So what is a literature review exactly?

What is a lit. review, and why do I have to write one? Literature review can serve a couple of purposes:

1. It helps you focus on a particular topic and articulate for yourself what are the author's (or authors') key ideas.
2. Helps you determine what is hot in a particular field.
3. Helps you understand what scholars and practitioners are discussing about this topic.
4. Helps you develop an understanding of how sources are in conversation with each other. (You eventually will be part of the conversation too!)
5. Shows you current trends and potential gaps in scholarship.

• A lit review brings together key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (synthesis). It can be a standalone piece or a part of a larger research paper.
  • What is meant by “the literature”? It refers to the scholarship and research in your particular field.
  • Break down of Lit Reviews Writing a Literature Review - Purdue OWL
  • How to Approach a Lit Review from U. of Louisville
  • Explanation of synthesis: Owl Purdue Conducting Research and Synthesizing Sources
  • Sample Lit Reviews: Literature Review: Conducting & Writing - LibGuides at University of West Florida Libraries
  • Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students