Literature Reviews

What is a Literature Review?

• A complete search of all research and published materials about a specific topic including books, journals, bibliographies, and other sources
• Analysis of published literature (on a specific topic or research question), providing the "big picture" on a topic
• NOT an annotated bibliography and NOT a full research paper

When are Literature Reviews used?

Literature reviews can appear as sections in a variety of publications and research projects such as empirical research studies, scholarly journal articles, theses, dissertations, and proposals. With some additional information, literature reviews can also be published as systematic reviews, meta-analyses, evidence-based practice guidelines, or other publications.

What's the point of doing (or reading) a Literature Review?

Literature reviews help researchers to situate their research in the broader context of scholarship on a subject.

Scholarship is a conversation. When researchers publish new information, perspectives, or interpretations, their work does not exist in a vacuum. New research adds to a larger body of knowledge, building off of previous findings and exploring new ideas. Literature reviews synthesize and analyze existing research, allowing readers to understand where new research fits into the larger picture.