I have decided to summarize Booths first chapter : The literature review: its role within research.

The author discusses the role of the literature review in research and makes a distinction between review
for knowledge support and review for decision support . The former refers to the synthesis of the actual
knowledge about a topic. It is used as a starting point to bridge the gap between the evidence of what is
known and what can be investigated further . The latest refers to the use of evidence to take practical
decisions about various kinds of issues.
A research synthesis is essential to conduct a systematic review that is a principled way to review the
existing literature on a topic. To conduct a quality literature review means essentially to review all the
evidence and check if there is a weakness in it. That gives the possibility to see if there a slot for a new
research . Another point that the author makes clear is the interplay of literature and theory. When the
literature is theoretically grounded the synthesis can be aimed at consolidating or criticizing that theory or
in the case of atheoretical literature, at generating a new theory.