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A literature review offers an overview of the relevant and signficant literature on a research area. It reviews  the critical points of current knowledge on a particular topic - ie. a survey of articles, books, conference papers, theses etc. It is usually limited to a particular timeframe, and should include a description, summary and critical evaluation of the materials presented.

A literature review is not a list describing or summarising one piece of literature after another.

The purpose of a literature review is: to demonstrate your ability to identify the relevant information and outline existing knowledge;   identify the "gap" in the research that your work will address; produce a rationale or justifiction for your study.

Remember: There is no one single correct method to writing a literature review.

This page is intended as a guide only. Check with your supervisor / lecturer / school to ascertain whether there are any specific requirements for your literature review before proceeding.

Links:

Examples of webpages which offer various approaches to conducting a literature review.

How to write a literature review

Brief and to-the–point guide from University of California, Santa Cruz

The Literature Review: A Few Tips On Conducting It

More informative guide from University of Toronto. Includes good questions to ask yourself as you do a literature review

Preparing Scholarly Reviews of the Literature: A Webtutorial

Very comprehensive and thorough web tutorial, from George Washington University, which will answer questions you may have on the subject. Guidance on searching is very useful, although specifics about search tools are obsolete. Worth checking out

PhD: first thoughts to finished writing. University of Queensland

Locate earlier literature reviews in your subject:

Databases:   Search the databases in your subject to locate earlier journal articles using the terms"literature review" , as you may find a good quality literature review which you can then update.

Library Catalogue:  The catalogue holds books on doing a literature review.

Using keyword, search for "literature review". For example: Hart, C. (1998) Doing a Literature Review: releasing the social science imagination. London. Sage

Library Website: Click on your subject portal  and search some of the sources featured there and /or contact your Liaison Librarian.