What's a Literature Review

My understanding is that Lit Reviews are a way that a new researcher/MA student can contribute to the field, and that the basic point is to research the existing published articles about a topic and summarize the findings. From my time in the MSI, I've also encountered the lit review as a technique for experimental design -- basically, you go looking for how other people have done the same thing, and see if there's consensus on the best way to do it, or other kinds of guidance. One task I've assigned myself as part of my graduate student journey is to understand what a lit review is and how to write it -- and then to actually write some!

I googled up some links to get me started.

• UToronto
  • Contains list of helpful self-questions -- about the project overall, and about each item you intend to include.
• UW Madison
  • Basic overview of components
• Coughlan Book
• UNC Writing Center
  • usually both synthesis and summary
  • might reinterpret old material or combine old with new
  • might trace intellectual progression of the field
  • may evaluate sources and advise reader on relevance
  • may stand alone or be part of an academic paper
  • Prep Steps:
    • Clarify scope
    • Find models
    • Narrow topic
    • Make sure sources are current
  • Process Steps:
    • Focus
    • Thesis
    • Structure
      1. Intro
      2. Body -- three options to organize
         • Chronological - by publication, or by trend
         • Thematic
         • Methodological
      3. Body -- additional features
         • Current situation
         • History
         • Methods/Standards
         • Questions for further review
      4. Conclusions