Literature reviews can have different objectives, such as comparing or contrasting approaches to a problem or examining what others have written to propose an alternative theory. Another purpose is to inform readers about the latest advances in the field.
In a review, you will consider the findings of a number of research papers and evaluate those papers’ conclusions and perhaps suggest a direction for future research. A critical review analyzes the methods and interpretations of data from one or more journal articles.
A literature review also may be an introduction to a larger piece of writing, such as a report of an empirical (experiment-based) study. In that case, the review surveys previously published findings relevant to the question that the study investigates.
A literature review assignment is an opportunity to learn about an area in the field and to see what old or new questions may benefit from research.
While the format of reviews varies with their purpose, reviews typically have the following parts:
an abstract
an introduction
a discussion of the research being reviewed
a conclusion
a references section
Sample student paper: Review of the literature
Related topics:
Laboratory notebooks
Research papers and laboratory reports
Research proposals
Poster presentations