What is a literature review?
A literature review surveys all the available literature on a topic, from books, journal articles, conference proceedings, and other sources, to identify items that are relevant to the current work. The lit review establishes credibility by demonstrating that the authors are aware of previous work in the field.
A typical literature review accomplishes many of the following:
Many articles do not label the section as a literature review. Some reviews are included in the Introduction section or are labeled as "works cited" or other variations. When in doubt, look for the section that has the densest concentration of footnotes or endnotes.
The Literature Review sections in these articles serve as good examples. Connect through the VPN if off campus.
For more assistance with your literature review, contact sciref@uflib.ufl.edu or email your subject librarian.
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