A paper's "Format" refers to how what you write is organized and presented on a page. There are a few standard patterns used in college and professional writing which will become familiar as you read more scholarly articles. Following the guidelines of a format will help you organize your thoughts and keep you from accidentally leaving out important information. It will also make it easier for readers to follow the thread of your ideas.
Formal writing is kind of like a conversation. After taking in information from the observation of events or what other people have to say there is a chance for you to share what you think or have learned about your topic. "Citations" spell out who is responsible for a particular point of information you are using, when it was published, and where you found it. Different formats put things in different order but the purpose is the same. They give people credit for their ideas, allow readers to 'catch up' on the rest of the conversation, and prove that you know enough about your topic to understand what you are talking about..
The instructor will tell you which format to use for your paper in your assignment instructions or your class syllabus. If you don't see it specified, ask them. Some instructors don't favor one format over the others, but picking a style and using it consistently is less confusing than making up your own.
A Literature Review Is Not:
So, what is it then?
A literature review is an integrated analysis-- not just a summary-- of scholarly writings that are related directly to your research question. That is, it represents the literature that provides background information on your topic and shows a correspondence between those writings and your research question.
A literature review may be a stand alone work or the introduction to a larger research paper, depending on the assignment. Rely heavily on the guidelines your instructor has given you.
Why is it important?
A literature review is important because it:
Literature Review by Hillary Fox is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work https://libguides.uwf.edu/c.php?g=215112&p=4390883. Accessed: 4/23/2019
1. Choose your topic, define your question
2. Decide on the scope of your review
3. Select the databases you will use to conduct your searches
4. Conduct your searches and find the literature. Keep track of your searches!
5. Review the literature! This is the most time consuming part.
Literature Review by Hillary Fox is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work https://libguides.uwf.edu/c.php?g=215112&p=4390883. Accessed: 4/23/2019
Remember, a literature review provides an overview of a topic. There may or may not be a method for how studies are collected or interpreted. Lit reviews aren't always obviously labeled "literature review"; they may be embedded within sections such as the introduction or background. You can figure this out by reading the article.
Literature Review by Hillary Fox is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work https://libguides.uwf.edu/c.php?g=215112&p=4390883. Accessed: 4/23/2019
One of the more time intensive aspects of a literature review is deciding how you want to organize the review. There are many directions you can go. Below are suggestions for how you can organize the literature in your literature review. For more detailed information, visit UWF Libraries' Research Guide on the Literature Review: Organizing/Writing.
Ways to organize the literature review
Sometimes, though, you might need to add additional sections that are necessary for your study, but do not fit in the organizational strategy of the body. What other sections you include in the body is up to you. Put in only what is necessary. Here are a few other sections you might want to consider:
Current Situation: Information necessary to understand the topic or focus of the literature review.
History: The chronological progression of the field, the literature, or an idea that is necessary to understand the literature review, if the body of the literature review is not already a chronology.
Methods and/or Standards: The criteria you used to select the sources in your literature review or the way in which you present your information. For instance, you might explain that your review includes only peer-reviewed articles and journals.
Questions for Further Research: What questions about the field has the review sparked? How will you further your research as a result of the review?
Literature Review by Hillary Fox is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work https://libguides.uwf.edu/c.php?g=215112&p=4390883. Accessed: 4/23/2019