Not to be confused with a book review, a literature review surveys scholarly articles, books and other sources (e.g. dissertations, conference proceedings) relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory, providing a description, summary, and critical evaluation of each work. The purpose is to offer an overview of significant literature published on a topic.
From: Write a Literature Review (U.C. Santa Cruz)
A literature review is NOT a summary of the articles - that's an annotated bibliography.
Purpose of a Literature Review
-
Demonstrates to your readers how your research fits into your larger field of study.
-
Increases your knowledge in your area of research, including seminal research and opposing viewpoints.
- Leads to new insights and changes in practice, possible because you reviewed all available research in a particular area.
- Helps you identify main methodologies and research techniques.
- Allows one piece of research to be viewed within the wider context of others.
- Enhances subject vocabulary.
- Relates ideas and theory to applications
Structure of a Literature Review
- Introduction
- Each body paragraphs contains:
- Statement that explains the information presented
- Evidence, including summaries and citations
- Conclusion
Aveyard, H. (2014). Doing a literature review in health and social care: A practical guide.3d ed. New York: Open University Press