Literature Reviews: What is a Literature Review?

⇒ Watch this video from North Carolina State University Libraries to learn about literature reviews.

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Depending on your assignment or discipline, you may be asked to conduct a specific type of literature review. Some types may include:

• Narrative or traditional literature reviews summarize and synthesize key literature on a topic and identify research gaps to provide context for research presented in a paper, thesis, or dissertation. Narrative reviews are often descriptive.

• Scoping reviews are exploratory reviews that aim to identify key literature available on a broad or complex topic as well as research gaps. Scoping reviews can be standalone studies or something conducted in preparation for additional research or a systematic review.

• Systematic reviews develop specific search criteria and reproducible methods to identify and collect scholarly literature on a topic. That collection of literature is then critically appraised, analyzed, and summarized to present an evidence-based conclusion.  
  • Meta-analysis uses statistical, quantitative methods to summarize data within the studies included in a paper or systematic review.
  • Meta-synthesis uses structured methods to analyze qualitative data to develop conclusions across studies included in a paper or systematic review.

• Integrative reviews create a broader summary of literature through incorporating empirical and theoretical research studies.

 All of these definitions are general.

► For definitions and details specific to your discipline, search for information about the review type and/or research methods that interest you in a discipline-specific database for Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Education, Anthropology, Political Science, etc.