Strategy: Literature ReviewDoes your assignment or publication require that you write a literature review? This guide is intended to help you understand what a literature is, why it is worth doing, and some quick tips composing one. Photo by Jessica Ruscello on Unsplash
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What is a literature review?
Typically, a literature review is a written discussion that examines publications about a particular subject area or topic.
A Literature Review provides an overview of selected sources on a topic.
Depending on disciplines, publications, or authors a literature review may be:
- a summary of sources
- an organized presentation of sources
- a synthesis or interpretation of sources
- an evaluative analysis of sources
A Literature Review may be part of a process or a product.
It may be:
- a part of your research process
- a part of your final research publication
- an independent publication
Why do a literature review?
The Literature Review will place your research in context.
It will help you and your readers:
- Locate patterns, relationships, connections, agreements, disagreements, & gaps in understanding
- Identify methodological and theoretical foundations
- Identify landmark and exemplary works
- Situate your voice in a broader conversation with other writers, thinkers, and scholars
The Literature Review will aid your research process.
It will help you to:
- establish your knowledge
- understand what has been said
- define your questions
- establish a relevant methodology
- refine your voice
- situate your voice in the conversation
What does a literature review look like?
The Literature Review structure and organization.
Sections:
- an introduction or overview
- a body or organizational sub-divisions
- a conclusion or an explanation of significance
The body of a literature review may be organized:
- chronologically: organized by date of publication
- methodologically: organized by type of research method used
- thematically: organized by concept, trend, or theme
- ideologically: organized by belief, ideology, or school of thought
Tips:
Mountains by Alice Noir from the Noun Project