Overview
Literature reviews are your way of entering into the scholarly conversation around your topic, both past and present. By engaging with other scholars, you are acknowledging the research that has been done on your topic, and refining your own questions and arguments.
Literature Review Explainer
This librarian-created video offers a humorous and accessible take on what a literature review is.
Citation Networks
One way to get a good sense of the citation network, or citation web, is to look at the references in a journal article as well as the sources that cited the journal article after it was published. Exploring these citation networks gives you insight into the scholarly conversation and points you to other relevant research.
The following databases make it easy to examine citation networks:
- Web of Science This link opens in a new window [Help Searching Web of Science]A citation reference that includes Science Citation Index (1900-present), Social Science Citation Index (1900-present), Arts & Humanities Citation Index (1975-present), Book Citation Index- Science (2005-present), Book Citation Index- Social Sciences & Humanities (2005-present), and Medline, and links to Journal Citation Reports and EndNote web version. If you experience trouble connecting to WoS from off-campus, try clearing your cache or changing browsers. Firefox seems to be best for this.
- Google Scholar This link opens in a new window Click on the "ViewIt@UILink" in your results list for UILink services including full text (when available), links to the InfoHawk+ Catalog, Interlibrary Loan requests and more. [TO USE THIS OPTION FROM OFF-CAMPUS: Additional information about Google Scholar]
- Scopus This link opens in a new window [Help Searching Scopus]Scopus is the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature: scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. Delivering a comprehensive overview of the world's research output in the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities, Scopus features smart tools to track, analyze and visualize research.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the Education & Psychology Librarian or the Scholarly Impact Department.
Books to Consider
The Literature Review by Publication Date: 2022This pioneering book has provided countless graduate students and researchers with a road map to success. Its model takes you through the logical progression needed for producing a quality literature review--while taking the mystery out of the process.
Qualitative Research in Education by Publication Date: 2012This accessible and practical book is a perfect quick guide for postgraduate researchers in education. See the chapter, "Writing a Literature Review."
Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review by Publication Date: 2016With an emphasis on the practical skills, this guide is essential for any student or researcher needing to get from first steps to a successful literature review.
Literature Reviews for Education and Nursing Graduate Students by Publication Date: 2017 (eBook)This open textbook is designed for students in graduate-level nursing and education programs. From developing a research question to locating and evaluating sources to writing a sample literature review using appropriate publication guidelines, readers will be guided through the process.
