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A literature review is an thorough and up-to-date overview of existing research about the topic being studied. The literature may come from books, articles, documentaries, interviews, critical reviews, DVDs, or other formats.
It's a review because it usually contains a summary, synthesis, or analysis of the central arguments in the existing literature on the topic. A literature review does not present an original argument, but instead presents the arguments of others. The sources are the main focus in a literature review and the author summarizes the arguments or ideas of others. You should include only the most relevant sources on a topic.
The literature review may also include gaps in the literature, identifying areas where further research needs to be completed.
A literature review can have several purposes. It can:
Conducting research literature reviews : from the Internet to paper Q180.55 M4 F56 2010
OWL - Purdue Online Writing Lab provides examples of Annotated Bibliographies for APA, MLA, and Chicago Styles.
Source: David Taylor, University of Maryland University College
Source: David Taylor, University of Maryland University College