AI Research in Teaching and Learning (RiTL) Faculty Learning Community

A literature review synthesizes important scholarship relevant to a topic, from books, journal articles, conference proceedings, and other sources. The "lit. review" establishes credibility by demonstrating that the authors are knowledgeable of previous research in the field. In a lit review, the author critically appraises the literature, draws conclusions, and shares their opinion of the relevant published literature.

A typical literature review accomplishes many of the following:

•     Rationalizes the significance of the research question
•     Establishes the context of the topic
•     Traces intellectual progression of research in the field
•     Summarizes, discusses, and analyses previously published research on the topic
•     Defines subject vocabulary
•     Identifies main methodologies and research techniques that have been used
•     Relates ideas and theory to applications/practices
•     Places the current work within the context of earlier related research
•     Distinguishes what has been done from what needs to be done

A systematic review is a collaborative/team-based research project; it is a high-level overview of primary research on a focused question that identifies, selects, synthesizes, and appraises all research evidence relevant to that question. 

1. Formulate a good research question
2. Prepare keyword terms to search
3. Search the literature
4. Use a citation management tool
5. Evaluate, analyze, and interpret the literature
6. Create a literature map
7. Report findings