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In a general sense, literature reviews are surveys of research on a particular topic or field of study.
For example, a psychology student might be asked to write a literature review regarding what researchers and experts have reported regarding a specific psychological condition or a matter of debate within the psychology field.
The purpose of a literature review is to gain experience in the research process and to expose the writer to a variety of perspectives or opinions regarding the assigned topic. The writer joins the circle of ideas that have been formed around a subject.
In addition, the literature review process is also typically intended to assist the writer in reaching a conclusion about a topic based on comprehensive research or evidence.
Peer-reviewed articles (also known as "scholarly articles" or "academic articles") are articles that have been reviewed and approved as valid and relevant by experts within a particular field of study.
Instructors might require students to use only peer-reviewed material as part of assignment guidelines.
To locate peer-reviewed articles within Ivy Tech databases, try these search tips:
1. Locate the appropriate search filter by scrolling through delimiter options on the search page. The database aggregate EBSCOhost, for example, provides a delimiter that refines search results for only peer reviewed articles.
2. Look for additional filters that might appear under a different name. For example, other resources like Social Sciences Full Text offer an option to select "Academic Journal" as a Publication Type. This filter returns only search results from journals that specialize in providing scholarly peer-reviewed resources.
3. Look for databases that specialize in offering only scholarly material. Databases like the Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection only publish peer-reviewed, academic articles, so no filter is typically necessary when searching this resource, unless you wish to select a particular document type within the database, like a case study.
A successful literature review
Courtesy of Portland State University
Another way to think about a literature review is that research about a certain topic tells a story. What details matter as you relate that story to your readership? How does the research tell the story of the subject matter?
In addition to the resource link above, the following resources from the Purdue OWL explain the basic purpose and structure of a literature review., as well as an explanation of literature reviews within the specific discipline of the social sciences. Always consult class assignment guidelines for more specific details.
