Literature Reviews
What is a literature review?
A literature review is a description, summary, and critical evaluation of scholarly works on a certain
topic. A literature review combines both summary (a recap of important information) and synthesis (a
reorganization of that information which reflects your approach to a research problem). You may be
asked to write a literature review on a certain topic for a class, or you may need to include a literature
review as one part of a research paper, thesis, or dissertation.
What is the difference between an academic research paper and a literature review?
The goal of a literature review is to summarize and synthesize the previous research and arguments of
other scholars, without adding new contributions.
The goal of a research paper is to develop a new argument, and typically includes some form of data
collection and analysis. A research paper usually includes a literature review as one of its components
(often labeled as the “Background” or “Theoretical Background” section).
Why are literature reviews necessary?
A literature review demonstrates the author’s understanding of the existing research on a topic and the
author’s ability to relate previous research to their own questions or ideas. Literature reviews provide
solid background for a research paper’s investigation, allowing the author to situate their own question
within the larger academic conversation on a given topic. A literature review with sufficient breadth and
depth reflects the credibility of the author and the author’s research.
Literature reviews address common beliefs or debates on a topic, offer definitions and frameworks
necessary to understand a topic, and incorporate recent (and sometimes historical) scholarship on that
topic. Because they summarize and synthesize literature on a specific topic, literature reviews can
function as a general overview to that topic for readers.
Types of literature reviews
You can adopt different approaches to the literature review depending on the type of analysis
underpinning your research.
Argumentative review: This type of literature review examines literature in a selective way in order to
address a specific argument, assumption, or philosophical standpoint that is firmly established in the
literature, typically with the goal of developing an alternative viewpoint.
Integrative review: This type of literature review generates new frameworks and perspectives on a
topic. This type of literature review includes all known studies addressing a specific question or
hypothesis.
Historical review: This type of literature review focuses on examining research throughout time, often
starting with the first time the topic emerged in the literature and then examining how approaches to
that topic have changed over time. The goal of this type of review is to provide historical context for the
research question.
