What is a Literature Review?
 A literature review is a written document that provides background information on your subject area and details previous research that is relevant. A good literature review is far more than an account of who researched what and when. As you read through the literature, it's common to find conflicting views/results between authors and it's important to point out these differences and potentially explain why there are discrepancies between authors when you come to prepare your written literature review. Don't be afraid to include your personal views about the subject - you're as entitled as the next person to add your thoughts and if you've done a thorough review of the literature you should be pretty knowledgeable on the subject area.
It's important to reference your sources of information correctly by using citations within the text and a list of referenced material at the end.
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 Dr Andy Wilby, a lecturer in Environmental Science at the University of Reading, discussing what makes a good literature review |
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| For an example of a literature review, see if your department holds copies of student dissertations or search on reputable internet sites, eg Bioscience Horizons |
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Introduction > Reviewing Literature > What is a Literature Review?