Literature and Systematic Reviews
27 The Literature Review: Part 1
Part 1: What is a literature review, and how do I approach one?
What is a Literature Review?
You have reached a critical stage in your research work when you are ready to conduct a literature review! But what exactly is a literature review?
A literature review is often a chapter in your thesis or dissertation where you will describe and cite what research has already been done related to your topic, how this research has helped inform your own topic, and how your topic fits into the bigger picture of research in your discipline. Sometimes it will break up into several smaller sections in different chapters. It’s usually done as you get started with your own research, since it will help you understand the background of your topic.
Note: Please keep in mind that a literature review is not the same as an annotated bibliography or a systematic review.
It is not always a chapter or a section; sometimes a literature review may also serve as a stand-alone piece or article. The review article attempts to compile, summarize, synthesize, and evaluate primary research articles on a specific topic.
The review article should include:
- All perspectives from relevant research
- Summarize findings
- Make connections between research articles
- Evaluate gaps in research
- Discuss why results could differ
To find these articles, try to search for the terms “review” or “literature review” in the title or abstract. There may be options in your database to filter your search results to “review articles only” too. Remember to keep in mind that these articles usually won’t have a literature review or methods section because the article is the literature review!
How do I read a Literature Review?
Script of video from 1:33 to 2:01: Reading and understanding an article isn’t always intuitive, and it certainly takes time. One tip I often share with students is to start with the abstract, introduction, and discussion sections. After you’ve read these, you should be able to identify the significance of the research and how it relates to your own project. This will help you decide which articles to take a closer look at. To keep organized, many students print out articles and make notes on them or keep their notes on a computer.
Note: other parts of this video may be outdated and not fit the context of the current tutorials present.
There are some things you want to remember while reading a literature review, especially if your review is a standalone article:
- They include only the most important research on a topic, but not all research is presented
- They are considered secondary sources, not primary sources (meaning they present no original research)
Note: if you need help knowing what different types of sources are available, check out our database and sources tutorial series here!
See our next chapter for help in writing your literature review!
