My literature review deadline is near but I can’t start evaluating evidence, what strategies can break my writer’s block?

Stop trying to write perfect, polished paragraphs and instead create a simple comparative table where you map out the core arguments, methodologies, and limitations of each source side-by-side. When you force yourself to fill in these cells, you bypass the intimidation of drafting full prose and focus purely on the critical evaluation your professor wants. For example, if you are reviewing studies on urban planning, you might list each author in the first column and then add specific columns for their sample size, key findings, and any gaps they missed, which naturally turns your raw notes into a structured analysis. This method works because it separates the cognitive load of organizing your thoughts from the mechanical task of sentence construction, allowing you to see the patterns in the literature that you can later weave into your narrative. Once you have that grid populated, you will find that the actual writing flows much faster because you are simply describing the connections you have already visually mapped out.