A literature review, also known as a knowledge synthesis, is an extensive analysis of existing publications on a given subject or research problem. It involves collecting, critically evaluating and synthesizing previous research in order to report on the current state of research on a topic, identify trends and gaps, and outline future research perspectives.
| Situating the literature review in an article |
The literature review is a component of any research article, whether empirical or review. It is a section that synthesizes and analyzes previous research relevant to the topic under study, so as to contextualize the new research within existing work.
| Review article |
Review articles synthesize relevant literature to compare the results of previous studies in a field. The main objective is to analyze the existing literature, identify relevant theories, concepts, methods and contexts, and define a future research agenda based on the identified gaps. (Paul & Criado, 2020)
| Empirical article |
An empirical research article reports the results of a study using observational or experimental data (primary research). The aim of the literature review is to provide theoretical foundations, justify the new research contribution and situate the research results in relation to the existing literature.
Paul, J., Criado, A. R. (2020). The art of writing literature review : What do we know and what do we need to know? International Business Review, 29(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2020.101717
The literature review situates the research in the existing context, identifying relevant theories, concepts and previous work. This helps to establish a solid theoretical framework and define the foundations on which the new research will be based.
By identifying and analyzing previous studies, the literature review reveals gaps, contradictions or as yet unexploited areas of research. This enables the researcher to justify the relevance of his or her study, and to direct his or her research questions towards innovative or insufficiently explored aspects.
An in-depth literature review helps to avoid redundancy by ensuring that research does not unnecessarily replicate work already done, but rather makes an original contribution to the field.
By examining the methods used in previous studies, the researcher can choose the most appropriate methodological approaches for his own project, drawing on the successes and limitations observed in previous work.
A well-conducted literature review demonstrates the researcher's in-depth understanding of the field of study, and thus reinforces the credibility and scientific rigor of the research.
| Classic / Narrative |
The classic literature review aims to provide an overview of the subject being studied. Its aim is to analyze the published literature, involving permanent and often peer-reviewed documents, in order to identify the documents to be included, select them, synthesize them in text (narrative), table or graph form, and analyze their contribution or value. (Grant & Booth, 2009)
| Systematic |
A systematic literature review is a synthesis of knowledge that requires rigorous methodology in the search, selection, critical appraisal and synthesis of evidence, with the aim of obtaining an objective, systematic study that minimizes bias. Its methodology is explicit and transparent, making it reproducible by other researchers. (Grant & Booth, 2009)
| Meta-analysis |
A meta-analysis is a quantitative method that integrates the results of empirical studies to provide an overall summary of these in a field of research. It aims to obtain statistical conclusions about the strength and direction of relationships between variables and the role of moderators. (Paul & Barari, 2022)
| Scoping Review |
A scoping study aims to provide a preliminary assessment of the potential size and scope of the available research literature. It therefore seeks to identify the nature and extent of research data (including, typically, ongoing research). (Grant & Booth, 2009)
Grant, M. J., Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health information and libraries journal, 26(2), 91–108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x
Paul, J., Barari, M. (2022). Meta-analysis and traditional systematic literature reviews—What, why, when, where, and how? Psychology and Marketing, 39(6), 1099-1115. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21657
| Umbrella review |
This type of review aggregates the results of several journals addressing specific questions. It compiles evidence from multiple systematic reviews focusing on a condition or problem for which there are two or more potential interventions, and highlights reviews that address these interventions and their outcomes. (Grant & Booth, 2009)
| Rapid review |
Rapid review is a form of knowledge synthesis in which elements of the systematic review process are simplified or omitted in order to produce timely information. (Tricco et al., 2015) The researcher chooses which steps to limit and explicitly reports the likely effects of these limitations. (Grant & Booth, 2009)
| Living systematic review |
Living systematic review is a form of systematic review that's continually updated, incorporating relevant new data as they become available. (Elliott et al., 2017)
Elliott, J. H., Synnot, A., Turner, T., Simmonds, M., Akl, E. A., McDonald, S., Salanti, G., Meerpohl, J., MacLehose, H., Hilton, J., Tovey, D., Shemilt, I., Thomas, J., & Living Systematic Review Network (2017). Living systematic review: 1. Introduction-the why, what, when, and how. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 91, 23–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2017.08.010
Grant, M. J., Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 26(2), 91–108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x
Tricco, A. C., Antony, J., Zarin, W., Strifler, L., Ghassemi, M., Ivory, J., Perrier, L., Hutton, B., Moher, D., & Straus, S. E. (2015). A scoping review of rapid review methods. BMC Medicine, 13(1), 224. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-015-0465-6
A literature review is a concise synthesis of a wide range of work on a specific topic. It is guided by a specific research question or issue, around which the synthesis of knowledge is structured, and from which a gap in the existing literature is identified. (Callhan, 2014)
Callahan, J. L. (2014). Writing Literature Reviews: A Reprise and Update. Human Resource Development Review, 13(3), 271-275. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484314536705
For a literature review to be rigorous, it is important to clarify the data collection process. The following elements should be considered and mentioned in the methodological section associated with the literature review :
(Callhan, 2014)
Callahan, J. L. (2014). Writing Literature Reviews: A Reprise and Update. Human Resource Development Review, 13(3), 271-275. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484314536705
A rigorous literature review must include critical reflection on the authors' assumptions and values, which may influence the way they interpret the literature, as well as a critical analysis of the literature itself to establish fundamental knowledge that can be taken for granted, and to identify knowledge that may have gone unnoticed over the years of intermediate research. (Callhan, 2014)
Callahan, J. L. (2014). Writing Literature Reviews: A Reprise and Update. Human Resource Development Review, 13(3), 271-275. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484314536705
A literature review must develop a convincing argument based on critical analysis, articulating a new interpretation and providing a clear, structured rationale for the conclusions. (Callhan, 2014)
Callahan, J. L. (2014). Writing Literature Reviews: A Reprise and Update. Human Resource Development Review, 13(3), 271-275. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484314536705
A rigorous literature review should make significant contributions to :
Callahan, J. L. (2014). Writing Literature Reviews: A Reprise and Update. Human Resource Development Review, 13(3), 271-275. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484314536705
Torraco, R. J. (2005). Writing Integrative Literature Reviews: Guidelines and Examples. Human Resource Development Review, 4(3), 356-367. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484305278283
Whittemore, R., Knafl, K. (2005). The integrative review : Updated methodology. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 52(5), 546‑553. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2005.03621.x
Check out this video from NC State University Libraries for a glimpse of the journey ahead.
