Conducting a literature review?
Firstly, determine the appropriate type of review - traditional (narrative) or
systematic
Jesson, Matheson and Lacey (2011,) provide the following definitions:
• Traditional narrative literature review - 'A research method which involves
reviewing published and unpublished material. It usually begins with a rational for the
review and is written in a narrative style'
• Systematic review - 'A review with a clearly stated purpose, a question, a
defined search approach, stating inclusion and exclusion criteria, producing a qualitative
appraisal of articles'
Systematic reviews are an important part of evidence-based practice, providing findings
that can assist researchers, practitioners and policy makers to make decisions based on
the best evidence. A systematic review is a significant undertaking and is usually
conducted at more advanced levels.
A traditional review (e.g. scoping review) may be undertaken prior to a systematic review
to assist in formulating the research question and designating inclusion and exclusion
criteria.
A few of the key initial steps in conducting a literature review include:
• developing your research statement or question
• defining any parameters or criteria
• choosing appropriate search tools
• searching with appropriate keywords and subject headings (descriptors)
• selecting relevant material
What is a literature review?
Selecting, classifying and evaluating what other researchers have written on a particular
subject. The process could be summarised in this way:
Unlike other assignments, which use source information as evidence for an argument, in
a literature review, the literature itself is the subject of discussion. Reviewing literature is
an important component of academic writing and research and aims to gain an
understanding of what is currently known or understood about a subject (Davies, 2011).
Completing a literature review involves:
selecting existing literature on a particular topic summarise, interpret, compare &
evaluate the main ideas
Establish current knowledge on that topic
Firstly, determine the appropriate type of review - traditional (narrative) or
systematic
Jesson, Matheson and Lacey (2011,) provide the following definitions:
• Traditional narrative literature review - 'A research method which involves
reviewing published and unpublished material. It usually begins with a rational for the
review and is written in a narrative style'
• Systematic review - 'A review with a clearly stated purpose, a question, a
defined search approach, stating inclusion and exclusion criteria, producing a qualitative
appraisal of articles'
Systematic reviews are an important part of evidence-based practice, providing findings
that can assist researchers, practitioners and policy makers to make decisions based on
the best evidence. A systematic review is a significant undertaking and is usually
conducted at more advanced levels.
A traditional review (e.g. scoping review) may be undertaken prior to a systematic review
to assist in formulating the research question and designating inclusion and exclusion
criteria.
A few of the key initial steps in conducting a literature review include:
• developing your research statement or question
• defining any parameters or criteria
• choosing appropriate search tools
• searching with appropriate keywords and subject headings (descriptors)
• selecting relevant material
What is a literature review?
Selecting, classifying and evaluating what other researchers have written on a particular
subject. The process could be summarised in this way:
Unlike other assignments, which use source information as evidence for an argument, in
a literature review, the literature itself is the subject of discussion. Reviewing literature is
an important component of academic writing and research and aims to gain an
understanding of what is currently known or understood about a subject (Davies, 2011).
Completing a literature review involves:
selecting existing literature on a particular topic summarise, interpret, compare &
evaluate the main ideas
Establish current knowledge on that topic
