What Is a Literature Review?
A literature review is a structured narrative synthesis of the published evidence on a given topic. Unlike a list of abstracts, it identifies patterns, contradictions, and gaps across studies — and situates your own research within the existing body of knowledge.
It is a mandatory section of most original articles, systematic reviews, grant proposals, and theses.
Standard Structure
- Introduction — define the clinical question and scope
- Search strategy — databases used, keywords, date range
- Synthesis — group findings by theme, design, or chronology
- Gaps and controversies — what the evidence cannot yet answer
- Conclusion — why your study is needed
Common Pitfalls
Summarising each paper one by one is not a literature review. A review synthesises — it groups, compares, and interprets across studies.
A review without a documented search strategy is not reproducible and will be rejected by most journals. Record your PubMed query, filters, and date range.
Including only studies that support your hypothesis. A credible review also cites contradictory evidence and explains it.
What Makes a Good Review
The reader should follow an argument, not a list. Each paragraph should connect to the next.
References appear as numbered superscripts in the order they are first cited — the standard format for most medical journals.
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