Literature Review Guide

Conduct systematic literature reviews and synthesize research findings effectively. Covers the complete process from defining scope through search, screening, analysis, and writing.

Usage

Describe your research topic and the type of review needed. The guide helps you design a search strategy, develop screening criteria, and organize findings into a coherent narrative or systematic analysis.

Parameters

• Review type: Narrative, Systematic, Scoping, or Rapid
• Field: Sciences, Social sciences, Health, Technology, or Interdisciplinary
• Scope: Broad overview, Focused question, or Gap identification
• Stage: Planning, Searching, Screening, Analysis, or Writing

Examples

1. Systematic Review Protocol: PRISMA-compliant protocol for reviewing interventions for workplace burnout — search strings for 5 databases, inclusion/exclusion criteria, quality assessment tool selection, and data extraction form design.

1. Dissertation Literature Review: Structure a 30-page review chapter for a PhD thesis — organize by themes rather than chronologically, critically evaluate methodological quality, and identify the specific gap your research fills.

1. Rapid Review: 2-week rapid review of remote work productivity research for a policy brief — abbreviated search strategy, streamlined screening, and key finding synthesis with evidence quality ratings.

1. Scoping Review: Map the landscape of AI in education research — broad search strategy, charting framework for categorizing studies, and visual representation of research clusters and gaps.

Guidelines

• Search strategies use Boolean operators, MeSH/subject headings, and database-specific syntax
• Multiple databases are searched: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, etc.
• Grey literature sources are included where appropriate (conference proceedings, preprints)
• Screening criteria are defined before searching to prevent bias
• PRISMA flow diagrams document the screening process for transparency
• Quality assessment uses validated tools (CASP, Newcastle-Ottawa, Jadad)
• Synthesis goes beyond summarizing individual studies to identify patterns and contradictions
• Thematic analysis organizes findings by concept, not by study
• Gaps in the literature are explicitly identified and connected to future research directions
• Reference management tools (Zotero, Mendeley) are recommended for organizing large collections