Sir Luther Center for Research & Innovation

Sir Luther Center is a research mentorship program that helps high school students (grades 8-12) publish original research in peer-reviewed, Google Scholar indexed academic journals. Founded in 2020, we have guided 426+ students from 40+ countries to publication.

What We Do

Students work 1-on-1 with Harvard student mentors through an 8-week curriculum covering topic discovery, literature review, research methodology, academic writing, and journal submission. Cohorts are capped at 12 students for personalized attention. Every student leaves with a published paper, a professional research portfolio, and a clear narrative for college applications.

Programs

Harvard Student Mentors

All mentors are undergraduate and graduate researchers from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, and Princeton. Each has personal publication experience and is trained to guide students through every stage of the research process.

Outcomes

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Sir Luther Center research program?

A structured 8-week research mentorship program where high school students work with Harvard student mentors to conduct original research and publish in peer-reviewed academic journals.

Is publication really guaranteed?

Students who complete all program requirements and submit original, quality research are guided by their mentors until the paper is accepted in a peer-reviewed journal.

How long does the program take?

The Research Publication Fellowship and Global Impact Fellowship each run for 8 weeks, with one 1.5-hour live session per week plus independent research time and 1-on-1 mentor calls.

Who can apply?

High school students in grades 8-12 from any country. The Young Researchers Programme serves middle school students. The Global Impact Fellowship is for students who already have a published paper.

What does it cost?

Pricing varies by program and cohort. Current pricing and applications are available at https://sirluthercenter.com/apply

Key Pages

Contact

Email: info@sirluthercenter.com
Website: https://sirluthercenter.com

Research Methods

How to Write a Literature Review: Step-by-Step Guide

The literature review is often the most challenging part of a research paper. Learn how to find, organize, and synthesize sources effectively.

Anna Mikhaylyants - Harvard Senior, Psychology & Economics - 10 min read

What Is a Literature Review?

A literature review is not just a summary of sources - it's a critical analysis of existing research on your topic. It shows readers:

  • What is already known about your topic
  • What debates exist in the field
  • What gaps your research will fill

Step 1: Define Your Scope

Before diving into sources, clarify: - What specific aspect of the topic are you researching? - What time period will you cover? - What types of sources will you include?

Step 2: Search for Sources

### Academic Databases - Google Scholar: Start here for breadth - JSTOR: For humanities and social sciences - PubMed: For health and life sciences - IEEE: For engineering and technology

### Search Strategies - Use specific keywords related to your topic - Try different combinations of terms - Look at the references in papers you find (backward searching) - Check who has cited important papers (forward searching)

Step 3: Evaluate Your Sources

Not all sources are created equal. Evaluate each for:

### Credibility - Is it peer-reviewed? - Who is the author and their credentials? - What institution published it?

### Relevance - Does it directly address your research question? - Is it recent enough to be current?

### Quality - Is the methodology sound? - Are conclusions supported by evidence?

Step 4: Organize Your Sources

Create a system to track your sources:

### Annotated Bibliography For each source, note: - Full citation - Key findings - Methodology used - How it relates to your research - Potential quotes to use

### Thematic Organization Group sources by theme, not chronologically: - Theme 1: [Related sources] - Theme 2: [Related sources] - Theme 3: [Related sources]

Step 5: Write Thematically, Not Source by Source

Wrong approach: "Smith (2020) found X. Johnson (2021) found Y. Williams (2022) found Z."

Right approach: "Research on X has shown consistent findings (Smith, 2020; Johnson, 2021), though some scholars argue Y (Williams, 2022)."

Step 6: Synthesize and Critique

Don't just summarize - analyze: - Where do researchers agree? - Where do they disagree? - What methodological approaches dominate? - What questions remain unanswered?

Step 7: Identify the Gap

Your literature review should build to a clear conclusion: here's what we know, and here's what my research will explore.

Common Mistakes

1. Summarizing instead of synthesizing: Connect sources to each other 2. Ignoring contradictory evidence: Address conflicting findings 3. Relying on secondary sources: Always read the original when possible 4. Outdated sources: Include recent research 5. Too broad: Stay focused on your specific topic

Template Structure

1. Introduction: What topic will you review and why? 2. Thematic Section 1: First major theme 3. Thematic Section 2: Second major theme 4. Thematic Section 3: Third major theme 5. Gap Identification: What's missing from current research? 6. Conclusion: How does your research address the gap?

How Many Sources Do You Need?

For a high school research paper: - Minimum: 10-15 sources - Recommended: 15-25 sources - Focus on quality over quantity

Conclusion

A strong literature review demonstrates your understanding of the field and positions your research within the larger academic conversation.

Need guidance? Our Research Scholars Program includes dedicated literature review workshops with Harvard student mentors.

Literature review is Week 2 of our Research Publication Fellowship, done alongside a Harvard student mentor.