A literature review is a work of discursive prose that provides a critical account of the existing research and explains how this research is significant to the topic you are studying.
Purpose:
A Literature Review is NOT:
Literature reviews can be located using databases (periodical or article indexes). Not all databases allow you to search for literature reviews in the same way. The following databases can be used to locate literature reviews. Included with the link and database description are step by step instructions for locating a literature review.
Eric uses the term literature reviews (plural) as a descriptor. To search for a literature review:
PsycINFO via EBSCO uses the term "literature review" in the methodology field. To search for a literature review:
The following search would find all literature review articles that have been categorized under the Descrioptor (DE) "peer evaluation"
Social Services Abstracts/Sociological Abstracts
Social Services Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts and LLBA all use the term literature review as an identifier (similar to a descriptor). To search for a literature review in any of these databases: