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What is a literature review?

 A literature review is a descriptive summary of research on a topic that has previously been studied.  The literature review surveys scholarly articles, books, and other sources relevant to a particular area of research. The purpose of a literature review is to inform readers of the significant knowledge and ideas that have been established on a topic. Its purpose is to compare, contrast, and/or connect findings that were identified when reviewing researchers' work. Oftentimes, literature reviews are written to ground a study in a particular context of what is known about a subject to establish a foundation for the topic (or question) being researched.

Our best advice:

Read literature reviews regularly. You'll write better literature reviews if you've read literature reviews.

Check out Scribbr for more details.