were banned in schools in England, test scores rose, most of all among low-achieving students (Beland & Murphy, 2016). These foreign studies, however, measured device use inside the classroom, while the present study examines total daily screen time of senior high school students in the Philippines.
The last sentence is what makes it an RRL rather than a summary: it says how the earlier work relates to your study. Use transition words like similarly, in contrast and however to show the relationships.
4. The synthesis section
End the chapter with a short synthesis (often one to three paragraphs) that pulls the reviewed sources together: where they agree, where they differ, and what none of them covered. That last point is the research gap, and it should match the gap you described in the background of the study.
5. Theoretical and conceptual framework
The theoretical framework names an established theory that explains your variables (for example, a learning or behaviour theory) and cites its source. The conceptual framework shows how your own variables relate, usually as a diagram with a short explanation.
Many Philippine schools use the Input-Process-Output (IPO) model for the conceptual framework: the input is what you collect (the profile and variables), the process is how you collect and analyse it (survey, statistical treatment), and the output is what the study produces (findings, a proposed program or intervention). Correlational studies often use a simpler diagram of the independent variable pointing to the dependent variable instead.
RRL checklist
- Every theme connects to a variable or question in your study.
- Paragraphs compare several sources, not one each.
- Foreign and local sources are both represented if your school requires it.
- Each source is recent enough for your teacher's rule.
- The synthesis names the gap your study fills.
- Every in-text citation is in the reference list, formatted in your school's style (usually APA).
- Nothing is copied: paraphrase and cite (see how to avoid plagiarism).
Example papers
Sample papers written with EssayMate, to read for structure and citations, not to copy.
Frequently asked questions
What is RRL in research?
RRL stands for review of related literature. It is usually Chapter 2 of a research paper or thesis and discusses published literature and earlier studies related to the topic, ending with a synthesis and the research gap.
How many sources should an RRL have?
Senior high school papers commonly have 10 to 20 sources; college theses often have 20 to 40 or more. Your teacher may set a minimum, and coverage of the key studies matters more than the count.
What is the difference between foreign and local literature?
Foreign literature and studies were written or conducted outside the Philippines; local ones were written or conducted in the Philippines. Many schools ask for both so the paper connects international findings to the local setting.
How recent should RRL sources be?
Many teachers require sources from the last 5 or 10 years, except for classic theories and foundational works. Check the rule in your research class.
Is the conceptual framework part of the RRL?
In many college theses it comes at the end of Chapter 2, after the synthesis. In many senior high school papers it is in Chapter 1. Follow your school's format.
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