When we (in academic circles) refer to literature, we are referring to research or scholarship. A literature review collects research or scholarship on a particular subject and then enters the conversation those sources are having about that subject. We sometimes refer to this as synthesis.
Synthesis (n.) - the combining of two or more things to produce something new, Lumen Learning
Read more about synthesis at the Purdue OWL here.
A lit review typically begins with a basic introduction of your topic, including some of the following:
The body of your lit review should typically accomplish the following tasks:
The body paragraphs should be well-structured in whichever organization plan suits your topic: chronological, thematic, methodological, or theoretical.
The conclusion of your lit review should do two things:
The design of this page was partly adapted from Research: By Course, Subject, or Topic, by University of Arizona Libraries, © 2020 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.