Group sources around a question or theme
Choose a theme that helps answer your research question. Compare what sources say about that theme, explain why findings might differ, and end with a sentence about what the comparison means for your research.
Use a reverse outline to review your draft
Write the main point of each paragraph in one line. Read those lines in order and check whether they build an argument. If several paragraphs only report individual studies, choose a place to compare the studies directly and explain the connection.
Try it yourself
Two studies report different outcomes. What could you compare before calling the findings contradictory?
Show the answer
Compare the populations, methods, outcomes, and settings. The studies may be answering different questions or measuring the same idea differently.