Literature Reviews
Article-length literature reviews can help you become familiar with the published research in a particular discipline or sub-discipline. Some journals are devoted to publishing this type of work, while many other journals will include this type of article alongside other research articles.
Contact Anne Zald or your liaison librarian for assistance.
The definitions provided here were found in Sage Research Methods.
Literature review:
Narrative review is a synonym of Literature review
A literature review is a descriptive and/or analytic summary of the existing material relating to some topic or area of study. The term also refers to the process of producing such a review.
Integrative literature review:
A form of research that that generates new knowledge about the reviewed topic. Relevant literature is reviewed, critiqued, and synthesized in such a way that new frameworks and perspectives on the topic can be generated.
Meta-analysis:
Statistical methods for formally contrasting and combining results from different studies in the hope of identifying patterns or other interesting relationships among study results.
Scoping review:
A review used to determine the scope or coverage of a body of literature on a given topic, and to provide a general overview of that topic. In contrast to a systematic review, which generally starts with a clearly defined question, this approach allows for a more general exploration of the related literature.
Systematic review:
A systematic review is a review of the literature that is conducted in a methodical manner based on a prespecified protocol and with the aim of synthesizing the retrieved information often by means of a meta-analysis
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Annual Reviews This link opens in a new windowThe Annual Reviews provide substantially researched articles written by recognized scholars in a wide variety of disciplines that summarize the major research literature in the field. These are often a good place to start your research and to keep informed about recent developments.
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Oxford Bibliographies This link opens in a new windowOffers annotated bibliographies of the most important books and articles on specific topics in a growing range of subject areas. Particularly useful for anyone beginning research.
Article length Literature Reviews may be published in any academic journal. Search strategies for identifying Literature Review articles vary from database to database.
1. Among the Advanced Search options of the database, is there a Document Type filter that can be used to limit the results of your keyword search?
2. Is a Thesaurus provided by the database?
If 'literature review' is a searchable subject term, combine it with topical keywords or additional thesaurus terms related to your topic.
3. Some databases provide Indexes rather than a Thesaurus. Select the SUBJECT Index and search for the term 'literature review'. Combine with terms that describe your topic.
Writing a Literature Review
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Writing a Literature Review (Purdue OWL)
Concise guidance from Purdue's Online Writing Lab (OWL).
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Conducting your literature review
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Call Number: EBookPublication Date: 2020This guide to conducting literature reviews includes strategies for defining the research question, using search tools and managing citations, and ensuring an unbiased summary of existing research. -
Doing a Literature Review, 2nd edition
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Call Number: Core Reference - 2 North H62 .H2566 2018Publication Date: 2018The ultimate guide to the "what," "how," and "why" of literature reviewing. -
Writing the Literature Review
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Call Number: Core Reference - 2 North LB2369 .E289 2019Publication Date: 2018This accessible text provides a roadmap for producing a high-quality literature review.
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Sage Research Methods Core This link opens in a new windowSAGE Research Methods supports research at all levels by providing material to guide users through every step of the research process.
SAGE Research Methods is the ultimate methods library with more than 1000 books, reference works, journal articles, and instructional videos by world-leading academics from across the social sciences, including the largest collection of qualitative methods books available online from any scholarly publisher. – Publisher