How Long Should a Dissertation Literature Review Be? Here’s the Real Answer

Many students stress over one key question: how long should a dissertation literature review be? The truth is, there’s no fixed number that fits every dissertation. The ideal length depends on your total word count, subject area, and your university’s specific guidelines.

As a general rule, most institutions expect the literature review to make up about 20–30% of the overall dissertation. So, for a 10,000-word dissertation, your literature review would typically fall between 2,000 and 3,000 words.

That said, length alone isn’t what matters most. A strong dissertation literature review should critically analyze key studies, compare viewpoints, and highlight gaps in existing research. Quality, clarity, and structure will always matter more than hitting an exact word count.