Somewhere between your 20th journal article and your 5th cup of coffee, you start asking the classic question every student hits: how many words should a literature review be? And honestly… the answer always feels like “more than you expected.”

But the truth is, the best lit reviews aren’t about padding the word count—they’re about showing you actually understand the field you’re stepping into. Once you start connecting arguments, spotting gaps, and building your own angle, the words start coming naturally.