Aliterature reviewis something mostof you have done this at one time or another. As a publication type it is an article or book published after examination of previously published material on a subject. It may be comprehensive to various degrees and the time range of material scrutinized may be broad or narrow, but the reviews most often desired are reviews of the current literature. The textual material examined may be equally broad and can encompass, in medicine specifically, clinical material as well as experimental research or case reports.
State-of-the-art reviews tend to address more current matters. A review of the literature must be differentiated from a HISTORICAL ARTICLE on the same subject, but a review of historical literature is also within the scope of this publication type. The literature review examines published materials which provide an examination of recent or current literature. Review articles can cover a wide range of subject matter at various levels of completeness and comprehensiveness based on analyses of literature that may include research findings. The review may reflect the state of the art. It also includes reviews as a literary form.
Anintegrative reviewsummarizes past research and draws overall conclusions from the body of literature on a particular topic. The body of literature comprises all studies that address related or identical hypotheses. In a properly executed integrative review, the effects of subjectivity are minimized through carefully applied criteria for evaluation. A well-done integrative review meets the same standards as primary research in regard to clarity, rigor and replication.
At its most basic,narrative reviewsare most useful for obtaining a broad perspective on a topic and are often more comparable to a textbook chapter including sections on the physiology and/or epidemiology of a topic.
When reading and evaluating a narrative review, keep in mind that author's bias may or may not be present. The labelsNarrative Review and Literature Review are often describing the same type of review.
For scientific purposes, the term Literature Review is the one used most often.
his resource outlines the difference between a systematic review and a literature review:
- From:Bettany-Saltikov, J &Fernandes, T 2010, 'Learning how to undertake a systematic review: Part 1',Nursing Standard [through 2013], vol. 24, no. 50, pp. 47-55; quiz 56.
If you think you do not need a systematic review but still need a Literature Review that is exhaustive, but not protocol-driven, librarians can still assist. Please Ask Us.