What is a literature review?
A literature review is a synthesis and analysis of prior research on a specific topic. This guide focuses on the narrative or traditional literature review, which is commonly part of a journal article, dissertation/thesis, or writing assignment. For information about systematic reviews and other types of evidence synthesis, see the Systematic Review guide.
The following 9-minute video provides an overview of what is meant by a literature review, why it is important, and how the process works.
