A literature review is...
- a summary and evaluation of the significant research published on a topic
- organized in a way that shows the relationship between research studies, as well as the way each has contributed to an understanding of the topic
- a secondary source because it is an overview of existing research on the topic
The purpose of a literature review is to...
- familiarize the reader with relevant literature and research in an area of study
- demonstrate relationships among the prior research
- inform the reader what has already been discovered to avoid duplication
- identify gaps and discrepancies in the literature