A Step-By-Step System for Conducting & Completing Your Dissertation Proposal’s Most Complex Chapter
Finally, a Comprehensive Literature Review Program Designed for Busy Graduate Students: Affordable, efficient, proven.
Tired of piecing together YouTube videos and blog posts to figure out your literature review? Frustrated by $2,000+ individual coaching that’s too generic or too expensive? You’re not alone.
Most doctoral programs expect you to master literature reviews without actually teaching you how.
Enter the Lit Review Lab. It's how I went from overwhelmed to approved with just one minor round of revisions.
Is It Possible to Like Your Lit Review?
You didn’t come this far in your academic journey to get derailed by a literature review. Yet here you are, drowning in articles that don’t seem to connect, using search strategies that miss half the relevant research, and taking notes that become useless when it’s time to write.
The worst part? Your committee expects graduate-level synthesis without teaching you the specific process to achieve it (because they, too, are similarly burnt out). They assume you’ll figure it out—but “figuring it out” creates predictable problems:
- Using only basic keyword searches that miss 40-60% of relevant sources
- Relying on citation chaining that perpetuates gaps and reinforces bias
- Confusing secondary and primary sources, weakening the scholarly foundation
- Endlessly re-reading sources because initial notes didn’t extract what you really needed
- Struggling to synthesize vs. summarize, triggering multiple committee revisions
These issues add weeks or months to your timeline. The step-by-step Lit Review Lab approach eliminates these predictable pitfalls before they derail your progress.
Why Lit Review Lab?
I’ve been a writer and editor for over 20 years, but when it was time to write my own literature review, I was surprised how unprepared I was. None of the required research courses taught how to do it. Definitely nothing prepared me for how to get it right the first time.
Like most PhD students, I was burnt out and needed something efficient to walk me through each phase. I didn’t have the bandwidth to read another textbook. I definitely couldn’t afford a dissertation coach at $2,000 or more.
The Hidden Cost of “Figuring It Out”
Grad students are more burnt out now than ever, and even though the literature review seems like it should be straightforward, most academic programs don't actually teach how to do it.
That leaves already exhausted doctoral students to conjure efficiency without examples.
- They spend months re-reading sources because their initial notes were inadequate
- Committees send back drafts for “lack of synthesis,” problematic references, or disorganized outlines
- Basic keyword searches only skimmed the surface, leaving massive gaps that committees flag, sending students back to the drawing board… again
The step-by-step, comprehensive Lit Review Lab approach eliminates these predictable pitfalls before they derail your timeline.
Doesn’t this program already exist?
Traditional dissertation coaching costs $145-200+ per hour and isn’t always offered by someone with extensive (and efficient) editorial skills. And the cost of paying a dissertation coach to walk you through literature review development and writing is typically upwards of $2,000-$4,000.
The Lit Review Lab guides you through the step-by-step process you need at a price that won’t break your graduate school budget. It's also the first how-to program designed by a recent PhD student with 20 years of extensive editorial experience, academic and professional. Scholarly experience matters, but the professional world is fueled by efficiency and implementation.
You're tired of barriers and time-wasting. The Lit Review Lab will help you get things done.
At the end of the third lab, you'll have a well-structured, thoroughly researched, completed literature review to send your committee. Plus, you will never feel like you’ve got to figure it out on your own.
As a professional editor with 20 years of experience, I’ve guided hundreds of projects from draft to publication. As an academic editor and full-time student for the last 8 years, I know exactly where scholarly work gets stuck, which shortcuts create more work later, and what committees expect to see.
The Lit Review Lab teaches the step-by-step method I used to transform scattered sources and months of confusion into my own compelling, committee-ready literature review. It’s the same approach I’ve used to support other doctoral students and scholarly writers navigating their own literature review development, writing, and editing.
The Lit Review Lab Advantage
Unlike some dissertation coaches who haven’t been students for years (or decades), I am freshly out of the classroom and still riding the high of my sailed-through-committee literature review.
Beyond that, I’ve amassed over 1,400 hours in community and professional instruction ranging from writing classes to community health. Unlike the academic classroom, my teaching roles have focused on practical, actionable, and fast results for people who don’t have time to waste.
Academic classrooms are often abstract and theoretical, not primed for efficient results. The Lit Review Lab gets to the nuts and bolts of accomplishing a literature review — without reducing standards and prioritizing the vital components that often fall through the cracks of over-extended graduate programs.
The Lit Review Lab is not confined to the academic calendar — as a recent student, I know how vital the between-semester weeks can be for getting to the finish line.
Lab 1: The Strategic Literature Search
3 weeks | Short video sessions + guided practice + 24/7 instructor access + personal feedback of your work + dedicated cohort community
🔍 Stop missing crucial sources. Search like a pro. Save tons of time.
What's covered in Lab 1
- Advanced database search techniques beyond basic keywords
- Systematic terminology development and search string creation
- Citation chaining: helpful or harmful?
- Grey literature and dissertation repository searching
- Documentation systems for comprehensive coverage
- Quality assessment and source selection criteria
- Conducting the search (with personal feedback)
- Finalizing your literature selection
- Practical ways to keep track of everything you’ve done (no Excel sheets required)
Lab 2: Smart Annotation System
6 weeks | Short video sessions + guided practical application + 24/7 instructor access + personal feedback of your work + dedicated cohort community
⚡️ Quit re-reading everything a dozen times and shave weeks off your writing process.
What's covered in Lab 2
- Proven annotation system that captures exactly what you need
- Synthesis-ready tagging and note-taking that feeds directly into your chapter
- Argument mapping and gap identification strategies
- Digital organization systems that scale with your research
- Template systems for consistent, efficient processing
- Troubleshooting typical lit review issues
- Optional: AI integration strategies, ethical use, and cautions
Lab 3: Writing Your Lit Review
3 weeks | Short video sessions + intensive writing support + 24/7 instructor access + personalized review/feedback on your draft + dedicated cohort community
✨ Transform the literature into a compelling, well-structured chapter that justifies your study and wows your committee.
What's covered in Lab 3
- Finalizing a laser-focused outline
- Synthesis writing techniques (not just summarizing)
- Argument flow and logical progression
- Gap identification and research justification
- Transitions and flow
- Revision strategies for committee approval
Program Features
✅ Individualized Cohort Learning (enrollment caps to ensure individualized instructor support)
✅ Weekly (Short) Video Sessions with transcripts and chat sessions
✅ Dedicated Cohort Community for peer support, because this shouldn’t feel so isolating
✅ Multiple Communication Channels to engage with the instructor with fast response times (email, text, and community discussion, and if needed, optional phone call add-ons)
✅ Practical Templates and digital tools you can use immediately
✅ Real Feedback on your actual literature review work (for no additional fees!)
✅ Community Access for ongoing support and networking after the cohort ends
✅ No Required Textbooks or Reading because it’s time for action, not assignments
So what does it cost?
EARLY BIRD PRICING: Save $99 on the Lab (Ends July 31)
Get the complete lab for $1,097 $998 with Early Bird Pricing
- Lab 1: The Strategic Literature Search (Weeks 1-3)
- Lab 2: Smart Annotation System (Weeks 4-9)
- Lab 3: Writing Your Lit Review (Weeks 10-12)
Go from dread to draft in 12 weeks for less than $85/week (compare to less specific dissertation coaching at $145/hour)
All labs combined would cost over $3,840 in individual sessions (more than 70% savings + avoiding weeks of back-and-forth)
Yes, You Can Like Your Lit Review & the Lab Shows You How
Important Dates
Enroll by July 31 to claim your Early Bird Savings of $99!
Ready to Sail Through Your Literature Review?
Speed doesn’t = sloppy. With an efficient strategy, you’ll get the thorough literature base you need in less than half the time that most students spend wading through mounds of research.
Sign Up NowGet the Complete Lit Review Lab Solution
$1,097 $998 through July 31
Go from research to written in 12 weeks.
Starts: August 18, 2025
Ends: November 9, 2025
About Your Instructor
Amelia McNew, MS, PhDc (Nutrition) is an experienced nonfiction writer and critical research analyst. She has extensive experience as a professional editor across multiple disciplines, including dissertations and academic writing. She's been a ghostwriter for NYT bestselling authors and accumulated over 1,400 hours as a community and professional instructor.
Amelia has identified the exact systematic approaches that separate struggling students from successful ones. This isn’t theory—it’s proven methodology from the trenches of actual dissertation work—hers and others. What started from her own determination to make sense of her lit review process has evolved into a commitment to share the simplicity and success with others.
FAQ
Q: What research fields does the Lit Review Lab support?
This program is designed specifically for doctoral students in health sciences, psychology, education, and social sciences—fields where literature reviews require synthesizing complex human-centered research across multiple methodologies. While I’m only an expert in APA7, the systems and processes translate across all style guides.
Q: Does this support qualitative or quantitative research? What about mixed methods?
The lab offers specialized expertise for qualitative, mixed-methods, and quantitative human-subjects research that is common in health and social science dissertations. If you’re uncertain whether your literature review topic is a good fit, please get in touch or schedule a free 10-minute phone call.
Q: Can I join if I'm partway through my literature review?
Absolutely. Students at many stages can benefit from the simplified, organized approach in the lab. Many of us begin the messy process of lit review, realize no one ever taught us how to do it efficiently, and then go looking for a way to streamline. That’s how the Lit Review Lab came to be.
Q: What if I can't attend live sessions?
Life is busy enough — this program has no “live” sessions to schedule around. However, you’ll have real-time access to the instructor throughout the 12-week program via text, email, and community discussion.
Q: Is there a guarantee?
Only your committee can approve your literature review, but I’ve designed this program to support students in achieving the main requirements of dissertation literature reviews, significantly cutting down on the committee’s review time and revisions. So, while I can't give you a guarantee, I am committed to your satisfaction. You’ll have broad instructor communication support during the cohort, and if you need extra assistance or troubleshooting support, I will find a solution that works for you.
Q: What if I can't complete the Lab in the time allotted?
Most participants will find each lab timeline realistic with the step-by-step, time-saving approach, but life happens. If you need to continue into the next cohort, there's a $75 extension fee. This isn’t about double-charging — it reflects the personalized attention each participant receives throughout the program and ensures that cohorts remain manageable for maximum instructor access.
Q: What is the refund policy?
Like academic conferences, this program doesn’t offer a full money-back guarantee. Once a student enrolls, immediate preparation goes into supporting that student’s success in the program. Unexpected things can come up, so I will try to work with your needs, but generally:
- Refunds requested two weeks before the program start date: Full amount minus a $50 cancellation fee
- Refunds requested less than two weeks before the program start date: Full amount less a $99 lost-seat fee
This policy ensures I can maintain the individualized attention each participant receives while keeping the program accessible for student budgets. Unlike generic online courses, you're investing in specialized academic support designed specifically for dissertation-level work.
Q: Who will benefit most from this program?
The Lab is designed to complement the academic work of doctoral students who are currently in dissertation proposal or will be within the next 1-2 semesters. This program assumes you know the topic of your study, your methodology, and theoretical framework, and that you have a working research question or hypothesis, even if it is subject to minor changes.
Q: How do I know the Lit Review Lab can help me?
I’ve talked to students and faculty to ensure that this program problem-solves and proactively addresses the most common issues with literature review development and writing. If you’re not sure the Lit Review Lab is right for you, schedule a free 10-minute phone call or send me an email and we’ll discuss your specific needs to ensure it’s a good fit. (If you want to speak with someone independently who can vouch for the quality of my work, references can be provided.)
Q: Have a question that wasn't answered?
Contact Amelia, the Lab creator and instructor.
- Send an email
- Schedule a free 10-minute phone call
Make This Semester Count
Every semester, doctoral students waste months spinning their wheels on literature reviews—re-reading the same sources, missing crucial references, and getting stuck in endless revision cycles with their committees.
Meanwhile, the clock ticks on their program timeline as their confidence (and stamina!) erodes. The simplified, step-by-step approach you’ll learn in the Lit Review Lab eliminates the guesswork and gives you a clear roadmap from search to submission.
Your committee expects professional-level work, but they don’t have time to teach you the process. This program gives you pro-scholarly skills in an efficient, busy-executive timeframe—because you have a dissertation to finish, not a literature review to revise forever.
Questions?
Email Amelia, the creator of the Lit Review Lab
Schedule a free 10-minute phone call to see if the lab is right for you
Don't muddle through your literature review or get bogged down with endless revisions. Get the real-world, student-designed, professor-approved system that works.
Enroll in the Lit Review Lab Today*No timeframes are guaranteed, but are estimates based on previous student experiences and feedback.
Pricing is subject to change.
The Lit Review Lab cannot guarantee that your specific committee will approve your draft quickly. The lab teaches best practices for literature review synthesis and drafting, but specific committees and research specialties may have different requirements.