A literature review is an overview of the previously published works on a topic. The term can refer to a full scholarly paper or a section of a scholarly work such as a book, or an article. Either way, a literature review is supposed to provide the researcher/author and the audiences with a general image of the existing knowledge on the topic under question. A good literature review can ensure that a proper research question has been asked and a proper theoretical framework and/or research methodology have been chosen. To be precise, a literature review serves to situate the current study within the body of the relevant literature and to provide context for the reader. In such case, the review usually precedes the methodology and results sections of the work.
Producing a literature review is often a part of graduate and post-graduate student work, including in the preparation of a
thesis
A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...
,
dissertation, or a journal article. Literature reviews are also common in a
research proposal
A research proposal is a document proposing a research project, generally in the sciences or academia, and generally constitutes a request for sponsorship of that research. Proposals are evaluated on the cost and potential impact of the proposed ...
or prospectus (the document that is approved before a student formally begins a dissertation or thesis).
A literature review can be a type of
review article
A review article is an article that summarizes the current state of understanding on a topic within a certain discipline. A review article is generally considered a secondary source since it may analyze and discuss the method and conclusions i ...
. In this sense, a literature review is a
scholarly paper
Academic publishing is the subfield of publishing which distributes academic research and scholarship. Most academic work is published in academic journal articles, books or theses. The part of academic written output that is not formally pub ...
that presents the current knowledge including substantive findings as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic. Literature reviews are
and do not report new or original experimental work. Most often associated with academic-oriented literature, such reviews are found in
academic journals
An academic journal or scholarly journal is a periodical publication in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as permanent and transparent forums for the presentation, scrutiny, and d ...
and are not to be confused with
book reviews
__NOTOC__
A book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is merely described (summary review) or analyzed based on content, style, and merit.
A book review may be a primary source, opinion piece, summary review or scholarly revie ...
, which may also appear in the same publication. Literature reviews are a basis for research in nearly every academic field.
Types
The main types of literature reviews are: ''evaluative'', ''exploratory'', and ''instrumental''.
A fourth type, the
''systematic'' review, is often classified separately, but is essentially a literature review focused on a research question, trying to identify, appraise, select and synthesize all high-quality research evidence and arguments relevant to that question. A ''
meta-analysis
A meta-analysis is a statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific studies. Meta-analyses can be performed when there are multiple scientific studies addressing the same question, with each individual study reporting me ...
'' is typically a systematic review using statistical methods to effectively combine the data used on all selected studies to produce a more reliable result.
Torraco (2016) describes an integrative literature review. The purpose of an integrative literature review is to generate new knowledge on a topic through the process of review, critique, and then synthesis of the literature under investigation.
Process and product
Shields and Rangarajan (2013) distinguish between the ''process'' of reviewing the literature and a finished work or ''product'' known as a literature review.
The ''process'' of reviewing the literature is often ongoing and informs many aspects of the
empirical research
Empirical research is research using empirical evidence. It is also a way of gaining knowledge by means of direct and indirect observation or experience. Empiricism values some research more than other kinds. Empirical evidence (the record of one ...
project.
The process of reviewing the literature requires different kinds of activities and ways of thinking.
Shields and Rangarajan (2013) and Granello (2001) link the activities of doing a literature review with
Benjamin Bloom
Benjamin Samuel Bloom (February 21, 1913 – September 13, 1999) was an American educational psychologist who made contributions to the classification of educational objectives and to the theory of mastery learning. He is particularly noted ...
’s revised taxonomy of the cognitive domain (ways of thinking: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating).
See also
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Empirical study of literature The empirical study of literature is an interdisciplinary field of research which includes the psychology, sociology, and philosophy of texts, the contextual study of literature, and the history of reading literary texts.
The International Society ...
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Living review
In academic publishing, a "living" review is a review article that is updated at intervals to reflect the latest research. Living reviews are typically published online. Unlike in a print journal, readers are notified of newer versions. While eac ...
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Media monitoring Media monitoring is the activity of monitoring the output of the print, online and broadcast media. It is based on analyzing a diverse range of media platforms in order to identify trends that can be used for a variety of reasons such as political, ...
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Review journal
A review article is an article that summarizes the current state of understanding on a topic within a certain discipline. A review article is generally considered a secondary source since it may analyze and discuss the method and conclusions i ...
References
Further reading
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{{Academic publishing
Academic publishing
Research methods
Information science