Literature Review Development Support

Literature Review as an Iterative Process

An iterative process is one in which steps are repeated and adjusted along the way to bring the final output increasingly closer to the desired result. It usually involves breaking an undertaking down into smaller pieces so that each piece can be tested and refined to move the overall project forward.

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Questions to Ask While Searching for & Reviewing Literature

• What do I already know (or think I know) about this topic? Does the information I am finding align with what I thought I knew?
• Am I seeing terms and concepts I recognize, or is there new vocabulary or ideas that I should investigate to improve my understanding?
• For each information source, consider....
  • What is its main idea and its purpose? Does it include a statement of research questions to be answered?
  • What kind(s) of information or evidence is presented?
  • How was the information or evidence collected?
  • Is the information a report of original research, involving data collection and analysis?
  • What findings, results, or conclusions are presented in the source? Do these make sense based on the evidence?
  • How does this information source relate to others you have gathered (time, geography, reinforcement of position, different from what other sources have presented, etc.)?
  • Is the information being presented objectively, or is it potentially biased in favor of specific groups of people or situations?
  • Is there something missing from the information, that if included would make it stronger?
  • How does the information presented by the source fit into your overall research and writing plan?
• Depending on your reading and review of each information source, you may decide you need to search for additional resources to answer new questions that arise, fill in gaps, etc. This is normal!

The video below by VCU Libraries describes different types of articles that can appear in scholarly, academic journals. Identifying the type of article can help you effectively evaluate and use the information it presents.

Access the quiz for this module:

Engaging with Sources Quiz