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A literature review aims to analyze, discuss, and/or summarize the methods and conclusions from previously published research on a specific topic. This way, it presents an overview of the existing evidence on that specific topic.
Several types of literature reviews exist:
- A narrative review describes the published information on a specific theme or topic without using a predefined methodological approach to gather and compile the existing evidence. Its goal is to provide the reader with an overview of existing evidence on a specific topic in a logical and structured way.
- A systematic review answers a very specific, predefined research question by collecting or summarizing all empirical evidence that fits prespecified eligibility criteria. Systematic and explicit methods need to be applied and the search strategy needs to be reproducible. Its goal is to extract and interpret data from previously published studies answering a specific research question, while reducing bias regarding the identification, selection, and critical appraisal of the relevant research.
- A meta-analysis is a type of systematic review using secondary statistical analyses to draw meaningful conclusions about the outcome of independent, similar studies on a specific research topic.
Emtex Life Science medical writers are trained to gather and compile relevant scientific literature and extract meaningful conclusions from literature searches, so they possess the appropriate skills to write a literature review.