Summer Undergraduate Research Institute (SURI): Digital Research Skills

By the end of this session, you will be able to:  

• Locate and identify literature reviews using library databases and search tools.  

• Explain how using literature reviews when learning about new topics can be helpful. 

• Indicate two sources of assistance on campus for writing literature reviews. 

A note for SURI participants : Complementary sessions to this one include Finding Sources through Citation Networks (aka Scholarship is Connected) and any of the sessions about Citation Managers, which can play a key role in preparing to write a literature review. Check the Library Orientation page for the schedule.

1. Start by watching this 45 second clip defining a literature review.

• Listen for the analogy at the end and fill in the blank: By writing a literature review, you stand on the  ____________ of ____________ and you share what those ____________ have to say [about a topic].
• How does this metaphor help you understand the purpose of a lit review?

2. Next, check out this graphic.

• Have you come across any of these 'Types' of literature reviews before? 

Long description of "Literature Review" graphic for web accessibility.

Please note : Although a Narrative Review is "subjective," this does not mean that it is false or untrustworthy. A literature review in a published, peer-reviewed article is typically written by a scholar who is an expert in their field, and so it may reflect their unique perspective and positionality.

Literature reviews can be found in all disciplines by searching library catalogs and databases or even a scholarly search engine like Google Scholar!

Web of Science vs. Google Scholar

Check out the two searches below to learn different ways to find review articles depending on the search tool you choose. Search tips are included right underneath each link. Neither method is foolproof, so after you find an article, you will still need to make your own evaluation of what type of article you have found.

1. Here is a sample search in Web of Science on dogs and anxiety: 

A quick tip : If you find an article that has the IMRaD format [Introduction, Methods, Results, (Analysis,) Discussion], that is likely NOT a review article. See, for example An Exploratory Model of Dog Disciplining, which WoS flagged as a Review.

2. Here is a sample search in Google Scholar.

Please note : The 'Review Articles' filter may. not be 100% accurate. It appears to look for the word 'review' in the article title; however, not all review articles include that in their titles.

Now it's your turn !

Use Web of Science, Google Scholar, or another database of your choice to locate a Review Article on a topic that interests you. Save the link or the citation. Look for a DOI or permalink in the database if possible!

For search tips : Check out the 'Advanced Search Techniques' guidance on the left column of this page.

Suggested databases

This content was inspired by Tutorial: Find and Use Review Articles (CC BY-NC-SA) by Caitlin Meyer, Shannon Roux (UCLA)

If the purpose of a literature review is to summarizing existing knowledge, how can you use it in your own work? Let's look at a few other purposes or objectives of lit reviews:

Image credit: Why you Hate Literature Review and 7 Ways to Fix it

Questions for Reflection/Discussion

1. Why is it important to explain the value of your work to society or to other researchers in a field or discipline? How can publishing a literature review help with this?
2. Why does it matter that researchers and scholars (like yourselves) summarize existing research to provide context? How does this help readers?
3. How can a literature review prepare you to carry out original research? What could it tell you about the research of others?

Activity

Remember the article you found in the earlier activity? Find the link, DOI, or the citation, and click on the link below to add it to the form. Please answer the other two brief questions.

Check your understanding of what a literature review is by following this short tutorial.

Assistance on Campus

Online Resources