What is a literature review?
Rather than describing original research results, literature reviews summarize the research on a particular topic by synthesizing information from many primary sources.
Why should I read literature reviews?
Review articles can be helpful for gathering background information and identifying key articles in a particular field.
How can I find a literature review?
Many library databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed, allow you to filter search results to include only "review articles" or "literature reviews." Annual Reviews is a database of reviews synthesizing primary research in the sciences.
Writing a literature review? Check out our tutorial.
Google Scholar is a subset of Google Web Search that enables you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including papers, theses, books, and reports.