Literature Review Is Not:

 just a summary of sources

 a grouping of broad, unrelated sources
 a compilation of everything that has been written on a particular topic
 literature criticism (think English) or a book review

So, what is it then?

A literature review is an integrated analysis-- not just a summary-- of scholarly writings that are related directly to your
research question. That is, it represents the literature that provides background information on your topic and shows
a correspondence between those writings and your research question.
A literature review may be a stand alone work or the introduction to a larger research paper, depending on the
assignment. Rely heavily on the guidelines your instructor has given you.
Why is it important?

A literature review is important because it:

 Explains the background of research on a topic.

 Demonstrates why a topic is significant to a subject area.
 Discovers relationships between research studies/ideas.
 Identifies major themes, concepts, and researchers on a topic.
 Identifies critical gaps and points of disagreement.
 Discusses further research questions that logically come out of the previous studies.