A qualitative summary of the evidence on a general topic or specific question using informal or subjective methods to collect and interpret studies.
A literature review helps the author:
- Understand the scope, history, and present state of knowledge of a specific topic
- Understand application of research concepts such as statistical tests and methodological choices
- Create a research project that complements the existing research or fills in gaps
- Identify sources of information or data that might be useful to you
A literature review helps the reader:
- Understand how your research project fits into the existing knowledge and research in a field
- Understand that a topic is important/relevant to the world
- Evaluate the state of research on the topic.
