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This Guide was created by Carolyn Swidrak (retired).
This guide addresses how to prepare a traditional or narrative literature review.
Why is a literature review important?
“The primary purpose of a literature review is to summarize evidence on a topic – to sum up what is known and what is not known.” (Polit & Beck, 2018, p. 107)
Polit, D.F., & Beck, C.T. (2018). Essentials of nursing research: Appraising evidence for nursing practice. (9th ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer
A traditional or narrative review is one type of review. Others include:
For more information on various types of reviews: