A literature review is a type of scholarly writing that examines the state of knowledge on a topic. It organizes, synthesizes, and evaluates existing research to show what is known, what is debated, and where further study is needed.
Some literature reviews are part of a larger research paper (like the introduction section). Others are stand-alone pieces, especially in education, where they review and critique existing studies on a topic and may make recommendations for classroom practice, curriculum design, or policy.
Reviews can be narrow and recent or broad and historical, and their length can range from a few paragraphs to an entire chapter.
When we say “literature review” or refer to “the literature,” we are talking about the research (scholarship) in a given field. You will often see the terms “the research,” “the scholarship,” and “the literature” used mostly interchangeably. View the full how-to guide from Purdue OWL.
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