The word literature commonly refers to the genres of the written arts, such as novels, poems, and dramas.
However, in academic and research contexts, the word literature has a different meaning. It refers to the established scholarship in a field, whether published in traditional formats like peer-reviewed journals or circulated in new mediums like scholarly podcasts or documentaries.
So, you can speak about the literature in the field of microbiology or the literature in cybersecurity, for example, and you will be referring to the scholarship in those fields.
What is a literature review? 👓
A literature review (LR) is a summary, explanation, and evaluation of the established scholarship on any given topic.
🧭 Guiding Research Questions
As Fernandez (2019) notes, LRs are governed by the guiding research question of the project. Having a specific question helps writers to stay on topic by deciding which sources are relevant and which aren't when they are searching for literature.
Often, in undergraduate student assignments, research questions will be offered as prompts by professors. For example: "Review the sociological literature on the topic of immigration into Canada from 1960-1970." In independent projects, you will need to frame your question yourself.
🎯 Outcomes of a Literature Review
When situated in documents such as research articles, theses, and dissertations, LRs allow writers to metaphorically create space for their research (Swales 1990). According to Fernandez (2019), there are five possible outcomes of an effective LR. LRs enable authors to:
🔍 Demonstrate their grasp of existing scholarship and key contributions in their field of study
↔️ Identify a gap, lack, problem, or need in the existing scholarship
❓Craft precise, focused research questions that guide their investigation within the context of the research
🧩 Place their work in conversation with existing literature, showing how their contribution fits into the broader academic landscape
🧠 Develop conceptual frameworks by synthesizing or extending established theories in meaningful ways
📍 Placement of the Literature Review
Some research articles situate the LR in the introduction, while others also include a separate literature review after the introduction. This will vary by discipline and project needs, as well as by instructor guidelines (for student assignments) and publication guidelines (for professional articles).
How to write a literature review 💻
💡 Tip: When you are beginning your research, it may be helpful to make an annotated bibliography. This is one of the best ways to build solid foundations for a literature review.
Choose a systematic classification method (chronological, thematic, methodological, etc.)
Identify patterns/trends/themes across studies
Develop summary statements and conceptualize relationships between studies (including visually)
🔮 3. Assess your sources
Judge the quality of sources based on appropriate criteria for your project
Identify gaps/problems/needs in existing knowledge
Note strengths/weaknesses in definitions, methods, and theories
💬 4. Write your review
Begin with clear context, definitions, and scope
Organize content according to your systematic analysis of sources
Conclude by synthesizing findings and connecting to your own research
References
Fernandez, Karen V. (2019.) Critically reviewing literature: A tutorial for new researchers. Australasian Marketing Journal, 27, 187-196, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ausmj.2019.05.001.
Swales, J. (1990.) Genre Analysis: English in Academic and Research Settings. Cambridge UP.
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