Library Guides
Conducting a literature review
Information and guidance on conducting literature reviews
Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review
by
A literature review is a piece of research which aims to address a specific research question. It is a comprehensive summary and analysis of existing literature. The literature itself should be the main topic of discussion in your review. You want the results and themes to speak for themselves to avoid any bias.
Before starting your work on a literature review, feel free to refer to the guidance we have developed to help you navigate the process:
We have developed materials to support your work on literature reviews:
This guide follows naturally the stages of conducting a literature review, to give an initial overview these can be outlined as follows:
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Define Your Topic | Clarify your research question and scope using frameworks like PICO or SPICE. |
| 2. Choose Review Type | Decide on the type: narrative, scoping, systematic, umbrella, rapid review etc. |
| 3. Develop Search Strategy | Identify keywords, synonyms, Boolean operators, and relevant databases. |
| 4. Conduct the Search | Run searches across multiple platforms and document your strategy. |
| 5. Screen Studies | Apply inclusion/exclusion criteria and use tools like Rayyan. |
| 6. Appraise Quality | Critically assess the methodological rigour using tools like CASP or JBI. |
| 7. Extract Data | Capture key details (author, year, methods, findings) in a structured format. |
| 8. Synthesise Evidence | Group findings thematically or statistically (for meta-analysis). |
| 9. Write the Review | Structure your report clearly and cite sources using your preferred referencing style. |
| 10. Register & Publish | Register your protocol (e.g., PROSPERO, OSF) and consider publishing your review. |
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