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Latino Research Institute

What is a literature review and why do we do them?

What is a Literature Review?

Definition

From Sage Research Methods:

A literature or a narrative review is a comprehensive review and analysis of the published literature on a specific topic or research question. The literature that is reviewed contains: books, articles, academic articles, conference proceedings, association papers, and dissertations. It contains the most pertinent studies and points to important past and current research and practices. It provides background and context, and shows how your research will contribute to the field. 

A literature review should: 

  • Provide a comprehensive and updated review of the literature;
  • Explain why this review has taken place;
  • Articulate a position or hypothesis;
  • Acknowledge and account for conflicting and corroborating points of view
Purpose

A literature review will help you to:

  • Reveal gaps in the previous research done in the field
  • Ensure your topic is original, a new and meaningful contribution to the field
  • Demonstrates your familiarity and command of the topic at hand and the relevant research that has been done.
  • Notes areas of strength and weakness in the previous research
  • Lays out opposing viewpoints

Or it can be a separate work (a research article on its own) which:

  • Organizes or describes a topic
  • Describes variables within a particular issue/problem

What kind of literature should be included?

What you should include:

  • Anything that would be considered primary or original research
  • Peer reviewed research articles
  • Books and book chapters
  • Conference proceedings
  • Review articles previously contributed in the field

What should not be included:

  • popular news and magazine articles
  • social media posts or blog posts
  • reference materials such as encyclopedias or handbooks and dictionaries
  • textbooks

Just because the focus of a literature review is original research, it does not mean you will not find news articles and reference materials, etc. helpful in narrowing and understanding your topic. You will also likely use those as sources in your final research project. But they are not the focus of a literature review.

Subjects: Latin@ Studies

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