A literature review is a comprehensive survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It aims to provide an overview of current knowledge, theories, methods, and key findings related to the research area. Importantly, it involves not just summarizing the sources but also analyzing, synthesizing, and critically evaluating them to show how the research fits within the broader academic context. There are different types of literature reviews, including argumentative, integrative, historical, methodological, systematic, and theoretical reviews, each serving distinct purposes like supporting an argument, synthesizing research, tracing developments over time, analyzing methods, or evaluating theories. The literature review helps to:
- Demonstrate familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context
- Develop a theoretical framework and methodology
- Position one’s research in relation to existing studies
- Identify gaps or debates in the literature
- Provide a foundation for further research or analysis
Common ways to structure a literature review include chronological, thematic, methodological, and theoretical arrangements based on trends, themes, methods, or theories found in the literature. In academic writing, especially in theses or dissertations, the literature review is critical to frame the research problem and justify the new study. This overview is drawn from detailed guides on literature reviews from academic institutions and research manuals.
